IMPORTANT!!! Air pressures!!!

FZ1inTX

FZ1inTX

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This morning, exiting the short section of highway that I am forced to drive daily to get to work, I was met with an unusual GREEN light as I came down the off-ramp. I smoothed the throttle after dumping it down to 2nd gear and laid her over to take the corner... :tup: midway through, my heart went into my throat. I've been stupidly :retard: remiss!!! With the weather changes here and much colder temps, roads, etc... I haven't checked the tire pressures which I discovered at the apex was TOO LOW on the front. :doh2: It started to wash out but I responded and stood it up a bit while dumping more body mass over on the right side of the bike... WHEW! Saved it! :wilynily: :embarrased:: oops: :banghead: :tdown:

So, VERY IMPORTANT! Keep a much closer check on your air pressures than I have been, PLEASE!?!?!
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Oh man! That could have been a disaster. Glad you were able to save it. I checked my tires last week before I went out because it had been weeks since I had ridden and the temperatures here have dropped as well. Front was about 4 lbs low and rear was about 3 lbs low.
 
When I scanned over the part where you said "after dumping it down to 2nd gear and laid her over" I thought you had wrecked! Glad to hear you pulled through with nothing more than a scare and thanks for the reminder to check tire pressure.
 
Thanks all. It will be a less spirited ride home tonight and I'll set the pressures on both her's and my bikes tonight. Thankfully, she's not pushing it at all with her bike so she's not likely to encounter the same issue but, I imagine her pressures are low as well.

Sorry to scare ya with the wording raven! :eek: ;)
 
You know, the air we have today just isn't as good as it use to be.
It's worn out from being constantly recycled I guess.

:confused0024:
 
Nice save Eric! I too had checked my tires before leaving for PA to find that my rear was down 4lbs and 3lbs for the front. I've been able to tell as soon as I rock her off the centerstand whether or not I need air. The bike gets wheeled about 5 feet forward in order to warm it up near the open door, and you can just feel how hard it is to push it forward when I'm low. When she's filled to spec it just wheels forward effortlessly. Glad you didn't have another "get off". Thats the last thing any of us have to hear.:D
 
I checked my tires (all 12; two cars, 2 bikes, and had to adjust 6 tires) A little tip to keep your pressures constant when the weather gets cold suddenly. Use metal valve stem caps, the kind with a rubber washer inside. The tiny O-rings that the valve stem has inside shrink when the temp drop dramatically allowing air to seep past. If you use a plastic valve cap it will not hold your pressure very well. A metal cap with a rubber washer in the top will hold the air were it is supposed to be. The other part of air pressure dropping as the temperature does can only be fixed by checking and adjusting as needed, but proper valve stem caps do help.

Glad to hear that you got by OK with just a puckered seat cover Eric! Any lesson you can relate later is a good one.:icon_beer:
 
Definitely glad you saved it and a great reminder to us all... Also good time to note to others to check tire pressure when you are buying that new or any bike or have the dealer do so (trust myself better)...

I trailered mine home and was shocked to find barely 20lbs in the front and like 30 in the rear (~36/42 PSI respectvely is what it should be). :stirpot:
 
nitrogen

Even though here in Memphis it is only high 40's at night, I really like having nitrogen in my tires since it is not affected by ambient temperature as air. Glad you had the reflexes and time to save a wash out!!!
 
Pyrogenic said:
Wow! But I also wonder what that feels like?? did the tire roll over to the left sidewall? That must have been very strange!
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It felt like the tire squashed and it pulled the steering with it. It was a VERY uncomfortable feeling, like the front was headed for the pavement. Without all the dirt experience in the past, I'm not sure I'd have pulled out of it. If you've ridden dirt and hit a soft corner with a hard turn, it is that same feeling. It's like the bike just wants to lay down (low-side) NOW! Best I can describe it anyway... :D
 
Oldschool said:
Use metal valve stem caps, the kind with a rubber washer inside.

Glad to hear that you got by OK with just a puckered seat cover Eric! Any lesson you can relate later is a good one.:icon_beer:
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So, I'm going to stop by the autoparts store tomorrow and get 4 of these for the two bikes. :D Great tip Lee. Thanks!! :Rockon:
 
Oldschool said:
A little tip to keep your pressures constant when the weather gets cold suddenly. Use metal valve stem caps, the kind with a rubber washer inside. The tiny O-rings that the valve stem has inside shrink when the temp drop dramatically allowing air to seep past. If you use a plastic valve cap it will not hold your pressure very well. A metal cap with a rubber washer in the top will hold the air were it is supposed to be.
Click to expand...

I have always used the metal caps but only because i thought they looked cool.
 
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Same here! Going with the metal caps. After hearing Lee explain it, it makes perfect sense. I couldn't understand how I lost 4lbs of pressure after the bike sat only 2 days in the garage. If anything, it would be a cool experiment to see how much the loss of pressure is with the metal compared to the plastic. I'll let you guys know the results.
 
FZ1riderNY said:
Same here! Going with the metal caps. After hearing Lee explain it, it makes perfect sense. I couldn't understand how I lost 4lbs of pressure after the bike sat only 2 days in the garage. If anything, it would be a cool experiment to see how much the loss of pressure is with the metal compared to the plastic. I'll let you guys know the results.
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The metal caps certainly will help, but you need to make sure that they have the o-ring in them. By the way I have also seen some plastic caps with the o-rings in them.
 
I can't go a week without checking my tire pressure. Not that it changes much but I am an old roadracer from the 80s. :) The right tire pressure could mean better traction. I may have to look into this nitrogen thing. :)
 
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