Hitchcocks Forum

What is the best pressure to use in a front tyre?
Odd question I would have thought as the handbook says 18psi but I've got my Classic 500 back from it's first service (No - not a rich sod! - a seventyfifth birthday treat) and found the front tyre at 25 (twentfive)psi. I checked with the supplier and am assured that they have tried out various pressures and found this to be good as 18psi is too low. Is 18psi too low? Is 25psi the best? What do others find to be the best please?

I suspect 18psi is a long term misprint, 25PSI is far better. In my opinion 18PSI is not only too low it is dangerous.

I have a 2002 500cc deluxe, I just think that means a bit more chrome and I use 25 psi front and 30 psi rear and I weigh 12st 7lbs in the buff

Yeah, 18psi might have been okay for a stiff sided 1950s tyre but it's too low for modern rubber. I checked with Avon as my bike has roadriders and they said 27 front and 29 rear. In practice I've found 24 front and 30 rear feel right for me, but then I've fitted quite high "sit up and beg" handlebars so I've probably shifted some weight off the front.

I have 2 bar in both front and back.. (that's 29 psi). Works for me on my solo classic 500.

Like 2CVandy I use Avon's recommend pressures of 27 and 29psi (for RoadRiders, Skidmasters may well be different). For me a bar is somewhere to have a drink 🥃. My C5 is fairly tolerant anyway; it's hardly a racetrack tool..

I have always gone with the handbook for my continental 535 which states 20 psi for front on the pirelli sport demons as fitted from new, so maybe I am under inflated ???

The Handbook says 18. The Workshop manual says 32 front-36 Rear. Probably because of tyre creep causing valve stems to tear out.