Tyre pressures

[AndyBrad]

Ok went to check my tyre pressures last night

f20
r19

ok so those need some air in them. Poped to tesco and had a right job ongetting the air hose onto the valve. Was a right old faff. Soo is there any tips or knacks to doing it? Also ive gone for f33r36 on bt01's is this right? First bike and i want it easy going

[BBadger]

thats what they should be at...otherwise just play with what susspension you can and maybe drop a pound or 2 out of each tyre no more.
it all depends on riding style.

are you fast or layed back cruise ??

[Dan]

Buy a little 90 degree adaptor (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/90-degree-tyre-valve-airline-adaptors_W0QQitemZ330254969574QQcmdZViewItem?hash= item330254969574&_trkparms=72%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C24 0%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14). Makes life much simpler.

[Nobbylad]

I bought a track pump from Evans Cycles, use it for my mountain bike, the kid's BMX's, the wife's prams...oh and for topping up the SV every now and then (the garages by ours are charging 50p for air!).

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/blackburn/air-tower-2-trackpump-ec011931

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0364162/Trail/searchtext>TRACK+PUMP.htm

[Luckypants]

I bought a track pump from Evans Cycles, use it for my mountain bike, the kid's BMX's, the wife's prams...oh and for topping up the SV every now and then (the garages by ours are charging 50p for air!).

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/blackburn/air-tower-2-trackpump-ec011931

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0364162/Trail/searchtext>TRACK+PUMP.htm (http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/0364162/Trail/searchtext%3ETRACK+PUMP.htm)

+1

[MiniMatt]

It's generally easier using a foot pump rather than the forecourt beasties - the forecourt pumps also have a reputation of being notoriously inaccurate (though how fair this reputation is I don't know).

33/36 is the manufacturer recommended pressures for the manufacturer recommended tyres (on the pointy at least, not sure on your curvey, think it's the same - there may be a little sticker on your swingarm with this on). I've noticed a lot of people here seem to find that a little on the soft side and opt to up the pressures a bit, although personally I like them at 33/36 (on the oem D220s and on Diablo Stradas at any rate).

[Alpinestarhero]

33/36 is recommended (as others have said), although I had a chat with baph around the time I got my MEZ6's fittted to my bike (ages and ages ago now, I don;t know how many miles i've had out of that rear but its a large amount) and he suggested putting the pressures up. I didnt wanna go as high as he suggested, but i tried going a little higher; 36f/38r. You know, it made the front feel alot better

Matt

[Nobbylad]

And invest in something like this puppy => http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_16 4201_langId_-1_categoryId_31465

Very handy for quick and easy checking!

[Grinch]

Depends on the tyre... if you go to the Conti site if you have Road Attacks then its 36/42 which surprised me.

[dizzyblonde]

I bought a michelin digital presure guage from halfords(with a blue light:cool:)
and a foot pump, as I get very embarrassed when i let more air out than in, at a garage...lol
http://www.tyre-equipment.co.uk/acatalog/New_Vigil_LR.JPGkeep it in my bike jacket pocket
as I have a bit of a funny valve on one of my front tyres
Avons are 40/36 IIRC but they feel a bit odd so I have 38/35 after playing about a bit

[AndyBrad]

Got myself a halfords pro pressure guage. Its poop. Really hard to get a good seal on the valve and leaks a lot. Took it back and got another but its pants. Going back to my old one when i find it.

[Grinch]

I have a old style pen one somewhere I need to dig out after my digital one failed. Told me even when it was not on a tyre the air around me was at 99 psi.

[AndyBrad]

you can reset most digital ones by a quick (1/2 sec) blast on it from the valve. resets its self to atmospheric then

[vardypeeps]

Make sure your tyres are cold when you do it and they should be 33front and 36rear. That Tescos pump is a right ball ache! it is free though! Roll your bike forward or back till your valves are at the bottom and you can get inbetween the brake discs.

[4130chris]

i read somewhere that all modern bikes ran 36/42 psi

that's what I'm using anyway...

[fizzwheel]

i read somewhere that all modern bikes ran 36/42 psi

that's what I'm using anyway...

Not true, standard pressures on the SV are 33 / 36

[4130chris]

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143570

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[Luckypants]

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143570

???????????????????¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿????????? ???????????????

Yep that was espoused on here for a while, I was one of the 'believers' in this. However Avon (from whom that advice came) have since changed their stance on this and their website now gives manufacturers recommended pressures for individual bikes.

See here (http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/motorcycle/?page=fitment) for the Avon fitment guide. They recommend 33/36 for both curvy and pointy SVs.

[Dappa D]

haynes manual says 33/36 for curvy also...........

[4130chris]

wow thanks luckypants

will try those pressures before my little blast this 'avo :)

[Tim in Belgium]

Found the Halfords mini digital tyre pressure guage is great.

[tony_sv650sy]

Yep that was espoused on here for a while, I was one of the 'believers' in this. However Avon (from whom that advice came) have since changed their stance on this and their website now gives manufacturers recommended pressures for individual bikes.

See here (http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/motorcycle/?page=fitment) for the Avon fitment guide. They recommend 33/36 for both curvy and pointy SVs.


