Wondering about tire pressure

[vito1943]

I've had my 2021 RT since last June and have put almost 4,000 miles on it so far. I've got the stock tires that it came with, and know that the recommended tire pressures are 18 front and 28 rear, and for good or bad I've always preferred a bit higher than recommended on the motorcycles that I have owned. This Spring I started out with 20 in front, 30 in the rear cold pressures. Yesterday I went for a 3 hour, 125 mile ride, at the end of which the FOBO2 app showed the actual pressure at 24 front, 34 rear. At no time did I feel any instability in the riding, any wandering on the road, etc. On this forum I have read of folks keeping their tire pressures far, far lower than what I had yesterday, and just wondered if its just me not feeling whatever negatives might be coming from the higher pressures or if in fact the tires do just fine at the pressures that I had. Right now I'm not inclined to make any changes. This morning, after sitting all night in the garage, the pressures are 19 front and 30 in the rear.

 

[Peter Aawen]

I've had my 2021 RT since last June and have put almost 4,000 miles on it so far. I've got the stock tires that it came with, and know that the recommended tire pressures are 18 front and 28 rear, and for good or bad I've always preferred a bit higher than recommended on the motorcycles that I have owned. This Spring I started out with 20 in front, 30 in the rear cold pressures. Yesterday I went for a 3 hour, 125 mile ride, at the end of which the FOBO2 app showed the actual pressure at 24 front, 34 rear. At no time did I feel any instability in the riding, any wandering on the road, etc. On this forum I have read of folks keeping their tire pressures far, far lower than what I had yesterday, and just wondered if its just me not feeling whatever negatives might be coming from the higher pressures or if in fact the tires do just fine at the pressures that I had. Right now I'm not inclined to make any changes. This morning, after sitting all night in the garage, the pressures are 19 front and 30 in the rear.

Not on the stock tires!! :shocked: . If anyone's been doing that, it's not something that's been recommended by me or anyone else I've seen posting here on this Forum about the stock Kendas! . The only pressure recommendation that I've given or seen for the OE Spec Kendas is ALWAYS USE THE PRESSURE RECOMMENDED ON YOUR SPYDER'S TIRE PLACARD - because of their lightweight construction, they REALLY NEED that sort of pressure to do the job of keeping the metal parts of your Spyder off the road surface & vaguely upright! . But you should run lower pressures if you are running heavier/stronger constructed car tires under a Spyder, cos your Spyder is much lighter than a car & so those car tires DO NOT NEED car type pressures in them to carry the much lighter loading your Spyder puts on them! :lecturef_smilie:

However, given the cold start pressures you are running and the 4psi increase that starting pressure gives you after a 'longer than an hour's ride', I wouldn't be suggesting any changes to those pressures for you in the OE spec Kenda tires, cos it looks like your cold 20 psi in the Kenda front tires & cold 30 psi in the Kenda rear tire is pretty close if not ideal for you given those conditions etc... :thumbup: . Still, if I was a betting type, I'd put money on you wearing out the centre of that Kenda rear tire fairly quickly, certainly quicker than the rest of the tire.... while the fronts might last reasonably well for a fair bit longer, maybe even giving you a 'reasonable' level of ride & handling while they do. :sour: . But if you do ever change to good quality car tires and run them at an 'appropriate for the lighter load' lower pressure (like those that have been recommended here FOR CAR TIRES but not for the OE Spec Kendas) then I reckon that if you're truly honest with yourself, you'll eventually admit that the car tires run at an appropriate (lower) pressure do actually provide you with much better ride & handling than the OE spec Kendas & that you probably should've done the swap sooner! :banghead:


You may not ever realise it unless/until you do run good quality car tires at those recommended lower pressures, that the OE Spec Kendas are such a significant limiting factor to the performance, ride, and handling capabilities of your Spyder! pps:
And that's OK, if the ride, handling, and performance that you are getting from the OE Spec Kendas meets or exceeds your current expectations :dontknow: . But just be aware that there's a whole 'nuther realm of Spyder Ryding above & beyond anything you'll ever reach on the OE Spec Kendas just waiting out there for you to discover if you do ever try 'proper' car tires & the lower pressures they require to do the job at their best! hyea:

 

[vito1943]

I honestly appreciate your lengthy comment, which I found very informative. Is there any concensus as to which auto tires are ideal or most recommended for the Spyders? I think that I have awhile to go with the stock Kenda tires, but would seriously consider car tires when replacing the originals. I just have no clue as to what car tires would work best for this 1,000 pound 3 wheeler. And while I'm asking, would you go to a car tire store for those tires, or to a Can Am dealership to do the work?

