Quoted:
Quoted: Depends on the bike, the tires, and what you are doing with them. |
That was very helpful.
Care to expand? |
On the street, I will run anywhere from 30/30 at Deal’s Gap, to 34/38 for general riding. At the track I run from 20psi to 30 psi on race tires.
Kirk wrote a good explanation already, but basically, you use tire pressure to control tire temperature. Less pressure means more carcass flex which creates more heat.
Tires have an operating range they are made for, and you want to keep them in that range. If they are too cold they do not develop their potential grip. If you get them too hot they will get greasy and start sliding, and damage the rubber (causing blue and purple oily coloration).
For normal street riding, I would recommend the 5psi method Kirk talked about. If you are too lazy, use the bike’s recommended tire pressures. These should be on a sticker on the bike somewhere, and in the owners manual for sure. They are generally less than the maximum pressure listed on the sidewall.
On the incredibly rare occasion I ride on the interstate for any length of time (generally the bike is in the trailer on the interstate), I will inflate the tires to the maximum pressure to decrease wear and try to avoid flat spotting. Just make sure to remember to air them back down for the twisties or you may in for a nasty surprise.