There's been a bit of controversy on what pressures work best on the street for this machine. I feel the manufacturer's recommendation of 42 psi front and rear is an excelllent compromise between grip, stability and mileage. I'm pushing my tires to the edge and the grip is consistent in the corners with excellent turn in and stability with no tendency to tuck the front end.

Kruz

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/8/2009 @ 1:55 PM *

Not only does the manual say 42psi, but right on my tires (BT-016) it says 42psi recommended. Only thing is, I fill them to 40psi cold, because I understand they warm up a couple of degrees once ya get movin... -bg

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[/list]Yea but BG those pressures recommended by the manufacturers are for cold pressures.

* Last updated by: heathun on 9/8/2009 @ 4:02 PM *

I run 42 rear and 38 front, seems to work out good but any lower in the front and it does slow the turn in.

i run 12 psi in the back, and 50 in the front.. So there isn't an option for me.. heh heh heh

Yea but BG those pressures recommended by the manufacturers are for cold pressures.

Didn't realize that. I will adjust. Thanks. -bg

Slow wrote:
i run 12 psi in the back, and 50 in the front.. So there isn't an option for me.. heh heh heh

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LOL....I can't believe you're rear stays on the rim at that pressure with you're 8 second launches
I run 40psi cold front and rear...softens the ride a tiny bit without affecting handling any that I've noticed

42 will work just don't lean it over whatever you do please. I just can't under stand why anyone would want a smaller contact patch. Sorry, a drifting bike or one that wants to slide is always a bad thing and you don't need to be Rossi to figure that one out. But to each his own I guess but if I have a 560lb plus bike that has crazy bottom end power leaned over on the edges of the tire you can bet your ass I would want the most grip I could get.

* Last updated by: willidx4 on 9/8/2009 @ 6:01 PM *

42 front and back. Often fill a couple lbs more so I don't need to pay $1.50 for air as often. <<Got my own little compressor at home now. I'd try going lower pressure again, but I remember not liking the feeling of the mooshy front below 40 psi.

You have to pay $1.50 for your air ? you been robed. whats with that crap?
42psi front and rear , great handleing ,great wear, all weather conditions all types of rideing
no complaints

* Last updated by: ethin14 on 9/9/2009 @ 2:25 AM *

As per book, works for me
B-A

40 front and rear cold

I let all the air out of my tires last night and now I got a real big contact patch....can't wait to go ride it!

Kruz

* Last updated by: Kruz on 9/9/2009 @ 6:50 AM *

42 will work just don't lean it over whatever you do please.

Kruz

Ethin wrote:

You have to pay $1.50 for your air ? you been robed. whats with that crap?

The pump runs for ~2 minutes. If you don't get it perfect in time or if you have to roll the bike to get at one of the valves, you might run out og time and have to pay for another 2 minutes.

Yea, i hate those, what a joke. I started buyng my gas at Racetrac cause they have free air. Still a hassle though when it cuts off before you get your pressure right. Time to buy a compressor for the garage.

Kruz

They have a yellow plastic one at Harbor Freight for $6. It's about the size of a 20 oz soda and it plugs into a cigarette lighter outlet. It's a bit slower than a gas station pump but otherwise, it works fine.

I dunno about you guys... I use a good quality bicycle pump and get a little exercise while filling the tires. It doesn't take much pumping <grin>. -bg

That's actually not a bad idea BG, I have a Silca track pump for my bicycles but it only works on Presta valves. Not sure if I can get a replacement head that works on Schrader valves.

Kruz

On my 636 the recomended pressure is 36 rear 38 frt. Buuuuut,,, when it is on the trac,, the recomended pressure is 29 rear 30 frt.?????? At least that is what the pro's tell me they run & I figured if it worked for them.....
So I guess if your going to just tool around town, then you just fill um up tight.. But if your going to do some serious riding then you have to adjust to a safer lower setting...
I adjusted my pressure at the track to 29 & 30.. put warmers on, after tire heats up, ck pressure again & I now have 38 & 39... A lot of diff. between cold & warm tire...
Sorry but I have to vote with Willi on this one...
I run 30 & 32 on my 14 on the street..
I did a contsc patch ck with my ZRX on the lift. 180-55, I leaned it over with engine lift & measured the patch using diff. pressures.. The lower press. had a larger contac area than the higher press. did.. Buuut ... that is just me. Yall do what ever makes you feel safe.
I'm not trying to tell you what to do, or that I am an expert on the subject, just what works for me..

