Monster 1200S Tyre Pressures conundrum

[Desmonut]

Just bought myself a 2019 Monster 1200S and am just finding my way around it after decades of Ducati ownership (and many other makes). I’ve always done most of the maintenance myself, in fact everything except the desmo valve clearances really. So much to my amusement I read the 330 page handbook, most of which is how to use the instrument panel, and finally found the section on drive chain adjustment. I laughed out loud to find this is now considered something for your local Ducati main dealership. Grinning squinting face . Finally found out how to do it on line - phew!

Next up was to check the tyre pressures. The handbook to my amazement shows the front tyre pressure to be 2.3 bar and the rear 2.1 bar. What trickery is this? I’ve never owned any motorcycle with what I consider back to front tyre pressures. Sure it must be a typo in the handbook?? I have searched forums and not found anybody else querying this. Perhaps I just haven’t been thorough enough? I managed to download a 1200R workshop manual which shows pressures more in line with my thinking, i.e. lower front than back. The Michelin website amongst many others on a Google search confirms what I think should be normal, yep you got it 2.3 bar front and 2.5 bar rear.

Then recently I downloaded a digital copy of the Owners Handbook from UK DOC and lo and behold the page showing recommended tyre pressures is 2.3 front & 2.5 rear. Well bugger me! I can’t be the only one who has come across this? Am I going mad!?

I attach the poor photo from my handbook and the excerpt from the downloaded digital handbook. The previous owners of my bike must have all set the tyre pressures to the handbook supplied and experienced pretty wierd handling characteristics?

Hey ho! Onwards and upwards.

[MrSmooth]

You make a good point, conflicting information on the tyre pressures front and rear, possibly even a typo in the handbook? The tyre manufacturer will always play safe and tell you that it should be 2.3 and 2.5 bar (~33 psi and ~36 psi) 2.1 bar is ~30.5 psi.

You can play with tyre pressures and you can vary them to suit your riding style, body weight, road surface quality and ambient temperature. I always feel the temperature of my tyres after a ride and inspect the edges and surface quality of the tyre.

Personally, I talk to my trusted bike tyre fitter. I’m 134kg with my riding gear on, at the heavy end of the rider scale. On my S1000RR I have a sports/touring harder Bridgestone S23’s and he insists that I ride them not at the 36F 41R psi (2.5F and 2.8R bar) as stated on the manufacturer site but at 35F/38F psi (2.4F and 2.6R bar). He’s right, I have confidence in my tyres whilst I am riding in rain or shine, the tyres are always lovely and warm and the tyre surface and edge quality still look great.

So, apart from the possible typo in the handbook, have a chat with your trusted tyre technician and don’t be too afraid to the vary the pressures slightly to see if they make a difference to the feel of your ride.