[Mojoe]

thats pretty high isn't it ? i run at the recommmended pressure 33/36 in the winter i'll drop 1/2 psi in the front.

an under inflated tire will wear on the sidewalls more & run hotter, to much air they'll run cooler & will have a smaller footprint

When I am running with my 3 givi case on the bike...even when they are empty, and have a passenger on the back, I like 40 in mine.
Tire pressure is relevent to the load that is on them. 36 might be too much for a 5'3 110lb rider, where it is not enought for a 6'3 240lb rider.
you can have the exact same bike and same tires, but 2 different riders of significantly different size will not share the same optimal tire pressure.
This topic is like comparing how much salt you like on your steak.
Just keep in mind it is better to over inflate than way under.

[The CyberPoet]

I run 38 rear, 35 1/2 front and know when they're a couple pounds down just by the feel of the handling. As for Dunlops, if you run them low, they will scallop

thats pretty high isn't it ? i run at the recommmended pressure 33/36.
in the winter i'll drop 1/2 psi in the front.

an under inflated tire will wear on the sidewalls more & run hotter, to much air they'll run cooler & will have a smaller footprint

you should get in the habit of the checking the pressure OFTEN if not every ride. it will let the tire run at it optimum heat range & a tire thats inflated properly is less likely to have a failure.

+1 on Mojoe...

Pirelli and Metzeler's stock pressures according to them are 34/36 (as verses to 33/36 for the OEM tires for the Kat), given a 140lb rider, the industry standard. As the load weight increases, the tires flatten out a bit from the ideal profile (approximately 1mm for each 20kg of weight added); increasing the tire pressure to compensate retains the original arc profile, which both helps keep the tire in the right operating temp and keeps it from wearing excessively fast. I take this into account when choosing my air pressures and have always gotten superb results as a consequence (see my ebay listing of my used Z4's for an example -- they have 8.5k miles on them, but you'd never know it). My general rule of thumb is 1/2 psi added pressure in the front for each 50 to 75lbs of additional load, and 1 psi at the rear for each 50 to 75lbs of additional load; the tire profile deflection under load is an easy way to tell whether this is approximately right (it works out well for the Metzelers and Pirellis).
I know that I am giving up a bit of possible contact patch in exchange for this higher pressure and retained tire arc shape, but I haven't lost traction as a result, and when it rains, it means I am far less likely to hydroplane at cruising speeds as well (which is always a critical concern here in Florida).

Oh, and I do check my pressures normally every single day I ride.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[The CyberPoet]

my front ones got a slow leak. any one got any pointers other then puting the leak junk in the tire? i think it would be kinda hard with the rotors and tight spaces and all

Find out where the leak is. Sometimes it can come from the valve stem or the valve assembly itself, in which case you may not need a replacement tire. Coating the tire & valve with soapy water can show you where a leak is (bubbling).

KNOW THIS:
All tire carcasses leak air slowly through the actual carcass of the tire; rates vary with temp, humidity, amount of riding done, but tires leak -- it's a fact of life. Check your tire pressure at least once a week, plus any time the temp has shifted more than 10 degrees overnight.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[SweetLou]

I just kick the tire.

easy for you, the bike doesn't even have a engine in it, just kidding!


I check mine before I go anywhere!!

Hey! Its got the engine in it! Just nothing else. Like Carbs. Or the header. Or any of the body. Or the dash.

Pretty much just a frame, engine, sprockets, and wheels!

[the wind]

i run my at 45psi some times you can slide them around on twisties

[penst8grad]

I run my hawk at 28/32. I was out one day and the rear felt like it wanted to wash out the whole time. Got home and it was 18 psi after it cooled. I picked up a staple, like the kind for paper, somewhere on the trip. I was amazed how aware I was that something wasn't right.

Since I'm somewhat cheap and it was a week old tire, I had a patch done on the inside of the tire. Several thousand miles later it's all good.

I'll be getting my next set right before the Gap, so they're nice and sticky still.

[Paladin]

Re: PSI makes the difference

I took a late night ride just now and Kat was great in the straights but had a bad feeling in turns, not stable as usual. Got home and took a tire check and PSI was 5 lbs off in front and 3 off in back. Filled em up and took short round about the sub and bike felt completely different. Who would have thought that little psi makes the difference.

Know what you mean, something felt odd on the bike and I hadn't checked them in awhile. I decided to go get a tire gage and keep it with me. The bike handled way different after putting in the recommended presure. I make a point to check it more now, just did not like that feeling at all.

[ThAzKat]

there is definitely nothing worse to ride than a flat, low preasure or blown tire!!