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Question on Tire Pressure

karl55

karl55

Member
Hi All, I have a 2008 sportster and the service manual states 30 LBS in the front and that is fine, but it calls for 36 LBS in the rear and isn't that a bit high? I ride alone (single) I weight around 208 lbs. I just feel my motorcycle is riding hard and that it is from the rear tire having to much air. Any thoughts on this subject. Thanks!!!
 
My 05 sporty has the same specs and if the manual says that's what it needs, that's what I give it and I haven't had any issues. Do you have Dunlop 401's up front and Dunlop 402's in the back. Probably something to do with the difference in tires. Plus you're going to have more weight in the back of the bike than in the front.
 
Hi Hammerhead Pat,

Thanks for the quick response, so do you keep your rear tire pressure at 36 LBS?
 
My previous bike (metric) had similar air pressure recommendations. It actually called for 29 in the front, and 36-42 in the rear, depending on rider/passenger weight.

I would go with the manual specs; the MOCO spends a lot of money to determine the best compromise between ride, handling, and tire wear.
 
Ideal air pressure for the stock tires have been researched over many miles of use and over plenty of HD test facilities as well as Dunlop research facilities here and abroad. They also have the advantage of being able to optimize the tires for best mileage for best street performance possible. We could spend $1000's and tons of track & street time and still not come close to what has been done, and the tires used have been OEM standard for 15 years or more...

Quite simply, check the decal on your frame (mine is on the steerer downtube)...it shows the stock OEM tire/wheel sizes AND the recommended pressure for solo and two-up...nothing easier than that!
 
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Thanks for all the responses, and I will keep the 36 pounds in the rear tire as stated in my service manual.
 
I have an 07' fatboy and the manuel states 35 lbs of pressure which I even think is alittle high. I've always rode other bikes at the standard pressure and always felt alittle skiddish in the winter which the bike seems to want to slide more.

I asked my local HD dealership mechanic about this and winter riding. He told me that I could go down to 30 lbs in my rear to get extra traction with sand on the roads, which should be fine, but in the summer put in the recommended amount

I tried it out and it solved the problem. My bike has more traction and I'm not sliding around as much, but if you constantly ride lower than your rec. amount of tire pressure it's going to wear out your tires faster.
 
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