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CVO Technical => Wheels/Tires/Suspension/Brakes => Topic started by: TinSpinner on July 06, 2011, 08:54:22 AM

Title: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: TinSpinner on July 06, 2011, 08:54:22 AM
I've noticed several of the dealers offering nitrogen for motorcycle tires lately. I know it has some benefit in the high performance arena where tire temps go a lot higher than most of us ever experience but wonder if there is some benefit to it for us low speed guys. Any of you running nitrogen in your tires? Noticed any difference?
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Twolanerider on July 06, 2011, 09:15:09 AM
I've noticed several of the dealers offering nitrogen for motorcycle tires lately. I know it has some benefit in the high performance arena where tire temps go a lot higher than most of us ever experience but wonder if there is some benefit to it for us low speed guys. Any of you running nitrogen in your tires? Noticed any difference?

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=40886.0

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=23229.0

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=37259.0

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=5501.0

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=37259.0

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=9356.0

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=10744.0
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: 110tHunDer on July 06, 2011, 10:09:05 AM
 
 :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2:  I can't believe you took the time to search out all those threads, but I'm glad you did, 'cause it was funny. ;D
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Hugh Janis on July 06, 2011, 10:19:32 AM

 :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2:  I can't believe you took the time to search out all those threads, but I'm glad you did, 'cause it was funny. ;D


 :2vrolijk_21: (http://cvogarage.com/Smileys/classic/BangHead.gif)  (http://cvogarage.com/Smileys/classic/hysterical.gif) (http://cvogarage.com/Smileys/classic/hysterical.gif) (http://cvogarage.com/Smileys/classic/hysterical.gif) (http://cvogarage.com/Smileys/classic/hysterical.gif) (http://cvogarage.com/Smileys/classic/hysterical.gif)
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Twolanerider on July 06, 2011, 10:40:44 AM

 :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2:  I can't believe you took the time to search out all those threads, but I'm glad you did, 'cause it was funny. ;D



And that was just the first page of results......
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: TinSpinner on July 06, 2011, 10:47:36 AM
Is that what the little search box is for? Always wondered...Thanks though, saved me the trouble.
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: dayne66 on July 06, 2011, 11:53:29 AM
IMHO: It mostly benefits the dealer's bottom line.
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: hotroadking on July 06, 2011, 03:22:14 PM
Air is 78 percent nitrogen, just under 21 percent oxygen, and the rest is water vapor, CO2 and small concentrations of noble gases such as neon and argon.

There are several reasons to use pure nitrogen in tires again it's up to you, basically reduction in pressure changes and reduction in internal moisture are the main benefactors.

Nitrogen is less likely to migrate through tire rubber than is oxygen, which means that your tire pressures will remain more stable over the long term. Racers figured out pretty quickly that tires filled with nitrogen rather than air also exhibit less pressure change with temperature swings. That means more consistent inflation pressures during a race as the tires heat up. And when you're tweaking a race car's handling with half-psi changes, that's important.

Passenger cars can also benefit from the more stable pressures. But there's more: Humidity (water) is a Bad Thing to have inside a tire. Water, present as a vapor or even as a liquid in a tire, causes more of a pressure change with temperature swings than dry air does. It also promotes corrosion of the steel or aluminum rim.

With nitrogen, your tire pressures will remain more constant, saving you a small amount in fuel and tire-maintenance costs. There will be less moisture inside your tires, meaning less corrosion on your wheels. You will not be able to feel any difference in the ride or handling or braking, unless your tire pressures were seriously out of spec and changing to nitrogen brought them back to the proper numbers.


Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: iski on July 06, 2011, 04:01:15 PM
Helium, dammit.  Helium in tires.  All this crap about nitrogen & nary a word about helium.  Might need to tether the bike to keep it from floating away, but other than that....HELIUM!
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: grc on July 06, 2011, 04:16:37 PM

Simple answer, NO.

Tests by folks like Consumer Reports indicated that even the highly hyped claim of much lower pressure losses over time due to the larger molecule size was mostly bogus, with approximately a one psi difference measured over an entire year in a simple test they performed.

As for the temperature versus pressure thing, IF you could actually manage to get 100% nitrogen in the tire and 0% water vapor, yes the change would be more easily predictable.  As noted above, that might be important to guys trying to fine tune the handling of a race car by adjusting air pressure in .25 or .50 psi increments.  For regular folks on the street, it has absolutely no advantage.

