Ooooh, slippery

Just took the Hongdou out.

We had over a foot of snow yesterday, which is now getting nicely
polished and packed.

Never ridden in snow before, but less than a mile convinced me this
wasn't a good idea.

http://thumbsnap.com/s/PaSyaavi.jpg
http://thumbsnap.com/s/mBHH5vKQ.jpg

Don't think I'll be doing that again.

 

I was expecting an X-ray from the URL.

I've vetoed popping round to her bruv's for babysitting duties.

The CB13 has half-fitted heated grips, and a BFO fibreboard screw in
the rear tyre.

The GL15 has a flat rear, and isn't exactly ideal for snow..

I'm certainly not risking the CBX.

Looks like I'll have to do the shopping on foot.

 

Wimp. I've just been into town and back on the GN250.

(OK, so only a mile each way, and yes, a bit slippy and then some).

 

This was the first time I've done proper snow - when I was an
all-year-round bike commuter, we have a dusting and I'd ride in it (I
did bin my first Divvy at one point, though.)

Never ridden in 'proper' snow - we had over a foot of it come down
yesterday.

Still, at least I can get to the main road on it, which means I can get
into work if I really have to.

 

Yup, lightweight and low power is a definite advantage on the slippy stuff,
especially when bent bits are cheap to replace.

 

Low C of G and being able to touch the ground would also help.

Neither of which apply to the GY.

 

That's the beauty of the GN. Both feet flat on the deck, knees bent.
Bottom or second gear, just over tickover, and use the feet as
outriggers. Just closing the throttle brings one to a slow stop.

If you have to use a brake, use only the back one.

Aim for piled snow or unbroken snow, as the wheel tracks in the snow
made by cars are invarably polished to a high ice gloss.

 

Those look like off road tyres to me so I'd say that you're being a
bit of a girl about this.

 

being, about & this are superfluous.

 

Looks like 2 to 3 inches in the picture.

I've fallen off the XT once and the WR twice today. Stayed on my feet
so it doesn't really count. I think I need to drop the XT by an inch or
two to make it easier to control. I just can't get enough foot on the
ground to stop it going over.

 

Probably because I ploughed that area with the car yesterday evening.

It's up to K's knees on the drive, and the cats sink into it above their
heads.

I can't touch the ground without leaning the bike over to the side -
when I can just about get a toe down.

 

Heh. I've tucked up the bikes since the first snow storm of the season
over here.

Getting home yesterday was interesting - one Jeep in front of me going
around a corner then inelegantly pirouetting into the snow bank on the
wrong side of the road, one muppet thinking that putting on chains in
the middle of the road on an uphill stretch directly after a blind bend
was a good idea and finally someone who decided that corners are vastly
overrated and just slid straight into a ditch instead.

The classic one however was a guy in a Mustang, sitting at a 90 degree
angle to the road with the front of the car pointing at the armco,
stepping on it in the hope that his chains would eventually
grip. There's a drop of several hundred feet on the other side of the
armco at that point of the road. Fortunately for the wannabe Darwin
Award candidate, the car was just sliding backwards towards a ditch
instead...

It seems that some people still haven't figured out that those warning
signs that say "chains or snow tires required" aren't part of a
government conspiracy.

 

Wotcha.

Got about a foot of the stuff here.
Normally I'd be off out on the B31 playing silly buggers . . . . .but seeing
as I can't even walk now I'm stuck in the house. I daren't even risk trying
to get as far as the garage.

I do hope the car driver who did this to me has a very merry [1] xmas.



[1] For negative values of "merry".

 

Pah!
http://www.sweller.co.uk/armstrongsnow/#5

That's on shagged tyres too. It's now got its Trelleborgs on!

I think I'll put my willy away now, it's getting cold.

 

I bought some chains - they seem work very well although I wouldn't
want to go any great distance with them.

OTOH, my neighbour has a Land Rover Defender, which he got stuck
outside Buzby Towers. I went out to take the piss and noticed just the
front wheels spinning. Apparently it didn't occur to him to engage 4
wheel drive . . . .

 

That's as bad as people fitting snow socks / chains to the front wheels
of a BMW and wondering why they still can't get any traction.

 

Sadly, no.

http://thumbsnap.com/s/Pay0KuH0.jpg

http://thumbsnap.com/i/q07zDwdk.jpg

 

Jesus.

 

This is priceless:



Not only does she make an attempt to clear the snow from the front
wheels, she also leaves it in gear whilst she gets out to push.

 

It seems a bit sad they didn't go out and help her rather than filming.