Hello everyone,

I just put a new rear tire on. It is a Shinko Raven (I am old and slow and don't go to the track) Had to replace my dunlop. Some how I picked up a 16 penny sinker and it ruined the tire.
Anyways what kind of air pressure do you run in your tires. The Shinko has a rating of 42 psi max @ 805lbs. of load. If I do the math it works out that about 20lbs of pressure in each tire would support the bike and tires. Seems a little low to me.

 

theres about 1,000 different variable that will affect tire pressure. for you id say never less than 34psi

 

+1 on the 34psi. welcome to the forum!

 

With tire pressure the only way to get the proper pressure is to check them cold and then hot. You are looking for a 10% rise in pressure, so 40 psi cold would be 44 psi hot, as an example.

If you get more than a 10% rise, you are overheating the tires and wearing them out at a very fast rate for no real gain.

If you have a less than 10% rise you will not get the traction the tire is capable of producing.

Also if you tend to run higher pressures (on the street) you also tend to get longer tire life.

 

Yep you are going to get tons of variation from riders and their own preferences.

I myself run cold 36 front, 35 rear on street

Track i run 30 / 30 cold.

 

Curiosity question here, as I only usually check mine cold.... how hot is "hot"? Or how can I tell if I'm warmed up? Is 15 minutes of riding or so enough (this is usually about how much I ride before re-lubing my chain)?

 

Probably depend on road temp. on how much pressure they gain.

I personally never check mine hot on a consistent basis. I always go with cold temp checks. Its not like i am going to carry air with me down the road to check pressure after i leave the house. I check at home while cold and ride the rest of the day from that starting point.

Craziest thing i see is riders putting 40 plus in front tire cold. Sheez that is like a brick up front, no feeling and betting the heck out of you. My ranges on street are rear 33 - 35 and front 35 to 37 cold.

It really is up to you and how the tires and bike feel. pick a method and stick with it and adjust from that method.

 

Even though I run 36f\42r on the street and have never had a grip problem the way you would do it is set a base pressure. The go for a ride, when you stop for a rest or fuel, check the pressure. If it is above or below the 10% rise, then adjust the pressure after you have returned home and the tires have cooled off.

So it might take a few tries to find the optimum pressure, though like I stated at the start of this post, I run high pressure on the street as I want max tire life and have never run out of grip on the street.... though YMMV

 

Welcome Todd.

I run 36/26 on mine for street use.

 

I had zero complaints about the Shinko Ravens I had on my F3 - all the way up until I totaled it in a sharp curve. My SH currently has some Metzeler s**ts on it and whether I need new tires next season or not, I'm dumping those things in the trash. I was considering the Shinko Stealths or going "whole hog" and throwing a set of Pilot Pros on 'er.

 

I was watching a Dave Moss video about tire pressures and racing and was surprised at how low some of those pressures were, some as low as 22 psi. That was for racing conditions.

I tend to agree with 8541Hawk on the + or - 10%, back in the day that was the rule of thumb we used racing. However I can say with certainty I have never used 42psi in the rear tire on any bike I have ever owned and I have never had a premature wear issue or lack of grip.

 

+1 on 36/42

 

-1 on the 36/42 for me.

28R/31F cold pressure if you like to ride the sides........190x55 Q2. On my 3rd set and have no desire to look for anything else.

I'm on the third or fourth set of Shinko 705s on my XR650L and have settled on 30 front and rear, but never tried Shinks on the Hawk.

 

That actually matches my Dunlap experience racing in the 70's, of course I don't know how that equates to the "Stones", Pirellis or other tires.

Since their construction is different I'd be more than willing to bet their pressure recommendations would be too.

 

On a new set of different tires, I like to experiment with pressures until i find something that works best. It's easy if you have specific curvy roads you know well so that you can narrow down the variables and make good comparisons.

Go to extremes when you start out experimenting to highlight variations in ride quality/grip/slip. If you like 36/42 cold, try this first for 50 miles+, then stop and record hot pressures. When you get home, make notations on your perceptions.

Next ride(after tires cool), try 28/31 cold and hit your favorite test road again, then stop and record pressures. Record perceptions when you get home. Eventually, you'll be able to distinguish smaller gaps and you will know what works and what doesn't, esp obvious if you're aggressive with your inputs and lean angle.

 

LOL

But I tend to run close to spec on the street, about 40 rear & 34 to 36 front.

I only ride street. Currently have a set of Diablos on the VTR. Seem ok & I think I paid about $170 for the set, so thats nice.

Since my cage accident almost a year ago, I find it hard to rip the twistys like I used to. Thus, I think I'm going to get a sport touring tire next, so they last longer.

 

nnjhawk, just checked your signature. After you mention 'States you visted' you say Et Tu ? I think what you mean is Et toi ?

Even if this is an old thread, always nice to add to it. I run different tire pressures according to the period of my riding season. Spring and Fall I usually run 40 R/35F. I left the house this morning, and it was 6° outside
(42°F), so you need those tires to warm up real fast. So, when summer comes along and outside temp rises, I ajust accordingly.
Best way to get the best mileage, and tire traction, is to keep control of tire pressure all the time.

 

"Et tu" is Latin rather than French or, probably, joual.
Tire manufacturers sometimes post suggested tire pressures on their websites.
Like 8541Hawk, I usually run 36/42 because I want to maximize tire life. However, at the beginning and the end of the riding season up here, like Jack Flash, I'll run lower pressures.
Using pressure rise as a way of assessing tire pressures is valid and makes a great deal of sense if you're riding on a track or riding a favourite stretch of road repeatedly over a short period of time. I wouldn't go to the trouble for normal street riding because I'm not riding at more than 7/10's, the bike is vertical most of the time and the traction level with sport tires at standard pressures is more than adequate for me.

 

Jack Flash & Comedo

Correct - et tu is latin and means And U

though I do have a bit of French blood in me from Dad's side (mostly German or if U wish Alemana), I don't know much of the language.

I've lived most of my life within 15 mins of NYC, thus U need to know Spanish

America is a great melting pot, Eppa!

Carry on & Be Safe And watch for those Montreal cabbys stopping in your lane - Doh!