Tire pressure monitor - i love'ya!

[Paul Mihalka]

I have the aftermarket "Tiregard" monitor on my bike. Saturday morning ready to ride to work, switch on the monitor (lucky, some times I forget) and pulling out of the garage it starts flashing at me indicating a rear tire problem. Checking the tire pressure, 25 lbs. Well, leave the bike, take the car. Today I looked, first didn't find anything, then checked with soapy water. I found a small tip of a knife in the tire, almost invisible. The tire (Metzeler Tourance) already had 7.000 miles, with may be 1.000 left, no big loss. Already had a new tire mounted on my spare wheel, end of story. Without the TPM I don't know when and how I would have found out about this.

 

[Troy]

I found a small tip of a knife in the tire, almost invisible.

There has got to be more to this story. You don't strike me as the type to get on somebodies bad side enough to provoke a tire slashing.

[JayW]

I found a small tip of a knife in the tire, almost invisible.

There has got to be more to this story. You don't strike me as the type to get on somebodies bad side enough to provoke a tire slashing.

 

...or throwing a knife at your back and hitting the tire instead... Just sayin.

[Glenn Reed]

I'm guessing it will be the tip of a utility knife. The last flat I had on my Subaru was from one that the tire picked up on a road where there was a house under construction. I guess that whe user just pitched it in the back of the truck with the rest of the trash and it blew out.

 

I could easily see having the GS tire pick one up on one of your regular rides.

[Paul Mihalka]

"I'm guessing it will be the tip of a utility knife"

 

About right, just a tiny piece, a very slow leak. Too small to slash a tire or my butt.

[4wheeldog]

I'm guessing it will be the tip of a utility knife. The last flat I had on my Subaru was from one that the tire picked up on a road where there was a house under construction. I guess that whe user just pitched it in the back of the truck with the rest of the trash and it blew out.

 

I could easily see having the GS tire pick one up on one of your regular rides.

 

+1. When we were having our house built, between my wife's 4runner and my pickup, we had 4 punctured tires, all in one day.

 

The next afternoon, I was there when the stucco crew were packing up for the day.......3 of them just upended their tool pouches and shook them out.........Right in the middle of the gravel driveway. English was not their first language, but they understood my gesticulating and frothing at the mouth.

 

I bought a big magnet on a stick that night.

[TestPilot]

Paul,

 

I'm with you in advocating a tire pressure monitor systems for motorcycles. I picked up a nail in my rear tire last year on my way to the RA rally. The pressure went down gradually, and my first indication, before any handling problems, was a warning from the factory TPMS. I plugged the tire and continued to the rally, with a stop at Max's, but couldn't find the tire I wanted. I probably put too many miles on the plugged tire before I finally had it replaced, but the TPMS certainly kept me from doing any more damage to an already compromised tire.

[upflying]

I use the "handling changes, feels funny and starts to go away" TPMS system. Not to diminish the importance of tire pressure, some of this technology seems like government nanny-ism run amok. How did we manage to ride safely back in the day without this stuff?

[Paul Mihalka]

I use the "handling changes, feels funny and starts to go away" TPMS system.

Yup, I used that too for a few years (like 60) but with 25 lbs under non-agressive riding it would have felt perfectly OK.

[Twisties]

I use the "handling changes, feels funny and starts to go away" TPMS system.

Yup, I used that too for a few years (like 60) but with 25 lbs under non-agressive riding it would have felt perfectly OK.

 

You certainly keep things interesting Paul.

[Boffin]

I use the "handling changes, feels funny and starts to go away" TPMS system.

Yup, I used that too for a few years (like 60) but with 25 lbs under non-agressive riding it would have felt perfectly OK.

 

I agree - a few years ago a slow leak went unnoticed until the end of the ride and the discovery of melted tread and a trashed tyre. This in the middle of a touring holiday. Luckily, James Sherlock (an independent BMW specialist) ensured I only lost half-a-day of our holidays.

