Tire dos and donts from leatherup.com  By  jeepsteve92xj (Read 2,598 times)

Problem is most of our manufacturers dont speak english...or give the correct info. Mine says 45 when converted!

The recommendation to go about 2 psi over is more critical with the modern tires with the Chevron treat pattern especially on the front. Most head shake comes from feathered wear on the front tire caused as the tread squirms while braking. Once it has feathered enough the tire will alternately grip the road left and right as only the high spots will make contact which then causes handlebar shake. Increasing the tire pressure 2 to 4 psi over the bike manufactures reccomendation (without going over the max listed on the sidewall) will usually allow the tread to stay flatter on the road and greaty reduce the occurance of head shake.

Once head shake starts it can become like a perpetual motion machine that may be impposible to stop until throws you off and the bike crashes.

You do that on a bike tire and you may end up very under inflated especially if you don't lean the bike into the turns. If you do lean into your turns you can still wear off the chalk mark and be well over the max allowed psi printed on the tires sidewall. On a bike you follow the manufactures load label and only adjust up to accomodate for headshake or feathering.

That trick works best on flat roadway tires found on cars, trucks and SUVs.

I've got a good "Do's and Don'ts" for tires.

1) DO remove the oil drain pan from beneath the bike after draining the oil, replacing it, and before starting up the bike.

2) DO NOT rev the engine to burp that last bit of air out of the oil system if you've failed to follow 1) above, especially if your oil pan is wedged between your rear tire and main kickstand.

3) DO wash your tire for 2 hours with soapy water to remove all the oil if you fail to follow 1) and 2) above.

Stupidest thing I've ever done.

BTW, I run my tires at 40 psi front and rear (the sidewall printed pressure). They still grip so much I can scrape either side. Even in rain they're still pretty grippy and will haul the scoot to a quick stop. Never tried leaning to a scrape in the rain, though. I think that'd be pushing my luck.