For years all I did was check tire pressure before a ride. Now that I have a Heritage checking the back tire for me is a bear. I bought the FOBO tire monitoring system to help me with checking the pressure before the ride. Today was the first day I have had it working on a ride and it is almost too much information.
When I started out the front tire was 1.2 pounds under the 36 and the rear was 1.4 pounds under the 40. So I get to my destination, just a short 30 mile ride and check the pressures again. This time the front is 3.8 pounds over and the rear is 7.2 pounds over.
Talking to a guy during lunch he said he usually inflates his tires to 5 under before the ride to allow for heat. I am not sure I am ready to do that but the evidence tells me maybe it is a good idea.
What do you all think? Keep the pressure to recommended pressures or go 5 under?

 

Recommended tire pressures are cold...they will go up as the tire heats up..totally normal

 

I keep mine at the recommended pressure in the manual, 30 front, 40 rear, cold. I don`t guess at how high they will get on a ride.

 

Seems to me that if the manufacturer gives you a guideline of inflating to x psi cold, they have done so with the expectation of pressure increasing by y when hot.

 

Do you think they expect the pressure to rise to 7 pounds over? And is that a problem?

 

Yes they know about it...set you tires to the recommended pressure COLD.

Only be worried about your tire monitor if the pressures are going DOWN

 

sometimes too much information isn't a good thing. I never knew before how the ride affected the pressures. Going to go back to that way of thinking.

 

I'm no engineer, but I doubt 7 psi is a problem from cold to hot. I also imagine the engineers also realize that some bike will be ridden in freezing conditions and other will be ridden in Mohave conditions. This is also why there is a "max" pressure stamped on the sidewall. I assume that an increase of an additional 7 psi when the tire is already inflated over "max" may then create an issue.

BTW, funny that "Mr. Softy" is worried about under-inflated tires!

 

I'd suggest simply noting the pressure before starting out and what the "normal" increase is. Then as you ride periodically check the pressure to be sure it is not decreasing or increasing to something higher than usual.

It could decrease if you have a leak (obviously)
It could increase higher than normal if you started out underinflated. Underinflated tires run hotter and wear more quickly.

Rather than say there is too much information, I'd say you need to filter it better to obtain the most useful information.

 

I know I'm about to get a ration of shlt but I check my tire pressures once in the weather turns hot (summer) and then once it turns cold (winter). I have mags, not spokes so the likelihood of losing anything nill. Unless I have a nail in my tire or they get near worn out I just replace them.
I will however check the pressure of a new set of tires once after a week break in period. You can have a tire 8lbs under inflated and hit the 110 degree asphalt and the tire will come up to pressure. If your bike has been sitting in a cold garage overnight the pressure will be less than it was when you drove into the garage in a 95 degree day.

My wife has a Slim with spokes, I check hers every few rides to makes sure the pressure is still there and it always is. maybe I've owned to many motorcycles and just know when a tire is low by simply backing out of the driveway... It's like spider senses

just my 2 cents