How long for tyres to cool?

Motorcycling
1

Hi, I’ve been at a petrol station for about five minutes after riding for about seven miles.

The bike seems reluctant to turn in to corners, which is how it felt last time I had a puncture.

I need to check my tyre pressures - how long will I need to wait before I can do that?

Freezing my 'nads off here!!

2

I can’t imagine that at tonights temperatures your tyres are anywhere near hot.

I’d do it asap and get home to the warm mate:cool:

3

Thanks!

I just checked and they were both a couple of psi down. I guess that’s because of the cold.

Back to good old 33/36 now. Hopefully it’ll be a bit more flickable the rest of the way home. I can’t afford ANOTHER new set of tyres!

Thanks, fella. :slight_smile:

4

Keep in mind the petrol station gauges aren’t usually very accurate. Check again tomorrow morning before you leave.

5

you’re brave on cold tyres and roads :stuck_out_tongue:

6

Home now (after a stop-off to visit a friend).

I checked the tyres at another garage on my way back (both this one and the one from my original post had those digital air hoses, which I understand are pretty accurate).

They seemed to be stable at 33/36, but the bike’s still handling a strangely. It feels like it doesn’t want to lean over as readily - I definitely have to apply more force when countersteering - and it seems to want to sit up more quickly coming out of bends.

Is this because of the cold weather? Do tyres react that differently when the temperature drops?

(Thanks for your PM, Gabs! If they’re out of whack tomorrow morning, I’ll have to get the train to work - but I’ll text you and let you know how it goes either way…)

7

:smiley:

That should’ve said “hopefully it’ll turn in as it has been throughout the summer”!

8

That’s just what I was thinking… at 33/36 they’ll be solid as it is, that’d feel like skating! 24/28 is as far up as I go… bouncing on rock hard rubber’s just uncomfortable.

9

Hey 5150 did you check your tyre pressure this morning?? :ermm:

i havent experienced any difference in steering because of low temp - mind you i did find that tyres are not as warm and so is a bit slippery out there… :unsure:

perhaps your bike knows this and doesnt want to lean over too much :hehe:

10

Hiya,

Yep - they’d both gone down by about 1.5-2psi, so I topped 'em up.

They seem to be holding steady at 33/36 now, so I’ll check again before I leave work. Gaby sent me a very informative PM about how temperature affects handling, so hopefully that’s all it is.

I can’t see any nails or owt, and the valves don’t appear to be leaking, so I can’t think of anything else that’d make the bike not want to lean - apart from rigid tyres.

11

can sometimes just be you - you get it into your head that theres less grip so you stiffen up, you’re more upright so pressing on the bars more downwards than forwards for steering inputs etc.

12

Good point, that. I did start wondering if it was me…

We shall see this evening! :smiley:

13

thanks for the reply…

always interested in posts like yours - makes you think about your own riding :wink:

14

That it does… I’m riding like it’s about to fall apart at the moment.

I’m impressed so many people have offered help and advice - I ruddy love this website! :slight_smile:

Just wish I could give advice back, but I don’t know enough. Yet. :hehe:

15

Checked 'em before setting off home: 33/35.5 (although I did have trouble with the gauge on the rear!)

When I got home, 34/37. Which is about what I’d expect. Phew.

I guess it’s just the weather - and my own paranoia! :smiley:

So, let that be a lesson to people who passed their test in the summer: everything goes all weirdy-like in winter!