touring tire pressure

vanguard138

Living Legend
Joined
Jun 1, 2012
Messages
2,292
Location
Northern Michigan
Ride
2013 Rocket III Touring
According to the manual the front is suposed to be 36 and the rear 41 on the touring

I have the metzlers recommended and just had to change the front tire here in sturgis due to cupping at 12,000 miles. Not happy.

It seems to me that the dealer recommended 36 and 41.

And metzler recommends 41 on that tire. So who do you believe?
 
Metzler's would be the max, Triumph's the best for that bike, I think. 12,000 is pretty good for a front, I'd say.
 
12,000 miles and you're not happy?? I was ecstatic at getting 10,000 out of my Metzlers, I thought 8,000 out of the Avons was acceptable. Now, when I got 2,000 miles out of a set of tires on sport bikes, well that started to get a bit expensive.
 
The rear'still look pretty good and should get me the close to 2,000 miles yet to go home. I do have a spare just in case.
 
I have gotten 18000 miles out of my Metz before I changed to Avon on the front
 
I just changed out my factory tires at 6400 miles. About right for me at 190 pounds on a heavy cruiser. But, the front started cupping and caused front end handle bar shake at 40 MPH around 5500 miles. I'm still trying to figure that one out, as a touring Harley at 901 pounds will go three rear tires to one front!

I don't buy into the "Torque" thing either, as the R3 is not a front wheel drive bike! I kept both front and rear tires at 36 and 41 pounds like the factory calls for. I now have Dunlop D251s and will see how long they last. The only reason I went to the Dunlops was Dunlop specs them for the Rocket.
 
5200 miles on the factory tires and the back tire had cords showing... the front tire was badly cupped.. Now running max recommended pressures in both tires. I do 90% 2 up riding.... I would not complain about 12,000 miles either....
 
Yea I figure for as heavy of a throttle hand as I have, 6400 miles was not bad on the rear. But the front being all cupped up seems to be a regular occurrence on the Rockets. That should not be! My dealer had no explanation for it. If it was just mine I would say it's the way I ride. But everyone here seems to have the problem. My Street Glide would do three rears to one front. Same on my wife's Road King. And if you talk to most Harley touring bike riders, three to one is normal. So why does the Rocket eat up front tires????