07-19-2018, 05:46 AM
I typically check and inflate the tires when "cold" and ignore the display, since as David said, they are compensated to 68 deg.F/20 deg.C. If they go down a couple-three psi I re-inflate when I get around to it. I know I am a bit of a slacker, but the bike soaks it up in stride and it appears to make little difference during my commuting rides.
As for the concept of "cold" … here in Houston we are presently in a heat wave and actually for the first time in a long time I chickened out and drove the truck in to work today rather than sit in 100 deg.F traffic going home. In my garage it can be in the 80s in the evening/night so goodness knows what is the temperature of the air inside the tire. So if I inflate to recommended 36/42 psi at that time, it means that if I were to take it out for a ride just after to see what the RDC would say (which I never did) I expect it would read lower initially as its readout predicts what the pressures would be at 68 deg.F and as the tire warms up the display (and actual) pressures would rise but would likely never agree. The only time I think that gauge and RDC pressures would agree was if the bike were sitting in a 68 deg.F garage for some time before being filled to gauge pressures - the initial readouts should agree. But as the tires warmed up the RDC reading would rise but still be predicting pressures as if it were 68 deg.F while the real pressures may be higher (or lower) depending on ambient and other factors. If the ambient temperatures stayed at 68 deg.F then the readouts should continue to nominally agree.
I rely on the TPMS for pressure loss warnings and a hand gauge for pressure setting.
As for the concept of "cold" … here in Houston we are presently in a heat wave and actually for the first time in a long time I chickened out and drove the truck in to work today rather than sit in 100 deg.F traffic going home. In my garage it can be in the 80s in the evening/night so goodness knows what is the temperature of the air inside the tire. So if I inflate to recommended 36/42 psi at that time, it means that if I were to take it out for a ride just after to see what the RDC would say (which I never did) I expect it would read lower initially as its readout predicts what the pressures would be at 68 deg.F and as the tire warms up the display (and actual) pressures would rise but would likely never agree. The only time I think that gauge and RDC pressures would agree was if the bike were sitting in a 68 deg.F garage for some time before being filled to gauge pressures - the initial readouts should agree. But as the tires warmed up the RDC reading would rise but still be predicting pressures as if it were 68 deg.F while the real pressures may be higher (or lower) depending on ambient and other factors. If the ambient temperatures stayed at 68 deg.F then the readouts should continue to nominally agree.
I rely on the TPMS for pressure loss warnings and a hand gauge for pressure setting.
Regards,
Grumpy Goat
2016 BMW R1200RS
2023 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro
Grumpy Goat
2016 BMW R1200RS
2023 Triumph Tiger 900 Rally Pro