Tire Pressure Gauges
MOTORCYCLE TIRE PRESSURES are critically important since the small patch where your tire meets the road means everything to staying upright. The tire and inflation pressures you choose are largely responsible for your bike’s handling and are also a key safety factor. Improperly inflated tires can blowout and cause you to lose control and will also impact gas mileage and tire lifespan.
Experts recommend checking tire pressure before every ride. But when you check, are you sure what the gauge tells you is accurate? What if your gauge is wrong? Does your gauge fit tightly to the valve stem? Can you read it clearly? Has it suffered a crippling blow in your tool box? Most of us have several gauges around the garage. Which one do you trust and why? In research for this article, we found confusion even among those we expected to be tire pressure experts.
Cherished Beliefs
Even tire techs from Sears Tire Centers, Goodyear and Michelin tire stores have questionable prac- tices for selecting gauges. We found the most common practice was to try a number of gauges, pick one that felt consistent and easy to use, and then use it nearly exclusively. With the exception of the Dunlop and Metzeler tents at Americade, no tire dealers interviewed had a way to calibrate or test the accuracy of their gauges.
Some motorcycle enthusiasts believe that the more money you spend on a pressure gauge, the better and more accurate it will be. Others believe “digital tire gauges are for limp-wristed technology trusters and real men use analog gauges.” Some think gauges made in Germany or Switzerland are more accurate than gauges made in China. Are any of these beliefs based on fact?
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