My front was actually low when I got it home from dealer.
I updated my air compressor as I am pretty anal with all my vehicle tire pressures...
This compressor works really well. The tank is small, but it fills quickly and effortlessly fills tires.
Also use this with it...
It was a bit tricky to air the tires up. The hose on the gauge is long for bikes and would be a lot easier if it was at a 90 degree angle. BUT, now that I know how to do it, it doesn't take long at all to hook it up. The front tire is tricky b/c I had to snake it through the rotor.
I have a big red 32gal 5.5hp that I got at home depot for $350 a few years ago. Harbor Freight has a great tire tip on a hose with a gauge that should be able to get in there just fine. Good catch on the low pressure!
Vern, that is about what worked well for me on my street and track SVs 10+ years ago. After Doug's numbers I didn't want to say it, thought maybe tires had changed a lot in 10 years etc lol.
Yea, you have to go by the manufacture recommendations. My track day tires, the Michelin Power Cups.....29 - 30 cold pressure on the front and 21 - 22 cold on the rear. My ST1300 I run the Michelin Road III's and I run 41 - 42 cold pressures in both of them.
Yea, that's Yamaha's suggestion and personally, I'd ignore it. Having said that, those pressures will work for extended highway riding/commuting, but will totally suck for getting the tire up to temperature to be able to stick real well in the twisty stuff. Everyone's riding style/needs are different and you need to set the tire pressure at what works for YOU. Higher pressures will almost always give you better mileage and longer wear, but don't get as sticky as the same tire run at a lower pressure. And, like I said, each manufacturer has recommendations for what works best for their tire.
Yeah, I've read that in relation to a lot of autocrossing tips (for cars, naturally), and for long drives, I'd pump up the pressure for mileage, but for the fun stuff, and for autocrossing, lower pressures were often better, but you had to manage the temperatures to keep them in the "zone" - a difficult task when you have a 30-60s run with an hour in between runs...
Anyone have any other recommendations from their experience?
With max load of 390lbs you would want to run 36/42 - other than that it's too high. The sticker and the owners manual seem to both be messed up. They mention for below or above 198lbs with the same max psi's. I'm running 33/39 and it feels good for carrying me and my daughter (300lb load).
I use my labelmaker to put a sticker on my air gauges for each vehicle's (and each bicycle's) tires..
I use 30 on both tires. Grips great, heats up quick, and I have confidence in the corners. I may start putting up to 35 front and rear for commuting and lowering it otherwise...but I don't have a compressor and I don't mind being extra sticky on the highway.
It's not necessarily cost, but room. I have a tiny one car garage and I have my car and bike in there plus my bicycle, 4 longboards, a snowboard, one of those huge containers that goes on a cars roof and several tool boxes lol. Compressors take up a lot of room and would be difficult to hang on the wall.
Having said that, how difficult is it to balance? I know mounting is probably a pain, but I'm sure I can figure it out. But balancing doesn't that require some nice equipment?
My Porter Cable compressor is about 16 inches high and 16 inches in diameter. But for awhile when I started changing MC tires I didn't have a compressor in my garage, I'd change it and put the wheel in my car trunk to take it to a farm building a 1/10th of a mile away. So if there is a filling station etc a reasonable distance from your garage and you aren't changing tires everyday it is doable.
Sounds like you'll be needing several tire changes a year, so the tools will pay for themselves, it's more convenient than going to a bike shop, and satisfying.
Z, get a pancake compressor and stick it in a closet somewhere...even if you dont change your tires...you should be using it to maintain your tire pressure in your bike and cars on a regular basis. IMO this is a must tool for anyone who does even the most basic vehicle maintenance themselves. I dont even have a garage, just a carport, so I keep my HUGE 25gal 3HP compressor in a utility closet in my basement, and just run a hose outside.
Plus, then it opens up a whole world of ability to use pneumatic nail guns, etc.
Is the one I've had about 14 years, works well I like it other than loud, I wear ear plugs lol. I forget where I got it, maybe Sam's Club or Lowes. I don't know what the minimum specs are for a MC tire changing compressor. Some how-toes say you want a high flow rate so the first rush of air will throw the side walls out to seat the beads, but I've never had trouble with that. Use higher pressure to fully seat the beads, I forget how much, 50 psi or so, check that beads are evenly seated all the way around both sides, then reduce the pressure.
Is the one I've had about 14 years, works well I like it other than loud, I wear ear plugs lol. I forget where I got it, maybe Sam's Club or Lowes. I don't know what the minimum specs are for a MC tire changing compressor. Some how-toes say you want a high flow rate so the first rush of air will throw the side walls out to seat the beads, but I've never had trouble with that. Use higher pressure to fully seat the beads, I forget how much, 50 psi or so, check that beads are evenly seated all the way around both sides, then reduce the pressure.
I change my own tyres - made a tyre changeing machine to do it easily.I have a low flow compressor I salvaged from some equipment I service and it has never failed to inflate a newly mounted bike tyre.Usually with Michelin PR2s they seal instantly,at the worst I have had to apply a little hand pressure to the part of the tyre where I can hear the bead is not sealing to get it to seal up.
This one looks like it'd do a good job too, and at 19.5 x 15.4 x 9.9 inches compact enough to keep in a clothes closet (under the bed? lol) etc when not in use.
I have to be completely honest...i have no interest in replacing tires. I know I know...if I'm serious i should do it, and that it will save me money etc etc. It just looks like a major pain in the ass for me to do now. If i had a larger garage and more space to set this stuff up i would do it. I will spend the time to find a shop that doesn't charge too much and i will have them do it for now.
It's odd i am usually interested in doing things with my hands...almost everything i like to do myself when I can, but tire replacement is best left to the professionals in my opinion.
Now on the other hand I do want a compressor...someday, but after buying a bike...crashing the bike...repairing the bike...I'm tired of the bike costing money other than gas and oil and tires. I have a really close gas station that doesn't charge. I will get myself a nice patch kit like the one you mentioned lehighluke, because not having one is just asking for it. I have roadside assistance, but it won't help me if I'm down near the border of Mexico at night fall with no cell service.
When i get a compressor it will be one of these bad boys because I'm a Dewalt guy and i want something that i will never want for power. Mi Padre has one about like this and its more than adequate for all but the most difficult of jobs... and it has wheels.
Thanks for all the advice though...I just hate the thought of removing tires and replacing them. I hate doing it on bicycles!
Yeah Zloikish, to change your own or not is one of those personal preference/situation issues.
I really hate messing with inner tubes, pinching etc. But tubeless street bike tires, once you've done a couple to get the feel for it are fairly easy.
Eh someday probably, I will do anything else though!
I got some good use out of the Dunlops this weekend...they actually have some wear on them now. About 1300 miles on the bike and i think the tires are finally broken in...i think the 30psi did the trick. They even feel grippy while cold and sticky when they are warm.
I found 38 rear and 32 front works great on the twisty back roads in N Calif. I try never to ride on freeways. 42 seems high on a light bike with 180lbs rider less gear. RR
yup, i always run high as well. i use it for long commuting. 38 and 40.
I use a bicycle hand pump to fill my tires though. takes about 25pumps.
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