Don't know what the myth is but firsthand experience shows benefits. Maybe not what some have claimed but the fact they do not build as much heat or the fact it doesn't leak out as fast are true. Of course the salesmen are going to go to the extremities such as better mileage and such is due to worst case scenerios. Of course if it doesn't leak out as fast and you don't like to check tire pressures often it will increase life significantly. Yeah, you can't believe all the hype but those two facts as well as better tracking are the main reason's why I use it. If you don't want to don't. Sometimes you just have to look past the bulls#$t sales techniques. I will still run it but it is also free for me. If I had to pay $12 dollars and the re'checks were included from my experience it is worth it. Happy riding.

 

Like I said before, I work for a global company that makes some of the nitrogen generating machines. All you doubters make me laught out loud. You don't have a clue what you are putting down.... (And I dont care.) HA!

Additional sources of information and testimonials:

Jay Leno Video: http://www.getnitrogen.org/n2study/video/leno.html

http://www.tiresavernitrogen.com/index.html

www.GetNitrogen.org

 

Ok, might as well put in my opinion. Michellin tires did a study and said nitrogen is not necessary as long as you check your tire inflation regularly. Almost all air loss is due to faulty valves or tire fitting, not air seeping out the sidewall. Here's a Consumer's Report study:

Tires - Nitrogen air loss study

Filling tires with nitrogen rather than air is becoming a common practice in the replacement tire market. This service offers tire dealers another avenue for making money while also promoting safety. The claimed safety benefits often include the potential for reducing air loss compared to an air-filled tire. Maintaining proper inflation can help prevent tire overheating; promote optimum tread life; and reduce rubber aging and wheel corrosion. The use of nitrogen in large truck fleets and the commercial tire industry are well documented and support these claims.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has seen reduced aging of tires filled with nitrogen. Though the data does support that passenger car tires could benefit by all the claims made for nitrogen, tire manufacturers say that they already design tires to perform well with air inflation. And while nitrogen will do no harm, manufacturers say that they don't see the need to use nitrogen, which generally adds $5 or more per tire charge.
Consumer Reports wanted to find out if nitrogen is worth the price, so we purchased a Nitrogen Inflation System and checked out how well the inflation held up over a one year period. We evaluated pairs of 31 tire models of H- and V-speed rated, all-season tires used in our tread wear test from 2006. We filled one tire per model with air and the other with nitrogen. The test was quite simple: fill and set the inflation pressure at room temperature to 30 psi (pounds per square inch); set the tire outdoors for one year; and then recheck the inflation pressure at room temperature after a one year period.
The tires were filled and deflated three times with nitrogen to purge the air out of the tire cavity. We also used an oxygen analyzer to be sure we had 95-percent nitrogen purity in the tire--the claimed purity limit of our nitrogen system, which generates nitrogen gas from ambient air.
The test started on September 20, 2006 and the final measurements were taken on September 20, 2007. The results show nitrogen does reduce pressure loss over time, but the reduction is only a 1.3 psi difference from air-filled tires. The average loss of air-filled tires was just 3.5 psi from the initial 30 pressure setting. Nitrogen-filled tires lost an average of 2.2 psi from the initial 30 psi setting. More important, all tires lost air pressure regardless of the inflation medium, so consumers should check their tires' air pressure routinely. No evaluation was done to assess the aging claim.
Bottom line: Overall, consumers can use nitrogen and might enjoy the slight improvement in air retention provided, but it's not a substitute for regular inflation checks.
--Gene Petersen
Added 10/11/07:

I don't use nitrogen, wouldn't pay for it. If you prefer it, go for it.

 

nice study barjbar, unfortunately sitting and operation are different. I service a lot of cadillac's right now which have sensor's in the tires that turn on a light when they get too low. Bottom line- more complaints with air in tires rather than nitro. I think I am done with this subject now. Happy riding.

 

Michelllin study:

Michelin officials recommend nitrogen only for tires used "in a high risk environment and/or when the user wants to reduce the consequences of a potential abnormal overheating of the tire-wheel assembly (for example in some aircraft applications)," according to a company statement.
But for all other tires in normal use, nitrogen "is not required and does not necessarily bring the expected benefit.
"It is true that the physical properties of nitrogen reduce the pressure loss due to the natural permeability of the materials of the tire and thus the broad use of nitrogen will in general assist motorists with pressure maintenance.
"Nevertheless, the existence of several other possible sources of leaks (tire/rim interface, valve, valve/rim interface and the wheel) prevents the guarantee of better pressure maintenance for individuals using nitrogen inflation"

I have a compressor and check the pressure of my tires regularly which is what both studys say is necessary. If you do that, there's no benefit to nitrogen.

 

Bottom line for persistent ramblings about the marvels of Nitrogen gas:

I am the Aviation Maintenance Officer for a 16 airplane VIP unit in Germany. I have been flying for the Army for 22 years and flying commercially for 30 years this year. Corrosion reduction is the 99.9% reason we fill our tires, on both airplanes and wheeled helicopters (Blackhawk/Apache and Chinook).

