Tire air pressure ?

[K80Shooter]

Hello all. On my 2020 Spyder RT Limited I decided to check the air in all the tires. I found 12 psi and 13 psi in the front tires and 22 psi in the rear tire. Since my bike is new it still has the stock Kendas on it. Looking under the seat and in the manual it states 20 in the front and 28 in the rear so I aired them up to that then took it for a ride. Honestly I liked the handling better with the lower air pressures.

My question is will it hurt to run the tires at a lower pressure than recommended? If not what do most people run in these? :dontknow:

I see where it's advised to run the car tires at 18 (cold) front and rear but didn't know if that worked for these also.

 

[vario]

On my 21 F3L the pressure is supposed to be 15lbs in the front, but i did not like the way it handled. I brought it up to 18lbs in the front and it feels good now. The big thing is to have both tires the same, before each ride. My rear is set at 26lbs.

 

[Steve W.]

Many, MANY posts have been written on the (lack of ) quality on the stock tires. The general principle is that they DO need those inflation pressures because the tire carcass is not strong enough to do much besides hold some air, so air is doing all the work. If you look at the load rating of the (stock) tires, you will see that it's not much more than what the Spyder has.

The car tires that many (most?) of us have switched to probably have the capacity to hold about double the weight at a given pressure. Since the Spyder does not weigh as much, a lower pressure is proper for that weight.

Have you had the alignment checked? A poor alignment will also cause wandering. Many have reported that alignment was not correct, even on a brand-new bike. When we got my Wife's bike last year, we had a general inspection (including alignment check) done at our local dealer. They said it was "OK". Later had it checked with a laser alignment at the SE oHIo rally, they said it was spot-on, but the bike still wandered. Changed the tires, the bike then tracked like it was on rails. Rode a couple thousand miles, then added an upgraded (BajaRon) sway-bar. I don't think the bike tracks any better, but my wife says that she is less tired after an all-day ride, so it was a worthwhile investment.

I'm not sure how much the control would be affected by the lower pressures, but the ride will be softer. Give the lesser quality of the stock tires (sorry, I can't even type the name), I'm not sure I would trust their load-handling ability at the lower pressures.

Bottom line: until you upgrade the tires, it might be best to stick with the recommended pressure. :dontknow:

.

 

[2dogs]

Very good answer Steve. That tire's name you can't type is, Krapenda, I believe.

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Very good answer Steve. That tire's name you can't type is, Krapenda, I believe.

:agree::agree::agree: ...:roflblack: .... besides being a weakly made tire, Kenda has the Worst " Defective Tire " ratio in the industry that I have ever seen. .... For Kenda's Use the PSI's recommended for that Spyder or Ryker ..... To date no one has found a " magic psi " that will prolong it's wear ( especially the rear tire ).... for ANY Auto tire on a Spyder I like 16-17 fronts and 18 rear ..... these pressures allow the stronger Auto tire to preform at it's optimum wet or dry ...... good luck .... Mike :thumbup:

 

[Peter Aawen]

Hello all. On my 2020 Spyder RT Limited I decided to check the air in all the tires. I found 12 psi and 13 psi in the front tires and 22 psi in the rear tire. Since my bike is new it still has the stock Kendas on it. Looking under the seat and in the manual it states 20 in the front and 28 in the rear so I aired them up to that then took it for a ride. Honestly I liked the handling better with the lower air pressures.

My question is will it hurt to run the tires at a lower pressure than recommended? If not what do most people run in these? :dontknow:

I see where it's advised to run the car tires at 18 (cold) front and rear but didn't know if that worked for these also.

