Front tire cupping

[Bruce Bell]

Dose anybody else have problems with front tire cupping? And what causes it? Air pressure is @ 42 psi., Bike lowered 1 inch. Any suggestions?

[sixpack577]

Lower your psi.
It's gonna come up a couple psi when it gets hot anyway, so you're actually over inflated.
I run 36 hot front/rear and tires stick good there on the street.
Several things can cause cupping also.

[kromdom]

Agree with reducing tire pressure also but may be hard to see if this will correct the problem since you already have cupped tires. BTW, I also run 36 FR & RR as well.

[lankeeyankee]

Number of reasons. Your psi is to high to start most over look the fact it says MAX PSI @ XXXXLBS. Also another possibility is your suspension settings. Check the dampings and properly adjust it.

[GsxrBots]

What tires? Battlax's are known for cupping. Switch brands.

[Bruce Bell]

Battlax 16, next was Q2, now is Michelin Pilot Power 2Ct. All doing it. I'll try lower pressure.

[dadofthree]

Dose anybody else have problems with front tire cupping? And what causes it? Air pressure is @ 42 psi., Bike lowered 1 inch. Any suggestions?

I'd take ten pounds out of that front tire ........ at least five. That tire is ruined. Replace it.

[dadofthree]

Number of reasons. Your psi is to high to start most over look the fact it says MAX PSI @ XXXXLBS. Also another possibility is your suspension settings. Check the dampings and properly adjust it.

Would you believe the manual actually calls for 42 PSI cold, solo and two up riding.

[dadofthree]

Battlax 16, next was Q2, now is Michelin Pilot Power 2Ct. All doing it. I'll try lower pressure.

If lower pressure doesn't fix the problem, I would suggest getting the suspension set up for you.

[Lamb busa]

what tires? Battlax's are known for cupping. Switch brands.

wrong!

[aussiesuzukirider]

Get your suspension checked, how long since the front forks were serviced?

[Lamb busa]

Tire pressure is more than likely not the cause of cupping on your ride. You wont be able to fix the cupping with your current tires on there though. Once they are cupped, they are cupped and wont uncup even with your suspension set-up properly. Preload is prolly not your reason for cupping either, otherwise every busa sold and anybody who weighs more than 175 pounds would have this problem. so that leaves compression and rebound. dont put another tire on the bike without consulting a professional suspension guy. Obviously your tire is rebounding too fast or slow causing the tire to "bounce" for lack of a better word or your compression is too soft or hard causing the tire to "bounce". "Bouncing" is whats causing the cupping... Its uneven weight distribution through the circumfrence of the tire travel. Its not the TIRE BRAND, its the SUSPENSION. Its not your style of riding either, its the suspension.

[Bruce Bell]

I believe Lamb busa is right. I was going to get a pro to check suspension. I'm 220 without gear.

[HillbillyTom]

Tufbusa posted this suspension tuning DVD offer a while back.. Motorcycle Howto DVDs and Videos | OnTheThrottle.com
I got them both, and there is a lot of very good (though a bit deep at first) info to be had. Since the subject of suspension tuning has come back up here, I'll repost it.

[sixpack577]

I never said that the tire pressure was the cause, although it can contribute to the problem and make matters worse with incorrect suspension settings.
Keep running 42psi cold and you're asking for a crash due to lack of traction.
The service manual also recommends 42 psi because that is the tire manufacturers' recomendation(even though it is MAX Psi, and most people don't know or consider that psi goes up with heat from the friction of riding). For the manual to recommend a psi other than the tire manufacturers' would be asking for a lawsuit, since Suzuki doesn't make the tires.

[HillbillyTom]

Yeah, the 42psi thing in the manual is a lawyer statement. I don't run 42psi in either end, even when the GF is with me (40r-38f for 2 up twisties). I keep my front (Q2) at 35-36psi normally, no cupping at all, plus endless grip.

[sixpack577]

^^This, more air in the rear with a passenger.
And the Q2's stick great at 34 to 36!

[lankeeyankee]

My tires have reached as high as 125F on morning rides of 75F and increased in PSI as much as 9PSI,,,, So if your setting your tires cold at 42 then chances are your tires are 50PSI+ when riding.

As said earlier, check the suspension just as in cars when you see tire cupping its from either wrong PSI in the tires and mostly struts/shocks wore out in our case its the rebound settings. If you had a slow motion camera I am betting the tire is bouncing skipping as it hits minor bumps in the road resulting in the dreaded tire cupping.

[The Big Red One]

What tires? Battlax's are known for cupping. Switch brands.

Yep some bridgestones cup like mofo's from my experience....don't run them anymore, and cupping problem disappeared.