Tires Pressures - Kawa v. Manufacture

With tires is it best to follow the bike manufacture guidelines or tire manufacture?

The ZZR250 supplement indicates 28psi for both front and rear. My bike is currently fitted with Metz. M-1 on front and Dunlop Arrowmax 501 on rear..

Both tire manufactures claim max. of 42psi does this mean I should have the pressure higher? I was reading an article somewhere on the net which stated that you should use tire manufacture recommendations for their products..

Whats the general rule that most follow?

Cheers
Skid

my kawa book states 36-36

I was talking the the metzler rep, he said 42 rear 36 front for sports tyres,
I just run 38 rear 36 front.

who knows WTF to do??

(you do realise what you have started here)

my kawa book states 36-36

I was talking the the metzler rep, he said 42 rear 36 front for sports tyres,
I just run 38 rear 36 front.

who knows WTF to do??

(you do realise what you have started here)

The only reason i brought it up is that the Metz. on the front looks rather ..hmm flat at 28psi.. Actually I its 28psi front 32psi in the ZZR250 supplement I d/led from here..

Ill up them to 36-36 which should make a world of difference..

Cheers
Skid

try 33/36 used to use this on my 250 worked great with bt045s and used t use 33f/30 rear with gpr70s.

Just remember that the ZZR uses cross/bias ply tyres and not radials (which is what sports bikes use) so pressures for radials may not work as well for cross ply.

I run Bridgestone Battlax on the rear and Dunlop to the front any ideas on what the PSI should be i normally run 38 to the rear and 34 to the front.

Tallica

PS. Don't forget to measure tyre pressures before the bike has been ridden and also use a 'decent' gage (eg not the type you get at the gas station).

You'll get a bazillion different answers here I reckon. I run 36/36 on the ZX10 which was what I used to run on my ZX9 and drop this to 30/30 on the track.

I got that from Pat Galvin (Metzeler Distributor and brother of Peter) a few years ago so I've always assumed he knew more than anyone else I've spoken to. It seems to work alright although I think for Longevity the back could probably do with a bit more, it grips well though.

yes, for best mileage 42 rear is the go, lower pressures wear the tyres quicker.

What is on the tyre is the Max.

The tyre is good for that maximum pressure.

What's right for you Somewhere between the book and the tyre max.

i'm going to get burnt but i have nfi

never check em.. they're not flat

i'm going to get burnt but i have nfi ...

You should get burnt I check mine before each big ride and get surprised how much the pressures can vary. Start doing it

This is an important topic and one I wish a few more of the experienced members would comment on. I don't know a lot about it but I know that if I run 38/42 in my 1100 "pilots" the bike corners a hell of a lot easier and seems a lot more nimble. But I also know that the tire patch connecting me to the road is a lot smaller than if I was running say 34/36. At a lower pressure I will have to work harder to throw the bike around, will wear the tires out faster ,but will have better traction.

What to do, What to do??

Last edited by chameleon on Sat Feb 04, 2006 8:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

generally for the '9r, i wll have road pressures at 36f/34r, but track use will be dependent on the temp on the particular day. any where from 24 f+r to 32f/31r.

See theres heaps of different responces mate. Im lighter then most riders & like a slighty lower pressure. But I always prefer a couple of psi more in the rear tyre. Trial and error champ buy a guage set them at max pressure, then check before you ride & let a couple of pound out each day till you go to far then pump them back up to what you liked the best.
Cheers Brett