The question always comes up. Should you stick with the tire pressure recommended in your owner’s manual? Or should you go by the maximum pressure listed on your tires sidewall?
Answer to this question is. Check the air pressure with a good tire gauge. Check them when your tires are cold or at least 3 hours after a ride. As part of your pre-ride inspection, and adjust it according to your motorcycle owner’s manual. Or the tire information label on the chain guard,frame or swing arm.
There maybe two sets of recommendations for tire pressure one for solo riding and one for riding with a passenger and /or cargo.
Never exceed the maximum inflation pressure listed on the tire’s sidewall. And never exceed the motorcycle’s or tire load limit (combined weight of operator,passenger,cargo and accessories), since that can cause tire failure.
Some riders reduce the frequency of tire pressure checks to once a week or two before long trips. And perform only a visual inspection for surface conditions is this you? How ever, be aware that it is impossible to determine proper inflation by appearance alone. Again a accurate pressure gauge is needed, unless your motorcycle is equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system that gives a specific pressure read out.
Proper tire pressure is critical for optimal bike handling and maximum tire life.
Under-inflation or overloading can cause heavy steering,irregular wear,internal damage due to over-flexing and tire separation from the rim. Over inflation can reduce the contact area (and available traction) and can make the motorcycle react harshly to bumps.
Safe riding depends on selecting the right tires,inspecting them and maintaining them and replacing them.
Always be aware while riding Keep the contact patch between the lines.
Michael Theodore
National Road Captain
State of Ohio Coordinator
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