Road tyres on unsurfaced roads - drop preasures?

[blackbird160]

I'll be soon ( 3 weeks and counting) be using my bike on unsurfaced Greek roads. It's fitted with road tyres (Avon Storms), is there any point in dropping the preasures?
I'll be two up if that makes any differance.
Thanks
Phil

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Leave them

Greece..................should be stony and dry...............so no advantage

If you do, you could bend the rim on a stone

 

[JJH]

do not drop presure it could make the tyers overheat.

 

[blackbird160]

thanks guys

 

[Bedouin]

thanks guys

Where in Greece do you plan on going?

 

[Tim Cullis]

You definitely don't want to lower pressures on gravel/rock/stony roads. The reason for partially deflating tyres is to make them act more like a caterpillar tread when in loose sand. Having said that, I've never bothered doing it.

 

[theop]

are you riding to Greece or shipping the bike? The tarmac in Greece is a lot more slippery to here. I would think a little more slippery than UK wet. The dirtroads vary from Acropolis rally ruts and boulders to pretty perfect wide gravel. There is no sand unless you ride on a beach..

GSes are better bikes than any road bike for greece but are not perfect. Too heavy, esp the Adv. Thats why most people down there who actually ride in the country and on dirt roads regulalry are on shagged XT600 and old TDMs.. ah and the fact that a GSA is over 20k eur...!

Latest trend in Athens by my observations seems to be the (highly unsuccessful here) Suzuki Vstrom 600/1000. Seems like at least 50% of the non scooter populatioon are those Vstroms... Maybe Suzuki give them for free..

 

[Gecko]

Never mind your tyre pressures - just remember to turn off your ABS on the dirt..... or you will have no brakes when you need them

 

[Monty]

Latest trend in Athens by my observations seems to be the (highly unsuccessful here) Suzuki Vstrom 600/1000. Seems like at least 50% of the non scooter populatioon are those Vstroms... Maybe Suzuki give them for free..

I just chopped in my V-Strom 1000 for my new GS, and it was a really cracking bike. 3 totally reliable years, several European tours. I just hope the GS is as good, or I will feel a bit foolish changing.

 

[blackbird160]

We will be riding down from Calais to Venice, then Ferry to Patras.
Patras to Rafina, then ferry to Andros, Foligandros, Sifnos, Paros, Serifos, Amorgos. Not necessarily in that order
Should be fun