Dirt/dual in snow
- Thread starter joey12jet
- Start date
It can be done with the conversion kit "snow explorer" I believe.
Without the kit, as soon as your rear lifts and spins, the ride is over. Snow above the front axle will cause issues too in my experience.
Ice riding is as easy as drilling screws into a set of knobbies, but wear extra armour.
Ask me how I know...
Are you riding on the street or trails? If you want to try riding on the road when it's slippery, I would recommend a light and low-powered bike. The Ape is absolutely horrendous in slippery snow (every time a piston fires the rear tire spins a bit even at idle). The worst storm I got caught in (3" of wet snow falling fast) took me 45 minutes to cover the last km home. When temps are a bunch below zero, snow isn't that much different than sand over asphalt (watch for ice under blowing snow, that will wake you up fast).
If you are talking about riding in the woods in the winter, I haven't tried it but if the snow is very deep, I could see that being more like a day at the gym than a day on the bike.
IIRC an ice racing track gets built on simcoe some years. That looks like way too much fun.
If you are talking about riding in the woods in the winter, I haven't tried it but if the snow is very deep, I could see that being more like a day at the gym than a day on the bike.
IIRC an ice racing track gets built on simcoe some years. That looks like way too much fun.
It can be done with the conversion kit "snow explorer" I believe.
Without the kit, as soon as your rear lifts and spins, the ride is over. Snow above the front axle will cause issues too in my experience.
Ice riding is as easy as drilling screws into a set of knobbies, but wear extra armour.
Ask me how I know...
$3500+ (doesn't say whether US or CDN) for snow explorer. Do you know anyone who has ridden it? Track area is still pretty small, sleds get stuck often enough with tons more float. It could be fun, but I'd want to borrow/rent one for a bit before dropping that much coin.
Is the extra armour for falling on an unforgiving surface or for protection from tire spikes?
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RalleyConnex had a demo ride in Mansfield On a number of years back, and I was fortunate enough to be able to ride one for a number of circuits.
Yeah, pricey, but the only way I know of to have FUN in the snow on a motorcycle.
The front floats from side to side in a disconcerting manner, but applying throttle always gives you thrust forward and that stabilizes you. The turn is achieved with rails that bite with more aggressive leans. They really don't like ice. You would have to ask my buddy Willie how much that attempted turn on the ice hurt, but he got up grinning. They catch air off of the drifts, and I hit every drift I could. It was the most fun I've ever experienced at -25 below. It's cheaper to buy a used snowmobile though.
The armour is for the surface. Ice won't give, my brother who studded up his KLR and rode it out onto Simcoe, found his ankle would. He found out later he had a minor fracture, but if he'd had motor cross boots instead of felt packed winter boots, he might not have broken his Ankle when the bike went down. It's also a pretty top heavy beast of a bike, and just about anything is better off road on loose or slippery surface.
YouTube videos galore on how to stud tires etc etc.
Google "Snow Hawk" while you are at it. My other buddy found the design flaws after getting serious air with it, but he's like that with his toys.
Fz750 Rider
Well-known member
I have good experience with riding in snow... I say don't! Man even with knobbies a little snow is dangerous on the road. It's like riding on ice. You could probably plow through 10" of snow off road. But, don't plan on stopping lol or you'll be in for a really good workout. Here's an insta video of my xt250 after a small storm last winter. https://www.instagram.com/p/BOFNB_GAiqs/
Edit: the short video leaves out a good 1.5 hrs of getting stuck off road and only shows the good parts
Edit: the short video leaves out a good 1.5 hrs of getting stuck off road and only shows the good parts
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Smiled when the camera shot skyward.
Had a similar experience in snow off-road... But it was only the backyard and I got the KLR out in under 15 minutes of cursing.
It was quite interesting.... 
Fz750 Rider
Well-known member
Lawrence Hacking holds an event in the winter.ALL kinds of bikes and riders.Tons of fun.Not sure when it is this winter.Here is the flyer from last year.
I went to this... it was all mud lol
48Connor
Well-known member
I can add to the riding in the snow on the streets is sketchy. I went out last winter when we had that one big snow storm with my knobbies and had to basically keep one foot dragging the ground at all times. It does get easier and smoother the faster you go though.
[video=youtube;txX0TjSmDTY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txX0TjSmDTY[/video]
[video=youtube;txX0TjSmDTY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txX0TjSmDTY[/video]
Gah, you picked the worst stuff to ride in. That snow is a nightmare.
Go out when it is balls cold and it's lots of fun (and your bike makes tons more power, a Nighthawk 450 can power wheelie when it gets cold enough).
kiwi
Well-known member
48Connor
Well-known member
You'd be fine. When I filmed this video I had maybe 2500km of riding experience, with probably only 20km offroad - no experience necessary, you just have to be tall enough to flat foot a bike with a 35" seat height.
Wouldn't do it again though. You can see I keep taking my hand off the bars to open and close my frozen over visor which was keeping the snow and wind out of my eyes. After the ~20 minute ride I was so cold I could barely push the bike back into the garage. Plus the chain rusted up right after.
It's not necessarily the snow but what's under it that changes if you can ride on it or if you're tippy toeing around. If it's frozen sand or hard dirt you're ok. Grass, leaves, sticks, roots, ice, and you'll end up on your face fast. Maybe really well packed snow thats almost frozen might be ok.
A few minutes of this crap and when you hit sand in a corner next summer, you will be amazed at how you are able to deal with it. If you don't get killed by other traffic, riding in the snow is a great way to improve your balance/smoothness/positioning etc.
And don't use your front brakes, they are a fast ticket to the ground.
frasermanx
Well-known member
We raced with the Steel City Riders in Hamilton in the wintertime on bear ice covered with snow sort of pounded down and it was a hell of a lot of fun unbelievably fun without spikes just bear bear tires here's a picture
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Sent from my A1-810 using GTAMotorcycle.com mobile app
? tires sounds interesting does the fur help traction
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