Motorcycle tire pressure: How to set it correctly

The correct tire pressure is of immense importance on a motorcycle and plays a decisive role in several respects

Riding a motorcycle: Setting the correct tire pressure is quick and easy

In general, you should check the tire pressure of your motorcycle at least every two weeks. If your machine is exposed to particular loads, it is advisable to check the tire pressure more often.

• When checking the tire pressure, which you should do regularly every two weeks, it is important that the tires are cold. The air heats up and expands while driving. If you check the tires immediately after a journey, you will get a falsified result.

• For this reason alone, it may be worth buying your own tire pressure gauge. Of course, you also have the option of measuring the tire pressure at the service station and correcting it if necessary.

• Just like the tire pressure gauge, you can also obtain an electric air compressor from specialist dealers. The devices cost around 30 euros and allow you to correctly adjust the tire pressure of your vehicles, from bicycles and motorcycles to cars, conveniently at home or on the road at any time.

• To do this, remove the valve cap from the tire valve. Check the pressure with the tire pressure gauge. If it is too low, attach the end piece of the air compressor, set the desired pressure and then press the OK button or repeat the process as described in the operating instructions. If you are on the road, an electric air pump is a good solution.

• Each motorcycle type and each mounted motorcycle tire requires its own individual pressure for the front and rear tires. The tire dealer and specialist dealer from whom you purchased the motorcycle will inform you of the appropriate pressure. As a rule, the front tire gets between 2.25 and 2.5 bar, the rear tire between 2.5 and 2.9 bar.

• Experts also recommend that you increase the air pressure by approx. 0.2 to 0.4 bar if you are carrying a second person or luggage. The additional load also affects the tires, which are the direct connection to the road. The manual for your motorcycle will give you detailed information on this.

What you should know about tire pressure

The correct tire pressure is just as important for motorcycles as it is for all other vehicles. Perhaps even more important, as the motorcycle is only on two wheels, so it is all the more significant if one of the tires is under- or over-inflated.

• The optimum tire pressure not only determines the performance of your motorcycle, but also your safety. You should therefore check the tire pressure regularly. A pleasant side effect of perfectly adjusted tire pressure is that the tires wear out much less quickly and the motorcycle also consumes less fuel. In the long term, you will save a lot of money.

• In particular, low tire pressure leads to increased fuel consumption. In addition, the tires wear unevenly, which ultimately leads to unsafe lane guidance and thus impairs driving safety.

• Similarly, if the tire pressure is set too high, the contact area of the tires on the road is significantly reduced, which also has a negative impact on handling. Last but not least, the braking behavior of the machine also changes, especially if the tire pressure is significantly too high.

• For these reasons, it is advisable to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and regularly check the tire pressure of your motorcycle.

• The values naturally vary slightly depending on the motorcycle and tires. It is therefore always a good idea to take an informal look at the operating instructions for your machine beforehand. Alternatively, you will usually find a sticker on your motorcycle on which all the important values are also noted.