Tire Pressure Monitoring systems

[BF]

Jeff's thread (ChrisJ) about plugging his tire got me to thinking about a TPM. 

Looked at this one from Big Bike Parts.....

http://www.bigbikeparts.com/Inventory/Navision/13-315A?catalogNo=

And this one from Stop N Go.....

http://www.stopngo.com/tiregard-wireless-tire-pressure-monitoring-system/

The one from Stop N Go is cheaper, but looks to be the same system as the one from Big Bike Parts. 

Was curious about the added weight (although I'd think it's very small) to the valve stems. 

Any thoughts on these and other available systems....the good, the bad, the pluses and minuses.....and I guess the biggest question of all.....do they work and are they worth the price?

[Valkpilot]

Jeff's thread (ChrisJ) about plugging his tire got me to thinking about a TPM. 

Looked at this one from Big Bike Parts.....

http://www.bigbikeparts.com/Inventory/Navision/13-315A?catalogNo=

And this one from Stop N Go.....

http://www.stopngo.com/tiregard-wireless-tire-pressure-monitoring-system/

The one from Stop N Go is cheaper, but looks to be the same system as the one from Big Bike Parts. 

Was curious about the added weight (although I'd think it's very small) to the valve stems. 

Any thoughts on these and other available systems....the good, the bad, the pluses and minuses.....and I guess the biggest question of all.....do they work and are they worth the price?

They do look like the same units.

I'm running the BBP units on both bikes.  I got them through e-bay and they were about the same price as the S&G.

They consistently read 1.5 to 2 psi lower than my digital or analog guages, which is OK as long as you're using them to judge relative change and not expect a dead-nuts-on reading of your pressure.

They save the last reading received before shutdown and display this until the PSI changes by at least 1.

The little sensor/transmitter valve caps don't weigh much, although they look massive.  If you have all metal valve stems such as the Patchboy or Jake Wilson, they are not a problem at all.  I don't think I would run them with the OEM stems for any long period of time.

A benefit to these is that you can use Ride-On balancing/sealing compound with them  That's not true of all in-the-tire systems.

[Disco]

HayHauler and I run the Doran 360M.  http://www.doranmfg.com/motorcycle-tire-pressure-monitoring-systems.htm

Valkpilot makes a good point about in-tire sensors being incompatible with Ride-On, or similar, but the valve stems included in the Doran allow either in-tire or out-of-tire installation.  I have mine in-tire and run Dyna Beads, but you could mount them outside and go Ride-On (and save yourself the PITA of wheel/tire breakdown to replace sensors when their batteries go dead or waiting to replace the tire outside the offending sensor...   )

The Doran also gives you the choice of headpiece with LCD readout or simple warning light.  Either way, you program the sensor for the desired pressure and it gives you the first warning at 12.5% low and the second warning at 25% low.  For example, if programmed for 40psi, the warnings occur at 35psi and 30psi. 

I believe the BBP unit provides tire temperature.  The Doran I have does not.  I'm not sure if later models do, or not. 

Whichever way you go, I believe you will derive lots of comfort being able to easily monitor your tire pressure.  I have.   

[Oklahoma_Valk]

Way kewl. They need to drop the price down to about 79.99 though.

[BonS]

HayHauler and I run the Doran 360M.  http://www.doranmfg.com/motorcycle-tire-pressure-monitoring-systems.htm

Valkpilot makes a good point about in-tire sensors being incompatible with Ride-On, or similar, but the valve stems included in the Doran allow either in-tire or out-of-tire installation.  I have mine in-tire and run Dyna Beads, but you could mount them outside and go Ride-On (and save yourself the PITA of wheel/tire breakdown to replace sensors when their batteries go dead or waiting to replace the tire outside the offending sensor...   )

The Doran also gives you the choice of headpiece with LCD readout or simple warning light.  Either way, you program the sensor for the desired pressure and it gives you the first warning at 12.5% low and the second warning at 25% low.  For example, if programmed for 40psi, the warnings occur at 35psi and 30psi. 

I believe the BBP unit provides tire temperature.  The Doran I have does not.  I'm not sure if later models do, or not. 

Whichever way you go, I believe you will derive lots of comfort being able to easily monitor your tire pressure.  I have.   

Interesting that you're using Dynabeads with the pressure sensors inside. I've wondered about that. I have my Doran sensors on the outside and the Schrader core sticks open (with beads) whenever I remove the pressure sensor to add air. I don't like that. I've been hesitant to put the sensors inside with the beads because I don't know how they'd like to get bead blasted or possibly plugged with beads. How long have you had yours rolling with the beads??

[Disco]

Hi Bon,

I ran the combo of in-tire sensors + dyna beads for 7,020 miles (14,040 tire miles) on the 'wing before it got totaled Sep '09.  If I had a problem, I was never aware of it.  

I pulled the headpiece, mount, and wires off the 'wing before it went away and installed it on the Valkyrie in April '10 at 22,066 miles.  Since then, I've put almost 39,000 miles (almost 78,000 tire miles) on the Valkyrie with the combo of in-tire sensor + dyna beads in front and rear with no known problems.  At my last tire change in July '12, I did find one bead stuck in one of the slots in a sensor, but the 2 year old sensor looked untouched and had performed normally (until the battery in one died and they both were replaced).  

Hope this helps,

DFG  

[Thunderbolt]

To each his own, but for me the thought of having something press down the valve core and hold it open all the time just doesn't sound like a good idea.  The cores press upward and seal with the rubber gasket.  If you use the TPMS that presses them down, all that is keeping the air in the tire is the gasket on the TPMS that you squish when you screw it on.  YMMV.

[jer0177]

To each his own, but for me the thought of having something press down the valve core and hold it open all the time just doesn't sound like a good idea.  The cores press upward and seal with the rubber gasket.  If you use the TPMS that presses them down, all that is keeping the air in the tire is the gasket on the TPMS that you squish when you screw it on.  YMMV.

That was my concern about an aftermarket TPMS system too - along with the hideous display units that attach to a keychain, etc.  I wasn't aware of the Doran system - their sensors will mount inside the tire, like an OE unit, and the display is a permanent mount type.  Might start scrimping pennies to get that one.

[BonS]

Thanks, Dave. I'll be putting mine inside.

Some years ago I had external pressure indicators (visual) on the valve stems of my car. Eventually the sun, and time, got to them and they would pop and deflate the tire. The second time that happened they had to go.

On the other hand, I've had tire shops destroy internal rim mounted TPMS at $100 apiece. They wouldn't admit what they did and it required a trip to the dealer to pair the replacement sensors. You'd think that every tire installer would be aware of damaging these devices at this point.

[Disco]

I've had tire shops destroy internal rim mounted TPMS at $100 apiece.

That is a major consideration during tire changes that's much easier to manage when you or a buddy has tire-changing equipment!   

For the curious, the last replacement sensors I purchased from Doran were $25.00 each.