Verify your air gauges are accurate.

[BigBoyinMS]

To make a long story short... I noticed that a buddy of mine has a set of scalloped tires on his Wing. He thought the $40 gauge that he had bought (gas station style chuck/gauge combo) would be accurate. It showed that he had 40lbs in the front. I checked it with my new Accutire digital gauge and it showed 32lbs. I understand Accutire brand are supposed to be accurate but I'm going to verify mine at work tomorrow since we have a calibrated gauge that is only used to verify other gauges.

[SilvrT]

Similar to a thread I started...

 

http://venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=46451

 

After pumping up the tires using the new digital gauge, it made quite a difference in the way the bike handled.

[rod]

A friend of mine went out and bought every tire gauge he could find. Most were within a couple of pounds of each other. The cheap digital gauges were way off and the most accurate was a cheap pencil model from a discount auto parts store. I tossed4 of my gauges after checking them. Rod

[SilvrT]

A friend of mine went out and bought every tire gauge he could find. Most were within a couple of pounds of each other. The cheap digital gauges were way off and the most accurate was a cheap pencil model from a discount auto parts store. I tossed4 of my gauges after checking them. Rod

 

Describe "cheap"... my digital gauge cost $15 ... is that cheap?

[Condor]

Ya know what I've always had trouble with is people saying the difference in a couple of pounds pressure makes a difference in the handling of a bike....... At 35-40psi a couple of pounds is squat....

[SilvrT]

Ya know what I've always had trouble with is people saying the difference in a couple of pounds pressure makes a difference in the handling of a bike....... At 35-40psi a couple of pounds is squat....

 

:rasberry: :rasberry: :rasberry: :rasberry: :rasberry: :rasberry:

 

and that's all I got to say....

[Jethroish]

Describe "cheap"... my digital gauge cost $15 ... is that cheap?

 

 

I picked up a Slime brand digital ($12) and dial gauge ($4).

Every time I have compared them, they read the same.

Compared them to the 2 pencil gauges I had. One pencil agreed the other was off by 4 psi.

[rod]

Any thing more than 5 lbs + - @ 30 lbs, I toss the gauge. The pencil gauges in the $10 range seem to be the overall winners for value. Rod

[jrcain32]

I use my Progressive pump gage, the one I bought to pump up my front and rear shocks, to check my tire pressure. It has a dial gage 0-60. If it is off I'm SOL.

[BigBoyinMS]

I finally checked the Accutire gauge against the calibrated one and it's between 1/4 and 1/2 lb high... which I'm happy with. Now I just need to verify my Slime dial gauge and the Progressive pump gauge.

 

SilvrT, I went back and read the post you started... a lot of good info but my eyes glazed over after a bit. In the end, I verify the calibration at or near the pressure that I measure usually and at a low reading; if they are close enough then I'm good!

[SilvrT]

I finally checked the Accutire gauge against the calibrated one and it's between 1/4 and 1/2 lb high... which I'm happy with. Now I just need to verify my Slime dial gauge and the Progressive pump gauge.

 

SilvrT, I went back and read the post you started... a lot of good info but my eyes glazed over after a bit. In the end, I verify the calibration at or near the pressure that I measure usually and at a low reading; if they are close enough then I'm good!

 

ya... a lot of "tekkie talk" but all good.

[dynodon]

I have found pencil gauges to be all over the place, too easy for dirt/grease to get in the mechanism and make it stick. I tossed them all in place of a good gauge. The one I rely on the most is a good dial gauge designed for use by race cars. Very accurate, with a nice hose and button to release pressure. Next most favorite is a good digital. I think you can get either style at the Tire Rack.

[LilBeaver]

ya... a lot of "tekkie talk" but all good.

 

Tekkie talk? naaah. none of that in there at all.

 

I am interested to see how your slime gauge compares. And of course, for kicks, the progressive pump too.

 

Thanks for reporting!!

 

By the way, just for the record - which Accutire gauge do you have?

[Venturous Randy]

I have had several of the small dial gages that have been close and way off. I agree that they should be verified.

I do have a digital "no air loss" gage that I use when checking the rear shock as my bike is a standard and does not have the class system. I have progressives in the front and no longer run air.

RandyA

[BigBoyinMS]

I'll be sure and check the other gauges and post the results. It's got the 90 degree chuck just for bikes. I was afraid that I was going to break off a valve stem with the 45 degree end on the Slime gauge.

