ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older => Topic started by: manlytom on March 20, 2012, 04:16:10 PM
-
Hi all,
so I was hoping not to stop all the time at the petrol station. Now I see me every other day stop to adjust tyre pressure :(
It seems the Battlax 17" tyres on the 2011S loose air just like that. With my other tyres - Dunlops/MEtzlers I found that I could go weeks and be pretty good.
Anyone having similar experience or an idea if this is supposed to be like that to pump up at "every ride" ?
T
-
The 2011s have the spoke wheels right? So tube tires? Possibly a slow leak in the tubes?
I have tubeless BT45s on my gas bike, I put air in the tires once ever few months. They're pretty solid for me.
-
I have a couple of bikes with tube-type tires, a Triumph Bonneville and my GPR-S. Both loose air quickly, about two to three pounds every week. It is the tubes. They just leak like a sieve, compared with tubeless tires. Frankly, there just isn't much you can do about it, short of trying different brands of tubes. In my experience, the cheaper Japanese brand tubes, made of synthetic rubber, seem to hold air the best. The worst leakers are the expensive European-brand, heavy-duty, all-natural rubber tubes. They are stronger, but seem to leak air quicker.
Tubes usually don't develop a slow leak due to a mechanical failure, such as a small puncture, without failing quickly (although, of course, it can happen). The bottom line is that your tubes are most likely OK, you just need to check their pressures every week.
I really like the cast wheels and tubeless tires that are installed on my 2012 S. Cleaning is easier and they loose air much more slowly than spoked wheels.
-
My 2011 S has Bridgestone tires. I've had the bike 2 months and the pressure hasn't changed in that time.
-
This is not a nice thing...why don't you try with a tire/tube sealant?
Not the ideal solution, but it may improves a little...
-
I thought of some more suggestions that might solve your air loss problem: Try removing the valve core and completely deflating your tire(s). Then screw the valve core back in and re-inflate the tire. If the tube is pinched, or there is debris under the valve core, or the valve core is loose, this might help.
If that doesn't stop your leak satisfactorily, then you could try what Lipo423 recommends. Buy an 8oz bottle of Slime for tubes and stuff the green gorp into the tube per the instructions, re-inflate the tire and ride around for a while to spread it uniformly inside the tube. That should solve your slow leak, but it will add considerable weight to the outside of the wheel, which will degrade your suspension action and steering somewhat by making the wheel's weight and rolling inertia greater.
-
thx Richard230
good ideas. not working to well. hate to have to stop at least once a week at a "petrol" station to fill up -- "air" did the total deflate to no help. every week at least I need to go -- as it really makes a difference riding if you ride on 30 instead of 35 PSI...
something weird in my 2011 S tires I guess. do not recall that kind of problem with any of my previous bikes...
not keen to stuff something into the tubes as I hate to change the good riding feel.
T
-
The slime isn't very expensive, might be worth a shot to see how it changes things. If its bad then you'll be replacing the tubes anyways..
-
Go to a gas station to fill your tires with air? That is what bicycle pumps are made for, especially when all you have to do is use it to top off your tires. Many come with pressure gauges attached that are certainly more accurate than the ones on the station compressors. Bicycle tire pumps are lightweight, easy to store and give you a little warm-up exercise in the morning. ;)
-
I would check the tubes, eventually get a couple of new ones, and fill them up with a good tire sealant...some manufacturers -I guess Slime is very popular in the US- do also sell special tubes+sealant inside, unfortunately I have no idea if they are also available for motorbikes -I know they are for bikes, cars & quad bikes...
I hate flat tires, and low tire pressure decreases range on the bike.
-
What type of tires do 2012s have?
-
2012 S uses IRC RX-01 tubeless tires, 110/70/17 in the front and 130/70/17 in the back. (same sizes as my GS500, btw). The DS uses spoked wheels, so it probably continues to use a tube tire.
-
I have to take back my previous post about tire pressure now. Mine were considerably down on my 2011 S as well. Anyway with proper air pressure, my bike hit 71 mph on the interstate and it did that both coming and going on the same stretch of road, so there was no wind factor or hills involved. I'll start keeping closer tabs on the air pressure. The rear tire that is supposed to be 35 lbs/sq in. was 28 lbs and the front was down to 28 from the proper 32 lbs. since I last checked a week ago. Yes, with the tube, the tires act like bicycle tires and need to be checked more often. Pretty simple to add with a bicyle pump though.