As much as I like the helium idea (I think I was the first to offer up that suggestion on this site btw), I have now determined that propane is a better idea.  Single purpose products are giving way to those that can perform more than one function.  If you use propane in your tires, you can hook your Harley up to the Weber and cook some burgers.  Try that with nitrogen!


Jerry
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Hugh Janis on July 06, 2011, 04:46:34 PM
All y'all got it wrong. The best thing to put in bike tires is calium carbonate saturated water like the old farmers in the north still do. The added weight down low  will lower the center of gravity and when spinning will greatly increase the the gyroscopic force of the wheels thus lowering the risk of high speed wobble. Calcium carbonate forms a buffer solution which would inhibit corrosion. And lastly, leaks would be spotted immediately. WIN!
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: miker on July 06, 2011, 04:49:24 PM
never use di-hydrogen oxide,

didnt Rokon 2wd trail bikes use water?
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Midnight Rider on July 06, 2011, 05:14:02 PM
Geez...I thought I was done buying tools.  Now I've got to get a vaccum pump like they use to evacuate refrigerant systems to remove all the moisture from my tires.

Personally, I like the Propane idea...not only could you fire up the Weber with it, but burnouts would take on a whole new meaning...
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: iski on July 06, 2011, 09:31:45 PM
Hydrogen worked very well in dirigibles for years, but they stopped using it after some big blow up.  A mix of hydrogen & oxygen, 1 part O, 2 parts H seems to be the right ratio.
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Midnight Rider on July 07, 2011, 03:16:48 PM
Hydrogen worked very well in dirigibles for years, but they stopped using it after some big blow up.  A mix of hydrogen & oxygen, 1 part O, 2 parts H seems to be the right ratio.

Yeah, that didn't work out too well in this case:

Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: AXIL on July 07, 2011, 08:31:22 PM
   The best thing you can do for your tires is check the pressure EVERY WEEK. any place that pushes nitrogen in tires
 are crooks...   axil
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Chains on July 07, 2011, 08:47:17 PM
Helium, dammit.  Helium in tires.  All this crap about nitrogen & nary a word about helium.  Might need to tether the bike to keep it from floating away, but other than that....HELIUM!
Theoretically you could get better gas mileage with Helium due to less weight? :nixweiss: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2:
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Jock on July 07, 2011, 09:35:52 PM
I normally change the air in my tires at every scheduled service...nothing worst than bad air...

Hell what do I know...I do not know Jack...nor do I know Jill either...

 ;)
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: SBB on July 07, 2011, 09:43:18 PM
I normally change the air in my tires at every scheduled service...nothing worst than bad air...

Hell what do I know...I do not know Jack...nor do I know Jill either...
 ;)


You do know Jill.
She's the Zumo bitch!

 ;)

SBB
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: iski on July 08, 2011, 08:39:55 AM
Theoretically you could get better gas mileage with Helium due to less weight? :nixweiss: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2:
:2vrolijk_21: :2vrolijk_21:

Ab-ser-darntootin-lootely!  Scientifically proven fact beyond any dispute whatsoever, anywhere, by anyone, anytime, anyplace, for any reason confirmed by scientific methods by a real scientist.  If by definition "real scientist" is "a guy who may or may not be iski that knows how to post stuff about stuff on a message board".  Plus if you let the helium out of the tire & breathe it in, you sound like Alvin of the Chipmunks, a huge advantage if one is conversing with chipmunks, like the ones that work at the DMV or are current members of congress. 
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Hugh Janis on July 08, 2011, 01:28:47 PM
So would dieting
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: dayne66 on July 08, 2011, 01:49:02 PM
Are you using HD air...or are you not worried about voiding your warranty?

I normally change the air in my tires at every scheduled service...nothing worst than bad air...

Hell what do I know...I do not know Jack...nor do I know Jill either...

 ;)
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: faceracer on July 08, 2011, 03:04:26 PM
Are you using HD air...or are you not worried about voiding your warranty?


I heard the HD air was polluted and runs hot!  :nixweiss:
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Twolanerider on July 08, 2011, 03:19:48 PM
I'm going to invent boxer shorts with internal air bladders that can be filled with helium to better support "the boys" on long rides.
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: 1sharprdkg on July 08, 2011, 10:42:11 PM
Are you using HD air...or are you not worried about voiding your warranty?

