Resend my activation email : Register : Log in 
BCF: Bike Chat Forums


SNOW!!!!

Reply to topic
Bike Chat Forums Index -> Random Banter Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4
View previous topic : View next topic  
Author Message

ms51ves3
Super Spammer



Joined: 07 Jun 2007
Karma :

PostPosted: 13:14 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jenks wrote:
i still cannot understand/belive all of the panic in the uk... Its only a little bit of snow!!


Agree.

A guy on Facebook has just said that everyone should just get winter tyres. What for? The two weeks of snow we get per year. You may as well just get taxis everywhere. It'd be cheaper.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

Bendy
Mrs Sensible



Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Karma :

PostPosted: 13:31 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

ms51ves3 wrote:

A guy on Facebook has just said that everyone should just get winter tyres. What for? The two weeks of snow we get per year. You may as well just get taxis everywhere. It'd be cheaper.


You do realise that they're not just for snow, don't you? The rubber compound is designed for temperatures below about 5 degrees, so it's quite valid to be using them throughout the whole winter.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

Jenks
World Chat Champion



Joined: 22 May 2006
Karma :

PostPosted: 13:37 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Correct bendy. And they are so much better. People are just driving normally here despite the snow. Most people have snow chains or whatever. But they don't use them unless its so bad. At the moment, the only people using them are the post and the farmers.
____________________
1978 MZ TS 250 1 Supa 5
1992 yamaha fzr1000 exup
1998 aprilia af1 sintesi
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

iCraig
World Chat Champion



Joined: 04 Jun 2004
Karma :

PostPosted: 13:39 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

I personally think we should have intermediate tyres here in the UK, as the cost of everyone having 2 sets of wheels/tyres is something like £5.5 Billion according to Honest John, and then there is space needed to store them....
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

WildGoose
White Van Man



Joined: 20 Mar 2002
Karma :

PostPosted: 13:56 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Outside in a corner of the garden under a tarp at a push, or the dark corner of a shed.

How much do people waste on far less important things? To give some meaning to the figure of 5.5 billion.
____________________
So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

ms51ves3
Super Spammer



Joined: 07 Jun 2007
Karma :

PostPosted: 14:04 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bendy wrote:
ms51ves3 wrote:

A guy on Facebook has just said that everyone should just get winter tyres. What for? The two weeks of snow we get per year. You may as well just get taxis everywhere. It'd be cheaper.


You do realise that they're not just for snow, don't you? The rubber compound is designed for temperatures below about 5 degrees, so it's quite valid to be using them throughout the whole winter.


Yes, but can standard tyres cope below 5 degrees? Yes. OK, glad we cleared that up.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

Bendy
Mrs Sensible



Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Karma :

PostPosted: 14:12 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

ms51ves3 wrote:

Yes, but can standard tyres cope below 5 degrees? Yes. OK, glad we cleared that up.


Yes, but not as well.

I did back to back runs this morning, up to the garage on standard tyres, back home on winter tyres. The journey home was grippier, despite more snow falling in the time it took them to fit them.

On a bike forum full of people being anal about their rubber, grip and 'feel', why should car tyres be treated any differently?
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

ms51ves3
Super Spammer



Joined: 07 Jun 2007
Karma :

PostPosted: 14:18 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bendy wrote:
On a bike forum full of people being anal about their rubber, grip and 'feel', why should car tyres be treated any differently?


Because it's a very specialist tyre, and one I don't think can be justified with the conditions we get.

They may have more grip in winter, I'm not arguing that fact, but standard road tyres work, and they're already fitted to your car, so there's no point spending money on tyres that, in reality, you will only see the improvements on them when it snows, and that is a rare occurrence. Even more so as, when I look outside, the roads are now just wet, and I don't even live on a main road.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

Bendy
Mrs Sensible



Joined: 10 Jun 2002
Karma :

PostPosted: 14:22 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

ms51ves3 wrote:
Because it's a very specialist tyre, and one I don't think can be justified with the conditions we get.

