I have a 2007 VFR 800A. The manual says 36 PSI for the front tire pressure, however 42 PSI is what it says on the front tire. Which one should I go with? Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk
36psi is the recommendation from Honda and is a safe bet for the front of most bikes. The tyre pressure used will affect how much the tyre deforms in each revolution, and the deformation is what generates tyre heat. A hotter tyre is softer and that will give it a little more grip but will also cause it to wear faster. A higher pressure will minimise the deformation and so the tyre will run cooler and last longer but won't generate as much traction. Some will say go lower for improved feel and traction, or higher for reduced temperature and wear. I stick to what Honda suggest. In any case, set the tyre pressure cold, once in use the heat will cause the pressures to rise by 10% or more.
There is no such thing as a safe bet, talk to the manufacturer, they will give you the range, depending on what type of riding you do. Has a lot to do with the tire. I ran pirelli supercorsas and they recommended 32 F and 34 R for non touring, twistie bits
Thank you for the thoughtful and informative responses. Sounds like I should stick with Honda's recommendation. Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
You can also experiment a little to see the effect on feel. Bear in mind that the MotoGP bikes run pressures in the low 20's (I believe), but that will depend a lot on tyre construction. I can personally state that with 16psi in the front tyre of my brand new 1996 Suzuki RF900R, the bike handled like a wheelbarrow full of wet cement. High pressures will see the bike reacting more to small bumps and other surface imperfections that would be unnoticed with a lower pressure.
How long is your normal trip? The 36 /42 is fine for longer trips & warm weather.. When the temp drops (under 5 c (30-40F) I find I run 33 /38 on my short (up to 15min) rides. The reason for this is you never can get the heat into the tyre for if to work correctly so need the 'slightly' lower temps to allow the tyre to move around a little & so warm up before the trip is finished. Pete
I believe the pressure indicated on the tire is the maximum safe pressure, irrespective of which bike it's mounted on. The pressure indicated by the bike will take into account the mass of the bike, and any other qualities that factor into tire pressure, so stick with that one (unless you plan on getting all scientific with your pressures).
What tires are you running? I know that Michelin, Bridgestone and Dunlop all say 36/42 for everyday riding. (I've called and talked to respond at each company). Dunlop and Bridgestone recommend lower pressures for track, with Dunlop Q3+ being recommended at 32/30 for the track, aggressive canyons. California Superbike School runs 30/28 on their Q3+ on their BMW S1000RR school bikes. I've run that pressure on my 5th gen and it worked great, but I went through a back tire in one weekend. That said, I could aggressively shift into third great while leaned over coming out of a turn and I could feel it digging into the track. As was mentioned above, the manufacturer of the tires will give you advice based on your intent. However, 100% of them will tell you to never exceed Honda's recommendation and 100% of them will tell you that running the front at max pressure is a horrible idea. You'll never get heat in the front tire.
I have a 900 mile trip planned for southern Utah which should be moderately high temperatures. The tires I have are Michelin 180 / 55 ZR 17 on the back and 120 / 70 ZR 17 on the front. Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk
It is not just heat that is generated by lower pressures. It also deforms the tyre so you have a larger contact patch on the road. The higher the pressure, the less rubber you have on the road, and less grip. I run 36/42 on long trips, and 34/34 on the twisties in winter. In summer I mostly leave it stock as it gets very hot here and road temps are very high. 34 is my front low limit, as I just don't like the feel any lower. I'm guessing at 42 it will feel like a bicycle. I run Rosso III's.
I fitted a tyre pressure monitoring system on my VTR, and that has been interesting to look at as conditions change. On a cool dry day last weekend (13C) and with cold pressures of 36 and 42, the front rose to 41 and the back 49, when being used in a mildly assertive manner on a good twisty road at mostly sensible (but not entirely legal) speeds. Back on a motorway the pressures stabilised at 39 and 46 psi. I do like the TPMS giving me an instant read on pressures before starting the bike up, saves breaking out the pressure gauge and fumbling around, so I ordered another couple of sets for my other bikes. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterproof-Wireless-Motorcycle-TPMS-Tire-Tyre-Pressure-Monitor-System-2sensor/123277267365?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