The near zero pressure loss benefit is not a consideration, though changes in ambient temperature (that's outside temperature) does cause minimal variation in the tire pressure (That's the other .01%). Since we operate from -53 to positive 52 degrees Celsius in the environment we fly, this is a consideration too. We just don't want a wheel fracture due to a metal fatigue at 115 knots during takeoff and landing.

Tire heat is due to friction with the paved surface, noise is caused by tread design and tire inflation and most pressure loss is due to valve fittings and improperly seated tires.

It's personal choice in the end. If it's working for you then go for it. I'm not a "naysayer" like quoted earlier. The 32,000 takeoffs and landings I've made on Nitrogen filled tires in the real world validates that test data posted in this thread.

 

If you get a flat on the road or have low tire pressure you can't do it....

You can't mix regular "air" with nitrogen

It's like mixing dinosaur oil with synthetic oil....

It's like mixing Brake fliud Dot 3 with Dot 5,WD-40 with LPS,Turtle wax with Eagle 1

Take your chances and void the warranty.....LOL...LOL

 

I realize you were just joking, because I know better. But many here seem to not know so for the record, the air around us is already 78% Nitrogen and yes you can mix all you want as it just lowers your Nitrogen content. The percentage necessary for the Nitrogen to be "useful" was found to be at 93% concentration. here are the facts:
---

Benefit ONE:
Because nitrogen molecules are slightly larger and less permeable than oxygen and all the other gases in air, it migrates considerably slower through a tire or tube. On average, it might take a tire inflated with nitrogen about four to six months to lose two psi, whereas even a well-maintained tire inflated with compressed air could lose about two psi per month.

Benefit TWO:
The air around us is full of water vapor. It’s called “humidity.” Compressing air concentrates the water in it and chances are there’s lots of water in your compressed air. What’s the harm in that? Water vapor in compressed air acts as a catalyst, accelerating rust and corrosion, especially in aluminum. Nitrogen on the other hand is very dry.

Benefit THREE:
Water vapor also absorbs and holds heat. And, when it changes from liquid to vapor, water expands tremendously in volume. So, tires inflated with wet air tend to run hotter and fluctuate in pressure more. The expansion of the water vapor in your tires is one of the reasons you should always check your air pressure BEFORE you ride, not after. This expansion problem is also why racing tires, (where fractions of a psi can radically change handling), are inflated with dry nitrogen. Less heat build up also reduces the chances for catastrophic “blowouts.” Naturally, this is one benefit that can be especially important to any motorcycle owner and rider.

Benefit FOUR:
Less heat build up translates into longer and more even tread wear and the more constant pressure translates into better fuel economy too. That makes it a GREEN product and good for our ecology as well!


Benefits of Nitrogen Inflation
• Less inflation pressure loss
• Less inflation pressure fluctuation with heat
• Reduced wheel corrosion
• Longer tread life


Normal compressed air is about 78% Nitrogen to begin with but inflating (or re-inflating) using a source of at least 95% pure Nitrogen certainly has its pluses. These benefits are numerous as stated above and there are plenty of studies and real life examples to support and prove these claims as well. If you take a tire that’s just been mounted, and inflate it with 95 percent nitrogen, you’ll end up with a concentration of about 93 percent nitrogen in the tire. Why wouldn’t it be 95 percent? Because the tire was full of ambient air to begin with so there was some oxygen in it before you added the nitrogen. But 93% is good enough to do the job! (Many truck fleet maintenance departments for example will fill their tires, deflate and then refill again to achieve a slightly higher concentration of Nitrogen still.) Nitrogen is generally inert, non flammable and totally safe to use.

So, where do you find it and how much does it cost? Check with Motorcycle dealerships in your area or specialty motorcycle or tire shops. Those dealers who cater more towards “sport bikes” are likely to have it and many auto dealers are also now buying Nitrogen filling machines as well so any shop that caters to sports or performance is a good place to start looking. The cost per tire is generally in the $6 to $8 range each and you will likely get replacement “green” valve caps to indicate the tire is Nitrogen filled. One hint is to tell them to put in 2 pounds more then you really want and after you are home, you yourself can gradually lower the pressure to exactly where you want it. (Better then being a pound or so low and having to go back, right?)

Now the important thing to remember is that just because nitrogen provides consistent inflation pressure over longer periods, doesn’t mean there is no longer a need to regularly and properly check tire pressure. Tires still need to be checked using a calibrated tire gauge and when a tire is “cold” - meaning when a tire is at approximately the same temperature as the surrounding air. Typically this is before a vehicle has been driven, or driven less than one mile. Ideally with a motorcycle you should check your tire pressure before each time you ride as you could lose pressure for a variety of external reasons. (Better still is to always do a pre-ride TCLOCK check which includes the tires.)

 

Aviation for 30+ yrs, I know all about nitrogen and it's uses....this "thread" is very very entertaining to say the least....

I got to throw some humor into it

 

I can agree it is humerous reading some of these responses, but for the record, which side are you on?

PRO or Con? (Guessing PRO since your are into aviation)