What tire pressure do you guys recommend for the front and rear.The trike is a 05 ultra with a champion kit.It has a rear tire on the front,michelin.
What tire pressure do you guys recommend for the front and rear.The trike is a 05 ultra with a champion kit.It has a rear tire on the front,michelin.
WEB, I run 41 in the front (Michelin Activ) and 22-25 in the rear depending on the load (BFG T/A Radials). You may have to play around with it a little to come up with the best PSI for the rear, but 40-41 is about standard for the front.....
"Making it home on our Wing and a Prayer"
Jemison, Alabama
GWRRA chapter: AL-Z
'06 GL-1800 Motor-Trike 2+2 & '09 Aluma MCT
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Thanks TrikerJim
i use 41 front and 20 rears
On my 1500 I run 41 in the front and about 23 in the rear when I am towing the trailer.
Steve & Cathy
Alabama
U.S. Coast Guard (retired)
Thanks guys.We changed the rear pressure from 29,thats what was in it when we got the trike,to 23,major difference.The front was 40 so I left it at that.My wife can tell a big difference in the ride,we may try a little less but I don't know what the safe low limit is.We do not have a trailer.Thanks for your help.
I looked through the Search results for tire pressures on trikes and, whew!, there's lots of info out there. Most of the entries stated rear tire pressures from 17 psi up to about 22 psi (one or two above and below that range).
I'm not really comfortable with the very low pressures noted above and am currently running 32 in the rear tires (BFG P225/60R15) and 38 in the front (Dunlop Touring 130/70-18). I will be upping the front tire to 40 for this weekend. All are new tires so I won't be replacing them anytime soon. My thought is to drop the rear tires to about 25 psi and see how the Motor Trike ('98 Aspy) runs at that level.
We haven't gone the long trip, yet. Mostly 150-200 mile outings around central Texas. My wife and I weigh about 325 lbs with little extra luggage.
Your thoughts on this setup, please?!
Thanks,
Jon (grayowl)
Hi Jon, I don't ride 2-up, and at my trike builder's recommendation I keep my rear tires at 17-18. When it is higher than that, the ride is much rougher! He told me that he keeps his own at no more than 20 - 22 even though he often carries his wife with him.
Mine is a Champion kit.
Thanks, Nana. I may drop them down to 22 or so, but anything below that--well, I'd have to think on that for a while.
Thanks for the help,
Jon
It's a trade-off. Higher pressures will mean better handing in the curves, but a stiffer ride. Under any situation, I think anything below 24 is just too low, especially down there around 18.
I leave mine at 22 # lets not for get the tires you have on are designed to be on a very large car/SUV where 35 # might be the recommenced pressure. you have 400 lb on each tire as opposed to the 1,000 on the car they were designed for they will not fall of the rim I have had mine down to 15 #
Thanks 1550vt and John (and Nana, too!). I think I'm going to go with 40 in front and 25 in the rear and see how that handles/rides/corners, etc.
Thanks for the help.
Jon
Ok, Jon, this is my take on tire pressures. If it's an independent suspension trike (your's isn't) rear tire pressure doesn't need to be more than about 25psi. On a straight axle trike, anywhere from 16 psi and up will work. Tire pressure on a straight axle trike has more effect on ride quality than on an independent rear end.
Front tire pressures between 38 and 42 seem to work best. For whatever reason lower pressures on the front seem to contribute to tire cupping.
All of this information can, and probably should, be arrived at by your personal riding style. I'm generally considered an agressive rider and run with fairly low pressures on both ends. In the end, it all boils down to what you are comfortable with.
Dwight
I had a person whom I don't know told me this week-end that the rear tire pressure on all trikes should be 12psi inside& 15psi outside I have never heard of this . Has anyone else?
no didnt hear that ,i run 20 in the rear and 15 to 18 in the front my trike is a vw:yes:
I run 20 in the rear and 35 in the front.
John.
After fielding dozens of Trinity Trikes from 250cc to 2000cc, our experience is that the PSI for automotive tires in the back should be in the low 20's and the motorcycle wheel in front in the low to mid 30's. Suspensions, passenger loads, etc., will of course affect those numbers. Trial & error will modify them to your needs, but you might want to start there.
Bob Witte
The Trinity Trike
Bob has it - We run the rear tires at about 21-22 for most riding, and bump it up to 24-25 on long trips on the hiway with the trailer in tow. Front, with a Bridgstone Battlax reversed rear is 41 PSI. The trike is a 95 GL1500 MotorTrike - before airbag suspension. We vary the air pressure in the rear depending on where we are riding. Stiffer in the twisties, less air for a cushier ride on hiway runs. Also depends on the load.