They may have more grip in winter, I'm not arguing that fact, but standard road tyres work, and they're already fitted to your car, so there's no point spending money on tyres that, in reality, you will only see the improvements on them when it snows, and that is a rare occurrence. Even more so as, when I look outside, the roads are now just wet, and I don't even live on a main road.


Each to their own, I don't have a problem spending money on something that makes my car infinitely more useable during winter months. I don't think it should be made law, but I think people who are moaning and bitching about not being able to move (I'm sat here listening to London radio and god knows, they're moaning) should take some responsibility and if they have difficulty on normal tyres, they should consider something more appropriate to the conditions.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

Phoenix
Twisted Firestarter



Joined: 01 Aug 2002
Karma :

PostPosted: 15:07 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

My BMW had Continental winter tyres on when I got it, that went through 2 winters and this is the third one now and I'm back on standard tyres. To be absolutely honest so far i've felt no difference at all but i've not yet driven in snow as deep as I did last year, if I went out today it'd be a good comparison but I don't plan to. I live in a cul de sac and there's about 10 inches of snow on the road and nobody has used it, no idea what the main road is like as I cannot see it but even if I made it i'd only be setting out to get stuck in traffic. I'll wait until monday when I have to drive.

There's no doubt snow tyres or even new road tyres will give you better grip in the snow but I think you need to look at some with some crazy rugged tread patterns to really feel an advantage, the sort of tyre that I imagine will wear fairly quickly and be quite noisy too. They're probably only worthwhile for anyone susceptible to large amounts of snow (country) and have a car that just wouldn't cope with normal tyres.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

WildGoose
White Van Man



Joined: 20 Mar 2002
Karma :

PostPosted: 15:19 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chives wrote:
Yes, but can standard tyres cope below 5 degrees? Yes. OK, glad we cleared that up.


Standard motorists can't though.

And by cope do you mean not fail and explode, or grip, steer and brake very well. Because they certainly do not do the latter.

You could be the most gifted driver on the road and still get stuck because somebody cannot continue and has blocked the road, this is the most annoying thing about snow and ice.

If it was compulsary to fit winter tyres during the cold months of the year, the road system would move a lot better.

It would be a buggerance initially, but infrastructure and attitudes would adjust after a few years, and we would all be better off.

I bet those in Sweden/Norway/Finland etc don't like putting snow chains on and off for example, but they do it because they are used to it.
____________________
So in other words, he stopped you for being flagrantly in posession of a motorcycle in direct contravention of the Hippies, Darkies and People Whose Face I Don't Like The Look of (Police Powers) Act. 1976
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

stonesie
World Chat Champion



Joined: 04 Jul 2010
Karma :

PostPosted: 17:12 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

The poles at work have no bother driving in snow, but they do think we are stupid for not using winter tyres...

I have tried some on the car and they have made a pretty big improvement especially on compacted snow/ice.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

benandthe
Traffic Copper



Joined: 24 May 2010
Karma :

PostPosted: 17:48 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

I went from the south coast to Essex yesterday by train to sit with the mrs as she drove back from uni today, rather than taking us 2 1/2 hours it took 5 1/2.

We span the car 180 degrees on the A12 too, right before the M25, north west of London, scary stuff seeing as at the same time as we were sat in the ditch there was a massive pile up, horse boxes on the back of cars kicking out the back end and hitting cars from the rear, lorries jack-knifing, multiple cars trying to brake but skidding and hitting each other. it was chaos...

Unfortunately my girlfriend drives a Hyundai Amica, stupid tiny thing with tiny crap wheels.

Pretty much everywhere in the UK is unprepared for snow, and even those that are prepared still aren't properly ready.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

G
The Voice of Reason



Joined: 02 Feb 2002
Karma :

PostPosted: 18:20 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Often small wheels offer your best chance in these conditions.

