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Tyre pressure conundrum 1200S Monster

Desmonut

Registered
Joined
Dec 5, 2024
Messages
8
Location
Bishops Frome
Bike
M1200s
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. 😆. 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.
 

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Well done for spotting that. I've never heard of a front tyre having a higher pressure than than the rear, although I have come across some typos in the various manuals and some vagaries concerning torque setting and so forth.
I always used to reckon on a 2psi difference between front and rear with cross-ply tyres, but I run the radials on the Monster 4psi apart 32-36psi.
Bizarrely my more modern bike has the same front and rear @36psi.
 
I reckon you’re about right. I’ve got a 996 which is 32-36 from memory and a 888 which recommends 32-35.
Given the 1200R workshop manual says 2.3-2.5 bar and the downloaded 1200S handbook says the same as well as the Pirelli website, I’m going for F 2.3~R 2.5 bar. But I still have a nagging doubt…………so annoying
 
Take a look at the right side of your headstock, tyre pressures are printed there for quick reference. F33 -R36 solo and F36 -R42 with pillion from memory.
I will take look tomorrow and if it's different I'll let you know.
 
Take a look at the right side of your headstock, tyre pressures are printed there for quick reference. F33 -R36 solo and F36 -R42 with pillion from memory.
I will take look tomorrow and if it's different I'll let you know.
Good tip mickj, thanks. I’ll take a look 1st thing tomorrow
 
Take a look at the right side of your headstock, tyre pressures are printed there for quick reference. F33 -R36 solo and F36 -R42 with pillion from memory.
I will take look tomorrow and if it's different I'll let you know.
I've looked at the headstock both sides. Several stickers but all to do with Euro regs etc. . No information regarding tyre pressures though. Thanks for the input anyway.
 
I've looked at the headstock both sides. Several stickers but all to do with Euro regs etc. . No information regarding tyre pressures though. Thanks for the input anyway.
Here is a picture of mine, I was close.
 

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higher front tyre pressure would fit with a high powered motorcycle on track, since the rear is going to heat up more in use and both tyres will reach similar operating temperatures. i agree it is a little odd on the road. on the stock super corsas i found my r wanted to be pushed hard in the corners and felt a bit vague and unnerving if you weren’t giving it some beans.
 
higher front tyre pressure would fit with a high powered motorcycle on track, since the rear is going to heat up more in use and both tyres will reach similar operating temperatures. i agree it is a little odd on the road. on the stock super corsas i found my r wanted to be pushed hard in the corners and felt a bit vague and unnerving if you weren’t giving it some beans.
Cheers. I agree and have come to the conclusion that the Handbook suppled with the bike when I bought it secondhand in December was a issued with a misprint. All digital versions I’ve found including the one sourced via my DOCUK membership APP show a more expected and sensible 2.3bar front and 2.5bar rear. That is what I’ll be using for solo riding on the road.
I suspect that all the previous owners have been riding it with a lower rear pressure than recommended by Ducati which must have felt a little unusual when driving through fast corners.
Anyway I’m happy to have settled on what I now think is correct.

Thanks to everyone for their input and happy & safe riding.
 
Here is a picture of mine, I was close.
Cheers for th time take on this reply. My bike doesn’t have this sticker just a handbook with an incorrect tyre pressure recommendation. I assume at some point Ducati realised this and sent out an amended document. I’ll probably never know. Thanks for your input.
 
Reccomended tyre pressure are either complete Bollox or very subjective, and at best a general guide ,,,, our older models were developed 30 years ago and tyre technology has moved on , so have the required pressures ,, also each rider has preferences , and weight and maybe pillion... Even recently developed newer bikes its only a guide....
 
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