Confidence shaken

[hillrider]

Hwy 108 out of Canton (Ga) just got new tar snakes this year. Today is the first day over 90 degrees that I've ridden it. Gosh! The bike was all over the road. Running 35 lbs in the front 40 in the rear on Avon Venoms (front is the 150/80) (40000 on the odometer). Ive had it on the stand and to handlebars don't bounce when hitting the limit, can't feel any slop in the triple tree. Running low on ideas here.

 

At 5 mph and good shake of the handlebars feels kind of like I have a underinflated radial tire on the front.

 

Even if the shocks were worn out, I don't think they'd cause this.

 

But like I said, out of ideas.

 

Anybody else got any?

[sarges46]

Whats the tire pressure say on the side wall of the front tire? You might want to run the tire pressure close to the max rating on the side wall....same for the rear. After that then maybe the tire is not balanced properly.

[FreezyRider]

Too much play in the swing arm will make it feel like that too. If the rear wiggles, you'll feel it in the front. Maybe the swing arm needs re-torqued?

[Yamaman]

Hwy 108 out of Canton (Ga) just got new tar snakes this year. Today is the first day over 90 degrees that I've ridden it. Gosh! The bike was all over the road. Running 35 lbs in the front 40 in the rear on Avon Venoms (front is the 150/80) (40000 on the odometer). Ive had it on the stand and to handlebars don't bounce when hitting the limit, can't feel any slop in the triple tree. Running low on ideas here.

 

At 5 mph and good shake of the handlebars feels kind of like I have a underinflated radial tire on the front.

 

Even if the shocks were worn out, I don't think they'd cause this.

 

But like I said, out of ideas.

 

Anybody else got any?

 

I think your presures are a little low. I run about 40 in my front Avon and 50 in my rear Metzler. Do a search on Avon tire pressure and you should find several previous discussions here.

[SteveW]

I would run the pressure up to 40 front and 45 rear. We have a bunch of tar snakes around here and when its hot its like riding on ice. Just slow it down some and try to stay off of them when ever you can. I can even feel them with the sidecar on but it doesn't matter cause I'm not going anywhere on 3 wheels.

[bobbyduck]

I run 42 PSI Front and 47 rear on my Venoms. I had let them get down low like yours once and experienced some of the same, though apparently not as bad. We seldom get 90 degrees where I ride.....

 

Also, new, heavily applied tar-snakes are greasy when it gets hot, doesn't matter what tires or what bike....only help for that is to miss 'em or slow down....

[hillrider]

I'll run the pressures up in the morning and see how it rides.

[armyvet]

I've seen this on other sites also: riders saying that they run with 44 PSI in the rear. Is it dangerous to exceed the recommended tire pressure? Will it prematurely wear the tire? I have commanders on my bike and the tires say 40 PSI max. I have read the some with commanders will put 44 PSI in the rear.

[CMIKE]

I've seen this on other sites also: riders saying that they run with 44 PSI in the rear. Is it dangerous to exceed the recommended tire pressure? Will it prematurely wear the tire? I have commanders on my bike and the tires say 40 PSI max. I have read the some with commanders will put 44 PSI in the rear.

 

I would not exceed the operating pressure on the tire...under any condition.

 

Keep in mind...Avon venoms usually have a higher pressure marked on the side wall than a Dunlop tire...I have yet to own a set but from all accounts they are good tires with a long service life. There has been a few folks with sidewall cracking...

I have run the original 404 that came on the bike...hated it...took it off at 5424 miles to upgrade to the E3. So far over 11000 miles and still got almost 5/32 tread left of the rear. 11/32 tread is new.

Dunlop 404 rear tire says (If I remember right) 41 max pressure. Dunlope E3's say 40 MAX pressure

[Guest Swifty]

Put some air in those tires. I've found Avons are the best over tar snakes.

[abnormalwon]

Which is fairly normal really, however, in all my years of riding I have never heard of any air pressure change that will affect the effects of tar snakes? Particularly new tar that has not had significant time to try and harden up any. The physics don't even add up do they? We're talking about surface irregularities that are at extreme ends from hard pavement to soft and gummy. I know you can assist some handling in dirt with lower tire pressures but there the conditions are closer to one another than on pavement. I believe you need to run the recommended pressure from the tire manufacturer and then compensate for the tar much as you would gravel or other wierd situations.

 

Would love to learn more on this if there is something more to learn since I ride the same N Ga back roads and from what I hear from the various DOT's there is probably limited chance of any reduction in the future growth of the dreaded tar snake.

 

Just my

 

Norm

[jlh3rd]

i'd never run tire pressure over the max limit stated on the tire....

and i don't understand how a tire can be better or worse on tar snakes unless the tread channels are so deep that the tire is able to make contact with the road surface under the tar......and i've yet to see a motorcycle tire with the deep tread blocks needed to accomplish that , except dirt track tires.......the tire rides on top of the tar and the shearing action of the tar under the tire makes the bike slide.......if i take my foot and step on a tar line, my foot wiggles the tar....

[hillrider]

Took the front to 42 and rear to 50 (sidewall max). Much improved. Boy 5 lbs of air makes a big difference.

In the process of all this. I backed off 1/8 turn on the tripletree nuts. Loosened up the steering quite a bit. Much easier in the corners. Must have been too tight to begin with.