D4 tyre pressure?

My observations from riding a motorbike where variations in tyre pressure are far more noticable are and for standard road tyre (race tyres are different)..
- higher pressures certainly give you better fuel economy
- the higher the pressure the harsher the feedback from the road which means less feel and control.
- high pressures definately increase stopping distance and more so in slippery conditions (dirt, water) as the contact patch is smaller. Bikes rely on increasing the contact patch size on the front tyre to be able to stop. For offroad on the bike I'm airing down to 22-25psi like I would in the 4wd.

I run my bike tyre at recommended pressures, around 32psi as it feels better. Being able to stop and maintain traction are more important to me than fuel economy and longer tyre life.

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Originally Posted by discojools

Thanks Sniegy for info about tyre pressures for cars in transit from UK. But why have all the tyre dealers I have dealt with here insist that it is best to run tyres at well above manufacturers recommendations? I still think it is wrong and dangerous..

Discojools.

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For what it is worth I agree with your comments Discojools, running tyres at the recommended tyre pressures has to date always worked well for me. I to have noticed when I get new tyres the fitters nearly always put in higher then recommended pressures. I have tried on many occassions to find a better tyre pressure for my driving but usually end up back at the recommended pressure after dicking around.

As for bike tyres especially with road racing that is a whole different science compared to road tyre pressures, as there are so many factors that need to be taken into consideration before the correct tyre pressure is found. With bike racing more often then not most of the damage is caused by cold tearing which can be caused by not only tyre pressure but also suspension settings.


cheers,
Terry