What tyre pressures should I be running?

[Blobby]

2011 GSA

So I'm 110kg with bike gear on and always ride with the Ali boxes on which have a combined weight of 17kg so total load of 127kg on the bike is the norm. ESA is set to Rider + Luggage as that seems the most sure footed for what I do. So, with this 127kg, should I logically be running the bike with the Rider + Luggage tyre pressures as well which are 2.5 & 2.9 as opposed to the 2.2 & 2.5 which I currently run or is it just a case of adjust pressures to see if I notice any benefits? Am tempted to up the pressures.

 

[Martyn H]

I recommend going with the tyre pressures recommended by the tyre manufacturer, as opposed to the bike manufacturer, at least as a starting point.

When all is said & done, if your current pressures feel good, that's probably the right pressure for you.

 

[Paul S]

GS's not that sensitive to tyre pressures in my experience. Remember that that BWM quote the same pressures for the GSA as they do for the liter GS so a bit of weight either way not that important

Personally I run mine at around 2.3/2.7 - have a play and see if you can actually notice a difference.

 

[DrFarkoff]

Go for your tyre manufacturers recommendation

GS's and any BMW are sensitive to tyre pressure variance originally the book says 32 36 for R1150RT now quite a few manufacturers say 36 42

 

[Sgt Bilco]

As Paul says, have a play. Obviously depends on your tyres but I rin 37psi front and 41psi rear on Battlewing/tourance type tyres which suits me fine.

 

[Engineer]

Always best to go with 36/42 p.s.i front/rear.

One never knows when one might be called upon to carry a load and/or pillion - 36/42 work fine solo. If you NEVER, EVER carry loaded panniers or a pillion then go with the manual's solo settings.

 

[Blobby]

Thanks for all the replies and very helpful too. Will try 36/42 (2.5/2.9) as per tyre manufactures (Tourance EXP) website and see if it feels any different.

 

[mr badger]

It's funny, but almost every bike seems to end up at 36/42.

 

[Giles]

We use our vision to such an extent when we ride our bike, that sometimes we stop feeling whats really happening underneath us and we stop using all our other senses.

I know this sounds a ridiculous comment to make, blast) but a blind biker would be really tuned in on how his bike feels undermeath him. Suspension, damping, rebound, chatter, tyres ... You name it, he'd feel it.

Try experimenting and try really tuning into to how your bike feels through your hands, feet, arse ... Experiment with different tyre pressures - I've certainly found that different tyres need (in my opinion and for my weight and riding style..) different pressures.

 

[Taff]

... Will try 36/42 (2.5/2.9) as per tyre manufactures (Tourance EXP) website ....

Isn't the tyre pressure written on the side of the tyres themselves?

They are on mine, because I checked them yesterday.

 

[ihandyman247]

GS's not that sensitive to tyre pressures in my experience. Remember that that BWM quote the same pressures for the GSA as they do for the liter GS so a bit of weight either way not that important

Personally I run mine at around 2.3/2.7 - have a play and see if you can actually notice a difference.

+1

 

[Blobby]

Isn't the tyre pressure written on the side of the tyres themselves?

They are on mine, because I checked them yesterday.

I looked at mine and the max tyre pressure is shown on the sidewall but not the recommended running pressure.

Re the electronic tyre pressure monitor, is it's main purpose to warn you when there is a sudden pressure drop (puncture)? Clearly with temperature, when riding the pressures will fluctuate from 36/42 so that info is somewhat irrelevant I guess or as we roll out of the garage when cold should we be using it to check our cold pressures are correct rather than checking with a gauge and correcting before we set off?

 

[Wapping]

It's funny, but almost every bike seems to end up at 36/42.

It's the industry standard. It was introduced to make it easy for bods to remember and have a common point of reference.

Clearly the jury is out as to whether it was made simple enough

 

[Old Den]

For my penny worth.
As said the industry has a standard agreed with manufactures and has to fall between certain perameters dependent on sizes ,weight to be carried ,speeds etc. Can`t remember the name but I`m sure someone will know.
The electronic pressure read out is calibrated and is temperature compensating so you will always see the base pressure not the higher pressure when the temp has risen.If you drop 2psi out of the tyre when hot it will still read the base reading unless it has dropped below the base setting plus temperature compenation. It`s explained in the hand book.
Always use your own gauge carried on the bike it is the only way to get consistent readings. Check when cold. You can always drop a couple of psi out during the ride to try things(one end at a time) but your pressure should be that amount lower next morning when cold.
I also have found over the years that different tyres like slighly different pressures to suit my riding style and `feel` . Remember that tyre pressures also affect the spring rate of the bike and the bike should `feel` different. This can take a few years of riding to develope your `feel`. For my bit the GS is over sprung for one up riding and dropping a few lbs out of the tyres helps to soften it a bit.
Cheers Den

