What did you get to measure the pressure at 29.7? That is a very specific figure considering that the average tyre pressure gauge can be + or - 3 psi. Then, as has been said, air temperature and road temperature could raise or lower the pressure a few psi. Then there is the weather, a local high pressure or low pressure will affect the tyre pressure. The mean pressure at sea level is assumed to be 1013 but you will be hard pressed to find anywhere at sea level that is that exact pressure for any length of time, it will be higher or lower. Perhaps the road surface was different at 1000 metres than the road at sea level. I am pretty sure that I could not feel a difference of about 3 psi when I am climbing and descending on different roads in a I used a digital tyre pressure reader, set to bar at the time because I was in Spain. I understand they're supposed to be pretty accurate, who knows? The reading was 2.04 Bar which = 29.73 Psi. I can certainly feel 3lbs pressure difference on that bike, I have no doubt. That's why I check the tyres a lot but in this instance not often enough. With the correct pressure the Michelins are good on fast corners but not that great in the slower ones. 3lbs under pressure and the front requires counter steer. The less pressure in the front the more the counter steer. The slower the speed the more the counter steer. If the rear is 3lbs down it starts to turn into a flat tracker, it starts to slide out a little. Also it wobbles over any parallel bump like a white line or repaired crack in the surface. Basically I find 3lbs the difference between confidence and a wrestling match. It wasn't the road surface, it was all pretty good. That's easy to see and account for. The tyres were down, it was my fault but it was worse at altitude. I just find it interesting and was interested in other people's views. I won't ride that bike again until I've got a new set of Metzeler Roadtech 01's. That'll be interesting too.
Apparently the appropriate British Standard for tyre pressure gauges states that they must be accurate to within +/- 1psi. From the reviews that I have read the most accurate will have an average error of about 0.3 psi. If it is BSI marked then it's safest to assume +/- 1psi even if it reads to the nearest 0.1psi. In general it is usually the old fashioned dial type gauges that come top in tests, like the Draper 69924 and RaceX RX0014.
No I don't. On that bike the faster the bend the less the counter steer. The less the tyre pressure the more the counter steer. I really believe it's different with different tyres too and I've heard it from other riders too.
Right lets get this absolutlely clear. You always counter steer or else you would not get around corners. Plain and simple. No buts or excuses. Its the truth whether you believe it or not
Oh really. Counter steering is indeed the usual and common method of steering a motorcycle. Is it the only possible method? Well no, not quite. And the proof? Well here's one example: it is possible to buy or build radio-controlled model motorcycles which can be steered so that they go around corners, which do not use counter steering but weight transfer. Since they are robotic and have no rider, all psychological effects are excluded. Here's another example: trials riders can take corners with the front wheel in the air, so they cannot possibly be using counter-steering. There are other examples. I really don't mind whether you believe this or not.
