Michelin Pr2 Tire Pressure ?

What do you guys run in your tires ?

My local shop said 34 front and 32 rear .

When I had them mounted, they did 39 and 36, however in the middle of the last ride it seemed to be too much in the rear so I let a little out and it became much stickier. I didnt have a gauge on me so Im not sure what it is at now.

I keep 38-42. Closer to 38 on the weekends for canyons. Close to 42 during the week for commuting. Don't worry too much if it's in that range.

You are going to burn those tires up fast at those pressures, the VFR is heavy.

Most of the time I run 34-36f and 40 in the rear. If at Deal's Gap or something I drop the rear down to about 36.

36/42 F/R works just fine

PR2's will wear out very quickly at lower pressures. They seem very sensitive to this for some reason.
I run lower in the front than in the rear. Never heard of someone running lower in rear than in front. Can't recommend that...

34-36 front

38-42 rear.

Typically 36 front 39 or 40 rear.

Disadvantages of Underinflation

An underinflated tire can't maintain its shape and becomes flatter than intended while in contact with the road. If a vehicle's tires are underinflated by only 6 psi it could weaken the tire's internal structure and eventually lead to tire failure. Lower inflation pressures will allow more deflection as the tire rolls. This will build up more internal heat, increase rolling resistance (causing a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%) and reduce the tire's tread life by as much as 25% while increasing the probability of irregular treadwear. Drivers would also find a noteworthy loss of steering precision and cornering stability. While 6 psi doesn't seem excessively low, it typically represents about 20% of a passenger car tire's recommended pressure.

Disadvantages of Overinflation

An overinflated tire is stiff and unyielding and the size of its footprint in contact with the road is reduced. If a vehicle's tires are overinflated by 6 psi, they could be damaged more easily when encountering potholes or debris in the road, as well as experience irregular tread wear. Higher inflated tires cannot isolate road irregularities as well causing the vehicle to ride harsher and transmit more noise into its interior. However, higher inflation pressures reduce rolling resistance slightly and typically provide a slight improvement in steering response and cornering stability. This is why participants who use street tires in autocrosses, track events and road races run higher than normal inflation pressures.
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Disadvantages of Underinflation

An underinflated tire can't maintain its shape and becomes flatter than intended while in contact with the road. If a vehicle's tires are underinflated by only 6 psi it could weaken the tire's internal structure and eventually lead to tire failure. Lower inflation pressures will allow more deflection as the tire rolls. This will build up more internal heat, increase rolling resistance (causing a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%) and reduce the tire's tread life by as much as 25% while increasing the probability of irregular treadwear. Drivers would also find a noteworthy loss of steering precision and cornering stability. While 6 psi doesn't seem excessively low, it typically represents about 20% of a passenger car tire's recommended pressure.

Disadvantages of Overinflation

An overinflated tire is stiff and unyielding and the size of its footprint in contact with the road is reduced. If a vehicle's tires are overinflated by 6 psi, they could be damaged more easily when encountering potholes or debris in the road, as well as experience irregular tread wear. Higher inflated tires cannot isolate road irregularities as well causing the vehicle to ride harsher and transmit more noise into its interior. However, higher inflation pressures reduce rolling resistance slightly and typically provide a slight improvement in steering response and cornering stability. This is why participants who use street tires in autocrosses, track events and road races run higher than normal inflation pressures.
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Good info all around, Monk! I do want to point out that motorcycle tires and car tires are different. On a motorcycle, you lower the tire pressure for twisties, track days, etc. Lower pressure provides a few advantages like a bigger contact patch, but mostly, it heats up the tire more quickly and evenly, which is the biggest factor for traction on sport type tires (like the Pilot Road 2)

Most people I've talked to go around 30/30 for track days. I wouldn't recommend going any lower than that. Too low and you stop heating the tire better and simply lose traction.

What do you guys run in your tires ?

My local shop said 34 front and 32 rear .

the road 2 rear feels funky to me with low pressure, 32 is extremely low and I'm talking (36psi) as low yucky feel

In the last 100,000 miles of rippen twisties at speeds higher than 80-90% of most riders and 40 plus sets of tires, I've consistently run 36/42 as a general starting point! Like Jeremy mentioned, I will drop 2-3 psi if I plan to do nothing but drag pegs all day or if I ever get movement(slides) in the tires(very rare occasion), but in general and for 90% of the riders out there 36/42 will work fine, any tire, any bike! :cool:

At the track with Michelin DOT's I run 31/22 cold. :laugh:

If I lived on the Dragon and was as quick as Jeremy is there, I might drop pressures a little lower to try an keep up. :blush:

At the track with Michelin DOT's I run 31/22 cold. :laugh:

I'm assuming this is a typo and you mean 31/32?

At the track with Michelin DOT's I run 31/22 cold. :laugh:

I'm assuming this is a typo and you mean 31/32?

