Tire Pressure -- What do you bet?
by Eric Sondeen (2004/2005 High Country Chapter Colorado #422
Safety Officer)
With two less wheels than the majority of other vehicles available,
TIRE PRESSURE and care take on a whole new safety dimension for motorcyclists.
POP QUIZ! - Have you
checked your tire pressures within the last seven days? NO? You are
job security material for your emergency responders. Read on. YES! Go
to the head of the class, you're done with school for today and I suggest
you go take a ride on that beautiful Harley of yours.
The physics of motorcycling, the gyroscopic forces, the weight load
on two tires, and the very limited "friction patch" on a two
wheeler, call for maximum attention to the condition and maintenance
of tires. Tires should be in good condition, good tread life left--wear
bars visible, and inflated to proper pressures WHICH CHANGE WITH LOADING
WEIGHTS AND TIRE BRANDS.
POP QUIZ! - What is the
suggested tire pressure for your bike model WITH RIDER AND PASSENGER?
- You don't know? Go look at the Owners Manual. This
information covers STOCK "ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER"
tires only.
- You do know, but you changed tire brands? Go to the
tire manufacturer's website, such as www.Metzeler.com and look up your
bike model. Check out the sidewall of the tire for min/max recommended
pressures. Are you surprised? Metzeler, in particular has higher operating
pressures than the stock H-D Dunlops.
- You know and you keep your tires at the recommended
pressures for your application? Get outta here--go ride. I would award
you a tire pressure gauge prize but I know you already carry a high
quality one in your bag.
The general recommendations for tire care are:
- Check for adequate tread depth weekly.
- Check tire pressure DAILY on trips; WEEKLY if you
ride often; and
immediately following any storage period--tires must be measured while
they are "cold" or have remained unridden for two hours.
- Spin the tire around and look/feel for imbedded objects
like nails/screws/glass. Don't remove the object unless you can plug
the tire or get the bike to a shop for change out. If you are losing
a few pounds of air each day--you probably have something stuck in your
tire or a loose valve core in the stem. Good tire gauges and valve stem
caps have a valve core removal/tightening tool.
- Check your buddy's tires--do you think s/he took the
time to read this if they don't take the time to check their tires?
Do you want to be inconvenienced by their shop stop for tire change
or worse, their wreck? ASK FIRST before touching anyone's bike, but
most riders are glad to have you check tire pressure for them.
- Make sure you buy "fresh" tires; check the
DOT date of manufacturer line on the sidewall--ask to see the tire before
it is put on your bike.
- Insure that the ARROW on the sidewall of the tire
is rotating the correct direction.
- Don’t ride on patched tires, especially a front
patched tire. Would you bet your life for a hundred fifty dollars? Would
you bet your passenger's life for a hundred fifty dollars? Temporary
plugs on tubeless tires are great for the "up to a hundred miles
at low speed" to the nearest tire shop. Then bite the bullet and
replace with a new tire.
- Don't MIX tire brands, models. The front and back
tires may be engineered for entirely different applications, stickiness,
and water shedding capability. Burn the same brand/model tire front/back.
So what do *you* bet? Do you bet your life and enjoyment on good
tires, properly inflated, checked and maintained for riding pleasure?
Or do you bet your life on--I *think* the tires are good enough, I'll
check them tomorrow/next week?
I'm betting on you---you are a High Country HOG member and you demonstrate
great safety leadership among our fellow bikers.
For more info:
- Check your H-D owner’s manual.
- Check your tire manufacturer website--what brand/model
for both tire and bike are you on?
- Read David Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling"
WhitehorsePress.com or http://www.aerostich.com/riderwearhouse.store
- Read Reg Pridmore's "Smooth Riding; The Pridmore
Way" WhitehorsePress.com (great tire pressure section)
- See www.MSGroup.org
for a variety of topics on MC safety.
PS: I was just down at Boulder H-D, the day of this writing. Manager
John Porter and mechanic Adrienne were making arrangements to stay late
to insure a customer phoning in received a new tire change-out on a
Saturday afternoon. Thanks for helping a fellow biker in need guys.
Ride Safe and have fun. Eric S
Remembering North America's Fallen Wildland Firefighters. Please see
www.wffoundation.org
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