Total Motorcycle Community Forums

so i tried using the tire pressure gauge i bought yesterday.

it's saying i only have 15 psi on front and 30 psi at the rear. im supposed to be around 36 front, 42 rear.

but the tires doesn't feel flat and soft.

am i just being dumb?

they told me to just stick the gauge and push the button.

help?

Just because the tires do not feel soft to you doesn't mean they are still at the correct PSI. If you do feel they are infact correct, exchange the unit. Or better yet, go to walmart and get a push out version which will cost you no less than a dollar and check those values againced the device you currently have in you're hand. If they are in fact correct, head on over to a pump and pump `em with sommore air. The tires know better than you do what's good for them.

MattL wrote:Just because the tires do not feel soft to you doesn't mean they are still at the correct PSI. If you do feel they are infact correct, exchange the unit. Or better yet, go to walmart and get a push out version which will cost you no less than a dollar and check those values againced the device you currently have in you're hand. If they are in fact correct, head on over to a pump and pump `em with sommore air. The tires know better than you do what's good for them.

yeah, i was just thinking that maybe i got a bad product.

wouldn't a reading of 30 feel very soft is the tire is supposed to be 42?

im just asking since im not familiar w/ these stuff.

VermilionX wrote:

MattL wrote:Just because the tires do not feel soft to you doesn't mean they are still at the correct PSI. If you do feel they are infact correct, exchange the unit. Or better yet, go to walmart and get a push out version which will cost you no less than a dollar and check those values againced the device you currently have in you're hand. If they are in fact correct, head on over to a pump and pump `em with sommore air. The tires know better than you do what's good for them.

yeah, i was just thinking that maybe i got a bad product.

wouldn't a reading of 30 feel very soft is the tire is supposed to be 42?

im just asking since im not familiar w/ these stuff.

No 30 lbs. will not feel soft......until you put in 42 lbs and feel it the right way.
It took me awhile to get used to feeling tire pressure diferences while riding.

If I'm not mistaken motorcycle tires are made differently than car tires and have a stronger side wall. They won't look flat or feel flat to the squeeze, but can still be dangerously underinflated. Trust the guage and not the "feel".

yeah, the gauge is fine, i took it to a gas station and used their gauge air.

but i still made a mistake... i only set the front to 30 instead of 36.

if the recommended is 36 should i be very worried that it's only 30 right now on the front?

my rear is fine, it's set at 42 like recommended.

damn! i must have made some damages to my tires since it was only 10 in the front and 30 at the rear before i put air on it today.

The bike should handle better if you put the correct PSI in the front.

jstark47 wrote:The bike should handle better if you put the correct PSI in the front.

ok, thanks.

tomorrow i'll go to gas station again and set the front to 36.

Verm, it is allways safer to run at the reccomended PSI. Just remember that.

Running your tyres at too low a psi will do two things. 1: the tyres will get hot very quickly and will wear excessivly. Secondly, your sidewall will not support the profile of the tyre and may slip on leans. Did you not just fall over on a lean? The correct psi will dissapate the heat correctly, maintain your wear pattern and your side wall will remain the correct shape. Most bike tyres have steel bands that run inside the rubber, without the assistance of the air pressure, they cannot function properly. Track stuff, you let a little out of the tyre, long distance running you add a little.