How to Maintain Bike Tyre Pressure for Better Performance?
If you see the Indian market, the sales in quarter 1 (April 2022-June 2022) of the financial year 2022-23, you will be surprised to know that 54% growth was witnessed in the two-wheeler segment. (Source:https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-news/motorcycle-sales-grow-38-percent-year-on-year-in-april-june-2022-425198)
The heavy growth percentage shows the craze of Indian customers toward bikes. If you ask every youngster in India, they must have a dream bike on their bucket list. So, it is essential to know how one can maintain their dream bikes in decent condition for a longer time.
You will experience a bumpy ride if there is excess tyre pressure; mileage and performance will deteriorate in case of lesser tyre pressure. What do you need to do then? The correct answer would be to maintain the tyre pressure of your bike. Maintaining the correct tyre pressure can help you experience a smooth ride and better mileage each time of your ride.
Let's find out how the pressure of a bike can be managed without any hassle-
Tips for Maintaining Tyre Pressure Effectively-
Here are a few tips which can help you maintain your bike tyre pressure all the time:
- Weekly Pressure Check: Tyre pressure of your bikes should be checked by authorized fuel pumps once a week. Check your tyre pressure according to the use of your bike. If you are a heavy bike user, in that case, you must do your tyre pressure check in two to three days at least. Similarly, if you are a light bike user, in that case, you must consider checking your tyre pressure once a week.
- Maintain the pressure level specified by the company to avoid below adverse consequences:
- Under inflation, the condition can build excessive heat in the tyre that may cause frequent tyre failure, sloppy handling, heavy steering that can lead to personal injuries, and pure fuel economy. Tyre life can also get reduced due to underinflation. If you notice your tyre is feeling a little soft with an extensive contact patch, it is a sign of an under-inflated tyre.
- Overinflation can create cuts, which lead to punctures and cracks. It can lead to a small contact patch; you can face a hard time with that. If you notice your tyre is feeling a little hard with a small contact patch, it is a sign of an under-inflated tyre. Over-inflated tyres are like knobby balloons because the ability to conform to the ground reduces when you run more tyre pressure. So, when you feel your bike's rear-end is sliding around much with more bouncing up and downs and providing less traction, it means you carry too much tyre pressure.
- So, we must ensure the pressure is maintained correctly. Properly inflated tyres provide better handling, better tread life, and a comfortable ride experience.
- Use a Good Quality Gauge- We all know that tyre pressure is critical, so you must use a quality tool to check the accurate tyre pressure of your bike. If you use pencil gauge just because these are very cheap and convenient, then you must know that the maximum time it gives inaccurate measure. Having your tyre pressure gauge can always help you prevent heavy possible repair expenses. The best solution is to use a decent gauge to give accurate pressure details.
Read more - Here are Effective Tips on How to Take Care of Your Bike's Tyre Pressure
You must remember that you should put your gauge at a place in your bike where you can always use and see it when the need arises.
- Check the valve stem and rim of your bike: If you keep your ear closer to the valve stem and rim, you can hear if the air is coming from your tyre. You can use this technique when you don’t have any gauge with you at that particular time.
- Never ignore any stress marks on your tyre. Mostly you can see it on the sidewall of your bike. It is a sign that you should check your pressure now.
What are the Benefits of Maintaining Tyre Pressure?
Maintaining tyre pressure can give you a lot of benefits and a reliable grip. Some of these benefits are:
- A reliable tyre structure can be created if we properly maintain the tyre pressure of our bike. It means when you go into a corner and change the loading on that particular tyre, you can easily predict the way the tyre will squish and deform. If your bike has low tyre pressure, you will not be able to predict the deformation and feel like you are riding a nervous motorcycle, reducing your confidence to ride that bike.
- Efficient performance can only be achieved if you maintain the tyre pressure recommended by the company on their manual.
- The traction and stability of the bike will also improve if we maintain tyre pressure.
- Reduces the chances of accidents and personal injuries of the rider to the greatest extent.
- Most of all, you will experience a smooth and comfortable riding experience on each ride.
Conclusion
Think this way, you have already spent more hardworking money on purchasing your fancy dream bike, but all of that is a waste if you don’t check or maintain your tyre pressure regularly.
Bikes are expensive. We need to take extra care of them. You can always take preventive measures to avoid any financial losses that might happen if you don’t maintain your bikes properly. The preventive measure is, buying bike insurance. It will give you extra protection. You can do bike insurance online from the best bike insurance company available in India. Nowadays, motor insurance is easy and less time-consuming.
Read more - 10 Tips for Keeping Your Bike in Great Shape
Add ons for your Two Wheeler Insurance
The tyre loss pressure over time without any use is called normal leakage. Normally bike losses are 1-40psi without use or damage. This kind of tyre pressure loss is not avoidable.
Consider lower tyre pressure only if you are riding on a very loose surface or as a rider you have a very lightweight. Always remember with a lower tyre pressure on the loose surface, you have to raise tyre pressure again at the time you get back on the road otherwise, your tyre will get punctured.
The only thing in your bike is the tyre which constantly comes into contact with the road and affects things like traction, stability, and treads life. So, it is highly advisable to check tyre pressure at least once a week. Always consider checking tyre pressure when it is cold.
Most people think the number listed on the tyre sidewall is the correct tyre pressure measure, which is not true. It is the maximum allowable tyre pressure, which is not recommended. For the recommended tyre pressure, consider the pressure mentioned in the owner’s manual or refer to a sticker on your bike's swing arm or frame.
Different conditions also require different pressure. If the road is wet, you may need a low-tyre pressure bike because there is low traction. Similarly, if you are going faster and the ground is a bit harder, your bike may need a higher tyre pressure.