Steve's covered it all fairly well in his reply, but specifically in answer to your question above - YES!! It WILL hurt the stock tires and your safety to run them at anything much more than saaay, a maximum of 2psi lower than their recommended pressures for very long while ryding at speeds much more than a gentle walking pace!! By doing this, you risk over-heating them (due to their lightweight & soft compound construction as well as due to their history of 'poor quality' control at the tire factory! ) and as a result of that, you run a serious risk of tire failure, possibly catastrophically!! :shocked:

And beware, that tire failure doesn't necessarily happen WHEN you are running them at too low a pressure like that - do that for any quantity of miles (fewer miles the faster/harder you ryde!) and you can severely damage the internals of the tire, albeit maybe not quite enough to cause their failure just yet!! So when you discover they are low & pump them back up to their recommended pressures, then go on your way, you are effectively ryding off on a potentially catastrophic tire failure just waiting for the right conditions to happen!! :yikes:

Basically, what can happen if they don't fail immediately is that because the OE spec tires have very litte 'excess/safety capacity' in terms of their construction, by ryding them with pressures that means they aren't truly up to the task of supporting your Spyder/Ryker, the damage occurs then; but if you are lucky enough to avoid the immediate failure scenario, that damage is still done, altho it might take a while before the tire fails some miles down track.... How many miles might that be? Who knows!! :dontknow: It could be as little as 10; possibly might even be as much as 5,000, depending upon how fast/hard you ryde; altho I really doubt that for most ryders, they'd really last much more than saaaay, 1-2,000 miles or so after being over-cooked!! :lecturef_smilie: But personally, if I'd done anything much more than, saaaay 50-100 miles on a set of OE Spec Kendas with pressures anything much more than about 10% below their recommended pressure, then because of their light construction and limited scope for errors, I'd no longer trust them at all and would toss them immediately!! nojoke

That said, it is your Spyder & ultimately your choice, but I really don't trust those OE Spec Kendas much further than I can throw them at the best of times; and if you've done anything much in the way of miles with their pressures that low at anything more than a walking pace, then you've probably seriously over-cooked them and damaged the internals beyond recovery AND reliability/safety!! :shocked:

Over to you! Ryde Safe! :cheers:

 

[Big F]

Is it primarily a cost saving matter that BRP continues to put a lower grade tire on their Spyders?????? If so, shame on them.. there has been a lot of negative comments about the stock Kenda tires on this site. One would think BRP would get the message and clean up their act..
BIG F

 

[ARtraveler]

I try to run the rear tires at 26# instead of the recommended 28#. The Kendas are noted for bulging in the center when they get heated up. This results in the bald wear patches before the rest of the tread is worn out.

I am one of the few that consistently gets 15K out of the OEM Kenda rear tires. Fronts, I usually get 20K to 25K.

The two bikes that I put car tires on are now down the road to trade in land...both had 20K miles on them and were going good.

Now...with a new 19 and a new 20, I am back to the OEM Kendas. 12K on the 19 and it still looks good.

 

[Snoking1127]

Kenda, the noted Bikecycle tire company!

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Is it primarily a cost saving matter that BRP continues to put a lower grade tire on their Spyders?????? If so, shame on them.. there has been a lot of negative comments about the stock Kenda tires on this site. One would think BRP would get the message and clean up their act..
BIG F

Yes, I think BRP has $$$$ basing the motivation for using the Kenda's..... They and most dealers have claimed they MUST use so-called Motorcycle labeled tires on Spyders ..... this is pure " hooey " - Harley D has delivered ( for decades ) their TRIKES with ordinary AUTO tires on them for decades .... last I checked they were Dunlop's ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[RayBJ]

Sorry for extending the off-topic but...
Could it be a fear of being de-classified as a 'motorcycle' that would require stricter safety standards?

 

[K80Shooter]

Thanks guy's for the responses. I would have thought the dealer would have checked them but apparently not.

Guess I'll start looking at tires.

 

[Peteoz]

Thanks guy's for the responses. I would have thought the dealer would have checked them but apparently not. Guess I'll start looking at tires.

Yeah, it’s funny that, K80. If you go in for a service, you will come out with your tyres set to BRP Kenda specs (even if you have aftermarket tyres and have told them not to adjust them). But when they let you first ride out of the dealership, those tyre pressures are often NOT checked and have pressures all over the place...... odd:dontknow:

Pete

 

[Steve W.]

