Tire pressures again!

Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Messages
14
Location
Victoria BC Canada
Bike
ST1300
Just collected my new to me ST from San Antonio and rode it back home to Quesnel BC Canada I checked the tires before we left and the bike had a almost new 023GT rear,after about 1000miles happened to notice a big bulge in the sidewall right down on the bead it looked like the bead wire had broken, any how had to get a new tire,only one in the right size was a conti motion, not my first choice but when needs must! had 42psi in the tirethe bike was loaded probably at or near the maximum weight and we were riding hard and fast touching pegs in corners I noticed the tire was scaloping on both sides as if it was being run at low pressure (its not!) now we are home with about 2500 miles on the Conti the center third still has about another 2000miles left but the outside edges by the sidewall are down to the wear bars is this a normal wear pattern for this bike? looking at the tire I would have said it should have had another 5psi in it any comments
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
1,608
Age
61
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Bike
1&2 2005 ST1300ABS's
STOC #
8562
I'm running an Orange TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) and keep the pressures at 45 psi at 70F. This morning it was 58 F when I was leaving for work and the pressures were 43 psi. Tires warmed up to 75F by the time I arrived at work and the pressures were 46 psi. If your not running your bike in 100 F. I'd recommend keeping them at a touch over 42 psi when the temperature is around 70 F.
Buy yourself a TPMS, their worth their weight in gold IMO.
My BT023 GT 's have 15,000 Km's on them and they look like they can go another 15,000 Km's before I have to change them.
 

Firstpeke

NT1100D
Joined
May 23, 2009
Messages
1,689
Location
UK
Bike
Honda NT1100
STOC #
7764
Any pressure lower than recommended ridden heavy and hard will wear much, much quicker than normal...

On a recent trip, despite checking my tyres before leaving I found my rear was down by only 4lbs/psi... I was riding solo, not riding too fast but enjoying a lot of twisty roads..... I did have the top box and both both panniers loaded...

On day two evening I noticed my rear was feathering on the edges and showing wear indicating under inflation.... so I corrected the pressure, but the damage was done....

In around 600 miles I probably took half the life out of the tyre.....

Pressures are critical, the more loaded you are, the more critical they are....

Many folks don't realise how heavy they run and how relatively low the bike load margin is.... the ST does not have a huge load margin especially two up.....

Always remember to set your pressures cold, when the tyre is cold, preferably before the day gets warmed up.....

As an aside, when working for Michelin the company did a lot of tests regarding under inflation and wear rates.... 10% under inflation can cause wear at a rate that will scare your wallet... and 10% on a bike is only around 4 lbs/psi. That was at normal loads too, so any heavy load and any higher speeds, like on a bike... and you get rapid wear.... and don't I know it.
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2012
Messages
535
Location
Norfolk, VA
Bike
2019 Goldwing Tour
+1 what has been said so far.
I run Conti Road Attack's on the ST and my 919 and haven't had any issues with this tire. I keep using it cuz I haven't found a tire that gives me the traction in any weather that these do. I know it's not the same tire but I think Conti makes a pretty decent tire, I would suspect psi issues. I know a few people that run the Motion and haven't heard of any issues.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Dec 18, 2013
Messages
14
Location
Victoria BC Canada
Bike
ST1300
Have just checked my pen style tire gauge and at 45psi it is actualy about 38 that must be most of my problems, have just ordered a made in USA dial gauge with an acuracy of +-0.5psi, I am going to replace the Conti motion with another one as i liked the tire, and that will see out the front, and this season, and try a set of T30GTs for next year
 
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