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[Rio]

Just curious, everyone seems to run different air pressure in their tires, no one runs HD recommended for the tires?   I have an 11 CVORGU, I ride single, 32lbs in the front tire and 35lbs in the rear?  Nice ride, no issues

[chaos901]

Using the Dunlops that are for my bike I use the pressure recommended in the Service Manual.  36 in the front and 40 in the rear for two up. 

I always figured that somebody with more experience on this problem worked it out, no reason to reinvent the wheel. 

Now if you are using Avons or Metzlers the pressure is different.

[grc]

Just curious, everyone seems to run different air pressure in their tires, no one runs HD recommended for the tires?   I have an 11 CVORGU, I ride single, 32lbs in the front tire and 35lbs in the rear?  Nice ride, no issues

     What does your owner's manual call for?  That is the MINIMUM recommended pressure, based on things like load rating, heat resistance (low pressure allows more flexing which creates more heat), stability, etc.  I would never recommend running less than the factory recommended pressure.

As I said, the book gives you the minimum pressure.  The sidewall of the tire tells you the maximum pressure.  If you want to run something other than what your manual calls for, I suggest splitting the difference between the manual number and the sidewall number.

Jerry

[Rat Patrol]

On my Ducati 1198 I run 30 front and 28 rear = 400 lb motorcycle.
On my Ducati Multistrada I run 32 front and 30 rear = 500 lb motorcycle
On my 2013 CVO RK I run 38 front and 36 rear = 840 lb motorcycle

The dealer had it set at 34 front and rear.

I have raced dirt bikes, Sprint cars, Viper, Drag cars and have used pressures from 4 to 60 lbs so I am not afraid to adjust the air to suit handling or ride.
Factory recommended pressures are, IMO, a generic starting point. If you have a pickup truck and are running the same "recommended" pressures front and rear, you have not thought about weight bias. And no, I do not recommend dropping to 4 lbs, only a nut case sprint car pilot would do that.

[Rooster]

I run the standard Dunlops on my 07 40-40

[Sklywag]

Here is what I have learned from running TPM on my 2 bikes.  (TPM - Tire Pressure Monitor)  Meltzer's and Michelin's.

06 CVO Ultra, Metzler 880 tires.  I ran them at Meltzer's recommendation, max pressure cold.  So 40F & 40R.  On the road the front heats up and the pressure climbs to about 44lbs consistently and the front wears very nice without any issues.  
The rear however will climb all the way to 54lbs.  I have had multiple Metzler rear tires fail with chunks coming off the tire.  I have been told I was running the tires low on pressure, thus the TPM installed so I could see. (last failure picture attached)
Metzler says it can't get to 54lbs, max will be a 10% gain in pressure max with temperature (4lbs).  So much for what they know, they just will not own up to the fact their tires come apart and it is caused by too much pressure, not to little pressure.

I just put new tires on the 06, this time I put on Michelins.  Very interesting, I started off again at 40 F/R, the front goes up to about 42 and the rear has never gone over 46, significant difference in how heat affects the tires.  On top of this the AZ temps have gone up and the Michelins still are staying in that pressure range.  I have backed the cold pressure down to 38R so that I run at about 44 in the rear now hot.  I only have about 700 miles on the Michelins so time will tell how they do.

09 Ultra, I also have Metzler 880's on it.  Now Metzler again says run max pressure for good tire wear.  Ok, these tires say 50lbs for the rear.  So I started off at 50bs, well the tire goes to 66lbs hot and it's like riding on a rock.  Again Metzler says it can't gain that much pressure, oh well....   So I have worked towards the goal of 52lb, hot riding pressure in the rear.

To get there I run 40F and 42 to 44R cold (depending on time of year and AZ temps) and that pretty much gets me 44F and 53R hot.  I have about 8k miles on these tires at this point and they are wearing very nicely.

I don't have any data on the Dunlop's, I was not running a TPM when I had them.  When I ran the original Dunlop's on the 09 I ran 38F/40R and other than the typical Dunlop cupping I got 12k out of the rear tire and only changed it because I wanted a new tire for a trip, it sill was not at the wear bars.