 

[Beemerman59]

For my penny worth.
As said the industry has a standard agreed with manufactures and has to fall between certain perameters dependent on sizes ,weight to be carried ,speeds etc. Can`t remember the name but I`m sure someone will know.
The electronic pressure read out is calibrated and is temperature compensating so you will always see the base pressure not the higher pressure when the temp has risen.If you drop 2psi out of the tyre when hot it will still read the base reading unless it has dropped below the base setting plus temperature compenation. It`s explained in the hand book.
Always use your own gauge carried on the bike it is the only way to get consistent readings. Check when cold. You can always drop a couple of psi out during the ride to try things(one end at a time) but your pressure should be that amount lower next morning when cold.
I also have found over the years that different tyres like slighly different pressures to suit my riding style and `feel` . Remember that tyre pressures also affect the spring rate of the bike and the bike should `feel` different. This can take a few years of riding to develope your `feel`. For my bit the GS is over sprung for one up riding and dropping a few lbs out of the tyres helps to soften it a bit.
Cheers Den

Mine must work differently from yours. At cold (during summer) my TPS's read the same as my manual guage. After I have warmed the tyres up after a few miles they are always reading 2 or sometimes 3 psi higher than they were when cold which is also the same for the manual guage. I have to admit I never really understood the pressure/temperature compensation and what it actually means. I have thought it compensated the pressure readings to equate to an ambient temperature of 20 degrees and this thought is based on what happens in the winter. Here, my manual guages read the real pressure, say 36 psi at 5 degrees celcius, but when I start riding the bike will say something like 38 psi and that rises to 40 psi after a few miles.

I have really given up trying to work out the compensation now - I just set the pressures cold using a manual guage and I just know the TPS's will give much higher readings in the winter and the same readings in the summer.

And for me its 36/42

 

[Taff]

.... Re the electronic tyre pressure monitor ... should we be using it to check our cold pressures are correct rather than checking with a gauge and correcting before we set off?

My understanding is that tyre pressure should always be checked when they're cold ie before you've been out for a spin, and oil should be checked when it's at "normal operating temperature" (or hot to you and me) ie after you've been for a spin.

I looked at mine and the max tyre pressure is shown on the sidewall but not the recommended running pressure.

The max tyre pressure when cold will be the "recommended running pressure" when fully loaded surely ie with a pillion and luggage. Mine was 41psi max.

As I wasn't taking luggage and the wife is below average weight, I made sure mine was 38psi.

 

[Giles]

For my penny worth.
I also have found over the years that different tyres like slighly different pressures to suit my riding style and `feel` . Remember that tyre pressures also affect the spring rate of the bike and the bike should `feel` different. This can take a few years of riding to develope your `feel`. For my bit the GS is over sprung for one up riding and dropping a few lbs out of the tyres helps to soften it a bit.
Cheers Den

I've found that a lot of the adventure type tyres are just too stiff at 36 / 42. Are they built any differently to normal road tyres? a stiffer carcass? stiffer sidewalls? Who knows, but certainly (for me) they feel much more pliable and leechy at slightly lower pressures. Normal 36 / 42 and I find them too skippy and harsh.

 

[Packer]

We use our vision to such an extent when we ride our bike, that sometimes we stop feeling whats really happening underneath us and we stop using all our other senses.

I know this sounds a ridiculous comment to make, blast) but a blind biker would be really tuned in on how his bike feels undermeath him. Suspension, damping, rebound, chatter, tyres ... You name it, he'd feel it.

Try experimenting and try really tuning into to how your bike feels through your hands, feet, arse ... Experiment with different tyre pressures - I've certainly found that different tyres need (in my opinion and for my weight and riding style..) different pressures.

Funny that you should say that Giles but all the blind people seem to drive cars

I did have a friend many years ago that lost his hearing as a result of a bike accident. Within months of getting back on two wheels he could tell when his bike was going off tune (Norton Commado) before anyone could hear a difference.

Being deaf was the next best thing to a get out of jail free card as well. Most officers were soon feed up with trying to communicate.

 

[Giles]

Funny that you should say that Giles but all the blind people seem to drive cars

I did have a friend many years ago that lost his hearing as a result of a bike accident. Within months of getting back on two wheels he could tell when his bike was going off tune (Norton Commado) before anyone could hear a difference.

Being deaf was the next best thing to a get out of jail free card as well. Most officers were soon feed up with trying to communicate.

I reckon we should all try shutting our eyes going into a corner ...

 

[Packer]

I reckon we should all try shutting our eyes going into a corner ...

I'll watch and learn whilst you go first.