New Tires?

A good question allways gets a good answer, so I hope. Do you inflate new tires to recomended pressure in manuel or whats listed on the sidewall of new tire? Thats asuming that new tires are the same size as listed in manuel(Stock size). Weight rating for heavier loads? Whats the safest way to ensure proper pressure?Safety First.

Inflate the tires to the reccomended pressure that is described on the black inner fender sticker located under the seat.

Use the specs in the manual or under the seat (should be roughly 28 lb front 32 lb rear rider only / 36 lb rear rider and passenger for KZ650) The sidewall shows the maximum pressure safe for the tire; since the tire may be used on many different bikes, the tire manufacturer can't be specific. They only give the pressure past which they don't want to be held liable. ed

Go with door number 3!! :woohoo:


Tires today are made of diff compounds than the original tires on our bikes were 20+ years ago. Today tires are more durable and can run at higher speeds, so I would go with what the recomended pressure on the TIRE itself shows.

my 0.02

one thing to add.. dont go too fast around corners for the first 100 miles or so. wear off the mold release stuff before you do anything pushy

i run 32 front and 34-36 rear and 3 lbs either way to meet my tires needs for throwing the bike around...every tire...every bike....every rider....every change to the bike...can be improved upon big time by trying different pressures... this spring i had a pogo in the front end of my bike at steady traffic speeds..just barely ,but bugging me,with a new set of avons that was'nt there with a spitfire front...i went from 34 to 32 in front and it went away... i don't think there is real set number....only a base setting to start from....my 2 cents....

mzandmz wrote:

A good question allways gets a good answer, so I hope. Do you inflate new tires to recomended pressure in manuel or whats listed on the sidewall of new tire? Thats asuming that new tires are the same size as listed in manuel(Stock size). Weight rating for heavier loads? Whats the safest way to ensure proper pressure?Safety First.

I believe the pressure stamped on the side of the tire is the MAX pressure, not recommended pressure.

I would go with the tire recommendations. The manual is a little outdated as far as tire technology goes. Experiment with it and see what feels the best. If it is unsafe you will surely feel it.

From the Pirelli motorcycle tire site :
Why do I have to check my tires inflation pressure?
Low inflation pressure stresses the tires and heats them. It may even lead to blow-outs and tread separation. Moreover, it contributes to premature tire wear and decreased fuel mileage. That's why you should always be sure to have your tires properly inflated. Also make sure that the inflation pressure matches the one indicated in your motorcycle manufacture owner guide.

Pirelli

From the Metzeler motorcycle tire site:
INFLATION PRESSURE
Many tire damage result from incorrect inflation pressure. Furthermore, the inflation pressure has a big influence on the riding qualities of a motorcycle. The inflation pressure recommended by the motorcycle manufacturer can be found in the bike's manual and is usually written on a sticker on the rear swingarm or chainguard. Set the suggested inflation pressure on cold tires before riding. During service the tire's warming-up causes a pressure rise that must NOT be reduced.
Check inflation pressure once a week. Increase rear tire pressure by 0,2 bar / 3 psi when riding with a passenger or with very heavy load. Insufficient inflation pressure causes tire flexing and overheating that may lead to internal damage. Overinflation impairs riding comfort and stability and can result in uneven wear. When checking the inflation pressure, don't forget to lock the valve cap. Use a valve cap with rubber sealing.

Metzeler

When I last got my tyres replaced, the shop told me to use the pressures on the tyre manufacturer's website. Apparently, modern tyres have thinner sidewalls than they did 20/30 years ago and therefore need to run at higher pressures to support the sidewall. So, use the tyre manufacturer's pressures, not those specified by the bike manufacturer 30 years ago.

650ed wrote:

Use the specs in the manual or under the seat (should be roughly 28 lb front 32 lb rear rider only / 36 lb rear rider and passenger for KZ650) ...

From the Pirelli motorcycle tire site :
....Also make sure that the inflation pressure matches the one indicated in your motorcycle manufacture owner guide.

From the Metzeler motorcycle tire site:
...The inflation pressure recommended by the motorcycle manufacturer can be found in the bike's manual and is usually written on a sticker on the rear swingarm or chainguard.....

I kinda wonder if they're referring to modern/newer motorcycles when makeing these recommendations.

My 81 KZ650-CSR lists 25 psi for the front & 22-25 psi for the rear.
There's no way I'm going to run new GT501s that low.

Maybe it varies by tire manufacturer. Dunlop has a different pressure recommendation (find your bike on their chart):

Dunlop Fitment Guide