HarleyTechTalk

I know this sounds stupid, but according to the manul tire preeure  is suppose to be 36 psi rear/30 psi front tire. the tire reads 40 psi.I checked the air pressure w/3 diffrent gauges and all 3 read 15 psi on both tires. I know how to read a gauge, and pump air. what i'm i missing? dunlops on a 2002 cvo dyna............

You may not be missing anything.

If 3 different gauges tell you that your tire pressures are only 15 pounds, then I'd say you need to air them up. As far as recommended pressures are concerned, I'd follow the manual's recommendations. The tire pressure listed on the sidewall is maximum pressure for carrying a full load - such as two up and loaded for a trip.

Once you get your pressures set, I'd find a single gauge I trust and then use it each time.

I hope this helps.

NormS.

A serious question for Taco.
You got 3 gauges to agree in the 15 pound area. How do they agree in the 35 pound area?
I'm asking because I would like to find a gauge that is accurate because tire pressure is SO important.
If the three gauges agree then they are most likely accurate.
What type (dial,pencil,digital) and brand are these 3 gauges?

 The 3 gauges are 2 pencil and 1digital gauge. What confuses me is that if the tire pressure was half of what it should be wouldn't you be able to see it ala a automotive tire if it was low?. I rode it yesterday at about 50 mph,, and there weren't any problems. theses things are as hard as raquel welch.........

Motorcycle tires are interesting. They don't visually show low pressure like a car tire does. I'm not quite sure why - maybe the lighter weight of the bike - but they don't. I had a secondary ride a while back - a Yamaha V-Star - and the same thing happened to me. It sat over the winter and I only rode it 7 or 8 times all winter. When spring came and I went to service it, I discovered that one of the tires was only at 15 pounds. The other was at 26 pounds. Like you, I didn't notice any difference in handling under normal riding (But I'd bet I sure would have noticed it if I would have had to make any emergency moves).

In the "Old days" of rigid frame choppers and saddles rigidly mounted to the frame, a trick used to soften the harshness of the ride was to run the rear tire with about 15 pounds of air pressure. That allowed the tire to absorb some of the shock of bumps. The big drawback was that, under hard acceleration, the tire would tend to slip on the rim and, of course would destroy the tube (spoked wheels).

Hope this helps.

NormS.

taco, At 15PSI, the tire won't be obviously low by looking at it. You might be able to feel it however, if you pay close attention.
I check pressures once a week when riding in town, and every day when I'm on the road.
And like Truck said, getting an accurate gauge is important. Gauges can read the same at 10psi, and be 20% or more different at 30psi.

Garry

Had a front tire installed on my Wide Glide, went out for a ride to 'scuff it in'

about an hour later I noticed it wouldn't corner well at all, had to fight it.

Checked the tire pressure when I got home, EIGHT ( psi, and NO noticeable bulging of the sidewall.

(they pinched the tube installing the tire and it slowly leaked)

If you have only 15 psi, that should give you sloppy handling and cornering at least. It's also a good way to damage rims if you hit anything on the road like a pothole, bridge transition strip, low curb and so forth, especially on a bikes equipped with narrow front rims like a STC or Dyna. Even a small hit to the rim can throw out the balance of the tire and rim.

Actually, 15psi will not put your rim at risk for damage.  I know this because I run 15-17psi in my panhead rear tire all the time.  What it will give you is faster tread wear.  The factory recommended inflation pressure for a rigid frame panhead was something like 14psi solo and 16psi w/ passenger.

You also won't get sloppy handling at that pressure.  I shot this video from my panhead running 15psi in the rear tire.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmOYk2JlTBY


-Craig

Dunlops are designed to run flat so it's no surprise you might not tell it's low by a visual check. And by run flat, I mean they will keep the bike up and rim off the pavement. We witnessed this last weekend. The stick air gauges are not worth much IMO. As soon as they have any age on them, dirt and debris makes them stick and read wrong. Use a dial gauge and go from there.

I was surpised when my rear went flat yesterday, as soon as I noticed it getting sloppy in the back I pulled over to a lucky spot (since we had been carving canyons all day) looking at the tire/ wheel you could see the rim was still supported quite well even after the air had leaked out, the tire is the new dual compound 180 on the 09 RG. It got me to the side of the road at 50mph without getting all squirley and loose... never fun

  We put a "mushroom" plug in it and I used my 2 large CO2 cartridges to fill it up to 37lbs...and we were on our way in no time!

Steve, please put the correct pressure in, if three gauges tell you the same then put the 36lbs in it asks for and you should be good to go

FWIW...............The air pressure within the tire supports the load "more" than the tire itself. Me? I'd rather "trust" the tire's manufacturer regarding pressure(s) rather that H-D. After all Dunlop (in this instance) made the tire, not H-D. I usually run at 10% under maximum pressure (38psi vs 42 psi) as tires generally "grow" 10% psi when hot. Then again...WTFDIK?

Last summer I couldn't hardly push my Low Rider backwards out of the garage. Since the bike was a 1994 model I was figuring something had worn out or was seizing up or something.  I checked the air pressure and the back tire didn't have any.  Looked fine just looking at it.   

 Thanx Kansas, You restored my dignity. The problem has been fixed...........

Quote from: CraigArizona85248 on July 06, 2009, 08:16:45 PM
Actually, 15psi will not put your rim at risk for damage.  I know this because I run 15-17psi in my panhead rear tire all the time.  What it will give you is faster tread wear.  The factory recommended inflation pressure for a rigid frame panhead was something like 14psi solo and 16psi w/ passenger.

You also won't get sloppy handling at that pressure.  I shot this video from my panhead running 15psi in the rear tire.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmOYk2JlTBY


-Craig

I did that road in February of 2008.  Didn't seem to go by that quickly for me, though.   

Quote from: Ken R on July 07, 2009, 01:21:29 PM
I did that road in February of 2008.  Didn't seem to go by that quickly for me, though.  

Yeah... You'll notice I cut to different scenes when I got caught behind slow traffic.  At least half of the ride that morning was at slow speeds behind boats or other slow movers.  I just grabbed the fast parts.  I also ride that road a couple times a week, so I know every bump and rise in my sleep.  LOL

Oh... and I see the 25mph speed limit as more of a "suggestion" on that road.    At the very start of the clip you see a 25mph sign go buy at the bottom of a downhill run... I'm easily doing 65mph ... just a bit over the limit.  

-Craig