Boxerworks.com

Follow the recommendations on the TIRES.
Tires have changed. The pressures on the sticker under the seat are not valid anymore.
Those "low" pressures are dangerous.
I run 35-38 front to rear depending on the tires and the load, solo; '78 R100s.

Always follow the MC manufactures numbers as a starting point. The number on the side of the tire is for the max load of the tire and not for the best handling of the bike.

http://www.mad-ducati.com/Articles/TirePressure.html
http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/Rid ... tions.aspx
http://www.maxxis.com/MotorcycleATV/Mot ... chool.aspx
http://rideapart.com/2013/07/the-dos-an ... cle-tires/
http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/379/749/M ... Guide.aspx

I liked the balanced Ducati article and have always been concerned about the universal belief that higher pressures are always better. Some would have you belive that anyone running less than 40 psi is a sissy.

When I did the 10/20 test a few years back it I got 9.5% and 17.4% which was close enough to confirm the 2.1 bar front and 2.3 bar rear that were the Metzler's recommended pressures. Higher than the old under seat pressures but not as high as most people seem to run. Sure enough if you check tire manufacturers web sites they do recommend different pressures, always higher than the under seat pressures but not all the same and the people who make the tires ought to know.

sprints@pldi.net wrote:I ignore the BMW recommendations and go with the recommendation molded on the tire itself.

Jean wrote:Follow the recommendations on the TIRES.

I can't believe we still have people on this board giving this HORRIBLE advice. There are NO "recommendations" on the tire. There is a "warning" giving you the maximum pressure allowed under any circumstances. Tires don't carry "recommendations" because the recommended inflation level changes depending on what bike it is on and what load it is carrying.

No manufacturer of either tires or motorcycles suggests you use the maximum pressure on the side of the tire, so PLEASE stop telling people this. It is 100% factually wrong.

To the OP: Most manufacturers have a recommended pressure to run their tires on YOUR bike. It's not always easy to find on their sites - some sites make it much easier than others. If you can find the tire manufacturer's recommendation for pressures on your bike, use that as your starting point, as it is far more current than BMW's original recommendation for the tires of decades ago. If not, the suggestions here about starting with the BMW recommendation and then increasing the pressure if it is getting too hot are also acceptable.

Mia culpa.
Should have said "...FOR the tires."
This is truly the most valid advice:
"If you can find the tire manufacturer's recommendation for pressures on your bike, use that as your starting point, as it is far more current than BMW's original recommendation for the tires of decades ago." [MS]

Jean wrote:Mia culpa.
Should have said "...FOR the tires."
This is truly the most valid advice:
"If you can find the tire manufacturer's recommendation for pressures on your bike, use that as your starting point, as it is far more current than BMW's original recommendation for the tires of decades ago." [MS]

Ah, that's different.

Nevermind.

.

.

.

But ONLY for you!

Found this. Nice reference point for the monolever models at least. Still they're almost 30 year old recommendations..have the tyres changed that much since then?

SteveD wrote:Found this. Nice reference point for the monolever models at least. Still they're almost 30 year old recommendations..have the tyres changed that much since then?

That's not a "recommended" tire pressure. That's a Gross Axle Weight Rating. That says the maximum gross weight for the vehicle, and the pressures for that maximum. If you have the vehicle loaded to it's absolute maximum load carrying capacity (971 lbs, with 331 on the front and 640 on the rear), then those would be the required pressures for that load (with stock size tires - larger tires may be able to carry that load at a lower pressure).

sprints@pldi.net wrote:I ignore the BMW recommendations and go with the recommendation molded on the tire itself. If these modern tires were available when your bike was built years ago then BMW would have recommended higher pressure also - tire technology changed over time - Rod

Are you kidding me?

If someone in here said it, I missed it.

What is the down side to running mild over pressure?

I run 40 pounds front and back.