imported post
There sure seems to be a lot of confusion about sidewall maximum pressure rating for a tireversus tire pressure based on the motorcycle's weight. I'm willing to bet that the OEM, original, tires that the GL1000 left the factory with said something like, "max pressure 41PSI" or something close to that. The proper pressure is 28PSI front, and 32 or 40PSI for the rear, depending on load.
Same thing with cars... too many people, including some of the mechanics who change tires, still don't get it. A tire's maximum pressure rating stamped on the side of the tire has nothing to do with the pressure that's supposed to be in the tire for your specific car. Almost all car tires will say something like maximum 32 to maybe 45 PSI on the sidewall. Look at the owner's manual or inside the driver side door jam for the proper pressure. The owner's manual and door jam on my new Toyota says to inflate the tires to 30PSI even though the tires (It still has the original factory tires) say "maximum pressure 44 PSI."
Putting too much (or too little) pressure in your motorcycle tires is dangerous.
Too much pressure reduces the size of the contact patch with the road. This results in less traction for braking and cornering. The bike will slide out easier and will skid easier, both of which can cause an accident.
Too much air will not allow the tires to properly warm up. Cold tires don't corner or brake as well as tires that are properly warmed up, and could result in a crash.
Overinflation could also cause the tire to bounce, overwhelming the suspension system and reducing the time that the tire is supporting the full weight of the motorcycle, further reducing traction for cornering and braking. This can land you in the ditch.
Wet weather amplifies this.
It also results in a rough ride. Do you like being jolted with every crack in the road?
Underinflation also has it's issues.
Underinflated tires can heat up and cause premature wear, tire failure, and also cause poor handling and braking.
The key is to maintain the pressure at the MOTORCYCLE manufacturer's recommendation.Check the pressure often.
The tire manufacturerdoesn't have a clue as to what motorcycle you are putting their tires on. All they know is how much weight their tire can handle and the maximum tire pressure for that tire... period.