Cold Temp Tire Pressure?

[Dilligaf0220]

Does anybody change the street pressures when it gets colder out?

My tires are BT014F/BT020R, running 32F/36R, and the rear isn't sticking anywhere near where it did when it was warmer. It's like constantly riding in the rain, really unsettling. 50km/h powerslides are a novelty, but I have a bad feeling something unpleasant might happen soon.

Going to play with pressures abit today and see if that helps, anyone else do the same when temps get below 10-15?

[Dilligaf0220]

Dropping pressures to 28F/27R* did the trick. Seemed fairly extreme to me, and it probaly isn't going to set records in tire logevity, but it made my 17yr-old ride stick. Dropped it in stages throughout the day, even went abit lower after I was happy, but that definitely seemed to be the happy place. Hit some knarly roads and broke the rear loose a few times, but predictable.


*My rear is a 5yr-old BT020 that has 20k+ on it and is about as soft as a hockey puck.

[FearNoSpeed]

Unfortunately when the road doesn't heat up there isn't alot you can do except drive like a woosie......
Or move to Florida....

[BusaBob]

just due to the cold, my pressure went down to 31F 33R...and that felt, "mushie"/"sloppy"...don't know what else to call it. When on the move, the temps went up to 35F and 37R, but I worried about what all that excessive flexing might be doing to the tire. Whenever I stopped the tires cooled off really fast (within 10 minutes)

[TRIGGA]

Okay, so what is the general rule of thumb when dropping tire pressure?
My factory specs are 36/F and 46/R. How much pounds should i lower it generally? Right now I'm running 4 lbs less then usual 32/f 42/r . Should I drop it even more to 28f 38/r?
Should the Front have more or less pressure then the rear? or should they be equal? whats the best recommendation??

I see alot of people dropping their rear pressure by 10+ lbs, and its almost idential to the front, maybe 2-4 lbs less then the front. I only droped it 4 lbs on both sides, should I lower it even more??

What is the general rule for lowering the pressure?

[nippondecker]

ten psi below spec would make me nervous. By running a tire soft you are deliberately abusing it to cause it to warm up, right?are you smarter than the engineers who designed it?...possibly.... You need pressure to keep the sidewalls rigid , too.

[bitzz]

To set your tire pressure (at any tempurature):

Check your tire pressure. Go for a ride to get the tires up to operating temp. Check your tire pressure immediately. If you have it correct the tire pressure should increase 3psi.
If the increase is MORE than 3psi, you are too soft. If the increase is less than 3psi you are too hard.

[Wingboy]

To set your tire pressure (at any tempurature):

Check your tire pressure. Go for a ride to get the tires up to operating temp. Check your tire pressure immediately. If you have it correct the tire pressure should increase 3psi.
If the increase is MORE than 3psi, you are too soft. If the increase is less than 3psi you are too hard.

Some tires will start with more than 30psi,so 3 psi might not apply. Use the 10% rule as a base to start from.My goldwing cold temps are 40 front and 44 rear,with the tires reaching 44/47 after a 1/2 hr ride.

[rsilk]

[QUOTE=TRIGGA;487620]Okay, so what is the general rule of thumb when dropping tire pressure?
My factory specs are 36/F and 46/R. QUOTE]

What tires are you using? That sounds like the MAX pressure for the tire (2-up + luggage), not the best 1-up pressure.

/rs

[djltoronto]

To set your tire pressure (at any tempurature):

Check your tire pressure. Go for a ride to get the tires up to operating temp. Check your tire pressure immediately. If you have it correct the tire pressure should increase 3psi.
If the increase is MORE than 3psi, you are too soft. If the increase is less than 3psi you are too hard.

I'm not sure I support this one!!!

[bitzz]

Some tires will start with more than 30psi,so 3 psi might not apply. Use the 10% rule as a base to start from.My goldwing cold temps are 40 front and 44 rear,with the tires reaching 44/47 after a 1/2 hr ride.

Sorry I am obviously caught in race track mode.
Use 10% as Rick points out.

[SLIM]

To set your tire pressure (at any tempurature):

Check your tire pressure. Go for a ride to get the tires up to operating temp. Check your tire pressure immediately. If you have it correct the tire pressure should increase 3psi.
If the increase is MORE than 3psi, you are too soft. If the increase is less than 3psi you are too hard.

Aren't those the "rules" for bias ply tires?!?!?! (can't remember, asking honestly)

[mastahjay69]

Are you thinking of 3 degrees up = 1psi?