Tire Pressure?

bigc70

Registered
Hey guys. Stupid question, but I can't find the answer anywhere. What's the appropriate tire pressure for a 2008 Busa?

I live in Cleveland so we're FINALLY getting riding weather up here, but I want to double check my tires before I get on the road after it's been sitting since November. Thanks in advance!!
 
The manual states 42 psi for front and rear, that is what I run year round on my 2008.
 
If you read the tire such as on a Bridgestone S20R it reads "MAX LOAD 365 kg (805LBS.) AT 290kp (42 PSI) COLD"
Yes your manual states that pressure under them conditions.
most just see the number and figure oh that's what I will run. Read carefully.
 
i ride mildly aggressive and i like 36 Front and 38 Rear. makes cornering fun!
 
Why do you guys run more tire pressure in the rear than the front? :dunno:
 
I assume more of a contact patch And better traction, no?

No!

Your rear tire has almost twice the volume of air so why would you want a higher psi for solo riding? After all, factory recommendations for air pressure is based on maximum load.

More air means a smaller contact patch, no? :dunno:

For instance, yesterday at the track I ran 18 psi rear and 29 psi (cold) front. I'm not saying you should run your street tires that low but the theory is the same. Your rear tire works harder than your front creating more heat thus higher hot pressures. So why would you want more air in the rear than in the front cold (No matter what pressures you are using) If your woman weighs in at 300 lbs then by all means air the rear tire up to carry the load. I don't know anyone who understands tires that run more air in the rear over the front for solo street riding.

I know it's just a matter of preference but I'm just sayin! :dunno:
 
okay, i ride solo 100% and i am 250lbs on average. what would you suggest would be the ideal pressure combo for dunlop Q2? should i experiment and reverse them i.e. 36 rear and 38 front? so were clear, i am by no means and expert and get all of my information from this site so this is a genuine question.
 
I rarely recommend a specific tire pressure for street riding as it truly is a matter of preference. Higher pressures will increase gas mileage because 30 psi creates more friction and drag than 42 psi and the tire runs cooler in all conditions making the tire last longer. But,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and this is a big BUTT, you gain another mile or two per gallon and a little more life at the expense of traction. Your choice.

I can tell you that my preference for my busa on a trip or a long day ride with my friends is 36 front 34 rear. If I'm going to romp the twisties with my buds I drop a couple pounds to 34 front 32 rear on Q2's. However, for the most part my busa has a Q2 front and Roadsmart rear (Which I prefer by far over the high mileage Michelin PR series). The Roadsmart is a happy medium between the Q2 (Which is basically a race tire in street form) and the high mileage of a PR3. I still get knee dragging stick from the rear and improved mileage over the Q2. Best bang for buck for street use in my view. This combination I run 36 front and rear for the life of the tires.

I never run less than 36 psi cold in a touring tire, front or rear. I don't want the stiff carcass to have excessive flex and should never have less than 36 psi cold.
 
^ perfect, thanks! i prefer traction than better fuel mileage for obvious reasons so i may air down a bit and go for the "twistie romp" pressures setting first to experiment.
 
Maybe you guys can help me understand the feedback my bike was trying to give me today after making these adjustments. I'm running 34 psi front, 36 psi rear (should I be reversing the front higher then rear or both equal?) on stock tires with a little over 1000 miles on them. Tonight was the first time I leaned harder on them since dropping from stock, 42psi. It felt spongy, as if it were bouncing or the tires were "wobbling". Is this due to the pressure or just that I'm still wearing off my chicken strips and may have been further over on the outer edge which isn't yet wore in?
 
I see after reading back further in this thread I should be running higher in the front then rear. However, any help in understanding the feedback as I posted ^^^^ would be great! Thanks.
 
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