Went out for a ride last night with a mate on the Multistrada, I have to say it felt a little odd on corners but I didn't think much of it. Later on my mate said my rear looked a little flat on the way home, I dismissed it saying it should be ok. We then went off the beaten track onto some gravel roads through a forest and again it really did feel just off? Anyway got home last night, put the bike away and then this morning thought I better check the tyres, 25.5psi on the front and 26psi on the rear!!! It then occurred to me I'd never checked the tyre pressures since I bought it a year ago, I can't believe I'm admitting this but hopefully when I get out on Sunday I'll feel a marked difference in handling and hopefully it will be more confidence inspiring. Going forward I'm checking pressure every ride now, lesson learnt and I feel such a div...
so true, but I think most of us have done it once or twice, ditto chain tension and lubrication, have seen some horror stories over the years. A good friend of mine was convinced that chains were fit for purpose without lubrication, even if sat and left in all weather for months at a time. I couldn't convince him otherwise the rascal, and he wouldn't be told. He never had a chain fail but it was a miracle looking back.
The last time the Smart was in for a service, the technician said what's the handling like and i said shit but i'll work with it, then he said it's because you've no air in the tyres.
The first ride out this year I thought the v4sf felt shit. Halfway through the ride I remembered last time I rode it was at cadwell, so had dropped the pressures
Well imagine this, took the bike out for an hour today, air in the tyres and dropped into Sport mode for the 1st time since I've owned it, what a beauty, handles like a dream again, who would have thought air in tyres could improve the handling, doh...
Tyres, air, pressure… I take care of a mate’s 996 while he is spending 3 years in India for work. Bike’s in the basement of their chalet in the Alps, about 3 hours away from me. I go there every two months or so and check the bike for him among other things. It’s on a battery tender. In the cold months, I usually start it and let it idle until fans kick off. In warmer weather, I’ll risk a 30 minute ride. It runs really great, motor, gears, very smooth bike really. Except the first time I took it out. I almost fell in the driveway, at 10 km/h. Scariest feeling when the whole front of the bike felt like it was on ice… Road was perfectly dry and clean. I drove the 15 km down to the nearest gas station (with both legs extended and soles sliding on the pavement, 25-30 km/h max) only to find the front wheel was at 1 bar… Very scary experience. Got him a compressor since.
