have u ever ...........

[d4rlo]

have u ever rode in the snow or bad ice just a question as its coming up for bad weather now and my bike is my only mode of transport at the min how bad is it riding in the snow ?? i reakon its dead bad and i will be better getting out the old push bike what the thoughts here or am i being a dick and only a mad man would ride in the snow

[NSR Mick]

riding on fresh snow is'nt too bad, it's once it's been compacted by cars you need to watch out.

If you stick to gritted roads you should be ok unless you get caught in a freak snow storm.

Although every winter I managed to crash at least once. Usually on residential roads that arent gritted.
____________________
If you dont like the way that I ride.......Stop trying to keep up!!!

[phatstorage]

i would start by saying are you prepared to drop your bike?

if you are then give it a go but go slow and steady, sometimes it may call for you to have your feet trailing on the ground, not dragging through the snow though, that's some cold feet shit right there!!

i would try to avoid snow that's been driven on already too, keep to the fresh stuff.

[d4rlo]

the route to work is many on the black country route "dualy"

[irving]

[Trixie]

Slow, smooth and steady is the key. Personally I don't like riding in the snow/ice, but to get to work it's either the bike or the bus (the bus isn't too bad, it's just all the other people that use it!).

One thing I used to try to do on ice was when turning corners, turn the bars rather than lean the bike, so staying as upright as possible.
____________________
Dead nobodies in company cars...

[Shaun]

[element]

yes last year i rode in snow. Its a complete pain. you need your visor down to stop the snow stinging your eyes yet it coats the visor within a matter of seconds. As for the bike I was on a scooter so it was easy. This year will be my first winter on a geared bike As already mentioned fresh snow is fine. Its when it turns to slush! I would compare it to riding when its rained for the first time in a few weeks and the roads are slimey... Everything is ok till you slam on the brakes! And anyhow you shouldnt be needed to slam on the brakes cos you'll be prepared and going slow

I almost lost it on frost last year though..

Staying almost perfectly upright will keep you from losing it. Just think police rider style and be gentle on the throttle..

If it gets anything like it was last year i'll be leaving my bike at home. Aint worth it to be honest.
____________________
04' DT125RE (run-a-bout) // 89' DT125R (rebuilt + supermoto conversion)
SPARES FOR SALE. 2RK TZR // 82 DR125 // DT125R/E .... PM ME...

[headlamp]

I have ridden in snow only out of neccessity - to get home after work...basically the Highways Agency didn't grit the North Circular (or indeed the M25) and 3 inches of snow fell causing absolute chaos! A journey that usually take 30 minutes took 2 & a half hours, filtering in the snow for 10 miles, at 5mph was not fun, even sticking to the main roads. It was blizzarding at times and with the visor down you couldn't see much and with the visor up you got snow in your eyes. The road was littered with bikes that had crashed, braking was extremely challenging as was turning. Personally I wouldn't like to do it again.
____________________
Using a mobile phone while driving a car should be made a capital offence!

[st3v3]

my first contact with weather like that was last xmas, i had a honda sfx 50, automatic (great for spinning in circles!) but this year i am on my honda NS125, not really looking forward to it, but no other transport unless i pass my car test on 16th Nov..... but the sleet is worst, it is advisable to stay on the car tracks already made in the road, but if non, as already mentioned, use fresh and the grit can be like miniture ball-bearings if ya not real careful, try your best to avoid leaning although that should not come in to it if your going slow enough to stay on the bike!!..
____________________
Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[SoulRider]

I rode my rs125 in sleet and it was nasty but i walked to work when it was snowing purely because i didnt know it would be easier to ride in than sleet. However as my work is only 40 min walk i can leave the bike at home if its to dangerous, i dont really want to drop my sv so probably wont be trying it this year. All i can say is if you are going to ride in the snow, be so carefull and dont give a shit about holding other cars up, take as much time as you need, after all they have 4 wheels and heating.
____________________
My Bike Pics

[Groove]

Yup.

College car park was a nice skating rink most of the time. First time i realised i was just goin on the the ice followed by a swooshin rear end and brown pants.

Snows been no problem so far, most of the roads are clear of it when im on them (so far - from tonight i will be leavin for work at 4:15am 2-3 mornings a week )
____________________
|| Past: 1991 Kawasaki ZXR 250 ~ 2003 Honda CBR 600 F Sport ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1999 Yamaha R1 ~ 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R J ~ 2004 Kawasaki ZX6R B1H 636 ~ 1998 Honda VTR1000F Firestorm ~ K1 GSXR 600 Track bike ~ K6 GSXR 1000 ~ 2006 Speed Triple 1050 || Current: 2005 R1 https://www.adrucore.co.uk

[krebsy]

On the tail end of a 200 mile round trip to Farnborough in Feb I got just north of Aylesbury before the snow started as I filled up on the A505. Pitch black (no streetlights on that section) and a heavy snow shower which almost finished off a really bad trip back (3.5 hours so far) as I was prepared to either park up or head to a mate's house a few miles away. Utterly freezing and demoralising as I'd headed off into freezing weather at 7am and it was now half-eight at night.

Luckilly it stopped snowing after a slow mile of nervous riding (didn't want some nutter on that straight road ramming me) and I was able to get the bike the 20 or so miles home without incident. Never was I more grateful for a hot shower and coffee.