If that really is the case then could someone remove it from the FAQ's and How To's as its still in there, titled "Some truths about tyres and pressures"

Cheers

[Dangerous Dave]

Found the Halfords mini digital tyre pressure guage is great.
+ 1, never rely on the ones at the petrol pumps as they are only inspected and calibrated once every six months.

[Nobbylad]

Found the Halfords mini digital tyre pressure guage is great.

+1 I bought a standard size from Halfords but then swapped it with them for the mini one as it's SO much easier to use, especially on the rear (tyre).

[2mths]

On the accuracy of pressure measurement front...

I know many people are suspicious of the accuracy of petrol station air lines. I think this is healthy scepticism. However I think you are still much better using these than not checking at all.

I would be even more wary of gauges found on manual foot\hand pumps or portable compressors. I doubt any of those are calibrated at all (whereas at least the air lines were probably at least once).

Most of the gauges offered for sales are probably only checked by a sample from a batch to see that they are within a certain tolerance and unless you are spending a more significant amount of money they aren't going to be individually calibrated. A +- 5% tolerance could mean two apparently identical units reading ~3psi difference. I think this is worth bearing in mind when listening to someone saying how 35/38 works better for them than 33/36.

I would suggest the best thing you can do (as others have already suggested) is invest in a portable gauge which you then always use. At least that way you would hope to be able to maintain a consistent pressure in your tyres. How or where you put air into your tyres then doesn't matter. You can then experiment to find what works best for you.

[Luckypants]

Most of the gauges offered for sales are probably only checked by a sample from a batch to see that they are within a certain tolerance and unless you are spending a more significant amount of money they aren't going to be individually calibrated. A +- 5% tolerance could mean two apparently identical units reading ~3psi difference. I think this is worth bearing in mind when listening to someone saying how 35/38 works better for them than 33/36.

Halfords claim +/-1psi accuracy for their gauges. Seems pretty good.

Any one used one of these (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_18 5737_langId_-1_categoryId_76861)? It looks like it will work well on bike valves.

[fizzwheel]

Theres an article in last months ride on pressure guages, they tested them for ease of use an accuracy. I can dig out the results if anybodies interested.

[Dappa D]

yes fizzwheel if you could please!

[2mths]

Halfords claim +/-1psi accuracy for their gauges. Seems pretty good.

I think that depends what you are using it for. For our recreational use that'd be fine. I suspect that as you start to look at serious competition that wouldn't be considered good enough. Consider a situation where you had two gauges being used interchangeably, a possible 2psi difference between them is enough to make a noticeable difference to handling I belive (I doubt I could tell).

The other thing to consider is over what range the stated accuracy is achieved. It is not always the full range indicated on the measuring tool.

[fizzwheel]

yes fizzwheel if you could please!

OK I'll fish it out later on and post it up. I havent got a scanner though so I'll just transpose the results.

[2mths]

OK I'll fish it out later on and post it up. I havent got a scanner though so I'll just transpose the results.

Or (depending on how much data\trouble it is) take a picture with a digital camera and post that.

I find myself taking more photos than scans of documents these days.

[fizzwheel]

Its quite alot but I'll give that a go first.

[Dappa D]

id personaly just be interested at which one came out best....not all the info on them etc....usually get ride aswell but over the years various subsciptions to music production mags has taught me one mag a month...bought fast bikes last month..damn....

(cleared out my old mags last time i moved and thru away £732 worth of old mags where i was buying about 5 a month!) hence why i only get one a month now lol

[fizzwheel]

It doesnt photograph well, and theres to much info on the page so you wont be able to read it so. Also I reckon it'll be on the ride website soon anyway, but heres the top 9...

Joint First Place

Weldtite Pencil £6.35 www.bickersplc.com (http://www.bickersplc.com) accuracy 0.3psi
Snap on Blue-Point £29.90 www.snapon.com/uk (http://www.snapon.com/uk) accuracy 0.3psi

The Weldtite gets the Best Buy Green Triangle, the Snap-On one gets a recommended triangle.

Joint 3 Place

Draper with Flexible Hose £12.69 www.draper.co.uk (http://www.draper.co.uk) accuracy 0.7psi
Halfords Mini Digital £4.99 www.halfords.com (http://www.halfords.com) accuracy 0.3psi

Joint 5th Place

Motrax Digital Keyring £9.99 www.motrax.co.uk (http://www.motrax.co.uk) accuracy 0.4psi
Draper Expert £6.52 www.draper.co.uk (http://www.draper.co.uk) accuracy 1.4psi
Halfords Long Nose £14.99 www.halfords.com (http://www.halfords.com) accuracy 0.7psi
Longacre Digital £26.05 www.demon-tweeks.co.uk (http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk) accuracy 0.5psi

Joint 9th Place

Sealey Guage with clip-on £16.39 www.sealey.co.uk (http://www.sealey.co.uk) accuracy 0.6psi
Motrax Digital £14.99 www.motrax.co.uk (http://www.motrax.co.uk) accuracy 0.2psi

This is in the Ride with the Ducati 999 on the cover of it...

HTH