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Old 01-09-2018, 04:48 PM   #31
Dean   Dean is offline
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Tire PSI

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Originally Posted by degreaser View Post
you should read all the comments on that video, everyone has a recommendation on what to believe, i think that I might go on there and recommend everyone fill your tires with cement and end all this madness
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Degreaser..

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!
Yep, that'll put a stop to it!



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Old 01-09-2018, 04:48 PM   #32
degreaser   degreaser is offline
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I think I saw a youtube on this where a guy said it's a trade-off between tire longevity versus traction, I didn't understand it so what I do is take the the high psi numbers and low numbers and split it down the middle
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Old 01-09-2018, 04:55 PM   #33
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Degreaser,

The lower tire pressure gives you a slightly larger "footprint" or contact patch with the ground. Higher pressure makes the tire stand up and results in a "smaller" contact patch. A firmer tire rolls easier and will get slightly better gas mileage. A softer tire takes more horse power to roll and of course gives less gas mileage, but make for a smoother ride, all things being equal... Personal preference....
 
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Old 01-09-2018, 05:04 PM   #34
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oK,Now we all know better than everyone else.Can we finally all shut the hell up please.I dont give a shit what you had for breakfast,and i sure as hell dont care what pressure you put in your tyres. Go home,have sex with your wife ,or girlfriend,they might give a shit.I dont.
I cleaned this up a bit for you Mick Your Welcome

Apologies all round.I was well drunk,and talking shit.
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Old 01-09-2018, 05:20 PM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean View Post
Degreaser,

The lower tire pressure gives you a slightly larger "footprint" or contact patch with the ground. Higher pressure makes the tire stand up and results in a "smaller" contact patch. A firmer tire rolls easier and will get slightly better gas mileage. A softer tire takes more horse power to roll and of course gives less gas mileage, but make for a smoother ride, all things being equal... Personal preference....
Providing it is not too low. Too low pressure causes the middle of the tire to fold inwards, actually reducing the contact area, and causing outside wear and/or cupping. Based on my experience, this is what happens at the Kawi's recommended 28 psi. 28 psi on a Bridgestone Extendra (the tire and pressure reccomended by Kawi for the Voyager) and I got serious outside wear while the center still had lots of tread left.



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Old 01-09-2018, 05:22 PM   #36
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mick56 View Post
oK,Now we all know better than everyone else.Can we finally all shut the hell up please.I dont give a shit what you had for breakfast,and i sure as hell dont care what pressure you put in your tyres. Go home,have sex with your wife ,or girlfriend,they might give a shit.I dont.
If ya ain't interested, then don't click on this thread. Some of us are interested.

Last edited by Top Cat; 01-09-2018 at 11:22 PM.
 
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Old 01-09-2018, 05:57 PM   #37
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Originally Posted by Sabre-t View Post
If ya ain't interested, then don't click on this thread. Some of us are interested.
.If you dont have the intelligence to read the manual,that came with your bike,dont ride it.
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Old 01-09-2018, 07:49 PM   #38
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my vn800 manual says 28 psi front cold, 32 rear

edit: no wait, i read that wrong, I think its saying front & rear up to 215 lbs 28 psi, and over 215 lbs 32 psi
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Old 01-09-2018, 07:59 PM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by degreaser View Post
my vn800 manual says 28 psi front cold, 32 rear

edit: no wait, i read that wrong, I think its saying front & rear up to 215 lbs 28 psi, and over 215 lbs 32 psi
Ride em flat then mate,Because your guess is as good as the next blokes.
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Old 01-09-2018, 08:04 PM   #40
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If you run 28psi what would be the best oil to get more HP??
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Old 01-09-2018, 08:42 PM   #41
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The manual, the tag on the frame, AND the service manual of the bike are only accurate if you have not added fairing, three sets of kury pegs, 400watt amplifier, trunk, and all the other stuff that Nomads are known to carry about.

They are accurate only if you and your rider are of average build (Kawasaki's idea of "average weight" is a whole lot different than most care to admit), and IF you are running the stock size tires and construction that were on the bike when Kawasaki rolled the thing into a crate. Many of us are not. After that it is all conjecture and experience about what is the "correct" pressure.

The OP was on an 06 Nomad, he never posted tire size/mfr, payload, accessories......, the very next poster on an 800, and somebody keeps piping in and he is on a Voyager with way different tires. NOTE: Stock Bridgestone Exedra's on the 06 Nomad were rated to carry max 408 pounds each front/rear.... I have the MOM, Service Manual, and Set-up Manual for the bike.

Riding style, trip temps, sustained highway speeds, sidewall max pressures, etc all need to be weighed into the selection of proper pressure.

And yet, one of my greatest pet peeves of all time..... 50% are using a borrowed $2 pencil type gauge to check tire pressure, or worse yet the gauge on the pump at the filling station, or the cheap ass gauge that came as a christmas stocking stuffer in a cutesy tin box.

I use the same professional quality digital gauge EVERY time I check pressures, and only at "cold" or ambient temp before I even leave the garage. I own three of these gauges that hang around my garage or in/on everyday vehicles. Every one of my trucks and tractors/heavy equipment, even our airplane, carry the same gauge in their tooklits. $15 on AMZN. They are all within 0.5 pounds of each other in accuracy and are checked periodically against an oil filled round faced calibrated racing gauge.

