Tire PRessure monitoring System

[Solodadof2]

Hey does anyone run one of these? can you share your likes, your dislike etc. How do you determine what temperature to set it at? hwo quick is the reaction time on the road if you start losing air? thanks!

[Mariner Fan]

Is there such a thing? I'd be interested!

[KiteSquid]

My 2010 Goldwing has a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) from the factory and I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I have not had a flat but on a real cold day (it was 19F when I left SquidAcres) the warning came on once I cleared my driveway and I U turned as soon as I could which was about 1/4 mile. Just before returned to the driveway the indicator went off.....for about 1/2 mile total trip for the tires warmed up some.

 

I checked the pressure and it was low so I put some air in after I checked both tires for punctures.

 

 

The schrader valve in the front tire was loose and leaking air very slowly. I gave it a 1/4 turn and no more leaks.

 

 

Once again, I LOVE TPMS on a motorcycle and would recommend them to all.

 

Now I just hope I never see the indictor when I am at highway speed, mening I have a flat tire.......

[etcswjoe]

I have been thinking about investing in them also, here are two recent threads that have discused that very subject.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=29745&highlight=tpms

 

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=30630&highlight=tpms

[eusa1]

i have the *smartire* system on my 2003 rsv and would not part with it!!

 

it tells you your tire pressure and temp with the push of a button and you can set the pressure to set a warning light flashing if it falls lower than your request.

 

the best part is knowing if your having a tire issue or if your on grooved pavement when the tire makes a little wiggle.. you can also tell from the tire temp. if you need to adjust the load in your shock or your trailer, when the temp starts to climb.

 

i have had it for 7 years now and will never have a bike without it now.

 

mike

[dray]

http://www.tirepressuremonitor.com/products/motorcycle-tire-pressure-monitor/

 

here is one even works with trikes and trailer

[Guest scarylarry]

i have the *smartire* system on my 2003 rsv and would not part with it!!

 

it tells you your tire pressure and temp with the push of a button and you can set the pressure to set a warning light flashing if it falls lower than your request.

 

the best part is knowing if your having a tire issue or if your on grooved pavement when the tire makes a little wiggle.. you can also tell from the tire temp. if you need to adjust the load in your shock or your trailer, when the temp starts to climb.

 

i have had it for 7 years now and will never have a bike without it now.

 

mike

 

So much for that one:

http://www.smartire.com/motorcycles

[DonTom]

I use the Pressure Pro TPMS on all three of my bikes. I use it for both air shocks too, on my Venture. If you look closely, you can see it says I have 38 psi in rear tire (that's after some riding). I have mine on it's own switch so I can turn it off or on regardless of ignition switch position.

 

Here is it on my Venture:

 

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/DonTom3/motorbikes/TPMSunit.jpg

[Venturous Randy]

In my opinion, 38psi is getting a little on the low side for a rear tire already up to temperature.

RandyA

 

 

I use the Pressure Pro TPMS on all three of my bikes. I use it for both air shocks too, on my Venture. If you look closely, you can see it says I have 38 psi in rear tire (that's after some riding). I have mine on it's own switch so I can turn it off or on regardless of ignition switch position.

 

Here is it on my Venture:

 

http://i776.photobucket.com/albums/yy46/DonTom3/motorbikes/TPMSunit.jpg

[DonTom]

In my opinion, 38psi is getting a little on the low side for a rear tire already up to temperature.

RandyA

It was a cool day and the tires had a chance to cool off a bit before taking that picture. But my 84 Venture owner's manual says cold psi should be 32 psi front and from 32 to 40 psi (cold) on rear depending on load. 38 PSI seems about right for a single rider on a warm rear tire, doesn't it?

 

-Don- Reno, NV

[Sandbagger]

I understand the downside vs. the monitoring system, of this alternative but I wonder if it doesn't gived the majority of the benifits for a fraction of the cost. I have been looking at the tire caps that go on the tire valve. You can buy them in different air pressure levels for example 40 lbs. If the air pressure is greater than 40 lbs the cap is green. Once if falls below 40 lbs the cap would be red. (Again they have different pressure levels.

 

I thought this might be a middle of the road alternative that would give us a visual warning system at least when we got on our bikes.

 

My option right now is to check my air pressure every time or hope my air is still good.

The front tire would be easy to roll and see the cap. The back is a pain.

 

Just a thought. If there is a major flaw in my logic I would love to hear it. Understand that this isn't the same as knowing that you are having a sudden decrease in air pressure on your bike, but I think that is probably going to be a Ricky Bobby moment anyway (I'm flying through the air in my race car, thats not good")

 

Bob

[DonTom]

I understand the downside vs. the monitoring system, of this alternative but I wonder if it doesn't gived the majority of the benifits for a fraction of the cost. I have been looking at the tire caps that go on the tire valve. You can buy them in different air pressure levels for example 40 lbs. If the air pressure is greater than 40 lbs the cap is green. Once if falls below 40 lbs the cap would be red. (Again they have different pressure levels.

