Public Service Announcement: The Salt Has Hit the Road
Weather: Rain and Snow Mix 39°F (4°C)
So it’s official, I guess: Winter is here, at least on the roads of the Twin Cities.
How do I know this? Well, in my capacity as a Ride To Work correspondent, I called the Minnesota DOT this morning, and spoke to a nice lady named Beth in their Public Affairs department.
I asked her if the freezing rain and snow this morning had prompted the salt/sand trucks to start operating. This is the harbinger of hibernation for many motorcyclists around the area. Proud owners of expensive motorbikes are loathe to expose them to this corrosive compound, and hence put them away as soon as they see the trucks out, spreading winter on our roads.
Beth called around for me, and spoke to an engineer who told her that they have been laying down “anti-icing chemicals” all week, in preparation for the freezing rains to come. These chemicals do contain salt, she confirmed.
I guess that’s the end for all you Chromium Cowboys out there. Salt is hell on chrome, as we all know. As road conditions deteriorate, we will see the sportbike crowd dwindle, and then the rest… leaving only the hard core commuters to carry the Ride to Work banner into the frigid frontier of our Winter Wonderland.
I’m taking Frogwing out this weekend, for one last blast before I give him his bath and put him to bed. I’ll be wiring up Scarlet for my electric Aerostich gear, and my knobby tires should be here sometime next week.
Man, I wasn’t ready for this. I expected at least another couple weeks of Autumn. But our most beautiful season was fleeting this year. It sped by in a blur of vibrant color, and was gone. We will go through the motions, of course. Halloween is coming soon, after all, and the little goblins will haunt the neighborhood on the designated night.
But I can already feel the change in the air. Jack Frost’s icy breath is strong in the Northwest wind. It’s time to dig out the snowmobile boots, change the visor on my helmet, and get back into the winter routine.
October 11th, 2006 at 1:03 pm
But you DO live in Minnesota. You’re probably going to get a nice Indian Summer (Preferably in about a week, as that’s when I’m going to be up there visiting family.). So, while you should probably get your warm clothes ready, don’t despair yet!
So do knobby tires actually help in the snow? What kind of tire pressures do you use in the winter, btw?
October 11th, 2006 at 7:16 pm
I’m hoping for another month or more before I see any salt. Luckily the Vespa doesn’t have much chrome though I’m not actually that worried about it anyway. Last year I hosed off the salt if it got bad but didn’t really notice anything.
I’ve wondered about knobby tires for the Vespa but have not been able to locate a thing in the 10 and 11 inch sizes I need. My new Continental Zippy 1 doesn’t look nearly as agressive in the tread department as the Pirelli’s. So I’ll have to rethink any plans to ride in any snow beyond a dusting on the road.
I hope you find a change in the weather so you and Frogwing can spend some more quality time together.
steve
October 11th, 2006 at 7:35 pm
*does the “I have year round riding weather and no salt on the roads” dance*
October 11th, 2006 at 8:18 pm
The “Baron in Winter” part two? This year I won’t spectate, I’ll get in the game with you. What knobby’s are you switching over to? I need to look into some new shoes for the Big Ruckus that’ll be better suited for winter commuting.
Have fun.
Bill
October 11th, 2006 at 9:04 pm
Man that sucks. The ice melt is a necessity for safety but it really raises heck with everything else. If I still lived up north I would still ride, but it would be a beater that I didn’t care about.
Even if the weather turns for the better you still have that crap on the road. till you get a good rain.
Well, the offer still stands, anytime you want a place to call home while you explore the ozarks come on down. Susan and I have two spare bedrooms and your own bath. We don’t bite and you can sure come and go as you please. Only catch is if one of our four boys or five grandkids(soon to be seven) are here and no more room at the inn.
later
jim
October 11th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
Down here it just cooled down enough to ride, as in it dropped below 90 degrees. Thats a little hot for a little extra time, this year. Its supposed to be a high of 68, tomorrow, though. I never prep it for long term storage, I just treat the gas for longer periods of no riding.
October 12th, 2006 at 12:45 am
Yup, that first snap of cold weather means a lot of preparations are in order. DRZ: Check the oil, lube the chain, make sure it’s ready for the Nemadji ride this weekend, and for the trip to South Dakota next weekend. Don says ignore the weather; he guarantees a warm weekend and excellent trails. DR650: Install new turn signals, taillight, wind deflectors. A season of hard use is taking its toll, gotta be ready to go to Mexico. Service the air filter, new D606 for the rear. Find somebody who can shim the shock for more rebound damping. KLR: Change the damn chain and sprockets already, so I have something to ride when the snow flies. Do I want to put ice screws in the fresh D606s? Should grease the trailer bearings, too, and replace the bald tire on the LH side. While I am at it, I should get out the multimeter and troubleshoot the harness for the taillight that never seems to work. The trailer is going to do some hard miles this winter. The KTM needs tires, too, but that will probably have to wait until spring.