Very good answer Steve. That tire's name you can't type is, Krapenda, I believe.

Thanks. You would be correct on the name.

I have told many of my (2-wheeled) riding friends "ride on that brand if you want, but if you want to bring it into MY shop, it will only be there to put some REAL tires on it." I won't even get on a bike with "those tires" to push it into the shop. I will walk beside it, but will not get on it. DEFINITELY will not go for a test ride, not even the length of my driveway (about 125').

I was mildly upset to see that's what was on my wife's bike when we got it. With just over 4200 miles, the rear was almost bald in the middle. The fronts didn't look too bad, but after reading all the comments here, I just had them all replaced. The difference was AMAZING. Best single thing done to the bike, except for bringing it home.

As far as pressures, I don't disagree with any of the other suggestions, I just find it easier to remember ONE number, so I inflate all three to 18 psi.

.

 

[wanderingman]

Hello all. On my 2020 Spyder RT Limited I decided to check the air in all the tires. I found 12 psi and 13 psi in the front tires and 22 psi in the rear tire. Since my bike is new it still has the stock Kendas on it. Looking under the seat and in the manual it states 20 in the front and 28 in the rear so I aired them up to that then took it for a ride. Honestly I liked the handling better with the lower air pressures.

My question is will it hurt to run the tires at a lower pressure than recommended? If not what do most people run in these? :dontknow:

I see where it's advised to run the car tires at 18 (cold) front and rear but didn't know if that worked for these also.

I have the stock Kenda's on my 2015 Rt. When I first picked it up from the dealer it was terrible to ride. The front fenders shook sideways to where I was afraid the mounts would crack. The dealer checked it and found the front tires had the cords laid in a wobble pattern when being made. They replaced the tires and the problem went away completely. As far as tire pressure, having both fronts at the same pressure is very important. I used the recommended pressure as a base line and then adjusted up and down to find where the trike was the most comfortable for me. These adjustments were only 1 or 2 psi at a time. Pressure does affect handling. Lower than recommended, the handling becomes slow to respond. Higher pressure makes the trike more responsive. Both lower and higher than recommended pressure can shorten tire life. Lower pressure causes tire heat which causes wear. The softness of the tire also causes the reduction in response. Higher pressure causes a smaller contact patch. which is the reason for more responsive steering and higher wear. I normally keep my fronts at 15 psi and my rear at 25. I also have found that if I am riding two up, I like the pressure to be increased slightly. The specific pressure is not as critical as having the two front tires matching. Right now I have roughly 10,000 miles on my tires and they are not showing much wear.

 

[K80Shooter]

I have the stock Kenda's on my 2015 Rt. When I first picked it up from the dealer it was terrible to ride. The front fenders shook sideways to where I was afraid the mounts would crack. The dealer checked it and found the front tires had the cords laid in a wobble pattern when being made. They replaced the tires and the problem went away completely. As far as tire pressure, having both fronts at the same pressure is very important. I used the recommended pressure as a base line and then adjusted up and down to find where the trike was the most comfortable for me. These adjustments were only 1 or 2 psi at a time. Pressure does affect handling. Lower than recommended, the handling becomes slow to respond. Higher pressure makes the trike more responsive. Both lower and higher than recommended pressure can shorten tire life. Lower pressure causes tire heat which causes wear. The softness of the tire also causes the reduction in response. Higher pressure causes a smaller contact patch. which is the reason for more responsive steering and higher wear. I normally keep my fronts at 15 psi and my rear at 25. I also have found that if I am riding two up, I like the pressure to be increased slightly. The specific pressure is not as critical as having the two front tires matching. Right now I have roughly 10,000 miles on my tires and they are not showing much wear.

That's the main thing that I noticed, the bike was way more responsive after I adjusted the air pressure. I liked it less responsive myself and that's why I was asking the question about reduced air hurting anything.

 

[2dogs]

Our spyder's front tires have so little volume that ambient influences can alter their air pressure by 2+ psi at any given time, and not both tires at the same time. This can occur whether your ride is parked or being ridden.

