Tire pressure ?

[KGB]

Do you go with the pressure recommended on the bike?
Or do you go with the pressure recommended on the tire itself?

[beby99]

Both....the bike ratings are bike specific which should be observed and the tire ratings are max ratings for a fully loaded bike.

[JHawkins]

The bike ratings are for some tiny little japanese dude, .... I am not a tiny little japanese dude!

[Jethro]

Under the seat is a badge that shows reccomended pressures. I always set it at the "two up/touring" pressures, since I'm 250lbs.

[mdole]

I vary the air pressure on my bikes. If I am going to be riding to and from work 45 miles of 2 lane mountain road I raise the pressure close to the max for the tire. This is because of the number of tires I havew worn out with good tread in the center but the sides worn off or cupping only on the edges of the tread. It seems to have minimized the problem. For long highway or interstate rides I typically go with the tire manufacturers recommendeation which sometimes varies greatly from the bike manufactures reecommendation.

My last several bikes have all been 80's bikes and the manufacturers recomendations are for the tires of the day and newer tires have very different characteristics.

I will ad that if I am running Kings or Chin Shins I will go back to using the bike manufacturers reccomendations as these tires are based on older technology.

[Road_Clam]

I do my own. 25 psi front and rear, simply because its close, and an easy number to remember.

[Sandy]

I do my own pressures, the factory seems a little low so I'm usually a few pounds more than that. The sidewall pressures I believe are really a maximum limit if you are using the maximium load for the tire. If you use the sidewall pressure you'll probably get reduced traction by having less tire contacting the pavement, a harsher ride and in some cases the tire may not heat up enough for good traction.