SuzukiSavage.com - tire pressure

rl153 Serious Thumper Offline S40 Just right! Posts: 906 Bloomfield,CT Gender:	tire pressure 03/16/13 at 17:02:10 I filled my rear tire , by mistake to 46psi and rode for a couple miles.Could it have blown out,or is that not that bad? thanks
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28668 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: tire pressure Reply #1 - 03/16/13 at 18:11:06 It's nothing... 80 or 100psi might be another story... 46 is just firm... I've started running mine a little low... (in the 20's)... roads here are so bad,.. it just really helps absorb the shocks... It's almost worse than off-roading... ...
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Gyrobob

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Re: tire pressure
Reply #2 - 03/16/13 at 19:18:06

Serowbot wrote on 03/16/13 at 18:11:06:

It's nothing... 80 or 100psi might be another story...
46 is just firm...

I've started running mine a little low... (in the 20's)...
roads here are so bad,.. it just really helps absorb the shocks...
It's almost worse than off-roading... Grin

...

Truth. Good.

Also, keep in mind the pressure number on the sidewall means less than nothing. It is one of those mindless nanny-state things.

The numbers that are useful, at least to start off with, are the numbers in the manual and on the bike itself.

From those numbers, go higher if you want a rougher ride and longer tread life and cooler running tires,.... go lower if you want more traction in some situations, a softer ride, less tread life, and sidewall flex (with pressures really low) that will heat up the tires and weaken the sidewalls.

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WD

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Re: tire pressure
Reply #3 - 03/16/13 at 20:53:17

I tend to run my tires within 5 psi of sidewall max. 46 psi would be in the 10% over category for well made mc tires. You're fine, just bleed it down to around 40 psi for better response to steering inputs versus the stock recommendation.

The bike manufacturers have you run at 2/3-3/4 max inflation to compensate for... get this... the compromise shocks they install at the factory. Grin

With the factory pressures my 98 Savage always felt like it wallowed through corners instead of tracking through corners. Running how I have for the last decade, it actually is capable of pretty decent entry/exit speeds.

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Serowbot

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Re: tire pressure
Reply #4 - 03/16/13 at 22:20:31

I've actually wondered about this, recently...

I know,.. proper tire inflation is important...
... but,... like I said,... I'm runnin' low, on purpose, because the roads here, suck!...
... but,...
Running by the rulebook (even though, I do like to carve the canyons),... has given me consistent, center wear... ... and I wonder, even with the additional heat, and friction,... if I won't get more miles by running a little low, and having the addition tread contact?...

I may have just talked myself into believing this theory... Grin

...
... but, even if it costs me few,... it is way more comfy,.. and there is the added traction...
I'm 140lbs wet,... (the bike don't know I'm on there)(and my bike is at least 50lbs underweight)...
So, I'm running... 450 or 460lbs, fully loaded...

I've actually ridden' for weeks with less than 15lbs of air, and not noticed... Embarrassed

...

PS... an overinflated tire, will pop a lot easier, on a hard edge... like a curb, or jagged rock, etc...

I'm rambin' again... Huh

...

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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: tire pressure Reply #5 - 03/17/13 at 02:59:21 At 240# plus the bike, the stock inflation pressure always seemed low. My small truck is the same way, stock inflation it's all over the road, tires inflated to 40 psi it steers a whole lot better. My full sized truck calls for 36 psi f/r, handles a lot better with the tires at 50 psi... manual steering.
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Greg Serious Thumper Offline Molon Labe Posts: 1251 Southeast PA, uSA Gender:	Re: tire pressure Reply #6 - 03/17/13 at 07:26:54 My bike was feeling kinda scary in turns. Like I slip a little. I finally checked the air pressure and they were at 15 and 16. Filled them up to 36 each and it feels normal again.
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Boofer

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Re: tire pressure
Reply #7 - 03/18/13 at 00:58:34

Serowbot, A low tire pressure will eventually cause "Blocking", a condition where you can run your hand smothly in one direction but it hangs up on the tread when rubbed in the opposite direction. This is tire wear that is perpendicular to the tread, not along it. Each section of tread wears from front to back or vice versa. A tire is constructed to push against obstacles from the inside out, so more pressure prevents tire damage better than one with a saggy sidewall. An over inflated tire will wear the tread in the center and underinflation will cause excess wear on the outsides of the tread. Low inflation also gives a mushy "push" through curves. Since our tires have such a low amount of air, unlike a car, a few pounds make a big difference in handling. I know you are experienced enough to find a happy medium between comfor and safety. As for the bad roads, most states have them, so I can relate.

