Tire pressures

What tire pressures do you recommend for stock touring tires? I run a set of shinko 230 tourmasters. The manual states 26/28 front/rear for sub-190lb rider and 32 psi for high speed riding.

What is really considered high speed riding - 80+ mph? I ride mostly local back roads at 55-60mph and lately using like 28psi for the front and 30 for rear.

Just curious to find out your opinions.

 

Go with the recommended tire pressure that can be found on your actual tires. You can go a few psi above the rec. for firmness and higher mpg, or a few below for increased grip and a softer ride, or right at the rec. pressure for proper balance, and wear characteristics <--I'd do this

Anything over 75mph can create significant heat in tires, especially older tire technologies, but on a good set of modern tires, you would need to be pushing over 95mph regularly to qualify for HSR.

I run 30 front and 31 rear, but it will fluctuate with temp so you must check it often to keep it constant-and in winter I will run a little lower 28-29. Last thing to keep in mind is that pressure will rise as the tires come up to temp and this can be as much as 10-20% total initial pressure-so a tire at 30psi cold, can rise to 33-36psi when it gets good and heated up.

 

The only pressure listed is the max load of 41/42 psi. I guess I'll add 2psi to the yamaha recommended pressure and see how it feels.

 

There is no "Recommended" tire pressure on the tire. That is the "maximum" pressure. Each bike has it's own pressure.
I would put 26/28 front/rear for sub-190lb rider and 32 psi for high speed riding.

If you want to add a couple lbs pressure, add it to the recommended pressure for the bike, not the Maximum tire pressure.

Chris.

 

This is absolutely correct. Only maximum pressures are printed on the sidewalls.

Now; in regard to the original question: Our bikes are all 30-ish years old, and tires were different back then. The pressures recommended by Yamaha will, in most cases, no longer apply. Tire technology has drastically improved in the last quarter-century.

The best bet is to check with the tire manufacturer for their recommended pressures. Avon, for instance, recommends quite a bit more pressure in the RoadRiders than Yamaha originally recommended for my bike.

Most modern tire manufacturers have a decent web site with this info.

 

That's my dilemma- Shinko does not provide any recommendations on their site. They do have a FAQ saying how important it is to keep optimal pressure, but don't specify what that is. Sounds a little amateurish.

Anyway, I emailed them this question, waiting to hear back.

 

My bad I guess I've always just run slightly below the max pressure? I stand corrected and have learned somein' new.

So edited to correct I should have said 'go with the rec. tire pressure from the manufacturer.'

Optimal pressure...hmm...that is the question.

 

I run 40 in my conti go's

 

Looks like everything has changed since our bike where new!
"Tires where different back then" and pressures "no linger apply." Without knowing how much exactly for our bikes, is there a "basic" rule to go by on new tires on older bikes?

Chris.

 

If you get a reply, let me know because I use Shinko (for now).

Chris.

 

How do you guys like those Shinko's? The price is definitely right. Any certain line of Shinko you guys would recommend?

 

I was so happy when I got them. The guy at the shop when I asked why he had to put so much weights on, said he wouldn't put them on his kids tricycle.
After using them for a while, I'm scared. More then a few times I've almost went down because they slip.

Chris.

 

OK then shinko is out of the question lol. I'm a new rider, I can use all the grip I can get! Looking at those Kenda challengers now.

This is a great thread, I just filled my tires up to max pressure, I guess I should back off a bit. The tires are cracked pretty much everywhere along the sidewall, I think I need new ones sooner than later.

 

Good question. Since I posted that, I've been doing some research. Avon lists specific pressure recommendations on their site, but they seem to be alone in that respect. Bridgestone, Dunlop, Metzeler, Michelin and Continental all refer you back to the bike manufacturer's recommendations, although Conti and Bridgestone both say to use the highest pressure recommended.

All of them helpfully point out that the tire pressure specs are for cold tires, and to add 5psi if checking them warm. Michelin points out that the number on the sidewall is the MAX and not "for road use."

Pirelli's website is downright useless except for shopping.

So I guess the real answer would be to use the pressures recommended by Yamaha for your bike, unless you're running Avons. And go toward the high side on Bridgestones and Contis.

 

i use Kenda challengers 28F 30R

 

I'm happy with a set of shinko 230 tourmasters. I don't push them too much, but traction and wear seems to be good enough.

 

I'm really surprised you guys are in the lower 30s and high 20's for pressure. I literally just checked my pressure for first time on Friday (only had the bike a couple weeks and didn't ride too too much) and it was 20 front and back and I sort of freaked and brought the tires to max LOL. I think I'll bring em down to low 30's after reading this.

