Tyre pressure accuracy
Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2017 8:00 pm
I see many posts regarding tyre pressures and people choosing to deviate from the manufacturer's recommendations.
I have always been quite happy to follow the manufacturer's figures and have never found any problem with that - although it used to amuse me that when my previous (air cooled) RTs were serviced by the BMW dealer the pressures were changed from solo to full load or vice versa. If I had them set at 2.5F/2.9R they would come back at 2.2F/2.5R. When I tried setting them at 2.2F/2.5R before a service, they would come back set at 2.5F/2.9R.
On the one hand, this was a bit of harmless fun, on the other it demonstrated to me that I couldn't tell the difference without TPMS or getting my tyre pressure gauge out.
So, my first question is : how can other people tell the difference between 35, 36 and 37 psi in a front tyre ?
Secondly, how accurate do you think the average tyre pressure gauge is ? One psi in 36 is less than 3%, and +/-5% would probably be likely in a well used, uncalibrated gauge.
My current bike comes with the currently fashionable 36F/42R recommendation, solo or fully loaded, so all I need is a calibrated gauge. My TPMS read between 2.4 and 2.5F, and 2.9 and 3.0R. That'll do for me.
I have always been quite happy to follow the manufacturer's figures and have never found any problem with that - although it used to amuse me that when my previous (air cooled) RTs were serviced by the BMW dealer the pressures were changed from solo to full load or vice versa. If I had them set at 2.5F/2.9R they would come back at 2.2F/2.5R. When I tried setting them at 2.2F/2.5R before a service, they would come back set at 2.5F/2.9R.
On the one hand, this was a bit of harmless fun, on the other it demonstrated to me that I couldn't tell the difference without TPMS or getting my tyre pressure gauge out.
So, my first question is : how can other people tell the difference between 35, 36 and 37 psi in a front tyre ?
Secondly, how accurate do you think the average tyre pressure gauge is ? One psi in 36 is less than 3%, and +/-5% would probably be likely in a well used, uncalibrated gauge.
My current bike comes with the currently fashionable 36F/42R recommendation, solo or fully loaded, so all I need is a calibrated gauge. My TPMS read between 2.4 and 2.5F, and 2.9 and 3.0R. That'll do for me.