 

Andy

[Matts_12GS]

I use the "handling changes, feels funny and starts to go away" TPMS system.

Yup, I used that too for a few years (like 60) but with 25 lbs under non-agressive riding it would have felt perfectly OK.

 

Actually at about 27-30lbs a tourance is a whole lot of fun on a twisty road... They get nice and hot and hold on well.

[Paul Mihalka]

Just a note, I posted this some time ago. Before TPM when traveling at the gas stops I put my hand on the tires. If a few pounds down they will be a lot hotter. Find out why.

[Matts_12GS]

I run my tourances down about 27 or so pounds when off road on the GS. Lawnchairboy and I were darting on and off road from the BRP one afternoon and I left them at that pressure to play.

[Kathy R]

Paul,

 

This sounds like something I want to get, very soon. Is this the right thing?

on Amazon

[upflying]

Paul,

 

This sounds like something I want to get, very soon. Is this the right thing?

on Amazon

Are you saying Paul should ride a trike?

[KDeline]

I use the "handling changes, feels funny and starts to go away" TPMS system.

 

 

Just used that system the other day, worked great. TPM would be nice though.

[Kathy R]

Paul,

 

This sounds like something I want to get, very soon. Is this the right thing?

on Amazon

Are you saying Paul should ride a trike?

 

 

Oh, I see that one is for a "Trike"

 

Paul,

You know what I mean. Is this the brand?

[Paul Mihalka]

That is the one I use. Here is the one for two wheels:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Show-Chrome-WIRELESS-PRESSURE-MONITOR/dp/B001VDUBHW

[David13]

Before TPM people, who never check the air in their tires would crash. They would have a blow out and crash. It still remains an ordinary occurrence to do so.

I always check the air in my tires, so I have had very few problems.

However, I was riding along, minding my own business, and my TPM started to flash; 27 pounds.

I figured it was a nail, stopped and saw a roofing nail.

But with my usual luck, I had stopped in front of ... a tire shop. I got a patch and air and went on.

I'll take tpm any day, and be glad for it, and not care who's idea it was.

dc

[malcolmblalock]

I have the "Tiregard" TPM on my 09 RT, and like the security of knowing that I haven't picked up a puncture along the way. Currently, I'm riding on a rear tire that picked up a sheet metal screw at 300 miles and was successfully plugged. Having the TPM lets me keep riding and monitoring the pressure to see if it is leaking. Just gives some degree of security.

 

BTW, now about 4K miles on the plugged tire; no leaks so far.

[eej1]

I've had the tireguard for several years and it has worked great...and fortunately no flats. On my last set of tires I noticed the rear valve stem leaning at an angle at about 5000 miles. Not sure it was due to the extra weight of the cap, but am thinking of looking into sturdier valve stems next tire change. Meanwhile I took it off just in case.

[Paul Mihalka]

Another convenience of TPM: If you don't have it and regularly check your pressures, after 4 or 5 checks you have to add air even if it is not loosing any - you just lost it while checking. With TPM you just look at the numbers.

[jjg3]

Glad it worked for you. First TireGard low pressure indication was same, garage in the morning, rolled in to the driveway and got the orange flashing and the buzzing, and found a nail in the rear. It is possible if you crank in the garage and ride away for the TireGard not to have enough revolutions to turn on until you're a few yards down the road. I now have a TireWatch for the R/RT and have put the TireGard on the DR650. The TireWatch is internal. Not worried about stress on the stem, just thought it was a more elegant solution, but will not work for a bike with tubes as the TireGard will (and there are separate battery 'issues' with TireWatch that you avoid with TireGard). When a coworker was riding home on a slow leak (warned by a TireGard unit) I gave him my can of fix-a-flat just to make sure he could get home, and it occured to me that I couldn't use it with the TireWatch, but could with the TireGard. Oh well, will continue to carry it anyway. And as an aside, I like the TPMS so much I got a set (similar to TireGard) for my truck, but there is an issue... they have corroded to the stems and I cannot get them off! Would still recommend a TPMS for anyone on 2-wheels as it will tell you while riding if a problem has started that you would not otherwise know until the handling method kicked in (and it's kind of neat to see the pressure and temps change as the tire heats and cools).

