We are all aware that we need to try to help save the planet’s resources, and it seems we are confronted with a new way to be more “green” on a daily basis. One of these crazes has been to fill the tires with Nitrogen instead of regular compressed air, but is there really an advantage to using Nitrogen? I decided to check into it, here is what I learned.
Almost 80 percent of the air that surrounds us now is Nitrogen, the remaining 20 percent is composed of; Oxygen, Argon, Carbon Dioxide, Neon, Helium, Methane, Krypton, Hydrogen, and Xenon. So, I had to ask will using pure Nitrogen even make a difference over the air we breathe already? To answer this and the other questions I had, I did some research on Nitrogen and used I also used it in my 1998 Ford F150 tires with aluminum wheels for one summer as a test.
Here is some Q&A on Nitrogen filled tires:
Q: Will Nitrogen hold the pressure in your tires longer than air?
A: This question is based on the fact that Nitrogen molecules are larger than other gas molecules that make up the air we breathe. The theory is that Nitrogen is too large to fit through the microscopic holes in the rubber compounds that make up our tires. This may be true, but the air loss in tires is from leaks at the rim seal or the valve stems where the size of the molecule would not matter.
Q: Did Nitrogen hold pressure longer in my truck tires?
A: No, I still had to check my tire pressure and fill it as often as before.
Q: Will Nitrogen in my tires keep my rim and from rusting?
A: This question is based on the myth that Nitrogen does not react to temperature changes like air, meaning that Nitrogen is an inert gas. Well, that’s not true. Nitrogen will react just like Oxygen at low temperatures but at higher temperatures Nitrogen will bond with other gases like Oxygen to make toxic compounds like Nitrogen Oxide, a very corrosive gas, so it is not inert. However, museums do use pure Nitrogen to keep rare works of art from decaying, as it does not react the same as Oxygen does. Nitrogen may not be an inert gas as it can bond with Oxygen, but if there is no Oxygen in any given environment, you cannot have corrosive oxides like rust, which is after all Iron Oxide. So, yes Nitrogen could in ideal conditions prevent corrosion, however inside your tire is far from a perfect condition. I could not verify if Nitrogen did anything in my truck tires to prevent corrosion, so I have no experience to draw upon to help answer this question.
Q: Will Nitrogen give me better gas mileage?
A: I have heard claims that Nitrogen can give you an increase in MPG by 1.6% due to the fact that it is slightly lighter than air and does not retain moisture. Nitrogen is slightly lighter than air however it is slightly soluble in water so moisture in your tire can lower the pressure, which will in turn lower your MPG. I noticed no increase in the MPG of my truck if anything over time it got a little worse.
Q: Will Nitrogen make my tires handle better?
A: This question based on the lighter than air factor of pure Nitrogen. All I can say on this is when I used Nitrogen in my truck it felt softer, a little squishy, and I felt a more disconnected from the road, this is not a feeling I would like to have on my bike.
Q: Where did people get the idea to use Nitrogen in their tires in the first place?
A: The only information I could find on this is that Nitrogen is used in airplane tires, but this is only due to the fact that Nitrogen is non-flammable and will not support combustion.
Q: Would I recommend using Nitrogen in your motorcycle, car or truck tires?
A: Taking into consideration all I learned, I would not recommend using Nitrogen in tires on any over the road vehicle, and I definitely do not recommend it in motorcycle tires due to the squishy feel of it in my truck tires. I think the extra charge of $5.00 a tire to get Nitrogen put in your tires is not worth it unless you really want the green valve stem caps that the garage puts on your valve stems when they fill your tires with pure Nitrogen.
-Ride smart, Biker Chad
Great article Chad. Thanks!
I have talked to a few bikers that fill their tires with nitrogen instead of compressed air. They say that the tires stay inflated to full capacity longer with the nitrogen than they do with air. The downside is that nitrogen is expensive. Also, you can’t just pull into a gas station and top of your tires with nitro.
Thank you Pam! It seems there are more bikers using Nitrogen in your neck of the woods, it is not as popular where I live (Wisconsin). But there are guys I know who swear by it. My truck may not have been the best test vehicle for the article, but it was meant to show a worse case scenario I.E. leaky valve stems and beads, in any event I learned a lot from doing the test. I also really enjoyed writing the article.
-Ride smart and enjoy the AZ warmth -Biker Chad
Chad,
Thanks for your attention to the research and details. My personal understanding of all that’s said here is the absolute importance of checking and maintaining accurate pressures in the tires on your motorcycle. It has been my experience that 2 lbs of air pressure is noticed in handling.
Mike
Thank you Mike! And yes, i think all to often people do not check the tire pressure on the bikes as often as they should. Temp changes, addition of passengers / luggage etc can all effect how much air is we need in them. I am in the habit of checking my tire pressure at tank fill up. Proper tire pressure extends the life of your tires and keeps your bike handling and braking safely.
Biker Chad!! AZ. Rider is lucky to have you, a prolific writer and true Biker on their team.. Yea I’m tooting your horn brother and it comes straight from the heart! I was in AZ last Oct. played at a Cave Creek Bike Run.. I’m looking forward to retuning this year! I love the desert!
Ride Safe Bro! See you on the road this year!
Thanks Charlie! I appreciate the feedback.
Hmmm… I have been running nitrogen in my BIKE tires for the past 2 years… There was a one time cost of 10 bucks at S&S Tires. I can go in anytime to top off if I choose and whenever I get new tires they have been filling them for me for free. Also there is no problem mixing air with nitrogen so if I need a few lbs I do not hesitate to hook up the air pump. . My main reason for using nitrogen in Arizona is this: Expansion. I put my tires at 40lbs and go from a 80 degree garage to 110 degree asphalt – add in friction and no telling what my tire temps are. I am confident that I am going to stay right around that 40lb mark give or take a few with nitrogen. Surely expansion vs. retraction in our climate places wear on our tires. I am not concerned with corrosion on my aluminum rims using air. I am also not sure if nitrogen in truck tires is a good comparison for nitrogen in bike tires. Just my opinion…
…I need to clarify… I am NOT saying Nitrogen does not expand. It does. Nitrogen’s ambient temperature is cooler and the gas fluctuates “less” than straight air. The bottom line is, you will still see pressure changes with nitrogen but, overall, your tires will run cooler and at a more consistent pressure than if they were filled with air.
Very good point Glen! I found after writing the article that Race car drivers have been know to use Nitrogen for the same heat / expansion reasons you have listed. Thanks for sharing your information, i really appreciate it.
I also agree the test done in my truck was not the best. At that time I was unsure about putting Nitrogen in my bike tires as I had never used it before and my bike was on the road being used for a display at rallies.
-Ride Smart, Biker Chad
By the way – Great article you wrote! There is another matter I am really curious about… The using of balancing beads in MC tires… Any chance of an article on that? Thanks Chad!
I have heard of the balancing beads, they are supposedly suspended in oil and will do away with having to have your tires balanced. I have been curious about these as well. I would be happy to track some down and test them. It may take a bit of time due to my schedule but it is something i will look into this year. Thanks for the suggestion Glen.
Yo BC! Solid article… nitrogen does make sense if you are on the bleeding edge of performance.
Keep the tech articles flowing… well done bro!
Thanks Chuck! I guess I am to damn old to be an AMA racer HA HA HA! Keep the shiny side up bro, see ya on the road soon!