 

[2dogs]

Thanks. You would be correct on the name.

I have told many of my (2-wheeled) riding friends "ride on that brand if you want, but if you want to bring it into MY shop, it will only be there to put some REAL tires on it." I won't even get on a bike with "those tires" to push it into the shop. I will walk beside it, but will not get on it. DEFINITELY will not go for a test ride, not even the length of my driveway (about 125').

I was mildly upset to see that's what was on my wife's bike when we got it. With just over 4200 miles, the rear was almost bald in the middle. The fronts didn't look too bad, but after reading all the comments here, I just had them all replaced. The difference was AMAZING. Best single thing done to the bike, except for bringing it home.

As far as pressures, I don't disagree with any of the other suggestions, I just find it easier to remember ONE number, so I inflate all three to 18 psi.

.

I generally avoid PSI recommendations unless someone is WAY out of line and that's seldom. Peter, BK911, ARtraveler, and several other knowledgeable posters here offer excellent PSI advice and brand information. One thing I highly recommend is alignment. I don't recall how many miles I had on my scoot until Squared Away got their hands it. I thought Joe was going to have a conniption because my alignment was 2 3/4" out on one side and 2 1/4" out on the other. Almost equal according to BRP standards. I had earlier questioned my dealer's service manager as to why my tires were cupping and he responded with, "they all do that."

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I have the stock Kenda's on my 2015 Rt. When I first picked it up from the dealer it was terrible to ride. The front fenders shook sideways to where I was afraid the mounts would crack. The dealer checked it and found the front tires had the cords laid in a wobble pattern when being made. They replaced the tires and the problem went away completely. As far as tire pressure, having both fronts at the same pressure is very important. I used the recommended pressure as a base line and then adjusted up and down to find where the trike was the most comfortable for me. These adjustments were only 1 or 2 psi at a time. Pressure does affect handling. Lower than recommended, the handling becomes slow to respond. Higher pressure makes the trike more responsive. Both lower and higher than recommended pressure can shorten tire life. Lower pressure causes tire heat which causes wear. The softness of the tire also causes the reduction in response. Higher pressure causes a smaller contact patch. which is the reason for more responsive steering and higher wear. I normally keep my fronts at 15 psi and my rear at 25. I also have found that if I am riding two up, I like the pressure to be increased slightly. The specific pressure is not as critical as having the two front tires matching. Right now I have roughly 10,000 miles on my tires and they are not showing much wear.

I understand why you feel that increasing tire PSI to compensate for extra weight is needed / wanted..... Here's something to consider when you do this ..... adding a passenger can be 50 to 250 lbs. .... 250lbs sounds like a hugh amount, but is it really ??? .... I ONLY use Auto tires on my Spyders, and they are all made to carry way more weight than Crapenda's ..... that 250 lbs needs to be put in " % of change " terms to be useful ..... an RT with an avg. rider of 200 lbs. should = approx. 1400lbs. .... adding 250lbs is only about 1/6th increase in poundage .... even adding just ONE psi ( to the REAR tire ) will more than compensate for that weight ..... Say you are also TOWING a 400lb trailer ??? .... that weight is on the trailer wheels not the Spyder ..... What the TONGUE weight is - is what matters ..... Mike :thumbup:

 

[Steve W.]

Sidebar here. There are some here on Spyder Lovers that are strict adherents to adjusting tire pressure based on ambient temperature, anticipated temperature change throughout the day, riding solo vs. 2-up, how heavy your passenger might be, etc., etc. I'm not mentioning any names or calling anybody out (you know who you are), but I have a question: do you do the same thing for your CAR?

Yeah, I know that the proportions are different, there is that extra bit of safety with the fourth wheel, there is the benefit of having a spare tire available (in most vehicles), but still, the loads are different, your tire pressures should be different. Do you change your air pressures on your car tires? In fact, how OFTEN do you check your car tire pressures?

.