How often do you check suspension pressure?

[Pasta Burner]

When do you guys check suspension pressure? The manual tells you how, but not how often. Given that it’s to be done on the center stand it doesn’t seem to be an every time you get on job. Is it daily? At lunchtime on a trip?

[MiCarl]

I checked it pretty much before every ride, and I usually did it without putting the motorcycle on the center stand. It will make a few psi difference in the reading but is no big deal.

 

I suspect the reason the manual specifies to do it on the center stand is to keep the bike from tipping if you're on an uneven surface. I always did it on a very flat garage floor.

[SpencerPJ]

Like many things with pressure, you get a feel for how much they leak, everyone's is different. I run very little in my front, and 40 in rear. During riding season, I lose maybe 5psi a month in rear, so i generally do it once a month, along with tires, that really don't lose any.

[Pasta Burner]

Go it, just a trial and error thing. Never had air suspension before, but this info helps. Didn’t know it it was normal to bleed out overnight or hold pressure like a tire.

[MiCarl]

Go it, just a trial and error thing. Never had air suspension before, but this info helps. Didn’t know it it was normal to bleed out overnight or hold pressure like a tire.

 

If it's in good condition it won't bleed down. I never noticed any change on the rear of my '89 (ran 0 in the front). I was constantly checking/changing depending on if I was alone or if my wife was with me.

[Pasta Burner]

Both front and rear has 0 when I test rode it. The front bottomed out quite easily. The rear bled down from 81 last night to 23 just now. Seems like something I just need to keep an eye on and get used to. I’m sure some seals probably need replacing and or rejuvenating.

[MiCarl]

Factory front springs are pretty soft and if yours is stock you'll want some air in there. Progressive front springs are a pretty popular upgrade and usually people don't add air pressure with them. Mine had a heavier spring than stock but didn't appear to be progressive, it was fine with no pressure in the front.

 

Mine did have a progressive rear and still needed some air to keep it from bottoming. I think I ran it at 40 1 up and 65 with my wife on. The maximum weight rating of the motorcycle is something like 360 lbs. With a passenger and a little bit of gear it's real easy to get to that.

[Pasta Burner]

Good to know. I think I read in the manual about max weight. I thought it was quite low when I read it. 360 is not hard at all to reach. I’m 200 and my wife at 120 that leaves almost nothing for gear. That being said...who listens to weight ratings hahaha?