Bandit Alley

FAQ TOPICS => GENERAL MOTORCYCLE FAQ => Topic started by: Red01 on January 02, 2006, 05:20:16 PM

Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: Red01 on January 02, 2006, 05:20:16 PM
Here's the MCN tire gauge shootout:

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d35/paulweit/Bandit%20Alley/TireGage01.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d35/paulweit/Bandit%20Alley/TireGage02.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d35/paulweit/Bandit%20Alley/TireGage03.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d35/paulweit/Bandit%20Alley/TireGage04.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d35/paulweit/Bandit%20Alley/TireGage05.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d35/paulweit/Bandit%20Alley/TireGage06.jpg)

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d35/paulweit/Bandit%20Alley/TireGage07.jpg)
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: Red01 on January 02, 2006, 06:19:57 PM
In the event something should ever happen to the images, or you can't read them for some reason, MCN did a shootout of 22 different tire pressure gages. Scoring categories are pretty self-explanatory, except pehaps Durability. Durability was tested by pushing each gage off a 40" high work bench onto a concrete floor two times and then retesting the gage for accuracy.
(Like a torque wrench or any precision instrument, you shouldn't subject it to falls or rough treatment if you want to be able to trust it.)

Here's their test standard:

Intercomp Digital #360045
$395-$295

Intercomp Racing (http://www.intercomp-racing.com)[/list]

I'll list the gages in the order the finished, rather than the alphabetic order they appear in in the article scans above.

MCN BEST BUY:[/b]
Auto-on Digital Tire Gauge
$9.99

Griot's Garage (http://www.Griotsgarage.com)[/list]

MCN Recommended:[/b]

RoadGear
$24.99

RoadGear.com (http://www.roadgear.com)[/list]

Talking Tire Gauge 63-1205
$9.99-$12.99



Accu-gage S60X
$6.99



NAPA Tire Pressure Gauge 90-378
$7.99



Accutire Key Chain MS-46B
$13.99

TireRack.com (http://www.tirerack.com)[/list]
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: Red01 on January 02, 2006, 07:37:48 PM
Here's how the rest of them faired:

Professional Tire Inflating Gun 92549
$49.99

Griot's Garage (http://www.Griotsgarage.com)[/list]

No name Pencil Gauge #2
$2-$3



Monket Grip MG8859
$2.29



No name Pencil Gauge #3
$2-$3



Slime Tire Gauge 2005-A
$3.99



Accu-Gage DT171 Talking Bilingual
$19.99



Accutire MS-4820B
$9.99



AutoSport PH60Xal
$19.95

AutoSport.com (http://www.AutoSport.com)[/list]

Accu-Gage EX02
$15.95

AutoSport.com (http://www.AutoSport.com)[/list]

Intercomp #360070
$38.95

Intercomp-Racing.com (http://www.intercomp-racing.com)[/list]

Slime Sport Gauge
$4.99



Monkey Grip #M872  
$6.99



Magnetic Mini Tire Gauge
$2.49



Accu-Gage DP120C Truck Tire Gaugel
$4.99

Poor accuracy.[/i] +5-5.5 psi across range. Fits the valve stem like a vacuum. Best of any gauge in this test, no "pssst" when taking it off. Large, heavy duty gauge with dual chuck on both ends, neither works particularly well on motorcycles.
Contact: Sears Auto Center[/list]

BikeMaster #15-1506
$10.99

Unacceptable
Accuracy: 3.0
Durability: 2.5
Form/Fit: 3.0
Readabilty: 0.0
Type: Analog Dial
Range: 0-60 psi
Claims: Simple, honest value
Comments: Unacceptable.[/u][/i] -2 psi @ 20 psi, +/- 1 PSI @ 50. Easy to read. Fitted with a release valve and swivel chuck, but pressure reading begines to fall as soon as it's removed from the tire, making reading the gauge nearly impossible on a motorcycle.
Contact: Cycle Gear[/list]
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: chupacabra on January 03, 2006, 06:54:35 AM
I've been using a Accutire Key Chain. Glad to see it did well. I like the small size and it seams fairly tuff. Had it three years now.  :shock:
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: PitterB4 on January 03, 2006, 05:05:54 PM
Cewl!  Great post, Paul.

FWIW, my only M/C related Christmas gift was the Intercomp #360070.  It came recommended by my geek, mechanical engineer-turned-motorcycle suspension specialist friend (http://www.solid-p.com/).  I love it.  I realized that my cheap, pencil-style one was WAY off.  

I would like to get that Accu keychain one, too.  The Intercomp isn't really something to throw in your pocket.
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: Red01 on January 03, 2006, 10:21:30 PM
Glad to see someone likes the post...  :grin:
It took quite a bit of time to hammer all that out. Didn't help that my scanner gave me troubles and I had to reboot a couple times to get it to finish the first part of the job. Then I ran into some weird UBB code problems in the hand-typed parts and it took several edits to get it to display the way I wanted it..
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: ldbandit76 on February 22, 2006, 01:06:40 PM
Has anyone done any comparison on the Flaig gauge?

http://www.aerostich.com/product.php?productid=16390

I bought one in a fit of geeky gadget greed, not because I really needed a fancy gauge, but because I thought it was cool...

I have since found only one owner's comment, who said it stopped working after several years (a bit of a downer).  

Thoughts?
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: vadim on April 04, 2006, 09:56:02 AM
I got the accu tire key chain one.  It's sold for under six bucks by Amazon right now.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000WODVU/103-4934141-8116651?v=glance&n=15684181

works nice, love it.  Especially compared to my old one which was a PITA to use!
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: stormi on May 27, 2006, 02:42:48 PM
I have ( had) an accu tire keychain guage.  I just threw it out.  Do -not- use it as the keychain that you use on the ignition key.  My LCD became unreadable within a year.   I suspect from bouncing around on the bars, but it could be from the elements as well.  Otherwise I quite liked it.
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: ricklee4570 on June 06, 2007, 09:40:40 AM
I have a Campbell Hausfield I bought from Wal-Mart called the Professional series.  I also bought one from Sears for $24.99 (digital)

On my car tires, one reads 36.5, the other reads 32.

That sucks! Looks like I need to buy a third and see which one is closest to being right!
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: Nitro on June 06, 2007, 07:20:27 PM
I read somewhere years ago that the stick type gauges are the most accurate. The dial type are the worst for accuracy.
Title: Tire Gauges
Post by: Sven on June 07, 2007, 01:30:50 AM
Quote from: "Nitro_Fluffy"
I read somewhere years ago that the stick type gauges are the most accurate. The dial type are the worst for accuracy.


Bizarre, I recently read something that was essentially the opposite...throw the stick guage in the trash!

I don't like the digital ones, because the batteries in them are always dead, and replacing the battery is not cheap.   I use and like the dial type with the long braided hose.

Like other numbers in our lives (such as weight, cholesterol or PSA), it's not so much knowing the number as it is knowing whether the number changes.