No, several years ago both Dunlop's Ntec rears and Michelins DOT Race rears have had recommended cold tire pressures of 21-22 psi, I guess mostly because of construction process changes! Been ruuning at or near the front of the fastest group at tracks near you for the last 3 years! :cool:
Hot rear pressures are around 25-26 psi.



btw these are in no way like any street tires. :blush:

No, several years ago both Dunlop's Ntec rears and Michelins DOT Race rears have had recommended cold tire pressures of 21-22 psi, I guess mostly because of construction process changes! Been ruuning at or near the front of the fastest group at tracks near you for the last 3 years! :blush:
Hot rear pressures are around 25-26 psi.

btw these are in no way like any street tires. :laugh:

Wow, that is low tire pressure. Those are race tires with treads cut in them, right? Good for only 6-7 heat cycles?

Anyway, no need to ever go anywhere near that low on the street, on street tires you'll have almost no traction and could damage your tire.

In the last 100,000 miles of rippen twisties at speeds higher than 80-90% of most riders

More like >99.9%

If I lived on the Dragon and was as quick as Jeremy is there, I might drop pressures a little lower to try an keep up. :blush:

:laugh: I wish. Thanks for slowing down occasionally so I can catch up.

No, several years ago both Dunlop's Ntec rears and Michelins DOT Race rears have had recommended cold tire pressures of 21-22 psi, I guess mostly because of construction process changes! Been ruuning at or near the front of the fastest group at tracks near you for the last 3 years! :blush:
Hot rear pressures are around 25-26 psi.

btw these are in no way like any street tires. :laugh:

Wow, that is low tire pressure. Those are race tires with treads cut in them, right? Good for only 6-7 heat cycles?

Anyway, no need to ever go anywhere near that low on the street, on street tires you'll have almost no traction and could damage your tire.

Correct, those are DOT race tires. Not slicks with treads cut into them, but street legal tires meant for racing. You would quickly overheat a street tire at that pressure and have little traction, though it does make wheelies MUCH easier.

Correct, those are DOT race tires. Not slicks with treads cut into them, but street legal tires meant for racing. You would quickly overheat a street tire at that pressure and have little traction, though it does make wheelies MUCH easier.

Off topic, but what's the difference between slicks with treads cut into them and DOT race tires?

Correct, those are DOT race tires. Not slicks with treads cut into them, but street legal tires meant for racing. You would quickly overheat a street tire at that pressure and have little traction, though it does make wheelies MUCH easier.

Off topic, but what's the difference between slicks with treads cut into them and DOT race tires?

Slicks with treads cut into them are exactly that - non street legal racing tires, slicks, that someone has literally cut tread into. I don't see these much except on motards at Deal's Gap. I am not 100% sure on all the reasoning for doing this, but it would make the tire rideable in wet weather, and possibly avoid a ticket. Hopefully someone else can chime in on this, as I would like to know more.

DOT race tires are tires meant for racing, but they are approved by the DOT for use on public streets. They have a tread pattern cut into them, as is required, but it is minimal and as close to a slick as possible. They are not good in wet, and a sport street tire, like a Pilot Power is better in the wet. You also have racing rain tires, which are incredibly soft and of course have a tread pattern. They are excellent in the rain as they have a VERY soft tread compound to allow maximum grip with much lower temperature than regular tires. Of course you will overheat and destroy them trying to use them on dry pavement.

Sportbiketrackgear.com sells these tires four for $400. They are a great track tire or if you ride min. fwy miles on the way to the twisties may work well for sport riding. I'd stay fairly close to the track recommended tire pressures as they are mean to flex and create the heat needed to have the tires come in. If they wear quickly that's because they are track tires. I believe they sell them in three compounds soft - hard. I'd only buy them for the track then burn them up on the street and buy new sport/sport touring tires for the street. I wouldn't increase tire pressure more than 3 or 4 psi for the street vs. recommended track settings..

36/42 for my PR2CTs like the manual says, and it works good!

Beck
95 VFR

from a mid pack track rider, PP2CT's on the track at 31/31 worked ok. they started to get a little greasy as the day went on, but all in all the street tire held up fairly well on the track too.

I'm sad because I think there's got to be something like a nail or similar through the rear PR2 on my VFR; I came out to the bike earlier this week and noticed it was getting harder and harder to walk it out of the garage in the mornings. Finally put a gauge on it and it was, uh, let's just say "stupidly low". Had to idle to a gas station about a mile away with my own gauge to get it back to something close to right, stopped when I had 36 in the front (it was down a few pounds) and 40 in the rear. Felt like a whole new bike. Have been keeping my eye on it, will check again today and see what it's like, but I'm really hoping it was some sort of one time leak (like that makes any sense) and that I don't have to put a plug through a PR2 rear with less than 3k miles on it.

Might I suggest you buy a bicycle pump(floor type),cheap. That way I can top them both off with less than 10 pumps while cold....

What do you guys run in your tires ?

My local shop said 34 front and 32 rear .

Your local shop is not taking into account your bikes weight... your Honda shop list proper tire
pressures for the VFR... I believe it's 36F and 42R... any lower and you're not in the sweet range of
tire performance... here's what the Tire manufactures say about pressure...