What this tells me is that the manufacturer knows where the tire goes hot and puts the max pressure on the side wall that will deliver a safe range for wear and safety when hot.  Although I really question what is going on with Metzler.  The rep I spoke with basically told me he didn't care what the TPM said, the tire couldn't do that.  And they would not do anything with the tire because I had gotten close to the max usable life from it, although it came apart and it was not at the wear bars.

By the way, I have a separate TPM on each bike so it isn't like the TPM is wacked out and they both tell the same story with the Metzlers.

Anyway, hope this my help some  

[CVOMOE!!]

I always use 40 rear and 38 front.

Cheers, Moe

[Midnight Rider]

On the '11 SERGU, the recommended pressures are 40 Rear and 36 Front, regardless of load.

IMO, on that particular bike, and considering that the stock tire has a higher wear rating for the center of the tire than the other areas of the tire, I'd run 36/40 as recommended.  With 9K on my bike before I sold it, the tires has PLENTY of tread depth left...I think the bike would have easily gotten 14K on the rear.  My '06 SEUC was doing good to get 6K on the rear, regardless of brand.

[Chains]

On my 06 40/40 has worked out great.  Get super tire milage out of Harley Dunlap tires.

[Twolanerider]

Can't help but be amused sometimes with the (at least claimed) dedication to nuts on tire pressures given the old pencil gauges that are still so commonly used.  A little variance from gauge to gauge is the norm.  Quite a few use something else.  Maybe even better.  But many of us don't give it a thought.

[Rio]

Can't help but be amused sometimes with the (at least claimed) dedication to nuts on tire pressures given the old pencil gauges that are still so commonly used.  A little variance from gauge to gauge is the norm.  Quite a few use something else.  Maybe even better.  But many of us don't give it a thought.

I leaving for the Ozarks tomorrow, thats the only reason I gave it a thought.  Bike rides fine, handles fine, never had any issue with tire wear, always got 12K-14K out of a set.  I read pictures not instructions, or ask questions      I always ran my tires like car tires 32lbs or so and never had issues.  I guess I will go to 36 front & 40 rear before I leave, seems to be a consensus.   Curious to see if I feel a difference?

[Twolanerider]

I leaving for the Ozarks tomorrow, thats the only reason I gave it a thought.  Bike rides fine, handles fine, never had any issue with tire wear, always got 12K-14K out of a set.  I read pictures not instructions, or ask questions      I always ran my tires like car tires 32lbs or so and never had issues.  I guess I will go to 36 front & 40 rear before I leave, seems to be a consensus.   Curious to see if I feel a difference?

Have fun on your trip.  Hope the weather that's been hitting the Ozarks so regularly lately clears and you've got blue skies and smiles. 

[sadunbar]

Have fun on your trip.  Hope the weather that's been hitting the Ozarks so regularly lately clears and you've got blue skies and smiles. 

Was thinking the same thing....  Stay safe and keep an eye on the skies!   

[05Train]

38/42 here.  Rear goes to 44 when I'm carrying a passenger.

[BALIS]

36 front and 40 rear solo or 2 up.

[LovemyCVOgirl]

Maybe I'm not doing this right  but I looked on the tire sidewall and it states 41 on the front and 42 on the back so I keep them at that pressure.

[grc]

Maybe I'm not doing this right  but I looked on the tire sidewall and it states 41 on the front and 42 on the back so I keep them at that pressure.

The numbers on the sidewall are the MAXIMUM cold inflation pressures as determined by the tire manufacturer.  The inflation pressures listed in the owners manual are the recommended MINIMUM cold inflation pressures as determined by the vehicle manufacturer.  As long as you are in the range between the minimum and the maximum, you should be fine.

Running the front at 41 rather than the Harley recommended 36 will probably give you a slightly harsher ride. 

Jerry

[sadunbar]

Maybe I'm not doing this right  but I looked on the tire sidewall and it states 41 on the front and 42 on the back so I keep them at that pressure.

It's always best to follow the manufacturers recommended air pressures.  What's listed on the sidewall is the maximum recommended pressures.  There or a couple pounds lower is just about right.  I think you're doing fine...  