Love this forum, great thread

 

I've been using Cheng Shin tires for years. Now, I can't find them anywhere. And now Shinko's are all over the place. I'm going to assume that they have been bought up and renamed. All I know is that the previous tires worked well. "Well" enough to say that I'd buy them again. They are a good inexpensive tire that does the basic job of putting rubber to the road. They can be a bear to balance. Compared to the AVON that is on my bike now, they just don't handle or grip as well. But they wear just as well (or poor if you may). I've been changing the rear at twice the rate of the fronts. I'm not a fan of Dunlops or Bridgestones. For the money, I'd rather purchase Metzlers. Kenda's wear out just as fast as the other "cheaper" tires. I've never run IRC. My next tire was going to be a Shinko. I believe in trying anything once. If I like it, I'll buy it again.

My opinion.... Use what you can afford. Then save for an upgrade in the future. To me there's only one thing worse than riding on "cheap" tires..... Not riding at all.

 

To me, being crippled and not ridding at all is a lot worse then not ridding temporary while waiting to get a good tire.

Also, if you die your family and friends don't have to cry at your memorial.

Chris.

 

Cheng Shin is still around; they don't sell street tires in the USA anymore. Dirt/off road, ATV, and bicycle tires (under the Maxxis brand) but no more street tires.

 

I have never had a tire on my bike that I would consider "unsafe". I never purchase a tire that will not hold up to my "personal riding style". Now, if you purchase a standard or touring tire and put it on your racing style sport bike, then yea I agree with that statement. But like I said, I've NEVER had a tire that i would consider "unsafe" for use (unless you consider the ones I've replaced that showed chords in a 6 inch area in the center of the tread.



... Second thought.... I'll stop here right now. It's not worth getting into a cyber argument over a comment I feel was highly inappropriate.

 

http://www.msf-usa.org/downloads/MIC_Ti ... 2012V1.pdf

 

OK. I was just a little worried about you. On computer forums, as soon as someone posts how secure there data is, that's when the HD goes out.

I was thinking, now that you posted on a forum that the cheapest tires are good, you'd then have an accident.

I like them for just ridding around. A truck swerved in front of me and when I tried to stop, the tires slid. I didn't want to do basic ridding, say there good and have a person use them for hot roding and slide out and get hurt on my saying there good. Just covering myself and others.
So many different ridding styles, I wanted to cover all of them in my evaluation.
No offense taken.

Chris.

 

Forgive me on what could have been a long rant in my last post. I think I may be suffering from PMS (parked motorcycle syndrome).

 

hahaha PMS, awesome!

Whatya guys think of those Kenda challengers? Seems like a good 'safe' tire....

 

So now I'm way confused on what tire pressure I should be running. My perreli has a max of 50. Which seems like a high max. There website is garabage, and I don't want to run TOO low but also don't wanna run 50psi either?

 

Add a couple PSI to the book-recommended pressures for your bike.

 

Sounds good.. "A couple" we talking 5psi above what the book states? more or less than that?

 

A "couple" generally means 2. I'd add 2, maybe 3 pounds to the higher number that Yamaha recommends. So if the book says (for example) "28~30" I'd use 32 or 33.

 

I received the reply from Shinko tire tech:
--
You can run up to 42 psi front and rear for hi speed and heavier load/2-up riding.
I would not recommend running below 38 psi. All pressures are cold settings.
--

Sounds like I need to pump up the pressure on those babies

So I guess, the lesson of this thread, as has been stated above - use manufacturer's recommended values, instead of outdated yamaha specs.

 

If you really think about it, this is the same thing we've been saying here. When they say, "up to 42psi" sounds like max, not recommended.
What does "/2-up riding" mean? Does that mean add 2psi for regular ridding?

Could be if "26/28 front/rear for sub-190lb rider and 32 psi for high speed riding" is for our bikes, then "2-up riding" means 34 for high speed ridding on an old bike with new tires?

This depends on what 2-up ridding is.

 

2-up ridding is having a second passenger behind the pilot lol

In my case, they don't recommend using below 38psi, regardless of yamaha 26/28 specs.

 

I have a set of shinko 712's on my bike and they are every bit as good as the Dunlops I used to run. Living in the mountains, I've run em in rain and heat and they grip the road nice. I made my xj750 a bagger and my wife rides alot, so I run max pressure in both tires as to what the sidewall states. I believe it's 42psi rear and 34psi front. I learned years ago not to run what the motorcycle book says for the bike or you'll run your tires bald in no time.