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MotoGP Tyre Pressure Gauge/Motrax Digital Tyre Gauge - Kevin Turner compares two pieces of kit that should do the same job… so why is one MUCH better than the other? Discuss…

MotoGP tyre pressure gauge - so why is this so much better than the other one? Read and find out I'm paranoid about tyre pressures; I check them at least four times a week and never let them run more than one PSI either side of the manufacturer's suggestions. A handy, mobile pressure gauge is therefore something of a priority.

So first off, I picked up a Motrax Digital Tyre Gauge, as it should have pushed all the right buttons (no pun intended). It is about the length and weight of a marker pen and fits snugly under my seat.

It set me back about a tenner and was a total waste of money.

Seriously, it might be practical in terms of size and weight, but the display only reads PSI (so no use in France where everything is in BAR) and it turns itself off after something like ten seconds - just long enough to get it attached.

Worse than that the battery life is pretty poor and the only thing that seems well made on it is a stupid screw that makes changing the battery a real pain. The little rubber button on it fell out meaning the only way I could turn it on was by pushing the now exposed electrics against something metal and I was never convinced it provided an accurate reading anyway. Finally, it was awkward to attach, which invariably resulted in me losing a PSI or two before I'd got it fixed on to the wheel.

Ditch the Motrax and pay an extra three quid for a MotoGP tyre pressure gauge (I got mine from Jaws Motorcycles - excellent service). The name suggests you're buying a kids' toy, but it's a really good bit of kit. It's much easier to attach than the Motrax gauge, seems more robust, and displays pressure in PSI/BAR/kPa/kg-CM. It has a pressure release button too which is quite handy when you get carried away.

I've only been using it for a couple of weeks but it's head and shoulders above the Motrax. It might be ever so slightly less practical in terms of its packaging, but I'll gladly sacrifice that for a gauge that works, offers excellent features, and, more importantly, gives me peace of mind at 140mph.

Verdict: Motrax Digital Tyre Gauge 3/10 MotoGP tyre pressure Gauge 9/10

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