Voge tyre pressures by model, solo and with a passenger

Every figure below is the pressure printed in that model's own owner manual. All are cold pressures: pressure rises as a tyre warms, so a reading taken after a ride is not the value the manual specifies.

The pressures

Values in kPa. Division by 100 gives bar, so 220 kPa is 2.2 bar, approximately 32 psi.

Model	Solo, front / rear	With passenger, front / rear
DS900X	220 / 250	250 / 290
DS800X Rally	220 / 250	220 / 250
DS625X	220 / 220	250 / 250
DS525X	220 / 220	250 / 250
650DSX	220 / 220	250 / 250
525R	220 / 220	250 / 250
525ACX	220 / 220	250 / 250
500DS	220 / 220	250 / 250
500R	220 / 220	250 / 250
SR4 Max	220 / 240	240 / 260
300DS	230 / 230	-
300R	230 / 230	-
300AC	230 / 230	-
125 R	230 / 230	-
300 Rally	225 / 225	-
SR1	225 / 225	-
SR1 ADV	225 / 225	-
SR16	225 / 225	-
FR150	225 / 225	-
SR450X	220 / 240	240 / 260
SR3	220 / 240	240 / 260
250RR	225 / 225	-
250 Rally	225 / 230	-

A dash indicates that the manual gives a single figure and prints no separate pillion column.

Three models deviate from the pattern

The DS900X requires more pressure at the rear, 250 kPa solo and 290 kPa with a passenger, where most of the range runs equal pressures front and rear. It is the heaviest motorcycle listed, at 238 kg with a load capacity of 205 kg.

The DS800X Rally prints identical figures in both columns, 220 kPa front and 250 kPa rear whether ridden solo or two up. That is what the manual states, and it is unusual enough to warrant a check against the owner's own copy.

The SR4 Max runs the rear harder than the front in both columns, which suits a scooter carrying its weight behind the rider.

The 300 Rally manual contains a misprint

The French edition prints "2225 kPa", which is not a pressure. The Portuguese edition of the same manual gives 225 kPa front and rear, and that is the figure to apply.

Why cold measurement matters

A tyre gains approximately 10 kPa for every 10 °C of temperature rise. Ten minutes of riding produces a reading 20 to 30 kPa above the true cold value, and bleeding the tyre down to the book figure at that point leaves it underinflated once cool.

The check is best made in the morning, before the motorcycle is moved. Where it can only be made at a filling station after a ride, approximately 30 kPa should be added to the target and the pressure verified properly when cold.

The consequences of incorrect pressure

• Under-inflation: heavy steering, resistance to turning, and a tyre running hot enough to shorten its life. This is the condition that causes failures.
• Over-inflation: a reduced contact patch, therefore less grip, and a harsher ride.

The manuals call for a monthly check. On a motorcycle fitted with TPMS the dashboard will warn, but only at the thresholds the system uses, which lie far outside the correct range.

Loading changes the requirement

The pillion column applies to load rather than to a passenger specifically. Panniers, a top box and a week of luggage load the motorcycle in the same way. A rider travelling heavily loaded alone should use the pillion figures.

Related pages

Tyre and rim sizes for each model are listed in tyre sizes and rim widths. The TPMS thresholds, which differ substantially from these figures, are covered in tyre pressure warnings, and the permitted load in weights and load limits.