Panhead/Knucklehead 16" tire pressure

[Beemererik]

The riders manual for the 1948 Panhead shows the tire pressure for a solo rider and one passenger at 12lbs front and 16lbs rear for the 5.00 x 16 tire. This seems pretty low.

So the question I have is what tire pressures are you running on the 5.00 x 16 tire for modern long distance riding two up?

[Rollo]

I run 28 lbs. Others will have other opinions but newer tires have softer side walls that the old tires and softer compound rubbers so IMHO you can run higher tires pressures and have good performance and wear.

Tom (Rollo) Hardy
AMCA #12766

[K. Felt]

On a '65 with Coker Classics, 25 front, 28 rear. Never tried the "recommended" pressures. Just seems too low on a very heavy bike.

[vph-d]

Use the pressure recommended by the tire manufacturer. Those low pressures listed in riders manuals are completely off base for modern tires.
VPH-D

[exeric]

A friend of mine did some work on my 1951FL about 30 years ago. When he finished, he pumped my tires up to 30psi as a favor. The motorcycle was un-ride able at speeds over 15 mph. Eventually I got the bike home, and was trying to think of a nice way to tell him he fvcked up my motorcycle. I looked at that bike for hours trying to find some obvious problem, until I read the rider's handbook which stated about 15 psi tire pressure. . . I lowered the pressure, and it rode like a dream I can't remember what tires I had on it, but as others have said, modern tires require more pressure.

[duffeycycles]

Tires have maximum pressure values on them not the recomended pressure for a particular vehicle.A Mercedes may say 28 psi & the tire says max 40.Rigid frame bikes require lower pressure to be rideable.I run 25 max on my rigid bikes.