 

I thought this might be a middle of the road alternative that would give us a visual warning system at least when we got on our bikes.

 

My option right now is to check my air pressure every time or hope my air is still good.

The front tire would be easy to roll and see the cap. The back is a pain.

 

Just a thought. If there is a major flaw in my logic I would love to hear it. Understand that this isn't the same as knowing that you are having a sudden decrease in air pressure on your bike, but I think that is probably going to be a Ricky Bobby moment anyway (I'm flying through the air in my race car, thats not good")

 

Bob

I use the ACCU-Pressure caps in all my cars. Don't use the cheap rubber ones they sell at Wal*Mart. They fail fairly often causing a flat.

 

But on my motorcycles and RV, I use the TPMS as I want to know the first second possible when something is wrong. With the ACCU caps, you will have to be off the bike to check the tires.

 

On my Suzuki DR200SE, I once had a total flat on the rear and I did not even realize it until somebody yelled at me. The ACCU Caps would not have told me anything, as I got a large screw in the rear tire perhaps in the last mile or so of riding. If I then had the TPMS, I would have known right away that there was a problem.

 

BTW, with the DR200SE, I was able to ride another 20 miles home with a total flat rear tire. I know that would not be possible with a heavy bike such as a Venture.

 

I also use the TPMS on my Venture air shocks, just so I can read the psi in them without connecting up a gauge.

 

The Acca caps are better than having nothing. You're better having nothing than the ones sold at Wal*Mart. They are too unreliable. I leaned that the hard way, but on a car, not a bike. On a bike I would not have the guts to use the Wal*Mart ones for more than a few miles. They randomly go bad letting all your air out, but some will last for years. I wouldn't chance those. I never had any of the ACCU-pressure caps fail and I have been using them on six different vehicles for many years.

 

-Don- Reno, NV

[Dave77459]

I use the ACCU-Pressure caps in all my cars. Don't use the cheap rubber ones they sell at Wal*Mart. They fail fairly often causing a flat.

 

But on my motorcycles and RV, I use the TPMS as I want to know the first second possible when something is wrong. With the ACCU caps, you will have to be off the bike to check the tires.

 

On my Suzuki DR200SE, I once had a total flat on the rear and I did not even realize it until somebody yelled at me. The ACCU Caps would not have told me anything, as I got a large screw in the rear tire perhaps in the last mile or so of riding. If I then had the TPMS, I would have known right away that there was a problem.

 

BTW, with the DR200SE, I was able to ride another 20 miles home with a total flat rear tire. I know that would not be possible with a heavy bike such as a Venture.

 

I also use the TPMS on my Venture air shocks, just so I can read the psi in them without connecting up a gauge.

 

The Acca caps are better than having nothing. You're better having nothing than the ones sold at Wal*Mart. They are too unreliable. I leaned that the hard way, but on a car, not a bike. On a bike I would not have the guts to use the Wal*Mart ones for more than a few miles. They randomly go bad letting all your air out, but some will last for years. I wouldn't chance those. I never had any of the ACCU-pressure caps fail and I have been using them on six different vehicles for many years.

 

-Don- Reno, NV

I don't understand the bolded statements. I thought it was the valve stem keeping the air in the tire, not the caps? Isn't the purpose of the caps to protect the valves, rather than holding in air?

 

Dave

[Freebird]

The problem is, those valve caps work by pressing the valve stems so that the pressure IS actually held in my the caps. That's why I just don't like them. I have some laying around here somewhere but just won't use them. They can't read the pressure if they don't press on the valve stem so that the cap can pressurize.

[Sandbagger]

I use the ACCU-Pressure caps in all my cars. Don't use the cheap rubber ones they sell at Wal*Mart. They fail fairly often causing a flat.

 

But on my motorcycles and RV, I use the TPMS as I want to know the first second possible when something is wrong. With the ACCU caps, you will have to be off the bike to check the tires.

 

On my Suzuki DR200SE, I once had a total flat on the rear and I did not even realize it until somebody yelled at me. The ACCU Caps would not have told me anything, as I got a large screw in the rear tire perhaps in the last mile or so of riding. If I then had the TPMS, I would have known right away that there was a problem.

 

BTW, with the DR200SE, I was able to ride another 20 miles home with a total flat rear tire. I know that would not be possible with a heavy bike such as a Venture.

 

I also use the TPMS on my Venture air shocks, just so I can read the psi in them without connecting up a gauge.

 

The Acca caps are better than having nothing. You're better having nothing than the ones sold at Wal*Mart. They are too unreliable. I leaned that the hard way, but on a car, not a bike. On a bike I would not have the guts to use the Wal*Mart ones for more than a few miles. They randomly go bad letting all your air out, but some will last for years. I wouldn't chance those. I never had any of the ACCU-pressure caps fail and I have been using them on six different vehicles for many years.

