[Carlsberg Wordsworth]

So now she's booted  with new Mitas tyres (stock sizes) and just over 100 miles in, the front feels a little loose on the bends and roundabouts. Also slight wobbles around 60mph.

Now admittedly not the best day to try a new pressure what with hurricane aftermaths and a screen but does this mean I should experiment by going up or down in pressure?

I've searched a bit but couldn't find a conclusive answer. Current are 26F 29R. Rear warms nicely but front does not. I've never been able to get any tyre increase at roughly 10% like Vince once suggested.

[Fragman]

Try 18-20 psi on the front & 24-26 on the rear. It should make for a better ride with better control.

[Blairio]

I normally run 28 on the rear and 18 on the front - as per my G5 owner's manual. With these pressures my bike is stable up to 70mph ( I have not taken her above that).  I recently took my girl friend out for a brief spin on the bike, and it became clear that the rear shock absorbers (Hagons) and the tyres needed revised accordingly.  The symptoms were:

1. front end seemed light at low speeds, especially when cornering.
2. the rear was sitting lower than it should.

I am 13.5 stone and my girl friend 9 stone. The encouraging thing was that the engine seemed un-phased by the additional load, so I guess I just need to sort out 1 and 2 above.

The manual states that I should increase the tyre pressures to 20 front and 30 rear when carrying a pillion.  It doesn't seem like much of a hike over the solo settings... but that's what RE says.

[Rattlebattle]

I don’t know about the G5 but the pressures quoted in the handbook for the C5 ( at least my 2015 one) are way too low. I prefer to use the pressures recommended on the tyre manufacturer’s own website (Avon in my case). These are something of the order of 28 and 30 psi, though I can’t give the precise figures as I’m away from home at the moment.

[Carlsberg Wordsworth]

Mitas don't supply any 'minimum' pressures from what I could find, only maximum.

Just for the record, my previous AM26 were happy at 27F and 29R as per Avon website. So thought I'd got for the Avon recommended for the Speedmasters (24F, 29R)and base off that but they didn't feel that good.

So today things feel a lot better with 28R, also notched the rear suspension up from lowest (5?) to the 2nd from bottom and 25F. Feeling a lot better. Have to adapt to a different riding style from riding with the AM26s on. Even managed to get the rear to an 8.something% increase in psi on  a half spirited ride on the way home from work, so that'll be as close as that will get.

I have to say that I felt more confident on this setup. Given how cheap these tyres are, they seem quite grippy. Subjective I know, I'm not a peg/knee scarper hahaha.

[Richard230]

On my B5 I use 24 psi in the front tire and 32 psi in the rear tire.  My recollection is that is what Dunlop recommends for the Royal Enfield.  That has worked well for me in all types of riding and loads.

[1 Thump]

So now she's booted  with new Mitas tyres (stock sizes) and just over 100 miles in, the front feels a little loose on the bends and roundabouts. Also slight wobbles around 60mph.

Now admittedly not the best day to try a new pressure what with hurricane aftermaths and a screen but does this mean I should experiment by going up or down in pressure?

I've searched a bit but couldn't find a conclusive answer. Current are 26F 29R. Rear warms nicely but front does not. I've never been able to get any tyre increase at roughly 10% like Vince once suggested.

The image in your avatar is too small to tell clearly but looks like you have a B5. Frame geometry related wobble issues were common to the early C5's. Lowering tire pressure was the recommended solution for those early C5's.

Your problem sounds like a new onset, probably after a tire change. I'd go over both the tires, bolts, rims, pump up to recommended pressure per the manual, and check for wheel alignment. Lastly, you may need to balance your wheel.