The person that told you different PSI's in the inside and outside wheels was trying to compensate for the crown in the road. More here: http://www.triketalk.com/forum/gener....html#post1518
Don - 2004 GL1800 Champion trike, 2018 Can Am Spyder RT Limited
2 wheeler: 2013 Triumph Bonneville T100
FORR Local 11, AMA, MRF, Mid-South MILE Committee
Altho a trike will run on almost flat rear tires, I do believe less than 20# is not enough. The tire will cup and wear out the sides before the center . The theory behind the 2 different rear tire pressures is in the crown in the road . Having more on the down hill side and less on the peak side makes the trike run flatter. BS if you ask me . What happens on the flat High ways? 41 in my front tire ( 1500 Goldwing ) seems to be doing good with the progressive springs . with STD springs I ran 32 #
I run 41 on the front and 21 on the back of my motortrike 1800. This seems to work well on the crappy roads over here,especially after taking a pounding this winter:eek:
The 750 Shadow runs 41 pounds in the front and 23-24 pounds in the rear.
40 in front 22 in rears
Stallion #406 // 2013 Tri-Glide
Thanks for all the input.I understand the crown theory but I think what he told me was wwaayy overkill..I carry 41 front & 23 rear on an 96 Se roadsmith
40# in the front MPA mounted backwards
24# in both rears
20,000 miles and they all look brand new!!
Very interesting thread this one, particularly the variations in each individuals preference. Personally, I've found a 'happy medium' of 15 psi in both rear (I personally think odd pressures in the rear tires are a waste of time) and around 30 psi in the front... seems to work okay for me.
When I first took the trike to the road for it's 'maiden run' last August, I had way too much in the rear tires and the ride was atrocious. After experimenting with various pressures and shocker settings, the above seems to give me the best ride.
:wave4:I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it
On my CSC, I put 40-41 in the front and 26 in both rears.:2cents:
We suggest to all our Trike customers that the rear is 18-24lbs. and the front is 41lbs.
There have been a lot of opinions in this forum regarding recommended air pressure in the tires both front and back. The weather here in Northern Illinois hasn't been very good for riding but I've managed about 800 miles so far on my new Street Glide/CSC Trike. And until today and about 250 miles today I've had 40 psi in the front Dunlap 402 and the CSC recommended 28 psi in the rears. The pressure in the rears is just fine but where the heck did the recommendations for 40 or 41 psi in the front tires come from. I'm going to need two Rotator Cuff operations if I continue using 40 psi. Guess I'll drop down to 38 and see if there is a difference. I've also had installed the CSC Power Trak. No wobble at all in the front and I'm impressed with the CSC IRS. This sunspenion is doing a good job of protecting my back. Really, one of the reasons I thought I would convert to a TRIKE, Ride Safe
The HD trikes use 36 front.
BKMNI
100,000+ miles of three wheel fun and counting!
2015 Harley FLRT
2018 Can-Am F3 Limited
I run 40 up front with no issue.
Stallion #406 // 2013 Tri-Glide
The 40/41 seems to have evolved from findings of tire cupping at lesser pressures.
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I run 42 lbs in front also
Even with the Pilot Activ Tire on the Front, Traction, Ride, etc. is Great in the Mid-30s Pressures..."but"...I found really accelerated Cupping, and Centerline Flat Shaping.....so far, Tire Life seems to be better with the 40-42 lbs Pressures. I just started ridin' my second Pilot Activ.....New data coming later with New, Higher Pressures.....
..if it has WHEELS, I'm in...ThumbUp
Thanks for the input. We spent the day riding the beautiful secondary roads of South Central Wisconsin, that's probably why I noticed it so much the last time out. Tire wear is a great reason to keep the tire aired up. I'm going to try it at 38 psi and keep an eye on it. Ride Safe!
I run 36 lbs in my front tire. Have had no issues with it.
Try to keep front Pilot Activ Tire at 39-41lbs and rears 25-26lbs.
CSC kit
I have been running an MPA since I Hanniganized 20k miles ago. I run 41 psi (cold) in it and it is now about half tread with little cupping and getting more and more a flat profile. Looks like I will get 30k+ before I change it.
FYI, I have a TireGard system monitoring the three pressures. After riding a few hours on a hot day the front pressure rises to about 46/47 whereas the rear tires rise from 26 only 1/2 psi.
Stu McCurdy, Round Rock, TX
2009 Goldwing/Hannigan Limited Edition
2002 Escapade Trailer
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Good thread.I'll keeps this in mind when I start to build.My current two wheeler runs 33/36 solo and 33/41 duo.I was planning to stick with 33 for my front tire but after reading this I think I'll run the max psi on the tire side wall,40 psi.
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I run 38 front and 25 rear on my 95 FLHTC with no problems. Looks like I can get at least 30,000 out of the front and "who knows" out of the back Firestone's. Great miliage so far.