Tyre pressure thoughts...

[Dark]

Has anyone else thought about how differing tyre pressures affect your bikes handling?

I've been struggling to find the optimum suspension setup for the past 4 or 5 weeks, its getting closer with each adjustment, but its just occurred to me that i should also be taking in to count my tyre pressures.
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600

[dainesefreak]

Yep.

Funnily enough I got to this point on the Blade last week, even downloaded a suspension setup guide but then messed with the tyre pressure and was happy enough at that. What tyres are you running?

[Dark]

Metzeler Racetec K0's at the moment. If i remember rightly the last pressure check revealed they had 36psi front and rear.
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600

[Dark]

[dainesefreak]

Can't find the ZX10R listed on their website but I've found the CBR1000RR and would imagine they are similar. Recommended settings are 2.5 bar (36 PSi) and 2.9 bar (42 PSi) which is the same as my Pirelli Diablos. I tend to run a 36 PSi front and a 39/40 PSi rear. Have a play and see what you think.

[Dark]

Uncanny, i've just found that information out too.

There are people on the ZX10R forums that are running pressures in the mid 20 PSI range

I also used to run my old ZX7R 30 psi front and rear.

So 36psi front and 42psi rear sounds way too hard to me

I'm going to drop my pressures and see what effect it has i reckon.
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600

[McGee]

36 front and back
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Its pronounced Jixxer!

[dainesefreak]

I find the Blade a bit rear end slidey if the pressure is too low on the rear, but then I'm only a 10 stoner.

[Dark]

I agree, a low rear tyre tends to make the bike a bit bouncy out of the turns.

I also reckon a front tyre thats too hard tends to feel like the front is pushing and wants to tuck.
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600

[akaDAVE]

I've noticed a big difference when the pressures have dropped over time and I've put them back there's a drastic change.
The shape of the tyre determines how the bike steers so when it's squashing and moving over bumps it's so much different.
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GSXR600

[mr.z]

Thats it, when a tyres pressure is low the tyre "moves" more, so while going arround a corner the tyre flexs more than it should be.. and when the tyre is over inflated the road contact area is reduced..
(both can perminently damage the tyre btw)

+Bearing in mind japanese riders are likely to weigh about 8stone..

tricky buisness really.. needs allot of playing about with..
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Dark]

[mr.z]

tell you what is fun... haveing air in your front forks and rear shock AND tyres to play with (and knowing no ammout of fiddleing will make it handle propperly )
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[Dark]

Now that doesn't sound like fun

This weekends chores:-

1. Got some more ideas for suspension settings after many hours of reading over the last rainy weekend
2. Experiment with some lower tyre pressures
3. Adjust out the free play in the throttle

Believe it or not the adjusters are not near the twist grip like on most bikes, one is behind one side of the fairing and the other is under the tank!! what a bloody stupid place to put them!
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My Bikes in order:- Yamaha RXS100 / Suzuki X7 250 / Yamaha RD350LC / Kawasaki
KR1S 250 / Kawasaki ZXR750 H2 / Honda C50 / Kawasaki ZX7R P5 / Kawasaki ZX10R / Suzuki GSXR 400 / Honda CBR1100 Blackbird & Yamaha FZR 600

[GearboxGeezer]

I dont really see the point in testing differnt types out for the road, just make sure there pretty hard. Theres so many differnt surfaces on uk roads youll just be chacing yourself round in circules, Suspension I can see the point of that.

Out of interest, What does harderning the rear shock and softening the rear shock do?

[Dark]

[GearboxGeezer]

[John C]

[GearboxGeezer]

I woulda thought some1 would of noticed some dick fucking about and letting tyres down in the middle of a town.... You sure u ant got a slow flatty?

[John C]

[Simple]

my front is 21psi my rear 26psi, should be 33 and 36 I think ( will check) when I go to get petrol I'll give them some air, havn't noticed decrease in handling as I'm riding it to college rather than out for a sunday spin.

will fill tyres and report back.
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Insta - FemFeral

[HermanTheShee...]

What do you guys use to adjust your tyre pressures?

Someone said the pumps in the petrol stations aren't very reliable.

Or are they ok?
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2004 Suzuki GS500F > 2006 Suzuki SV650S
My real name isn't Herman

[michael j]

36 F and 42 R on mine, before I bought a TPG the back went down to 35 and the bike handled like a pig
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Ducati 996

[mr.z]

A recent round up in a magazine tested guages from £100 down to £5.. (will try diging it out)

The £5 halfords one was as accurate as the £100 jobbys

Had a mate try it against their work one (engineering place, very expensive gear and recently caliberated) and said it was spot on to within a tiny fraction of a psi up to 70...

The petrol station ones are very unreliable/badly caliberated.. that and the fact your warm tyres will be slightly higher pressure hot than cold, so its impossible to get a good reading anyways..
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>RidingSkills<->Tech Tips<->MyBikes<

[WavyGravy]

low tyre pressures will reduce your tyres life substantially.

garage tyre inflators are inspected frequently, its a safety thing.

its an accepted practice to let a couple of psi out of your tyres in the autumn as it will give you a larger contact patch on greasy roads (AT SLOWER SPEEDS)

it follows that over inflating your tyres will give you less road resistance and a higher speed - at the expense of grip
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1975 CB125s, 1991 GN250, 1990 Ducati Paso 906
"Don't wake him up - He's got insomnia - He's trying to sleep it off"