Yet another tyre pressure question

[Panhead]

2001 Bird, Storm 2 Ultras & 42/42.

Here is the question. I have been told different things by 2 Honda dealers, so I am curious what the Bird Forum thinks.

One dealer told me to take the tyre pressures when the bike is on the main stand and first thing in the morning when the tyres are at their coldest. Having tried this I found that after the bike had been standing for a few hours and the sun had been out, the tyres read 44/44.

The other dealer said take the pressures when the bike is on the side stand, so there is some weight on the tyres, and then after the bike has been standing for a few hours in the sun, if the pressure is 44/44, lower it to 42/42. I have tried this too, but in the morning when the air and ground was cold, they read 40/40.

Any views on which one if any is making sense?

Thanks

 

[foot_loose]

I have always thought / believed that tyre pressures should be taken cold. Does it make any difference whether bike is on stand? I always do mine on centre stand so I can turn the wheels to get to the valves.

 

[Murt]

I have always been of the understanding that tyre pressures should be taken when the tyre is cold, and the weight of the bike is on them.

But that's just my opinion!

Murt.

 

[andyBeaker]

I have always thought / believed that tyre pressures should be taken cold. Does it make any difference whether bike is on stand? I always do mine on centre stand so I can turn the wheels to get to the valves.

+1.

Clever people take the pressures cold before setting off, top up on an air line as needed, but just the difference needed to get to 42 when cold. So if 40 at cold, 44 hot at air line, add air to 46 at hot which is pretty much 42 cold.

So how many apples does Johnny have left?

 

[Quiney]

I suppose reading the Owners Manual is acceptable..... :dunno:

* Tyre pressure should be checked before you ride while tyres are "cold" (Page 30)

 

[Murt]

I suppose reading the Owners Manual is acceptable..... :dunno:

* Tyre pressure should be checked before you ride while tyres are "cold" (Page 30)

Quiney reads the manual, Quiney reads the manual. Naa naa na naa naa.


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Sorry.

Murt.

 

[andyBeaker]

I have always thought / believed that tyre pressures should be taken cold. Does it make any difference whether bike is on stand? I always do mine on centre stand so I can turn the wheels to get to the valves.

+1.

Clever people take the pressures cold before setting off, top up on an air line as needed, but just the difference needed to get to 42 when cold. So if 40 at cold, 44 hot at air line, add air to 46 at hot which is pretty much 42 cold.

So how many apples does Johnny have left?

 

[Quiney]

Quiney reads the manual, Quiney reads the manual. Naa naa na naa naa.


.

Murt.

Don't you realise that I had to go out to the garage, remove the seat, take the Manual off the seat, take it out of the plastic bag, find the right page AND THEN READ THE MANUAL

First time I've had it off the bike since I bought it nearly 9 years ago!

Having a look to see if there are any more goodies in it!!!

 

[Jaws]

Apart from anything else, take a tip from me..

Never EVER listen to anything a fuckwit honda twot tells you*..

In the past 5 days I have had to sort out no less than 8 cock ups caused as a direct result of people taking 'advice' from Honda 'mechanics' ( I use the word advisedly )

Oh, and tyres on the bird should be 42lbs cold at both ends of the bike

*
( As you can proly gather I am absolutely sick and fuckin tired of the total shitheads Honda employ.. No idea if they are ignorant, do not care, or set out to deliberately mislead ( or just downright lie as one bloke found out this very day ).. and the workmanship ( again I use that advisedly ) I see on a regular basis leaves so much to be desired it is unbelievable
I am sure there are some decent mechanics out there in Honda land somewhere but after 10 years of this game I have yet to find one ,, not a single one )

 

[ascar]

GOD has spoken lol

it really does not matter if the bike is on the centre stand or side stand as the general preasure will be the same unless you are using a gauge that is measuring in micro bars. the front wheel is still on the ground with the centre stand
Avon ultra storms 42 psi f/r cold

 

[ScottyUK]

I've increased the pressure in my front tyre from 38 to 42 and can't say I've noticed any difference. I did noticed the difference between 36 and 38 so is it deminishing returns as it gets higher. Maybe I'm not yet totally at one with the Avon Storm 2 Ultras as they've only been fitted recently.

Is the benefit only there for when you're really hooning down the lanes or does it help tyre life etc?

I thought it might tip in more/quicker but TBH at 38 it felt fine too. Maybe I'm just not picking up the improvement.

 

[ascar]

i found that at lower pressures 36 and 38 the tyre squirmed more and did not feel right going in to corners , a few times the bike would go straight when it was ment to be turning ( not a good feeling when a 40 toner is coming at you) so i keep my tyres at 42 and i find the turn in fine .
for tyre wear the at lower psi you will be running on the softer outer rubber as well as the mid strip so the tyre might square off quicker or get a step in it then it will drop in to corners

just my 2p worth

 

[Wolfie]

38 is the minimum i would go to below that and the handling is def affected, above 44 and it affects the handling as well, ask samster about the dodgy air gauge which pumped in 54psi and still read 42.

bike should be on centre stand and wheel off the ground when tyre pressure is measured

 

[Geoff James]

Fitted Storm Ultras to the Street Triple yesterday. Checked the pressures when I got home and the front was 32, rear 35. Thought this was too low so emailed Pete McNally of Avon directly. He advised 40 rear, 37 front as it's much lighter than the 'bird and the weight distribution is different too.

He made an interesting point too. Apart from affecting life adversely when you drop pressure, you progressively close up the rain grooves and that has a significant impact on the tyres' ability to clear water.

 

[Panhead]

Thanks for all the comments, 42/42 it is then!!