 

[Peacekeeper6]

I honestly appreciate your lengthy comment, which I found very informative. Is there any concensus as to which auto tires are ideal or most recommended for the Spyders? I think that I have awhile to go with the stock Kenda tires, but would seriously consider car tires when replacing the originals. I just have no clue as to what car tires would work best for this 1,000 pound 3 wheeler. And while I'm asking, would you go to a car tire store for those tires, or to a Can Am dealership to do the work?

Try using the Search Function on the top right with that little magnifying glass.

Tires, like oil, have been discussed a bazillion times. No use beating a dead horse, LOL.

 

[boz329]

Good luck finding a Can Am dealer willing to change a non-oem tire. Have done a lot of wrenching on my 2019 F3 ltd. thanks to DIY YouTube videos. I am not mechanically gifted, but enjoy learning about the ride and feel great satisfaction that I did it myself and saved a boatload of money. Front tires are a piece of cake, the rear is doable but more of a challenge. (Invest in a good lift like a PitBull... you will use it more than you think!)

 

[Peter Aawen]

I honestly appreciate your lengthy comment, which I found very informative. Is there any concensus as to which auto tires are ideal or most recommended for the Spyders? I think that I have awhile to go with the stock Kenda tires, but would seriously consider car tires when replacing the originals. I just have no clue as to what car tires would work best for this 1,000 pound 3 wheeler. And while I'm asking, would you go to a car tire store for those tires, or to a Can Am dealership to do the work?

Vito, many in your part of the World have had a great deal of success with Vredestein Qatracs &/or Qatrac5's - but sadly, that brand of tires is not readily available where I am Down Under in Oz, but just about any good quality car tire in a size that fits your Spyder will work well, some better than others depending upon your particular needs/wants. :thumbup:

As for the supply & fitting of those or any other tires to/for your Spyder, hopefully someone over there will answer more fully.... altho as has been mentioned, Can Am dealers often won't do anything but OE Spec Kendas, despite the growing move away from them by many Spyder Owners. But here in Oz, for most of us it's an easy thing to go to any car tire outlet & get the front rims fitted with car tires - altho similarly to what you'll find over there, not too many places have the correct size cone/collar for their balancing machines to suit the smaller centre hole in our Spyder rims, so not all places can or will be able to balance them. :sour: . The rear wheel is a bit more difficult to get off, so most places here & I believe over your way will only do that one if you remove/replace it from/onto your Spyder, even tho it's not a massively difficult task, just time consuming & a bit fiddly to do without messing up the belt tension &/or rear wheel alignment! Still, if you can get down there & eventually climb back up, most reasonably capable home spanner spinners can remove/replace the rear tire... or maybe you can find a local m/bike shop that'll do it for a fee?!? :dontknow:

Over to you, & hopefully others in your part of the World. Cheers from Down Under! :cheers:

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

I honestly appreciate your lengthy comment, which I found very informative. Is there any concensus as to which auto tires are ideal or most recommended for the Spyders? I think that I have awhile to go with the stock Kenda tires, but would seriously consider car tires when replacing the originals. I just have no clue as to what car tires would work best for this 1,000 pound 3 wheeler. And while I'm asking, would you go to a car tire store for those tires, or to a Can Am dealership to do the work?

#1- some Can_Am dealers will mount any tire you bring them , however most won't ....#2-. I have discovered that the two top rated tires that fit a Spyder are Vredestein " Quatrac " or the previous model the " Quatrac 5 " .... they come in a few sizes that fit Front & rear .... Also the Michelin Cross Climate but they only have sizes for the rear. ....... A General Altimax RT 43 in 215/60-15 is also a very good tire .. Mike :thumbup:

 

[IGETAROUND]

#1- some Can_Am dealers will mount any tire you bring them , however most won't ....#2-. I have discovered that the two top rated tires that fit a Spyder are Vredestein " Quatrac " or the previous model the " Quatrac 5 " .... they come in a few sizes that fit Front & rear .... Also the Michelin Cross Climate but they only have sizes for the rear. ....... A General Altimax RT 43 in 215/60-15 is also a very good tire .. Mike :thumbup:

An Vito1943, most discount tire stores will take care of the mounting of your new tires. Just don't tell them they are off of a Spyder, my go to vehicle if they ask is a Morris kit car.

Al in Kazoo