gunrunner

The track is a big difference, so is running lower pressures on a much lighter bike like a 600. At the track on my 600 with pilot powers I run 34 rear and 36 front during each session my tires get so hot and gummy that they are only good for 1 day. Thats 5 or 6 20 minute sessions (probably about 200 miles). With the pressures I run in the road 2's on the 14 I have never had any grip issues even when scraping hard parts 2 up. When I first started experimenting with these tires I ran lower pressures (38 rear and 36 front) I have no different feel in grip and actually saw quicker tire degradation due to excess heat. You have to remember the 14 is a much heavier bike.

There is also a big difference in what the contact patch looks like on a tire when it's off the ground and unweighted versus on the ground and weighted. Different tires react differently to different pressures due to tire contruction. The pilot powers are designed with stiff sidewalls so you can run lower pressures the road attacks have sidewalls that aren't as stiff and if you run low pressures you get sidewall flex and will actually feel the rear wallow around on you (I know this from exprience) I ran a set of road attacks at the track and actually had to run 40 rear and 38 front to reduce the sidewall flex and improve grip and ran the same lap times I did with the powers at a lower pressure.

^^Tire manufacturers should publicize this kind of technical info. They might not recommend lowering tire pressure for liability reasons but they could sure tell you the tire had reinforced sidewalls for severe cornering conditions. There was no explanation of what was special about my BT-016 190/55. They just listed it as having a multi-laminar surface without even telling what that was. I don't know what people do if they don't participate in forums like this. Learning must be a very slow process.

Manufactureres don't put alot of info out there because it's such a competetive arena. Just like you won't see motogp racers putting out the ideal tire pressures that work for them (it's a secret). The best thing that ever happened to me was getting hooked up with a Michelin rep at the track one day. His statement was that tire manufacturers know alot about tire design (more than you and I will ever know) and how their tires are specifically designed and that how they determine a recommended tire pressure, all based on the tire contruction, profile, compounds used and sidewall strength. He said that ideally you should stay close to that and vary on slightly in one direction or the other for the tire to work as it should.

The track is a big difference, so is running lower pressures on a much lighter bike like a 600. At the track on my 600 with pilot powers I run 34 rear and 36 front during each session my tires get so hot and gummy that they are only good for 1 day. Thats 5 or 6 20 minute sessions (probably about 200 miles). With the pressures I run in the road 2's on the 14 I have never had any grip issues even when scraping hard parts 2 up. When I first started experimenting with these tires I ran lower pressures (38 rear and 36 front) I have no different feel in grip and actually saw quicker tire degradation due to excess heat. You have to remember the 14 is a much heavier bike.

There is also a big difference in what the contact patch looks like on a tire when it's off the ground and unweighted versus on the ground and weighted. Different tires react differently to different pressures due to tire contruction. The pilot powers are designed with stiff sidewalls so you can run lower pressures the road attacks have sidewalls that aren't as stiff and if you run low pressures you get sidewall flex and will actually feel the rear wallow around on you (I know this from exprience) I ran a set of road attacks at the track and actually had to run 40 rear and 38 front to reduce the sidewall flex and improve grip and ran the same lap times I did with the powers at a lower pressure.

Manufactureres don't put alot of info out there because it's such a competetive arena. Just like you won't see motogp racers putting out the ideal tire pressures that work for them (it's a secret). The best thing that ever happened to me was getting hooked up with a Michelin rep at the track one day. His statement was that tire manufacturers know alot about tire design (more than you and I will ever know) and how their tires are specifically designed and that how they determine a recommended tire pressure, all based on the tire contruction, profile, compounds used and sidewall strength. He said that ideally you should stay close to that and vary on slightly in one direction or the other for the tire to work as it should.

Thank you Heathun, I could not have said it any better!

Kruz

I'm running 38F, 40R on my PP2 CT's...no problems.