[DonRich90]

:idea: This item looks promising as a possible solution to those of us who have problems checking and/or adding air to our tires. The chuck is attached to a flexible hose from the gauge and clips onto the valve stem. You then can read the pressure and add or bleed air directly from the gauge. I ordered one today. If it works as advertised, it's worth the $20 or so.
Take a look : http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm?fa=p&pid=2348

Don

 

[Brian]

That looks like a winner, Don.

If it works as advertised -- and especially if it doesn't -- I hope to see a user's report here soon.

 

[DonRich90]

Will do Brian. I should have it in 2 work days and we'll see how it works.
Don

 

[Doctor K]

I've gone with these to visually check the pressure everytime I ride it.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=123128

 

[DonRich90]

Be careful, Jim. I have a buddy who had one of those types leak on a trip down Skyline Drive a number of years ago and leave him with a flat. The shop in VA where we went after reinflating the tire told us he's seen a number of problems with those caps. He inflated the tire, replaced both valve caps and my buddy didn't have any more problems.
In a post here within the last week or so someone said that one of the vendors stopped selling these caps because of problems with them and the distributor/manufacturer wouldn't warrenty them.
Don

 

[Doctor K]

You convinced me. They will be off tomorrow morning! Thanks.

 

[DonRich90]

Hey, that's why we're all here. Better safe than sorry.
Don

 

[pauljo]

:idea: This item looks promising as a possible solution to those of us who have problems checking and/or adding air to our tires. The chuck is attached to a flexible hose from the gauge and clips onto the valve stem. You then can read the pressure and add or bleed air directly from the gauge. I ordered one today. If it works as advertised, it's worth the $20 or so.
Take a look : http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm?fa=p&pid=2348

Don

I have that tire gauge - or at least mine looks identical to it. The only problem that I have with it is that I sometimes can't get a good air seal using that hose fitting. I have to maintain downward pressure with my hand to keep air from leaking. I think the top of the Burgman valve stem is not quite long enough to be completely compatible with that hose fitting.

 

[DonRich90]

Thanks Paul. I should have it next week and I'll let ya know if I have the same problem.
Don

 

[DonRich90]

I received my tire gauge this afternoon and I went right out to see how it worked. In a "nutshell", it worked perfectly (after playing with it a little to learn how best to route the flexible hose and fitting to the valve). I worked from the left (kickstand) side of the bike.
With the bike on the centerstand, I put the front valve stem on the front wheel at the 6 o'clock position. I then threaded the coupling on the end of the hose thru one of the large triangular openings in the rotor so the coupling would come down directly over the valve stem. While squeezing the lever on the coupling, the coupling slid easily onto the valve stem and I pushed the coupling all the way down on the stem. As we all know, there isn't a lot of room in this area to work but, even with my big hands, it was relatively easy.
When I released the lever, the coupling gripped tightly but I could hear an air leak. By again squeezing the lever and moving the coupling around a little on the stem (as per the instructions on the package) I got a tight seal. And then, while holding the gauge in my left hand, I simply pressed the chuck from my compressor onto the fitting on the gauge body and added air while watching the gauge. When the gauge showed the correct reading, I released the chuck and was finished.
For the rear wheel I placed the valve stem at about the 4:30 - 5 o'clock position. In this area there isn't a lot of room between the wheel hub and the top of the valve stem but the hose on the gauge is flexible enought to put the coupling on the valve stem by bending the hose to almost 90 degrees. The coupling made a tight seal on the first try and I filled the tire while holding the gauge in my left hand while pressing the chuck onto the gauge body with my right. Easy!
In anticipation of Paul's problem of not being able to get the fitting on the hose from the gauge to seat/seal properly on the short valve stem, I purchased some valve stem extensions but didn't need them.
I checked both tires with with my old faithful Michelin gauge and found the readings to be virtually identical to the readings from the new gauge so I'm satisfied that the gauge is accurate (at least close enough for government work). I purposely overfilled the rear tire to test the air release feature of the gauge and it worked fine.
Don

 

[DonRich90]

Let me add one more thing. When you squeeze the lever and remove the fitting from the valve stem there is practically no air loss. The fitting slips off very quickly and easily without tugging or twisting.
Don

 

[pauljo]

Being able to slightly overfill the tire and then bleed the air down to the correct setting is the best thing about this type of gauge. I'll try the twisting thing to seat mine the next time I use it.

I actually have two of these dial gauges with bleeder valves. I carry the one like you have when I'm on the road. (My 12 volt portable air pump doesn't have a built in gauge, so the air pump fitting on the gauge is nice to have).

The one I use in my garage does not have the attachment clip, but it has a right angle chuck, which makes it a bit easier to use. It lacks the air pump fitting, but the big 110v air pump I use in the garage has a built-in gauge anyway. I don't trust it for accuracy, but it's good enough to know when I've slightly overfilled the tire. Then I just bleed it down to the proper setting with the air gauge.

 

[lifegetter]

Let me add one more thing. When you squeeze the lever and remove the fitting from the valve stem there is practically no air loss. The fitting slips off very quickly and easily without tugging or twisting.
Don

I begin to use a bicycle pump for the rear tire -- real pain on the rear -- and it works great, with virtually no airloss when off.