Recommended Tires Pressure in an RT

[Hoover]

Bike was setup for 2 up riding months ago for a trip. Never changed the tire pressure since. I am noticing it getting squirlly sometimes, sliding the rear tire and the like especially on quick stops. It never used to do this....

 

Can this be due to too much pressure in the tires? What is recommended for a single rider?

[Haynes]

You'll find lots of discussion on this topic in the archives. There are varying opinions on this and a lot of the variation in opinion stems from the differing riding styles and preferances in feel. In general, much of the opinion is around the 40/42 psi or 38/40psi marks.

[Blue Beemer Dude]

The first place to always check is the owner's manual. The tire pressures are listed for one-up and two-up riding. However, BMW tends to list their pressures a bit low, sacrificing tire longevity for better handling. What do they care, they're not paying for the tires, right?

 

Seriously, that's where you should start. Then you can start bumping-up the pressure a bit (if you want) for better tire life. Some people recommend as high as 42, but that's a bit too much for me.

 

You should check the tire pressure before every ride! It's a safety thing. And just the act of checking pressure will cause the pressure to drop, as you release a tiny bit of air each time. So keep that in mind.

 

Michael

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Months ago??

 

You probably have way too little air in your rear tire.

You can buy a tire pressure gauge, adequate to the task, for 5 bucks at any auto parts store and most gas station convenience stores.

 

A foot operated pump is available at Wally World for 11.95

 

Checking the tire pressure does not take 5 minutes and even inflating your grossly under inflated tire is only a couple of minutes more the first time.

 

Jesus, dude, I'm the laziest living human and I check my tires once a week anyway.

[Hoover]

While I admit I do not check them before every ride, I do check my tires....I never said I didn't. I said I had not CHANGED them. Right now I am at that 38/40 mark.

 

I have 2 bikes, one the wifes which is brand new and mine which I have had for a couple of years now (and have gone through a complete set of tires, and have a good bit of milage of the current ones). I never have issues with losing tire pressure regularly...at least not with these newer bikes. I had been letting the dealer maintain the bike, but have decided to do much of that myself now since I have two of them...so I am learning.

 

Sounds like that is an oddity, I just figured it was quality of the bike/tire. We will see how luck plays out with the new bike.

[Bob Palin]

I've been using 38/40 or even 40/42 when fully loaded and notice no strange behaviour. I do find 40/42 to be a harsh ride.

[FREEBEE]

I'm the laziest living human and I check my tires once a week anyway.

Whew! I thought I was, I feel much better now.

Now to try to convince the warden there is someone lazier still drawing air.

[BobFV1]

I check the tires at least once a week with a high quality dial-type gauge with bleed valve - only about $30.00 from Snap-on. If I am on a road trip I check the tires every single morning - it's sometimes a pain but that's my life on that contact patch and i want to be able to confidently take it to the extreme if I have to.

 

Anyway - I run 40/42 almost all the time, under pretty much any load or condition. I am just used to that pressure and I don't have to think about adjusting it up or down. Only exception is in the heat of the Arizona Summer, if I am taking off the side cases and going up in the hills I may run them a little softer to account for the amount of heat I will get in to them on the ride. I run Metzeler Z-6's and get about 8000 miles out of them

[leikam]

It would surprise me if too much pressure is causing this. You can assume that your tire pressure falls (however fast or slowly) with time so any change in feel would be most reasonably pinned on a lower pressure.

 

I typically aim for tire pressures in the mid to upper 30s (1 up). If you're getting noticably slide, I'm guessing you're in the low 20s.

[rocks]

I run Metzeler Z-6's and get about 8000 miles out of them

 

 

That's seems very good for Z-6's

[swfraley]

I've been reading about these high pressures on this db for YEARS, and I still don't understand the point. Why buy a soft, sticky tire (relatively) and then overinflate it? Doesn't that shrink your contact patch?

 

Wouldn't it be as good or better to buy a harder tire and run it at recommended pressures?

[leikam]

Wouldn't it be as good or better to buy a harder tire and run it at recommended pressures?

 

Not at all. We're already talking about a slow, old man's bike here. If you cave and put harder tires on it too, you've really given up all hope. The tires are the last bit of sport left!

[ShovelStrokeEd]

OK, Michael, you get to come over and wipe the coffee that blew out my nose all over the keyboard and monitor.

[leikam]

No problem, Ed. I'll see you in ... let me check my calendar... I'll have to get back to you on my availability. Just hang tight.