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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Question about tire pressure for the stock tires.
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Message started by DesertCat on 01/21/20 at 06:26:55

Title: Question about tire pressure for the stock tires.
Post by DesertCat on 01/21/20 at 06:26:55

My 2014 has the stock tires with 2500 miles on them. Yes, I know, the tires are actually 2013 tires and probably should be changed out. But until I do that, what is the correct tire pressure. The online owners manual (supplied by this forum) states 29 psi front and 33/36 psi rear. But that manual is for a 2002 model. Is that still valid info for a 2014 LS650?

On both tires it states the max cold pressure of 41 psi.

I've ordered a 2009 owners manual but it won't be delivered for a week.

Title: Re: Question about tire pressure for the stock tir
Post by Armen on 01/21/20 at 07:24:43

Hey Cat,
Here's the deal on the numbers on the side of the tire. If you read closely, it prob says 41 PSI with 500 lbs of load. Meaning each tire is seeing 500 lbs, which means 1,000 pounds total load of you and bike, which means 400 pound Savage, and 600 pounds of you and passenger.
Not going to happen.
It's just that the tire might be used on a much heavier bike.
SO, the max (41) is irrelevant for you.
Try this:
Check the pressure cold. Say its 30 PSI. Ride for an hour the way you usually ride (70 MPH?), then jump off and immediately check the pressure.
On a bias ply tire (this doesn't work on radials), the pressure should increase by 10%. If the tire was initially under inflated, there will be more tire contact, and the pressure will go up by more than 10%. So, if you read 33 PSI hot, all is good. If you see 35 PSI hot, try an initial setting of more than 30. If the pressure only goes up by a pound (less than 10%), try an initial setting of less.
Best of luck!
And, yes, ditch the old tires!

Title: Re: Question about tire pressure for the stock tir
Post by DesertCat on 01/21/20 at 13:31:44

@Armen

Thanks for the detailed info. I will probably ride on the tires for a while since I'm an old man now and don't ride very hard.

Title: Re: Question about tire pressure for the stock tir
Post by Mavigogun on 02/03/20 at 11:53:44

A bit of a no-brainer on this topic, but running with squishy-low tire pressure yesterday, speed topped out at 100 indicated/just a bit over 90, without a shield and with no great effort to tuck; the impact of low pressure on speed is profound.