Quote Metzeler:

"Many tyre damage result from incorrect inflation pressure.
Furthermore, the inflation pressure has a big influence on the riding
qualities of a motorcycle. The inflation pressure recommended by the
motorcycle manufacturer can be found in the bike's manual and is
usually written on a sticker on the rear swingarm or chainguard. Set
the suggested inflation pressure on cold tyres before riding."

Quote Bridgestone:

Always keep the motorcycle manufacturer's recommended air pressure in
both tires. This is an important requirement for tire safety and
mileage. Your motorcycle owner's manual will tell you the recommended
cold inflation pressure. On some motorcycles, the recommended front
and rear tire pressures will be different. The pressures stamped on
the sidewall of the tire are only for maximum loads. On some
occasions, these pressures will also be the manufacturers recommended
settings as well. Riding on tires with too little air pressure is
dangerous. The tires will build excessive heat. This can cause a
sudden tire failure that could lead to serious personal injury or
death.

Underinflation may also:

1. Damage the tire leading to tire failure
2. Adversely affect vehicle cornering
3. Reduce tire life
4. Increase fuel consumption
5. Fatigue cracking

Quote Michelin:

The tyre needs air to perform and to last, so it's necessary to check
inflation pressure regularly. Every tyre loses air, molecule by
molecule, because of rubber's natural porosity. Accidental causes such
as valve or rim damage often accelerate air loss, as will small cuts
in the tyre tread or sidewall. Air pressure affects every aspect of
the tyre: safety, economy and riding enjoyment. The wrong pressure can
degrade performance in all areas. Routine pressure checks can prevent
many worries.


Quote Dunlop:

CHECKING TIRE PRESSURES IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIRE MAINTENANCE
FUNCTION YOU CAN PERFORM. For high-speed, fully loaded or dual-riding
touring motorcycle applications, inflate front tires to maximum
recommended by vehicle manufacturer for Dunlop fitment and rear tires
to maximum load inflation pressure on sidewall. Rear touring tires
must be inflated to a minimum of 36 psi for light to medium loads and
40 psi for dual riding and other loads. Never exceed maximum load
indicated on tire sidewall or vehicle capacity load found in owner's
manual. Under inflated tires can result in imprecise cornering, higher
running temperatures, irregular tread wear at the edge of the contact
patch, fatigue cracking, over stressing and eventual failure of the
tire carcass.

Glad you mentioned the weight Busy,

cause the same tire pressure needs are not the same for every bike.

36/42 on some bikes would be like riding a complete Rock , works on the vfr though

Glad you mentioned the weight Busy,

cause the same tire pressure needs are not the same for every bike.

36/42 on some bikes would be like riding a complete Rock , works on the vfr though

Agreed, but I would say that 80% of bikes manufactured have the 36/42 recommendations. :cool:
When in doubt, just read the tag on the bike! :rolleyes:

I just got a 07 GSXR and I am commuting 180 miles round trip every day. What kind of tire pressure should I keep in my tires??? Thanks!!!

Does your bike have a tire pressure sticker on the left swingarm........ I'm just guessing 36/42

I just purchased an 07 GSXR and I am currently commuting 180 miles round-trip everyday...What do you guys recommend for my tire pressure setting? Also, how often should I change the oil since its all freeway riding? And how do I know when to change my tires? The bike has 5k miles on it and the tires look like they need to be swapped, is this possible for a tire to be bad within 5000 miles? Please help, I know nothing about this stuff. Thanks guys!!!

I just purchased an 07 GSXR and I am currently commuting 180 miles round-trip everyday...What do you guys recommend for my tire pressure setting? Also, how often should I change the oil since its all freeway riding?

Why would you buy a GSXR for freeway riding?

You can run a few more PSI on the freeway than in the twisties, but check what the bike says it takes.

36/42 F/R works just fine

Yeah, with all that Bea's weight, that sounds about right.... :rolleyes:

Not to worry, Dale, I have the same issue. We need to go there again
when it cools off with a hand picked crowd if ya know what I mean.... :laugh:

Oh, I run 36/42 also and only slip a rear a little now and then. :beer:

I just purchased an 07 GSXR and I am currently commuting 180 miles round-trip everyday...What do you guys recommend for my tire pressure setting? Also, how often should I change the oil since its all freeway riding?

Why would you buy a GSXR for freeway riding?

You can run a few more PSI on the freeway than in the twisties, but check what the bike says it takes.

I bought the bike for weekend riding and recently moved far from work and sold my car for a down payment on a house...I know it sucks riding that beast after about an hour...But, on the plus side, my commute is mostly hills and sharp turns http://www.vfrdiscus...tyle_emoticons/default/wink.gif

I bought the bike for weekend riding and recently moved far from work and sold my car for a down payment on a house...I know it sucks riding that beast after about an hour...But, on the plus side, my commute is mostly hills and sharp turns http://www.vfrdiscus...tyle_emoticons/default/wink.gif

Well congrats on the nice commute and welcome to VFRD!

I have the same bike for a track beast! :rolleyes: