I think I know why my range has only been about 35 miles (56 km) per charge.
The tire pressure was about 10 psi below recommended levels.
The pressure levels were fine a month ago when I first got it.
Hopefully this will improve my range a little. I just bought an air compressor to keep at home to do this more often.
How often do you check tires with a motorcycle?
Is it normal for these types of tires to lose PSI within 4 weeks?
It is normal for any tire to loose pressure over time. My car tires loose about 0.2 bar/month, that's why I check the pressure in the tires every month and I always fill them about 0.1bar above spec.
Low tire pressure is definately a cause of more friction and lower range.
I was just surprised that the rear tire dropped from 42 psi to 30 psi within 4 weeks. That seems excessive to me. I will watch it closely for a few weeks to see what is going on.
Yes, that is a bit to much. The max. in 1 month should be around 10%. My suggestion would be to contact the dealer and have them replace the tire.
I would agree that the pressure loss is excessive. If not the tire, it might also be the wheel itself. It is not unusual to have porosity in a new aluminum casting that allows air to slowly escape. Over time, oxidation of the aluminum tends to seal this up. If you suspect the wheel, spray the inside with clear lacquer to seal.
No - NEVER lacquer the rim, I've suffered countless slow deflations with there being a superb seal between the tyre and the lacquer, with the air escaping underneath the lacquer and rim. Only by removing it completely was the seal restored. Lacquer degrates very quickly.
- Raymond
Morrison,
I had a similar experience after I got my Vectrix last summer. I wasn't in the habit of checking the pressure regularly, and when I finally after a couple of months of riding it, I also discovered that I'd been riding on severly underinflated tires.
The problem has lessened considerably over time. Whether that's due to seating of the tire on the rim, porosity of the wheel, etc., I can't say. Nowadays, I check the pressure at least once a week, and I find that it slowly declines over time, on the order of 1 psi/week.
Of course, as ambient temperature varies, the pressure will also be affected (see Boyle's Law). And don't forget to check the pressure in the morning before riding, when the tire is sure to be at ambient; after riding the pressure will be higher due to the tire being warm.
You also have to remember that these are tiny wheels and tires, compared to what runs on most cars and motorcycles. A tiny volume of air can make a LOT of pressure difference when there isn't much in there to begin with.
DaveD,
That is all good advice. I will be checking weekly going forward. Now that I have an air compressor it is easy to stay on top of. I don't like using them at gas stations and paying money for it. I'd rather handle it in the comfort of my garage. :-)
Well, yes, of course! Why on Earth would you go to a gas station? They have nothing you need anymore! :-)
I just got back from a long ride with my properly inflated tires. As one might expect, it was completely different with my range.
I have driven this set route before with many hills and speeds between 30 mph to 50 mph most of the way. Hills, including a few steep ones.
My miles ridden was 33.5 miles and I still had 3 bars left at the end.
On previous trips (with tires below proper PSI) I would not have even made it on this route and had to cut it with a shortcut home.
So to state the obvious..... INFLATE THOSE TIRES FOR EXTENDED RANGE !!!
Good to hear!
/Thumbs up
Now do 1 deep discharge if you haven't done any until now ;-)
Twinkies!! :-)
I've had my Vectrix for a week now, and it's been a week since I've been to the gas station. This machine may cause me to lose some weight! HAHA!!! :-)
Good to hear you've got your range back, Morrison!
I'll put a plug in here for the tire gauge that I carry on my Vectrix: http://www.roadgear.com/index.php?page=Product&id=110. It's a talking digital gauge, with the business end angled to work well with motorcycle/scooter tires. I can hear you saying "gimmick!" regarding the talking feature, but it's really quite nice to hear the reading and not have to look at it. Makes for quickly checking the pressures. I think that Roadgear is buying this from a Chinese manufacturer and just having its brand put on it. If so, I would expect that a Bar units model is also available from some other company, though I've not gone looking for one.