F650GS tire pressure???

I rode the wife's GS to work yesterday and thought it handled terribly. I'm wondering if I over did the tire pressure on the front. She's a newbe and wouldn't have noticed, but compared to my RT it was horrid. What tire pressures do the rest of you use for the street?
Thanks,
Jay

Street Pressure

I have my front tire at 32psi and my rear tire at 36psi and it handles great.

What tires does the F650 have? The factory knobbies that came on my '01 weren't the greatest road tires. I have been running Tourances, at 32 & 38 psi, since most of my riding is pavement or dirt roads and they make a world of difference.

Hmm. I may have it a few psi too high, I need to check. I'm so used to the heavy RT. I'm at a trade show all weekend and don't have time to mess with it now. It just felt like the front would slide out in a turn. And at slow speed you can actually turn the bars 3-6 inches back and forth and still be going straight down the road. That really feaks me out! You sure can't do that with my RT!

That last statement;

Turning the bars and still going straight, GOT ME. You'd better also check your HandleBars and be sure its tightened proper, especially the older 650s had the rubber grommets under there. Nothing else would make the bike feel this way! Tire pressure will not do this to a bike of any kind. I've over inflated(for heavy loads) my GS/GSA and F650 tires a few times will NO ill ellects. Low pressure will make one silly with the unknown. Check those BARS, please. Randy

beeryboats said:

I rode the wife's GS to work yesterday and thought it handled terribly. I'm wondering if I over did the tire pressure on the front. She's a newbe and wouldn't have noticed, but compared to my RT it was horrid. What tire pressures do the rest of you use for the street?
Thanks,
Jay

Click to expand...

Of course an RT is going to handle differently than a GS. I run max tire pressure or maybe a pound less than what max calls for. Each tire has their own max pressure. I am not sure which tire your wife has on her GS. Knobbies do handle differently than street bias tires. I do not like to run with low air pressure.

beeryboats said:

Hmm. I may have it a few psi too high, I need to check. I'm so used to the heavy RT. I'm at a trade show all weekend and don't have time to mess with it now. It just felt like the front would slide out in a turn. And at slow speed you can actually turn the bars 3-6 inches back and forth and still be going straight down the road. That really feaks me out! You sure can't do that with my RT!

Click to expand...

How many miles are on your wife's bike? Have you checked out the steering head bearing? A bad steering head bearing can really affect the handling of the bike which may not have anything to do with the tires. Believe me, I know!

The rider's manual for that bike will have recommended pressures. That model is new enough that those numbers will correspond with current tire tecchnology and approved tires available. My experience is that for most riders and the way you load the bike those recommended pressures will be within one or two pounds of what you would find optimal experimenting with the pressures.

From what I've seen posted here I would agree with the 30-32 front and 36 rear for that bike with most riders.

And, I would not agree with using max cold pressure which is probably 42 psi for both the front and rear tires if it has Tourances and I think the same with Anakees.

I use 30 front and 34 rear on my G650GS...that is what the owners manual recommends for a 2 up setting i thought.

tire pressure really depends on what tires your running. i am running different pressures in my Metzlers then i did in my Mefo's which i ran at a different pressure then the TKC's or the Anakees.

You can see by my signature I own both bikes albeit the 650 is a Dakar. I ride them both a lot. Handling is a relative term. When I get on the RT after a few weekends on the Dakar the RT feels like a tank. Slow to turn and cumbersome. The Dakar is nimble by comparison. On the other hand I would much rather cruise down the slab at 70 or ride fast through the twisites on the stable RT.

I follow factory recommendations for tire pressure on the Dakar. I run 30/28 for the rear/front on pavement or 28/26 if I know I will riding a lot of dirt or gravel. I run TKC80's on my bike.

Your comments about moving the bars a number of inches and the bike tracking straight sound pretty strange. That cannot be good. Follow BMWGSrider's comments about the steering head bearings. They are notorious about wearing out quickly on these bikes. Mine are starting to go at 7500 miles. Elevate the front end of the bike and move the handlebars back and forth. Bad bearings will be evident by a rough or notchy feeling in the bearings.

I run 36/38 on my F650GS.....lower and I wobble. Hate that.

The Manual Says...

...30.5 in back and 27.5 in front.