Big wheels are more likely to 'float' on the surface, while smaller ones can cut through it.

As above - I see a lot of people moaning, but very few willing to do anything about it themselves Rolling Eyes.
If you or your car can't handle the conditions; don't go out, for a start.
I did take the m3 out (sporty summer tyres) a few times last year, but only when traffic wasn't busy - only needed a push once and that was parking up for sledging as I was trying to be considerate and leave room for others (still got it to the top of the hill which others were failing to do.)
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

oldpink
World Chat Champion



Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Karma :

PostPosted: 18:39 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

got held up on the M6 last night for 4 hrs due to lorries blocking the road
traffic in both directions was stopped from just before 2 am till 6 am
lucky the bus was quiet and I had room to curl up & sleep through most of it
____________________
I have become comfortably numb

Theory & hazard 24-may 2016, CBT 8th June 2016, MOD 1 2nd Aug 2016 Mod 2 2nd-Nov 2016 - Current bike CBR 600 RR
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website You must be logged in to rate posts
Relentless This post is not being displayed because the poster is banned. Unhide this post / all posts.

Robby
Dirty Old Man



Joined: 16 May 2002
Karma :

PostPosted: 19:09 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Winter tyres make sense, particularly if you're keeping the car for a few years.

You buy a set of cheap steel wheels on ebay and put your winter tyres on them and use them over winter, then have a set of summer tyres on alloys for summer.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts

Tonka
World Chat Champion



Joined: 11 Jun 2008
Karma :

PostPosted: 19:33 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Robby wrote:
Winter tyres make sense, particularly if you're keeping the car for a few years.

You buy a set of cheap steel wheels on ebay and put your winter tyres on them and use them over winter, then have a set of summer tyres on alloys for summer.


In theory I agree but in reality the 10 years I've had my car there have been maybe two weeks when driving has been tricky. I'm not sure the expense and inconvenience of having a spare set of wheels is worth it. If we are in for this sort of weather regularly over the next 10 years then it is still marginal but getting closer to being a serious option. Let's face it, we don't even get temperatures below freezing here (Dorset) for more than a few weeks each year let alone ice and snow on a frequent winter basis.

Just take care and keep car journeys to a minimum makes much more sense IMHO.
____________________
'The core of a man's spirit comes from new experiences'
Suzuki SV650S (Clean); Yamaha XT250 Serow (Dirty)
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

Ariel Badger
Super Spammer



Joined: 02 Dec 2006
Karma :

PostPosted: 20:59 - 18 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gregg's the Bakers closed early on our main road but the brothel stayed open.
____________________
Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail You must be logged in to rate posts

Ichy
World Chat Champion



Joined: 15 Jul 2005
Karma :

PostPosted: 00:41 - 20 Dec 2010    Post subject: Reply with quote

Having spent a fair amount of time in Germany I've always tended to have snow or all terrain tyres on at least one of the cars and a set of snow chains in the boot. The chains are about £40 a set and the tyres, on average, are around £60 each for the wifes Rav4.

Last year we had snow and ice from November until March and we only missed one day at work. No problem driving around the Staffs Moorlands over the last couple of days and we dropped off the Christmas presents in Birmingham today despite the main roads still having snow on them. Each to their own but they seem to suit us living in semi rural areas.

Never bother taking them off and we get 20-25k miles on them.
 Back to top
View user's profile Send private message You must be logged in to rate posts
Old Thread Alert!

The last post was made 15 years, 60 days ago. Instead of replying here, would creating a new thread be more useful?
  Display posts from previous:   
This page may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a visitor clicks through and makes a purchase. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set.

Post new topic   Reply to topic    Bike Chat Forums Index -> Random Banter All times are GMT
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4
Page 4 of 4

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum

Read the Terms of Use! - Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group
 

Debug Mode: ON - Server: birks (www) - Page Generation Time: 0.08 Sec - Server Load: 0.43 - MySQL Queries: 13 - Page Size: 111.11 Kb