October 12th, 2006 at 6:35 am
First, for those who are looking for scooter snow tires, go to the link below and check out the K761. They are offered in 10-inch size for Steve’s Vespa, the 12-inch size for Bill Sommers’ Big Ruckus, and Scarlet O’Baron will be wearing the 13-inchers.
http://www.kendausa.com/motorcycle/scooter.html
Now, from the top…
AZLucky: According to our 10-day forecast, we will be stuck in the late Autumn doldrums a week from now. Highs in the fifties, if we’re lucky. Bring some of that Arizona heat up with you?
Steve: I just re-read your reply… you have two different tire sizes on the Vespa? How unfortunate. It looks like Kenda doesn’t make an 11. Besides, I wouldn’t ride such a nice scoot in REAL winter conditions anyway.
Snark: Yeah, I know… lucky sod.
Bill: I hope you start a blog of your own. I’m really waiting to read about how the Big Ruckus works in winter. If you don’t, please keep us updated here?
jim: Thanks again. I really do intend to take you up on your offer someday. But it looks like I’ll have to stick close to home this winter. Unless we win the lottery or something…
Tinker: Where was “down here” again?
Buster: Ahhh, the law bidness must have been good to you this year. Of course I’m envious, but I’m really happy for you too. It sounds like a dream season of riding. Just be careful out there. It seems you’ve barely had time to heal from your last get-off.
When are YOU going to start a blog?
Ride well,
=gc=
October 12th, 2006 at 8:59 am
Not that I’m coping out completely, but I did look at a cheap Toyota pickup last night for the winter drive to work.
I still plan on riding till Thanksgiving, but I think it’s shaping up to be a long cold winter. The tire’s I have are not much count in mud or snow, and a Sporster with knobby’s… Maybe when gas hits $4…
I think the kid with the truck really needed the cash.
Rubber Down.
October 12th, 2006 at 10:04 am
seagull – a sportster with knobbies would be awesome. Think Evel Knievel, and legions of flat-track racers. Ok, so maybe they weren’t strictly on sportsters, but close enough.
October 12th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
Lucky, that Sportster with knobbies has been done. You are not from around here, but there is a fairly well-known biker dude (should have made that with a capital B) who used to flog around on a well-used and dusty Sportster with knobs. He’s got a custom bike shop that caters to the chrome and chaps crowd, and he certainly looks the part. Except that his street bike was (is) a Kawi ZXxxxxx hyperbike, and his other ride is a trials bike. The last time I saw him, at a Rice Street wedding reception, he asked me “Hey, when did you get the KLR?”. The time before that, he was working with his trials club at the World Round trials in Duluth. A rare example of that rare breed, an old-style Harley rider who can really ride. He liked to flog that Harley across desert 2-track
You can transform any bike by putting the right tires on it. (Or by putting ice screws into the wrong tires. Knobs don’t help much on hardpack or glare ice.)
Gary, Shelly is convinced I haven’t healed up yet. If I have trouble coming up with your name the next time I see you, you’ll know she’s right.
October 13th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
I didn’t mean to imply that sportsters with knobbies hadn’t been done, only that it would be awesome and Seagull should do it.
Personally, I’ve got my fingers crossed that HD is going to bring out that XR1200 here they showed off in Europe in the U.S. Then I won’t have to put all kinds of effort into modding a Sportster to be what I actually want.
I would love to meet the guy you’re talking about. I’ve always said I don’t care what you ride, so long as you actually ride it.
October 13th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
Gary, the Kenda aggressive tread tires look like great and might help for my unpaved road riding. The Zippy and Pirelli tires are definitely road tires. I just can’t figure why Vespa went to that 11 inch tire. Not much to pick from in the states. You’ll have to use your considerable influence to get them to make an 11 inch knobby tire!
October 13th, 2006 at 7:06 pm
Thanks for the encouragment guys. I agree the knobbies might be a thought, but I see just too much highway, most of it clear. I’m afraid I would have to break out an old “kidney belt”…
I think the pickup will get the worst of it, and the bike will see the “better” days of winter. But you guys know how hard it can be to get a bike to start after setting a couple of weeks in winter. Might have to pick up a block heater.
Rubber Down.
October 13th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Down Here, is Texas of course. Got a cold front in yesterday afternoon and temperature dropped, oh so slowly, down to 57 overnight and about 74 today. Nice and sunny as well.
October 14th, 2006 at 12:16 am
Got out for a ride on Hiyo, the silver Baron 250, today. Temps low 40’s and wind gusting to 35 MPH. I had layers on my layers and a nice new warm fleece balaclava under the helmet. Snow mobile gloves and snowboard pants also helped. Felt like the Michelin man.
I was surprised at how pleasant (moderately) cold weather riding can be. The engine loves that nice cold air and the shocks were at their best so far. I probably won’t go out in the slush and snow or temps below 30 — I’ll leave that for hardy souls like you, Gary but, on those better winter days, I might just be out there.
Ramblin’ Dan