Doran 360M Tire Pressure Monitor Update

Phil Tarman

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When I mounted my Doran Tire Pressure Monitor, I forgot one trivial detail. I mounted the monitor on the right-hand "speaker" grille and never thought about having a brake fluid reservoir in the way. I also have realized that the monitor is a pretty dense block of metal and circuitry -- I'd guess it weighs 2-4 oz. So, now I've remounted it on the instrument panel. The ledge at the bottom of the instrument panel supports some of that weight.

I had a new rear tire mounted the last Monday, the day after I installed the TPM. I noticed when I got on the bike at the dealer that the rear tire had 38psi instead of 42. As I rode, its pressure went up pretty quickly and the rear was at 40psi by the time I'd ridden 3-4 miles. It stayed there all the way home (25 miles).

I also noted that I had 38psi in the front. So, on Friday evening I adjusted the rear tire pressure. I've got a Roadgear digital pressure gauge and it showed 43.5psi when the rear was at 42psi. I haven't bled the front tire down to 36psi cold yet.

My observations on the three days I've ridden the bike have been that the rear tire pressure goes up 2-3psi in 3-5 miles and the front goes up 1-2 in the same distance. When I was coming home from the dealer, the front tire pressure actually went down 1psi when I was running about 55mph on a long straight stretch.

It's supposed to be fairly warm tomorrow and Tuesday and I'm planning on getting some more miles in.

The other anomaly I've notice is this. Doran says that the red light will blink once per second when the tire is 12.5% lower than the baseline pressure that's been set; twice per second when the tire is 25% lower than baseline. It also illuminates when there's a 2.8psi pressure drop in a 12-second period.

When the rear tire was at 37-38psi after dealer installation, both times I went to the garage the red light was on, but not blinking. It went off almost as soon as I started riding, before the pressure increased. Since I've increased the pressure to the baseline, I haven't seen the red light.
 

Gabe

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Apr 19, 2012
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Thanks for the feedback Phil! Very interesting on the pressures... it seems some tweaking in pressure to avoid a warning. I'm trying a wireless bluetooth system in March (when it ships) and I'll have to compare notes. I wonder how much temperature plays a factor in the range of PSI pressures such as when it starts to warm up.
 
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
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Leesburg, Virginia
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As I recall you have your system set so that the monitor is always on. If so, it is possible that when you park the bike, the sensors can be in just the perfect location where the wheel sensor signal gets blocked, in that scenario, you'll have the red light illuminated and "---" displayed by the LCD. Slightly moving the bike so the wheel sensor's position changes will quickly clear that issue up. You're system may not have been indicating a low pressure situation but instead a missing wheel sensor signal.

You'll see that happen after about 2 years when the sensor batteries start to wear out. The rear tire normally shows the first signs (furthest away from monitor so weak signal shows up first) and when the temps start getting cold.
When I mounted my Doran Tire Pressure Monitor, I forgot one trivial detail. I mounted the monitor on the right-hand "speaker" grille and never thought about having a brake fluid reservoir in the way. I also have realized that the monitor is a pretty dense block of metal and circuitry -- I'd guess it weighs 2-4 oz. So, now I've remounted it on the instrument panel. The ledge at the bottom of the instrument panel supports some of that weight.

I had a new rear tire mounted the last Monday, the day after I installed the TPM. I noticed when I got on the bike at the dealer that the rear tire had 38psi instead of 42. As I rode, its pressure went up pretty quickly and the rear was at 40psi by the time I'd ridden 3-4 miles. It stayed there all the way home (25 miles).

I also noted that I had 38psi in the front. So, on Friday evening I adjusted the rear tire pressure. I've got a Roadgear digital pressure gauge and it showed 43.5psi when the rear was at 42psi. I haven't bled the front tire down to 36psi cold yet.

My observations on the three days I've ridden the bike have been that the rear tire pressure goes up 2-3psi in 3-5 miles and the front goes up 1-2 in the same distance. When I was coming home from the dealer, the front tire pressure actually went down 1psi when I was running about 55mph on a long straight stretch.

It's supposed to be fairly warm tomorrow and Tuesday and I'm planning on getting some more miles in.

The other anomaly I've notice is this. Doran says that the red light will blink once per second when the tire is 12.5% lower than the baseline pressure that's been set; twice per second when the tire is 25% lower than baseline. It also illuminates when there's a 2.8psi pressure drop in a 12-second period.

When the rear tire was at 37-38psi after dealer installation, both times I went to the garage the red light was on, but not blinking. It went off almost as soon as I started riding, before the pressure increased. Since I've increased the pressure to the baseline, I haven't seen the red light.
 
Joined
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Tijeras, NM
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Temperature out here plays a HUGE part.

I can leave home with tire pressures set cold at 38psi (40F). When I get to work they are usually around 40psi and tire temps are around 60F.

When I come out for lunch the bike has been in the sun and the tire temps are around 80F, pressures are 42 or so. Ride it around and pressures will go up a pound or two from that.

Next morning start all over. :)

FWIW, on hot summer days tire temps will be 110F and air pressures might go over 45psi (set 'cold' at 38).

I also put these monitors on the RV when traveling. I used to get upset by tire temps over 100F on a 70F day. But, then I got an IR thermometer and found out the road temps were close to 100F when the air temp was only 70F.

Too much information can be scary :)
 
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Phil Tarman

Phil Tarman

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Charlie, the Doran TPM doesn't show temperature and I'm almost glad it doesn't. I tend to pay too much attention to too much information. :)

Rob, your explanation makes a lot of sense. I had noticed that the missing sensor warning is a solid red light, but didn't think of the possibility of a stationary bike blocking the signal.
 
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