Through the really bad snow round here the year before, Milton Keynes was total gridlock and nly by knowing the rat-runs and being able to drive through the fresh snow were any locals able to get around. It took me an hour to drive the 2.5 miles from work to home and most of that was clear dual carriageways. it's only the last mile that slowed to a crawl on the normal NSL roads with everyone going to pieces.

Took Mrs. K. 5 hours to get from one side of town to home, and that's with cutting through all the estates.

My mountain bike though et the fresh snow for breakfast over the next few days cycling to work and back...

slow and steady riding will get you through it, keep the revs LOW and the gears high to stop the rear spinning up. Best option? Avoid riding. I know a few who have binned it in the snow and it wasn't much fun...

K.
____________________
What's my New Year's resolution?

1280 x 1024.

[feef]

I've seen snow so heavy and thick that my uncle could ONLY get to work by bike.. even his 4x4 was stuck.

it was a 350cc GasGas trials bike tho

a
____________________
Mudskipper wrote: feef, that is such a beautiful post that it gave me a lady tingle
Windchill calculator - London Bike parking
Blog and stuff - PlentyMoreFish dating

[Blau Zedong]

I've had the displeasure of riding all year round, luckily for work using various cheap hacks that I cared not a jot for. Snow is tricky, but at least you can see it and try to take care. However black ice, especially when localised (i.e. the sun is out and most places are ok, but the odd road doesn't get much sun or have much vehicle movement), is fucking terrifying. I've ridden 8 miles back from work in cold but dry conditions, turned into my street and ended up flat on my arse. After a while it shreds your nerves. If you are using a bike you give two shits for I wouldn't even think of intentionally riding it in ice or snow.
____________________
18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[Syx]

I was going to take the bike to work once last year but decided on the car instead.
Was I glad I did! During the day a couple of inches of snow fell making the trip home a nightmare even with 4 wheels... I probably would have had to leave the bike and walk.

[phk6]

last year i rode my ped in the snow o my god how much fun i had, altho i aint loking forward to riding my bike in the snow, i may buy a very shitty ped for snow riding
____________________
Current .. 2008 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure ..
Before .. 2003 Yamaha Fazer 1000 .. 2004 Kawazaki Z1000 .. 2003 Suzuki Sv1000s .. 1999 zx6r Track Bike .. 1999 CB 500 Cup ..
/Phil

[thx1138]

I copy/pasted this from a post I made in an old thread

I was going straight from work to spend time with friends who lived in a very rural location. (6 mile walk to the nearest shop, or bustop etc).

I think it was Xmas eve, but it might have been Dec 23rd. Certainly the last day before the holidays. I had to ride from Yapton near Littlehampton to Truleigh Hill, which is up in the south downs, over that high bridge which crosses shoream-fly-over on the A27. I left work early evening, about 4pm it was dark , with all my gear in a big rucsack. It was cold, very cold. There was frost eveywhere, and frozen snow too. It was also foggy.

I'd gone about 2 miles, on a deserted country road, and came across a biker broken down, standing beside an MZ-125. She didn't need any assitance, as she had fixed the problem with metal wire and string (broken exhaust brakcet).

I then carried on, without much incident to Shoreham. I was very cold, but in good spirits. The weather worsened, the fog rolling in from the sea up river, totally obscured the view on the bridge, I could only just sea the road. I was doing about 15mph, I couldn't see the edges of the road or the pavement.

Once I got inland a bit, visibiltiy cleared, and I started the 6mile ride up the single track to my friends house, up in the South Downs. I hit more thick fog, so thick, I shit you not, at times I couldn't see my rev counter! The ground was frozend solid, it was like a skid pan in places. Every so often, I'd hit an inexplicable bit of "clear air" where I could see well as there was no fog, only light mist.

I knew that I was approaching a nasty dog leg right hand bend, on a steep cambre. All of a sudden I hit a completely fog free bit of air, and there was no more fog. There was so much frozen snow, I dare not corner. I actually stopped the bike, and shuffled it round a bit at a time, until it was facing in the right direction.

A car appeared about half a mile up the road approaching me, it pulled over to the side, and flashed it's lights at me.

I started to climb the last bit of the hill, but my wheels got stuck in a rut of frozen tyre treads in the snow. I was wearing thick rigger boots, so I put my feet on the ground as stabiliser, and slip slided my way uphill, gritting my teeth in an effort to stop shivering, with hands so cold, I wasn't sure I had the ability to pull the brake lever, and gave up with the clutch.

I passed the car, and tooted my thanks, and then got to the end of the road proper, and on to the loose gravel, and poodled along at walking speed until I got to my friends house.

When I took my crash helmet off I had icicles in my beard.

[colin1]

i agree with phat that on slippy surfaces its good to have your feet off the pegs near the ground, so if it starts to go, a dab will correct it

i wdnt actually drag feet on the floor, but have them hovering just above

only problem with this is that you dont have use of the back brake, so be careful and dont use if you expect to need to brake

using the front brake in slippy conditions when not going in a straight line is very bad and its particularly easy to lose the front end on bikes with sharp front brakes like sports bikes
____________________
colin1 is officially faster than god