Need some insight

[N4HHE]

Is there any chance the front tire is mounted backwards?

Have often wondered what would happen.

Weren’t mounted backwards 2 weeks ago when it wasn’t happening (or all the other runs where they were fine).

Yes but as for theories of wear causing this behavior, yet past experience with same model tire (you did say that didn't you?) has not elicited this behavior. So I wonder if mounting backwards could impart such wear which induces abnormal handling which has only showed up now?

I really don't think handlebar risers can have anything to do with it. Weights & Balances would not change all that much. The amount of junk in panniers and/or top case might.

[Hppants]

BION - on my first Gen 1 FJR, I ran a Michelin PR2 rear tire down to the cords MOUNTED BACKWARDS. Rode it in rain several times - never noticed it until I removed it.

I wouldn't recomend this, but apparently, it can be done.

[Cav47]

Has anyone asked about verifying the air gauge? Ironically today I was getting ready to head to work. Taking the FJR this time because I had another errand to run up in Danville.

As a result of this thread, I wanted to just check the air pressure because my steering has been feeling a little heavy. I popped the gauge on the front and it reads 41psi. Okay, head to the back and it says 41psi. I just don’t think that seems possible. I mess with the back again to get a good seal and 28.5 is what the rear reads now. I go get another gauge and it says 29.0. So I remeasure the front and 35.5 with both.

I think my original gauge was showing what I left the last tire at. I never reset it and it “remembers” that number.

So maybe check the gauge for accuracy.

Occurs razor right? Simplest answer is usually true.

[wheatonFJR]

Pencil oldstyle spring gauge. Just like me, it remembers nothing.

[Festus]

I used 2 devices, one, the electronic gage on my Milwaukee compressor, and it's verified by the TPMS sensors from Garmin. They seem to say the same thing.

When I rode 2 weeks prior, I knew they were a little lower than normal, but I rode anyway. The night prior to leaving, it was hot here so I put them at 41, figuring it would be cooler in the morning and I'd drop some pressure, and when heated up, they'd be back up to 41 or so. That was stupid thinking on my part.

I think it's pretty simple. I need to lower the pressure and go ride again and see if it still happens

[raYzerman]

I'm not sure what you're doing.... where do you intend to set them cold? Supposed to be at 70F, and as a general rule, pressure rises 1 psi for every 10 degrees F rise. Not really a lot, so I don't sweat it much. However, after riding and tire is fully warmed up, pressure will go up significantly, say 5-6 psi, and even more on a hot day...... you can check that on your TPMS periodically...... and you would not reduce pressure on a hot tire normally.

[Festus]

I'm not sure what you're doing....

That makes 2 of us. Clearly, I had a moment.

[wheatonFJR]

LOL

[blind squirrel]

Could it be that your riding skills have surpassed the ability of the FJR? Maybe you're just pushing the big bike too hard.

[wheatonFJR]

Could it be that your riding skills have surpassed the ability of the FJR? Maybe you're just pushing the big bike too hard.

Hey, I think yer onto something there!

[Festus]

Could it be that your riding skills have surpassed the ability of the FJR? Maybe you're just pushing the big bike too hard.

Nope, I wasn't pushing the bike at all. The roads were spotty on being wet that morning so I was riding as if all the roads were wet. It wasn't slipping when wet, it was slipping on dry curves. Curves that were negotiated MUCH faster than me by the rider in front of me.

If I can, I'm going to do those roads again this weekend.

[0face]

If I can, I'm going to do those roads again this weekend.

this sounds like a plan... I may have to "check the safety" of my bike too this weekend by taking it for a ride.

[SkooterG]

IMHO, it was the tire pressure. That's the only thing I can see based on the parameters you gave. What about tar snakes? Or the occasional oil/coolant/sand on the road? Your throttle control was as normal?

Too high a pressure on colder roads and the tire won't warm up properly. Cold tire = less grip. Also less contact patch the higher the pressure. For track days on my FJR I've been told to go down to 30 psi or so.

Try lowering the tire pressure a bit and give that a try. Is your tire pressure gauge accurate? I've run across plenty of bad one's. Perhaps you mentioned above, but how much life is left on the tire. Regardless of wear profile, I've noticed certain tires just lose grip towards the end of their life.

[SkooterG]

If I can, I'm going to do those roads again this weekend.

this sounds like a plan... I may have to "check the safety" of my bike too this weekend by taking it for a ride.

Don't melt! Have you been up Mount Lemmon yet? Kitt Peak?

[Festus]

Ran different roads today, started with 37 in front and rear this morning, in the 60's for air temp.

Ran fine all day, no slippage. Ran 41/42 at temp.

[Hppants]

So... did the problem fix itself? Was it the air pressure? Different roads?

I'm always torn on these matters. I ilke it when a problem gets fixed, but get concerned when I can't pinpoint it to something.

[wheatonFJR]

I say you UP the cold pressure to 44psi to see how much of a difference that makes...then go back to 40/41. As long as yer playin crash test dummie.

I still think yer faster than me. You have the photos to prove it.

[Festus]

I suspect too much air pressure. Front tire is nice and round, no flat spots.

Wheaton, the pictures you reference were on a track on someone else’s bike. I don’t ride on the street like that or on my bike like that

Viper Dad was kind enough to point out yesterday afternoon that I had smoked my rear tire. I had just looked at it and deemed it worthy of EOM. Then yesterday happened. Now? Not so much. Front tire looks like it’s got another 2k left. Center of back matches, edges say “order new tires soon, EOM is near”.

[raYzerman]

You started at 37 cold both ends? That's kinda low in my book, 40 front/42 rear.... try Wheaties experiment... and you did not mention what tires you are using......

[Festus]

Pirelli Angel GT's. It was low, but it was also cold, like low to mid 60's, with the temps going into the upper 80's for the day, so I didn't mess with them.

They stuck just fine. I don't wish to try Wheatie's experience of putting 44 in at cold. That would crank them up to about 50 when hot. I'd much rather run them on the low side than the high side for stickiness.

None of it really matters now, I'm destined for a new set so I'll be starting over again. I'm in about 7,000 miles on these. If I rode on straight roads, I could get a couple 1000 more miles out of them. Guess I need some Harley friends to ride with.