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does anyone know why the front tire might be cupping i think it was because the guy who had the bike before me was riding with the tire pressure pretty low on a car its from misalignment but i was just wondering what might cause it to happen on a bike because it theory the tire should track straight by itself any ideas would be great
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Low tire pressure, or being made by dunlop.Any and all statements by Loudnlow7484 are merely his own opinions, and not necessarily the opinion of Katriders.com. Anything suggested by him is to be followed at your own risk, and may result in serious injury or death. Responses from this member have previously been attributed to all of the following: depression, insomnia, nausea, suicidal tendencies, and panic. Please consult a mental health professional before reading any post by Loudnlow7484.
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R.I.P. Marc (CyberPoet)
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my case made by dunlop. i should get the z6's in the mail this week hopefully.Originally posted by loudnlow7484
“Programming today is a race between software engineers stirring to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the universe is winning.”Comment
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Although we all say "low tire pressure", the truth is a little more complicated. Tires scallop and cup because the rubber forms more concentrated heat in one area than the rest, and heat permits rubber to wear away faster (hey, heat is how they bond the rubber together -- it's also what will unbond it). Running tire pressures low for the actual rider/load weight will tend to heat the center heavier than the rest of the tire and is often the primary cause.
The materials the belts are made out of play a factor into it as well (steel carries heat better than kevlar or nylon or amarind, so steel belted radials generally will drain the heat away from a hot spot better).
The actual design of the tire's grooves and blocks between the grooves plays a huge factor as well (this is why everyone around here slams most of the Dunlops and the Michlelin Macadams -- the interaction tends to distort the blocks, so as they leave the ground, the trailing edge of the block gets drug & distorted against the ground). Such trailing-edge block wear leads to severe cupping and scalloping, and can also lead to heat-rot (aka dry-rot).
Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoetComment
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Oh, and:
KNOW THIS:
The recommended tire pressures listed in your owner's manual and/or on your bike are for a 125-140lb rider riding solo on the OEM tires, and whose tires are checked every time they ride. This is not the idealized tire pressure for most riders nor for most brands of tires on the Kat.
Metzelers and Pirelli's both should be started at around 35 psi front, 37 psi rear for a 125 - 140lb rider solo, and go up from there as needed.
The ideal tire pressure is the amount required to make the tire deflection (contact patch size) where it contacts the road the same with you on the bike as it would be at the "standard tire pressures" without anyone on the bike. Thus, the pressure recommendation changes with rider/passenger/load weight.
a ten degree (F) different in ambient temps will change your tire pressure enough to need to add air. Always check your tires cold before you ride on them!
Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoetComment
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Cyber...you forgot to tell them to use Nitrogen!
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That's your thing!Originally posted by Range
Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoetComment
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so what you are saying then is the recomended tire pressure is too low for my 300lbs ass....lmaowww.gleno.net
what doesnt kill you will only make you wiser and strongerComment
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If you weigh 300 lbs, then your tire pressures should be around 37 - 38.5 in the front and somewhere around 38.5-41 in the rear, measured cold with virtually any tire that will fit the bike. If in doubt, contact the tire manufacturer directly. Personally, I won't run the OEM tires and normally sell them on ebay within a week of buying any Kat that has them on it (i.e. - as long as it takes for the Metzeler Z6 replacements I prefer to arrive via mail order).
Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoetComment
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cupping the front tyre can also be due to riding style.... carry a lot of front brake into a corner can make the tyre cup.
however, ensure your tyre pressures are right, and try to do all your slowing down BEFORE the corner.
cheers.joe.
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Dayum Cyber
I think your brain cells are stored in megabytes....you slay me with all the info....
Mark
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Oh, and anyone needing to sell a set of OEM tires, send me an email -- I have eBay templates already written up for them that you can simply copy/paste to do the listing.
Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoetComment
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Ummm, so do cupping tyres need to be replaced? How soonComment
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It depends on a variety of factors:Originally posted by 01Kat
(1) how old are the tires? If the imprint date says they were manufactured more than five years ago, I wouldn't even ride on them personally. Ditto if you find heavy signs of dry rot/heat stress (such as fine cracks between the tread blocks).
(2) If the tires aren't old or cracking, and the tread isn't at minimum depth, then the question is how long do you want to continue to feel that scalloping and cupping -- and whether your riding & safety will be affected by it. If you live in Wyoming, where there is little traffic, you could probably suffer through it for quite some time. On the other hand, if you live somewhere prone to rain and/or heavy traffic, I'd replace them as soon as you can afford to.
Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoetComment
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