A few are correct about "you only have two tires....", but how many check tire pressure once per week, or before any extended trip, or following a change in ambient temps of more than 20 degrees(F)? And how many calculate (accurately) a second rider, tour pack, and travel necessities/luggage.

I add 1psi for each 100lbs above my "average" daily use pressures to maintain weight carrying capacity and handling/braking performance and add 5psi to the air shocks with a zero loss pump and linked shocks. A digitally controlled compressor can be set to accurately "shut off" at the desired pressure in the tires.

Before every two-up excursion.......

"Yes Dear, I do believe you only weighed 125 at your last checkup. But, you have on 15 pounds of leather over your street clothes, 8 pounds of steel toed riding boots, a helmet, and you threw that damned heavy ass purse of yours in your saddle bag. And this way we can carry back the fruits of your shopping on the road."

I add 2psi and 5 in the shocks.

I get that same funny look every time as she begins to add everything up. By that time I am sure to have my helmet on, bike in gear, and carry weapon moved forward in my jacket.
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Old 01-09-2018, 09:27 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mick56 View Post
.If you dont have the intelligence to read the manual,that came with your bike,dont ride it.
I read the manual. I used the Kawi recommended pressure with the Kawi recommended tire. It didn't work. The recommended pressure ruined my tire.

I have seen posts on this and other forums that using the Kawi pressures resulted in cupping that led to the beginnings of the "death wobble" either from the cupping itself or from damage to the front and/or stem bearings.

How intelligent is it be to blindly keep using the manual recommendations when they are obviously bad, possibly even dangerous?

I repeat, if you don't like to read threads about tire pressure, don't click on them! Don't start insulting us for having a discussion that you don't care about and don't have to read.
 
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Old 01-09-2018, 10:10 PM   #43
mick56   mick56 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dhuttonkc View Post
The manual, the tag on the frame, AND the service manual of the bike are only accurate if you have not added fairing, three sets of kury pegs, 400watt amplifier, trunk, and all the other stuff that Nomads are known to carry about.

They are accurate only if you and your rider are of average build (Kawasaki's idea of "average weight" is a whole lot different than most care to admit), and IF you are running the stock size tires and construction that were on the bike when Kawasaki rolled the thing into a crate. Many of us are not. After that it is all conjecture and experience about what is the "correct" pressure.

The OP was on an 06 Nomad, he never posted tire size/mfr, payload, accessories......, the very next poster on an 800, and somebody keeps piping in and he is on a Voyager with way different tires. NOTE: Stock Bridgestone Exedra's on the 06 Nomad were rated to carry max 408 pounds each front/rear.... I have the MOM, Service Manual, and Set-up Manual for the bike.

Riding style, trip temps, sustained highway speeds, sidewall max pressures, etc all need to be weighed into the selection of proper pressure.

And yet, one of my greatest pet peeves of all time..... 50% are using a borrowed $2 pencil type gauge to check tire pressure, or worse yet the gauge on the pump at the filling station, or the cheap ass gauge that came as a christmas stocking stuffer in a cutesy tin box.

I use the same professional quality digital gauge EVERY time I check pressures, and only at "cold" or ambient temp before I even leave the garage. I own three of these gauges that hang around my garage or in/on everyday vehicles. Every one of my trucks and tractors/heavy equipment, even our airplane, carry the same gauge in their tooklits. $15 on AMZN. They are all within 0.5 pounds of each other in accuracy and are checked periodically against an oil filled round faced calibrated racing gauge.

A few are correct about "you only have two tires....", but how many check tire pressure once per week, or before any extended trip, or following a change in ambient temps of more than 20 degrees(F)? And how many calculate (accurately) a second rider, tour pack, and travel necessities/luggage.

I add 1psi for each 100lbs above my "average" daily use pressures to maintain weight carrying capacity and handling/braking performance and add 5psi to the air shocks with a zero loss pump and linked shocks. A digitally controlled compressor can be set to accurately "shut off" at the desired pressure in the tires.

Before every two-up excursion.......

"Yes Dear, I do believe you only weighed 125 at your last checkup. But, you have on 15 pounds of leather over your street clothes, 8 pounds of steel toed riding boots, a helmet, and you threw that damned heavy ass purse of yours in your saddle bag. And this way we can carry back the fruits of your shopping on the road."

I add 2psi and 5 in the shocks.

I get that same funny look every time as she begins to add everything up. By that time I am sure to have my helmet on, bike in gear, and carry weapon moved forward in my jacket.
Give me a minute to digest that.I'll be right back,just as soon as i got it sorted out.


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Old 01-10-2018, 08:02 AM   #44
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Question: What is the very best combination of what brand tires, how much air pressure, which grade oil and what brand spark plugs and what gap, combined with what gear oil for 1)max torque, 2)max speed, 3) best mileage when going downhill with wind behind you verse going uphill into the wind on a Wed, afternoon at 2:38PM?
 
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Old 01-10-2018, 11:14 AM   #45
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As I said before, I only asked this simple question because tire pressure is so vital. My thoughts have always been that the Kaw pressure was rediculous. This is my second Nomad and I've always ran 40F and 40B. I was just hoping I could get a good starting point for PSI . I'm not an idiot ! Too many people check their air pressure everyday but aren't sure where they should be starting from. I thought I'd pick your brains.
 
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