[FAST380]

I attended a fascinating tire seminar by an expert engineer at Road Rider. This is what I learned (long):

Who: Ron Bowen is a veteran in the motorcycling industry. He has worked for both Bridgestone and Dunlop, and now currently travels the country as Parts Unlimited's Brand Manager for both Pirelli and Metzeler. He has been in this role for over ten years. He was a vehicle dynamics engineer for motorcycles and cars for about 18 year prior to Parts Unlimited. He has visited 49 tire factories globally and works with 73 reps in his huge area of responsibility.

First thing: Do NOT run car tires. Diameter is ever so slightly different, mounting different. 2 Technicians were almost killed testing them. The tires will spin on the rim under hard acceleration. . That video someone likes to post of the testing of the car tire under extreme loads? That video is only relevant if it’s mounted on a motorcycle rim.

The cost differential in MC vs. car tires is due to construction, and the fact that MC tires are sold as a very small fraction of car tires. That video someone likes to post of the testing of the car tire under extreme loads? That video is only relevant if it’s mounted on a motorcycle rim.

Speed ratings are based on a sustained 15 minutes at the rated speed.

Mixing brands/models of tires is not recommended due to different properties of 3 materials used: rayon, polyester and nylon

Age – 3-4 year old tires are absolutely fine. He gave an example of a Carlos Checa on 3 year old tires setting lap records. And motorcycle race tires get cold cycled on airplanes vs. street tires shipped to distributors. Tires older than 10 years old should be replaced. In other words, if your date code on your new tires is several years old, it’s a non-issue. The date coding was standardized in 2002 or so.

Tires need about 100 miles to mechanically abrade the mold release oil off the tread. It’s not an added substance; it’s just the oils that occur during the mold process from the tire itself.

When a bike is loaded: Every 1lb of under inflation = a 10 degree increase in internal temperatures. Said it’s possible to approach failure temperatures if severely underinflated. Radial tires are actually worse than bias ply for low pressure flex. The air is the heat sink, not the tread.

For ALL bikes except track day sportbikes should run MAX PSI at all times, front AND rear. He said this will optimize wear & handling. Once you replace the tires, use the max PSI on their sidewalls, no longer the bike manufacturer recommended pressure.

(He did later tell me that the guy said to run OEM tires at the bike manufacturers recommended pressure) So it's a toss up if you ask me. But sounds like they should be at Harley's MAX if nothing else.

Speaking of tire inflation, his favorite gauge is Accu-gage. It’s a dial type, and I bought one that night for $22.95 and the beauty is it has a 90-degree head for taking pressure readings under the saddlebags and rotors. Interestingly the only dial type tested with a high rating by Consumer Reports was Intercomp for $56.

Nitrogen in tires – this surprised me. He stated it was the elimination of moisture that was the advantage and hence heat management, and using it could realize a 10% increase in tire life.

Chemical grip is improving which translates to higher mileage obtained. He said 30,000 mile motorcycle tires are coming, if not now out already.

For cleaning wheels and tires, he likes Bike Brite.

It was fascinating, the guy was a wealth of information.

[WestCoastRuss]

Solo or 2-up loaded with Viv's clothes I use 39/39 cold and this is measured with my HD pressure gauge.....which I believe to be just as accurate as the speedometer...... 

[05Train]

Mr. Bowen apparently isn't as smart as he thinks he is.  It's terrible advice to run all motorcycle tires at max rated pressure.  The same brand and size tire can be used on bikes that have weight disparities of hundreds of pounds, and rider and luggage weights can vary widely.

[grc]

Mr. Bowen apparently isn't as smart as he thinks he is.  It's terrible advice to run all motorcycle tires at max rated pressure.  The same brand and size tire can be used on bikes that have weight disparities of hundreds of pounds, and rider and luggage weights can vary widely.

My thoughts exactly.  Anyone these days can pass themselves off as an expert and proceed to hand out bogus "one size fits all" advice.  Just because someone claims to be an expert doesn't mean you should blindly believe everything he says, especially when they veer into opinion versus proven fact.

JMHO - Jerry

[SanJuanRon]

Dunlop 38/40, Metzeler 40/44

SJ Ron