 

-Don- Reno, NV

 

Thanks for the tip Don. Just ordered the accutemps. Saw they had the wireless monitoring system. $179 is a good deal, but I'm spending money on this bike like a mad man right now and need to try to stay married.

 

Bob

[Sylvester]

This is all nice and good, but I use a maual approach and check my tires with a calibrated gauge very often. I feel that my life is worth more than a controlled system that may have an error.

 

[Dave77459]

The problem is, those valve caps work by pressing the valve stems so that the pressure IS actually held in my the caps. That's why I just don't like them. I have some laying around here somewhere but just won't use them. They can't read the pressure if they don't press on the valve stem so that the cap can pressurize.

So the "cheap rubber caps" are not the plastic ones commonly found on valve stems. Thanks for the explanation!

 

Dave

[Sandbagger]

This is all nice and good, but I use a maual approach and check my tires with a calibrated gauge very often. I feel that my life is worth more than a controlled system that may have an error.

 

All you are doing is trading one guage for another.

[Solodadof2]

Thanks Everyone for your input this has been a good thread, I will be putting these on both mine and my wifes bike. thanks again!

[DonTom]

With the Wal*Mart ones, the part that holds the valve open stays working fine. You get a tear above that point and all the air leaks out FAST. It has happened to me and many others. I will no longer use them on anything.

 

With all this stuff (includes external TPMS sensors), the stock tire caps are removed and the sensor or indicator cap forces the valve open. So all you have is the sensor or the indicator cap to hold the air in.

 

-Don- Reno, NV

 

 

I don't understand the bolded statements. I thought it was the valve stem keeping the air in the tire, not the caps? Isn't the purpose of the caps to protect the valves, rather than holding in air?

 

Dave

[DonTom]

This is all nice and good, but I use a maual approach and check my tires with a calibrated gauge very often. I feel that my life is worth more than a controlled system that may have an error.

Any error on a decent TPMS and you will know right away. Either they work or you get an error. And the sensors on my Pressure Pro units (I own four units and 14 sensors) seem to all be within 2 PSI of the best gauges available.

 

BTW, I NEVER saw an error on any of mine. Not even a low sensor battery warning. I think the only people who worry about errors with a TPMS (at least a Pressure Pro, I cannot speak for other brands) are those who have never used such a TPMS system.

 

BTW, the first step on installing a TPMS is to check all your tire pressures on a gauge that you trust. That will be the last time you should ever need that gauge on that vehicle. So even if it were off by 10 psi, it will make no difference as the alarms will work based on the psi when first installed, regardless of the PSI reading it gives you. Nevertheless, I trust my sensor readings just as much as a high quality tire gauge. LIke I said, all mine are within 2 psi of my best gauges.

 

-Don- Reno, NV

[DonTom]

I thought it was the valve stem keeping the air in the tire, not the caps? Isn't the purpose of the caps to protect the valves, rather than holding in air?

 

Dave

I have heard the opposite, from people who should know. The only purpose of the valve is so the air will not release when the cap is removed for filling or whatever. The cap holds the air a lot better than the valve.

 

However, my own experince is that neither will leak, if installed correctly.

 

-Don- Reno, NV

[DonTom]

Hey does anyone run one of these? can you share your likes, your dislike etc. How do you determine what temperature to set it at? hwo quick is the reaction time on the road if you start losing air? thanks!

You always set your tire psi when cold, such as on a cold morning.

 

On the Pressure Pro system, if there is a loss of air alarm, it usually takes about seven seconds to get reported.

 

But when the unit is first turned on, it can take more than two minutes for the unit to get all the psi readings from all the sensors. That's why I put mine on its own switch. My TPMS stays on when I turn my ignition off to get gasoline or whatever.

 

-Don- Reno, NV

[DonTom]

I understand the downside vs. the monitoring system, of this alternative but I wonder if it doesn't gived the majority of the benifits for a fraction of the cost. I have been looking at the tire caps that go on the tire valve. You can buy them in different air pressure levels for example 40 lbs. If the air pressure is greater than 40 lbs the cap is green. Once if falls below 40 lbs the cap would be red. (Again they have different pressure levels.

Most have a yellow as well, to show that you're only a little low.

 

Likewise, the Pressure Pro has two stages of alarms. A slow alarm for a little low and a fast alarm on a serious air loss. On a RV system, there are two different audio alarms. On the cycle, it's a slow blink or fast blink on the alarm light. No sound on the cycle models, but I think it would be a good idea to provide an audio output for an alarm that can connect to the bike's intercom amp or whatever.

 

-Don- Reno, NV

[Sylvester]

All you are doing is trading one guage for another.

 

True enough, but I know my gauge is accurate.