 

Accutire MS-4710B Motorcycle 5-99 PSI Digital Tire Gauge from Amazon.com for about $12.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31yUr0fLSHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Edited April 7, 2010 by BigBoyinMS
More info

[SilvrT]

I'll be sure and check the other gauges and post the results. It's got the 90 degree chuck just for bikes. I was afraid that I was going to break off a valve stem with the 45 degree end on the Slime gauge.

 

Accutire MS-4710B Motorcycle 5-99 PSI Digital Tire Gauge from Amazon.com for about $12.

 

That looks identical to the one I got from Canadian Tire for $15 (we always pay more up here in CanNuhDuh)

[LilBeaver]

I'll be sure and check the other gauges and post the results. It's got the 90 degree chuck just for bikes. I was afraid that I was going to break off a valve stem with the 45 degree end on the Slime gauge.

 

Accutire MS-4710B Motorcycle 5-99 PSI Digital Tire Gauge from Amazon.com for about $12.

 

 

Cool. I had a few of these and the one that I have left (1 grew legs at the shop I worked at, #2 I gave to my dad) the seal around the end dried out and no longer seals enough to get a good read on the tire. BUT, after ~8 years of use and being left in a hot/cold vehicle (either bike or my truck) I can't complain about its longevity.

My dad's still works just fine (his stays in his toolbox in the garage).

 

I was pretty happy with it and when I tested it (for accuracy) I recall similar results. It was within the manufacture's claimed accuracy.

 

Thanks for sharing your results!!

[BigBoyinMS]

Finally got around to checking the Slime dial gauge and my H-D (Progressive) pump gauge. Both checked out in line with the Accutire.

[billmac]

I know everyone loves it when someone brings up old post, so here we go. Checking tire pressures this morning on the wife's car and my 07 RSTD. Thought this was going to ne a simple fill the tires with air and have a good day. Well the first tire on the car looked low this is when it started. Got a gauge out (pencil type) to check the pressure it read 15psi and I thought it can't be that low so I got another gauge out (dial) and it read 5psi low, then I tried my old stand by off the compressor (like you see at tire stores with the gauge and filler in same gauge) higher than others by 4psi. Then I checked with the gauge on the slime air pump I carry in the bike 8psi low. then another stick gauge and it was 1/2 psi lower than my normal gauge I use on the compressor. so I use that one to set the air pressure on the car and bike. This is not about what kind of tires or air pressure to use but the gauges used to check the air. So do you have a tire gauge in the bike that you really trust or the one your using and the bike handles fine to you. I was so tired of trying all the gauges I forgot to try my HD hand pump gauge to see what it read. So after all this my question is their a newer accurate gauge out there or place to get your gauge checked accurately? If you read all his thank you, if you know a better answer that would be great.

[tz89]

I'll be sure and check the other gauges and post the results. It's got the 90 degree chuck just for bikes. I was afraid that I was going to break off a valve stem with the 45 degree end on the Slime gauge.

 

Accutire MS-4710B Motorcycle 5-99 PSI Digital Tire Gauge from Amazon.com for about $12.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31yUr0fLSHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

 

I had that one but found it awkward to use especially on the rear. I could get it on ok but too often the reading had disappeared by the time I could get eyes on it. Now I use an extender hose and the dial on the pump I carry.

[etcswjoe]

This one works pretty good and has some neat features.

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Longacre-50370-Temperature-Compensated-Pressure/dp/B00375F82K/ref=sr_1_19?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1408466029&sr=1-19&keywords=tire+gauge]Amazon.com: Longacre 50370 Temperature Compensated Tire Pressure Gauge: Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/411CfwukMHL.@@AMEPARAM@@411CfwukMHL[/ame]

[billmac]

Joe, that's way out of my price range

[etcswjoe]

Joe, that's way out of my price range

 

 

Mine too that's why I have to borrow it when I want to use it. Car and Driver did an article on several that includes the accutire.

 

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/gearbox-tire-pressure-gauges-tested

[XV1100SE]

This one works pretty good and has some neat features.

 

At $396 it better be a good gauge !!!

[Flyinfool]

I have no idea if my gage is accurate or not. But it is repeatable and that is important.

I played with pressure to get the handling the way I liked it and just always use the same gage to set the pressure. On my gage I am running 45 psi in the rear on an E3. On the gage that is built into my HF air chuck it is reading 40 psi. Which if either is correct, I have no clue, nor do I have a way to check them. If the pressure drops by 2 psi I can feel the rear end getting a squirmy feeling in the turns.