HD air...good one! Good thing about HD air is you don't even have to wait on the service department, any parts person or salesman can just come out to your bike and fill it up by mouth! ;D
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: grc on July 09, 2011, 08:36:21 AM
HD air...good one! Good thing about HD air is you don't even have to wait on the service department, any parts person or salesman can just come out to your bike and fill it up by mouth! ;D

Yup.  Of course, since that is hot air you have to compensate when setting the pressure.


Jerry
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: JCZ on April 15, 2013, 10:20:15 AM
With many more dealerships as well as many auto dealerships and tire shops now offering nitrogen free with tire purchase (in place of the free air), I'm sure that many more of you have tried the nitrogen route.

Care to share your experiences?  :nixweiss:

I was adding air every two or three weeks in my new 5th wheel.  Finally paid the $25 to have the nitrogen put in the four tires.  It's been more than four months and a tad bit over 2k miles on the trailer.  Checked the pressure over Easter weekend and one tire lost approx. 2 lbs.  the other three tires no detectable pressure loss.  That alone has made it worth the $25 I paid!

Costco now provides the nitrogen and free top off if you buy tires from Costco and they have the meter that tells you what percentage of nitrogen you have in your tires. 

Like when synthetic oil came out....at first everybody was skeptical and now it's available everywhere.  I think it'll be the same for nitrogen.  I see on the nitrogen locater web site that even the local Nissan and Ford dealerships have nitrogen. 

Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: dlaws01 on April 15, 2013, 11:13:16 AM
Just use a can of "Fix-o-flat".   :o
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: bisounours on April 15, 2013, 03:06:22 PM
What do you think of Nitrogen in the rear air shocks ?  :oops:
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: E-Skunk on April 15, 2013, 04:14:37 PM
The biggest plus with nitrogen is overcome by just checking tire inflation regularly. Unfortunately, most "average" riders never do and are lucky if they change their oil. :confused5:

Me, I just can't deal with the green "nitro" caps! :huepfenlol2:
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: grc on April 15, 2013, 04:54:56 PM

Independent test results from folks like Consumer Reports have indicated on more than one occasion that the claim about a huge difference in air loss is false.  Over a one year period in one test, tires inflated with nitrogen lost perhaps 2 psi less than tires inflated with atmospheric air.  Those of us who live in areas with large swings in temperatures have much more of a pressure variation than that just due to temperatures.  Rule of thumb, 1 psi for each 10°F difference in temp.

If it's free, go for it.  If they try to sell it to you for $39.95 like some of the tire stores and auto dealers around here, keep your money in your pocket.  Better yet, use the money to buy a good tire pressure gauge and use it weekly.  If you're like me what you will find is that you'll need to add air as summer becomes fall and fall becomes winter, and then remove air as winter becomes spring and spring becomes summer.  In other words, in my experience in the Chicago metropolitan area I make a lot more corrections to air pressure due to temperature changes than I do due to actual leakage.

Using nitrogen won't harm anything, but it also won't do all those things the folks pushing it claim it will.  And guess what, that temperature thing I just talked about applies to nitrogen just like it does to regular old air (which is 78% nitrogen btw).  So unless you live somewhere where the ambient temps never change, even if nitrogen leaks very slightly less than regular air, you still need to check and adjust pressures anyway.  Get in the habit of checking and correcting pressures on a regular schedule, and go back to worrying about the important stuff, like will synthetic oil cause my Harley to leak or my bearings to skid.

Jerry ;)
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: E-Skunk on April 15, 2013, 05:13:34 PM
Get in the habit of checking and correcting pressures on a regular schedule, and go back to worrying about the important stuff, like will synthetic oil cause my Harley to leak or my bearings to skid.
Jerry ;)

X2 Jerry, better to be proactive and not put off until something happens!  :2vrolijk_21:

 :nervous: :nervous: uh oh, has there been problems with bearings sliding?? :nervous: :nervous:

Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: JCZ on April 16, 2013, 11:20:34 AM
OK, no first hand experiences here.  I know I'm not the only one that's put nitrogen in my tires.  Anybody want to share any real world first hand experiences? :nixweiss:
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: spydglide on April 19, 2013, 02:23:59 PM
I'm going to invent boxer shorts with internal air bladders that can be filled with helium to better support "the boys" on long rides.
Thanks JC, for posting to this old thread, 'cause I had to go back and read it and discovered this post and got my belly laugh for today. :huepfenlol2: ;D :P :P  har.  spyder
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Eagle Eye on April 19, 2013, 02:42:13 PM
I had put in my rear tire when I had it placed last year.  No extra charge from installer.  It lost no pressure up to the time the tire was replaced last week.  Typically, I was losing about 1-3 psi per month.