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Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 18101 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: tire pressure Reply #8 - 03/18/13 at 04:42:03 Too low of tire pressure can also allow the tube to pinch between the road and rim when you hit a pothole or something with an abrubt edge. Trials motocycles only run 4 pounds of air in the rear tire and they have switched to tubless tires to eliminate the pinching of the tube at the rim.
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spacepirates

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Re: tire pressure
Reply #9 - 03/18/13 at 09:50:54

Also to be considered is the fuel economy associated with high/low tire pressures.

Generally, higher pressures will give better fuel economy, whereas lower pressures will give you better grip. Each to a certain point in a given situation, mind you. Running at 100 psi isn't going to give you fantastic MPG just like running at 0 isn't going to make your tires grip like racing slicks on a hot day.

I generally keep my tires between 30 and 40, but as long as I don't notice them feeling different, I don't check tire pressure more often than oil changes. that might not be the best rule to follow though....

You should see what tires are initially "inflated" to to get them seated on the rim. a LOT more than 46psi. of course, the tire being mounted isn't on a bike going 60mph hitting a pothole with a sizeable adult riding....

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Re: tire pressure
Reply #10 - 03/18/13 at 10:33:37

I watched a guy go down ... due to low tire pressure. The "theory" was everything was fine till we hit some really nice S curves and under that sidways load the front "rolled" ... wobble wobble.. down he went.

I now have a very small pancake air pump right next to the bike with the tire air chuck and pressure guage.. ZERO excuss not to check and correct. I put the pressure to side wall spec, which seems mighty stiff for our roads, but meh.

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Re: tire pressure
Reply #11 - 03/18/13 at 16:36:45

WD wrote on 03/16/13 at 20:53:17:

I tend to run my tires within 5 psi of sidewall max. 46 psi would be in the 10% over category for well made mc tires. You're fine, just bleed it down to around 40 psi for better response to steering inputs versus the stock recommendation.

The bike manufacturers have you run at 2/3-3/4 max inflation to compensate for... get this... the compromise shocks they install at the factory. Grin

With the factory pressures my 98 Savage always felt like it wallowed through corners instead of tracking through corners. Running how I have for the last decade, it actually is capable of pretty decent entry/exit speeds.

The sidewall numbers are arbitrary fabrications that have nothing to do wih actual usage.

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Gyrobob

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Re: tire pressure
Reply #12 - 03/18/13 at 16:40:35

Pine wrote on 03/18/13 at 10:33:37:

I watched a guy go down ... due to low tire pressure. The "theory" was everything was fine till we hit some really nice S curves and under that sidways load the front "rolled" ... wobble wobble.. down he went.

I now have a very small pancake air pump right next to the bike with the tire air chuck and pressure guage.. ZERO excuss not to check and correct. I put the pressure to side wall spec, which seems mighty stiff for our roads, but meh.

The number on the sidewall is not a spec. It is an arbitrary number pulled out of some Fed's ass. It means nothing. Nothing. If you feel like you want to use some sort of "spec" then use the numbers printed on the bike or in the manual,.. then go from there as you desire. At least the numbers printed on the bike are pulled out of an engineer's ass.

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Re: tire pressure
Reply #13 - 03/19/13 at 05:00:45

Gyrobob wrote on 03/18/13 at 16:36:45:

WD wrote on 03/16/13 at 20:53:17:

.

The sidewall numbers are arbitrary fabrications that have nothing to do wih actual usage.

The numbers on the sidewal do have some meaning.....It is the pressure that should be in the tire at the rated maximum load. If you have less of a load than the pressure should be reduced as well.

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rl153 Serious Thumper Offline S40 Just right! Posts: 906 Bloomfield,CT Gender:	Re: tire pressure Reply #14 - 03/19/13 at 10:55:47 what about on a car, should you go by the door sticker ,even if you have replaced your tires with another brand?
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