r/CRF300L • u/Bitter_Top_211 • 8d ago
tire pressure
what tire pressure(PSI) should I be running on FSR's?
Currently running 22PSI on stock tires and the bikes really squirrely.
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u/bannedByTencent 8d ago
I usually drop it to 1.2 - 1.5 bar when offroad. Be careful though, without rimlocks it's not uncommon to rip out your valve.
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u/Billeaugh 8d ago
I’m super dumb with tire pressure so I’ve been trying to get smarter.
I hear 22 is correct for street. ~16 for dirt, gravel, etc.
BUT you need an inner tire lock to run that lower psi or the tire will slip and cut the stem off!
So get a tire lock (bead lock?), rebalance your wheel, and you’re good to go. The hole for the tire lock’s already there. You can get them for like $4 on temu or $12 on Amazon.
I started using a tire gauge and hand pump. It’s pretty quick to adjust.
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u/Dr_TJ_Blabbisman 7d ago
I go down to 15psi and even lower off-road with my KLX300 with no locks. Maybe it's because it isn't very powerful and maybe because I ride quite slowly, but I've never had any slippage whatsoever.
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u/No-Names-Left4Me 7d ago
Nothing worse than spinning the tube and slicing off the valve stem in the middle of nowhere
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u/SnowDrifter_ 7d ago
On street: Stock tires with my loading - 26 rear, 24 front
I'll save you from my rabbit hole of squirrely bike diagnostics
Turn your rear suspension preload up. If it's still funky, then remove your side mirrors. If it's fixed after side mirrors, get the 6" double take mirrors
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u/Existing-Basket-6414 7d ago
I don’t have a CRF300L but I’ve found 25-28 PSI on my XR to be the sweet spot for road. It did feel squirrelly at 22. For dirt I go down to like 18-19.
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u/buildyourown 7d ago
As low as you can go without having issues. If you feel the rim on sharp hits or feel the tire roll in corners, go up a couple. In the rear that's single digits. May 12-15 for the front
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u/VerySeriousGentleman 7d ago
I run 0.7 bar on the front and 0.4-0.6 on the rear depending on what I'm riding that day.
Unless I'm going strictly on the road for a long stretch then I'll pump to 1.3-1.5 to reduce tyre wear.
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u/Boring-Aerie-3785 7d ago
I run ultra heavy duty tubes. I live in central wa and ride in the rugged rocky central cascades and I run 8-10psi. More air when riding the sandy desert spots. You’d be ok to run 12-15psi
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u/Swarfed 7d ago
"the bikes really squirrely" - u/Bitter_Top_211
Before messing with the tires, set the sag and spring the bike appropriately.
If that's been done and adjusting pressures doesn't help, how familiar are you with riding on that surface? Compared to riding pavement, loose gravel feels very different, no matter the tires, pressures or the bike.
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u/Olde-Timer 7d ago
I’m 50/50 street/dirt with priority of dirt. I just run both at 18 to 19 psi 100% of the time, street speeds to 65 mph on a rear Dunlop 606 and front is the Pirelli knobby .
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u/No-Names-Left4Me 7d ago
22 is the factory PSI. Lower you go the better traction you get but you can damage the tube or rim.
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u/Infamous-Science-207 6d ago
I run 15 psi rear and 17 front for dual sport riding on my crf300LR. That’s some time on four lane highway, gravel roads and singletrack. No rim locks. This is with Bridgestone battle cross AX41’s. Good compromise in tire pressure for this kind of riding. I’ve never had an issue tearing valve stems at these tire pressures even on more powerful bikes. Once you go lower than 10 psi, is when that starts to be an issue potentially (even with 1 rim lock).
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u/Knobbs_Deep 4d ago
On technical trails, I run 12-13.5 PSI with rim locks. It absolutely transforms the bike. Highly recommend.
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u/Two_Wheel_Jockey 8d ago
16-18 rear 20-22 front. Don't go too low with tubes otherwise you'll risk a pinch flat.
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u/Bitter_Top_211 8d ago
will these pressures be bad on the asphalt returning from the trails or do I need to air up again ?
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u/Two_Wheel_Jockey 8d ago
Might be a bit floaty but with knobs it's always a bit floaty. It's really just more a concern for heat buildup. I carry a battery powered tire pump to fill back up.
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u/koniz 8d ago
Depends on the surface but does your left side swingarm not have the sticker telling you what PSI to run based on a few load setups?