We have it in our Mercedes SUV.  I'll check the pressure this weekend and see how it's holding.   :2vrolijk_21:
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: JCZ on April 19, 2013, 09:59:37 PM
I had put in my rear tire when I had it placed last year.  No extra charge from installer.  It lost no pressure up to the time the tire was replaced last week.  Typically, I was losing about 1-3 psi per month.

We have it in our Mercedes SUV.  I'll check the pressure this weekend and see how it's holding.   :2vrolijk_21:

So your experience has been what mine was with mine and Terrie's Street Glides and more recently with my 5th wheel.  Ken how did you do on mileage on that tire?  Terrie and I both immediatly got more mileage out of our tires (not miles per gallon.....didn't try to track that.....to many variables) after we started using nitorgen.

Some auto makers are sending their cars out with nitrogen now as well as some RV mfgs.  Also saw a thing on the speed channel a few months ago where a number of long haul trucking companies are now starting to use nitrogen in their fleets.  I think more and more people, companies, etc. are finding out for thierselves first hand, what you and I have experienced Ken. 

I was a skeptic up until they gave it to me for free and I exerienced exactly what you experienced.  Sure turned my thinking around pretty quick.

For the rest of you.....if you're buying a new tire(s) and they offer nitrogen for free, you certainly have nothing to loose by trying it.  Do yourself a favor and go for it......you'll be as surprised as I was.  :2vrolijk_21:
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Hugh Janis on April 20, 2013, 08:25:00 AM
Is this April 1st?
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: CVOBreak on May 06, 2013, 09:05:57 PM
Nitrogen like HD air is many times more than the generic air available everywhere mostly for free.
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: dayne66 on June 05, 2019, 10:41:07 AM
(https://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2019/06/daily-afternoon-randomness-49-photos-25-44.jpg?quality=85&strip=info&w=600)If you get the N2 pre-installed......transporting the tires this way will help keep it INSIDE the tires!

Remember wheel diameter should always be selected based on waist measurement!
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Threephase on June 05, 2019, 01:05:04 PM
The use of non-HD air and Non EPA compliant tire pressure gauges can lead to a "void" in your tires air chamber warranty. Also the use of inferior non HD air can cause "pumping".

This "pumping" as it is called is actually a migration of the air in your front tire to your back tire. This has been occurring for years. Be sure to check your rear tire pressure cold, then ride 50 miles at high speeds and re- check. You will note an increase in the tire pressure. However, it is really NOT an increase in pressure, instead it is an increase in volume. Hence the term "pumping". But Harley says " they all do that".

Remember to check your tires with only a screamin eagle street pressure gauge and fill with only Harley screamin eagle syn3 air.


Any hints of sarcasm were purely intentional.
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: iski on June 05, 2019, 02:20:51 PM
The use of non-HD air and Non EPA compliant tire pressure gauges can lead to a "void" in your tires air chamber warranty. Also the use of inferior non HD air can cause "pumping".

This "pumping" as it is called is actually a migration of the air in your front tire to your back tire. This has been occurring for years. Be sure to check your rear tire pressure cold, then ride 50 miles at high speeds and re- check. You will note an increase in the tire pressure. However, it is really NOT and increase in pressure, instead it is an increase in volume. Hence the term "pumping". But Harley says " they all do that".

Remember to check your tires with only a screamin eagle street pressure gauge and fill with only Harley screamin eagle syn3 air.


Any hints of sarcasm were purely intentional.

 ;D

I checked the non syn-3 HD air in my HD tires on my Limited with a non HD pressure gauge and *gasp* was not wearing a Harley tshirt at the time.  Amazingly, the bike started & ran ok afterward & it passed a Harley shop without automatically turning in. 

Yeah, some days I'm a rebel like that.

 ;D
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: johnsachs on June 05, 2019, 05:51:53 PM
Sounds like "Global Warming" to me.  :nixweiss:
Title: Re: Nitrogen in tires, any benefit
Post by: Threephase on June 05, 2019, 07:50:35 PM
And now Michelin has the answer!

https://news.yahoo.com/michelin-rolls-airless-tire-puncture-210000141.html