[Deek]

Paul,

 

This sounds like something I want to get, very soon. Is this the right thing?

on Amazon

 

That's what I have, and I believe the OP has also. But keep looking for a better price. I paid $150 for mine, and I know this is irritating, but I do not remember from whom I ordered it. A quick google search found one for $159.

 

Anyway, I echo the comments so far, these are wonderful little gadgets. Just remember they are not waterproof and you cannot ever hear the aural warning. I mounted mine so I can see the visual warning: on the left handlebar near the windscreen switch. I used velcro and a cable tie to secure it. The TireGard model is very, very easy to set up, but I recommend you use them only on wheels with steel valve stems. On my RT the front is okay, but I had to replace the rubber valve stem on the rear wheel.

[tallman]

From their installation pdf .

Please verify clearance when used with a 90 degree valve stem (Softail, etc) to clear any and all

calipers or other components before use.

 

So those with that type of stem might not have room.

Also, a reiteration of the warning (on every motorcycle system I saw) to use metal valve stems.

 

[PeterScottNJ]

I knew there was a reason to start watching this forum again. Boy oh boy do I need these. On order. Thanks for the post and discussion.

[Kathy R]

OK, questions:

 

My mechanic said that I have rubber valve stems on the Vstrom now. It will cost me maybe $10 per to replace with metal BUT

 

The current stem is better because introducing the metal stem introduces the chance that that area could leak going forward.

 

Further he feels items like the Tireguard are not reliable and feels I should simply check my tires each time I get on the bike.

 

He said the amount of air lost through checking the tires is insignificant....

 

Opinions?

[Paul Mihalka]

I use the Tiregard caps on the rubber valve stems. I replace the stems every second tire mounting. If it makes you sleep better, replace them with every tire. Checking your tire pressures does not make up for the biggest advantage of the TPM, giving a early warning of a slow leak. OTOH saying that metal valve stems are prone to leak is dumb.

[malcolmblalock]

I had metal valve stems installed on mine when I noted that the rubber stems were bent at about a 45 degree angle after a few hours on the Interstate last summer. I think the heat and speed with the centrifugal forces caused it to bend. I could actually see some scuff marks on the rim where the Tiregard had hit it.

 

Not wanting a valve stem to break off, but liking the device as a way of knowing when a tire was leaking, the $6 extra on my next tire change was an insignificant expense.

 

I had not believed that a valve stem would bend that far, but when I saw it on mine, I became a believer that metal stems are prudent for the Tiregard.

[Deek]

OK, questions:

 

.....

 

The current stem is better because introducing the metal stem introduces the chance that that area could leak going forward.

 

Further he feels items like the Tireguard are not reliable and feels I should simply check my tires each time I get on the bike.

 

He said the amount of air lost through checking the tires is insignificant....

 

Opinions?

 

The first one about the leak makes zero sense to me..."leak going forward"?

 

TireGard not reliable? Maybe not, but mine is working fine. I just bought a second one for my Bonneville. The main reason I put the Tiregard on the RT was it's kinda difficult for me to check air pressure, especially on the rear tire. But I still verify the pressure with a manual gauge about once a week when I do a little polishing, etc.

 

More air is lost when removing/replacing the Tireguard "cap sensor" than a regular valve cap. But I think it's not significant. I'd guess .2 psi?? I usually won't add air unless the pressure is down 1-2 lbs. Once thing that amazes me is how much the pressure increases once I'm riding.

 

I just installed a TST 507 TPMS on my fifthwheel trailer (RV). I believe in these things.