[wildbill]

if these new tyres look similar to the Dunlop K70's - I once put a set of those on a C5 with no problems and experienced this

1. the seating height appeared to be a tad higher up with the new tyres on
2. it didn't feel quite as sure footed on the road as the original Avon's and did move about a bit.
only had them on the bike or had the bike short term so never got the chance to thoroughly test them
I would say though - give them a few 100 miles to bed in and I think you could be experiencing is a softer tyre compound moving about slightly on the road
that was my impression with the K70 movement compared to the avon

[Dharmabum]

I followed the manual and had 18 in the front and 28  first service 500 ks was asked why my tyre pressures are so low - I followed the hand book. Response was this is not India we have good roads ( Australia ) the manual is wrong put 32 and 36 which is what I run.  No problems coming up to 10,000ks

[tjupille]

If you haven't already read it, check out the thread on "C5 Death Wobbles":
https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/index.php/topic,25534.0.html

[Blairio]

I don’t know about the G5 but the pressures quoted in the handbook for the C5 ( at least my 2015 one) are way too low. I prefer to use the pressures recommended on the tyre manufacturer’s own website (Avon in my case). These are something of the order of 28 and 30 psi, though I can’t give the precise figures as I’m away from home at the moment.

I have just checked the Avon website, and for RoadRider tyres fitted to an Electra they quote 27psi front and 29psi rear - pretty close to what you remember. On the basis of this, my rear tyre (currently at 28psi) is not to far away from the recommendation, but my front tyre (18psi as per the manual) is miles out. I'll stick them at 28psi front and 30psi rear and see how the bike behaves with my pillion.

[Rattlebattle]

IIRC there was an earlier thread on here or the Hitchcock’s forum to the effect that the handbook pressures are wrong and, like the ludicrously low recommended initial running in speeds,hadn’t been updated to reflect the then new UCE engine. I don’t know about Mitas tyres but the Avons are for tubeless as well as tubed tyres and, as such, have stiffer sidewalls which is why they are tough to remove. Years ago tyre pressures were relatively soft (eg 17/19 psi for my pre-unit Triumph). That was how it was when the Bullet was made in Redditch. But the world has moved on and the tyres now perform less of a role as part of the suspension - try running an old Triumph on typical modern pressures. Personally I like the Roadriders - they seem pretty sticky to me and to last well. I’ll probably put a set on my Thruxton when the original Metzelers wear out. BTW the handling issue with the earlier C5 wasn’t the frame, it was the forks that had a leading axle. The setup didn’t suit the C5 which now has the axle placed centrally in the fork legs. Not all earlier C5s necessarily had the wobbles.

[Carlsberg Wordsworth]

Wet today but didn't feel too wishy washy. Perhaps a small adjustment. Will take the screen off to see the effect (just as get I get it more or less spot on lol)

So next question. I would think that tyres for tubes are stiffer than tubeless, even if they are fitted with a tube as that would explain Avon 9for example) minimum recommendations? I know I've read somewhere that you should knock some of the speed rating off a tubeless tyre if fitting with a tube.

[jefrs]

Try 18-20 psi on the front & 24-26 on the rear. It should make for a better ride with better control.

Avon actually recommend 27F/29R +2 for pillion and +2 for extra luggage
With only 18psi in the front the tyre will try to roll off the rim and feel like you are riding on a flat..
The oem tyres on the (export) in the UK are Avon Roadrider (AM26) which have excellent grip and road holding in the wet. Mitas I'm afraid are a rather cheap brand.
The pressures given in the RE handbook seem to be for the old crossply tyres used years ago, quite dangerous.

The wobbly sensation at the front most likely down to wrong (low) tyre pressure - or the Mitas tyres.

Skidmasters (SM) are called that for good reason, avoid. Pirelli have zero wet grip.

The 'new' straight front forks are quite different to the old 'bent' ones, they have progressive springing and better damping. The rake/trail is different but the steering angle has been compensated to place the wheel at about the same distance out. The Bullet and Classic frames are not the same here because the Bullet as a larger rear wheel. Both models have relaxed steering geometry which makes the bike want to go in a straight like, the opposite of a very 'pointy' race bike.

[johno]

I'm running Mitas Ho1 and Ho2, they are good tyres for my B5 and I run it up to an indicated 80mph on occasion. I run 25-26psi front and 32 psi rear with the rear (standard ) shocks on position 3 from the softest.
I also have the larger avon style fairing fitted.
For the wobbles you are feeling, check your wheel alignment by sighting the run of the chain, not by wheel axle distance along the swingarm.
Also check the swingarm pivot bolt is tightened to 50lb/ft or 70Nm,