Okay folks, I'm hoping SOMEONE has a recommendation for a winter paved road set-up for the KLX. I live in the Poconos in PA, I currently only have a 1.3 mile commute each way and it's all small, hilly, curvy (read fun) paved back roads that have a 35mph speed limit (which I would be willing to observe in the winter )

I've been commuting to work on the green machine all summer and loving it, rain or shine, all good times. For extra fun, I cut the corner by using the fire road, which is of course unpaved, that can take me 1/4 of my trip up instead sometimes. When it's really raining good, I cut through the muddy fields on the way home to the farm, also good times. It's okay to be jealous, my poor truck sit's forlorn almost constantly, I forget that it has things like a radio, air conditioning, and storage space.

I want to keep this good fun going through the winter... plus I absolutely LOVE spending $3 on gas ever couple WEEKS for my commute. So, I've seen the guys that buy brand new tires, put 250 tapcon's through them with 1/4 20 nuts and a foam liner inside the tire to protect the tubes and go full bore on trail riding, however, I don't think that's a good solution for me as I can't switch tires constantly, and I expect 80+% of my riding will be on wet or dry pavement. So what I want is a medium solution, something that if I get 6" of snow while at work, I can still get home reasonably without having to push her up the hills. My job is fairly physical when it snows as snow removal becomes part of the beat, and some of the hills would be unfun to push even if i wasn't tired from bucking the cold n snow all day.

I don't mind giving up the ability to ride all the way into town on major streets if it means I get to keep using the bike as a commuter

I was thinking of maybe just running some sheet metal screws into half of my lugs, I'm thinking I have enough tread left to do that and then maybe ride through the winter and put new rubber on her in the spring and save these as winter wears assuming they hold up. I've read where guys talk about using sheet metal screws but no actual comments on how well or long it worked. What I'd really like is a very well siped lug tire that's actually meant for snow/ice but I've only been able to find them for scooters in europe oddly enough.


I also had someone "say" that if i just drop tire pressures I'll be able to go but I remember sitting and spinning back tire in 4" of snow in my driveway so I doubt a simple air down will cut it. Ideas, suggestions, photos welcome!

Rubber side down to you all!

 

Had "pretty good" grip on my Pirelli MT-43 last year. Not great in the really deep snow, but what is? Still had to be extremely careful without studs.

I have a friend who buys a cheap dirtbike tire and then screws in studs. They're like sheet metal screws but made for this purpose and are just as cheap. It won't be DOT rated if you're studding it anyway. They looked like this: http://www.splashndirt.com/pages/en/...optgroupdetail

 

I'd just use my regular vehical on those really bad days.

Anyway, in snow, regular knobbies like the Kenda K760 Trakmaster's, or the Dunlop D606's should be fine, and ok for when your on wet or dry pavement. But on those icey hard packed snowy roads, studed tires would be best. But, extremely slippery when you hit pavement with no snow or ice. Studs on pavement is just as slick as ice with no studs. Back when I had a flat track racer, I had studed tires for ice racing on Lake Wallenpaupack in PA when it was frozen. But couldn't ride on pavement at all. It's going to be hard to find something that performs well in both conditions. Take your car or whatever you have, or leave early and ride really slow and careful. Your only going a mile or so. Up one gear and bog or chug it to avoid wheel spin.

 

I'm certainly not an expert on the subject, but I wonder if it might be an idea to stud the side lugs only. That way you're still getting a rubber contact patch down the middle but the studs should still see some decent contact on a low pressure tire. Also The studs would have more contact on corners or when the bike starts to get a little sideways.

 

I wouldn't risk the serious injury. The cost to benefit is too high. Nobody will be expecting motorcycles then. Your reactions will slow down. They stopping distance increases. Visibility is worse with shorter days. It's dangerous enough in summer.

If it's nice in the winter I will take a ride with a heated jacket, gloves and grips in a onesie Aerostich Classic. This is good right to less than 25 degrees, but if the roads are icy it stays home. I don't make a habit of it in any case.

You're asking for it.

If you must, check out Rounders. Welcome to the Rounders' Website

 

To be clear, the only reason I'm even considering this is that I live 15 minutes from town in the farm country. I ride my side street for about a mile and then do a couple tenths on one other small back road, I almost never cross any traffic at all on my way to or from work. I occassionally pass an old lady walking her dog.

The concern isn't getting to work on a bad day, I can always look at 12" of overnight snow fall, jump in the truck and go... c'est la vie. The concern is the day I wake up to clear roads, head to work and that 30% chance of snow fall prediction turns into 3" of barely snow that compacts with traffic and turns into ice, or the 6" of fluffy that I have to plow through unpaved on my way home. I still expect no traffic, but I want to be able to chug along home, even if it's dragging my feet as training wheels the whole way. Big studs would be overkill as I don't have 2 wheel sets and even if I did, swapping out for the snow events would be way more work than it's worth.

I did see a thing on youtube a girl used a length of rope looped tightly around the wheel through all the spokes as short term tire chain and seemed to get pretty good results. Not sure how that would combine with my current knobbies though, I also saw "mention" though I've never seen it, of motorcycle tire chains? but I'm not sure I'd have clearance for those under the rear fairings with the overflow tank n' such.

 

I somehow didn't see this thread...I responded to the one you drug out of the archive.
Lots of winter riding experience.
Ask away.

 

Winter tire for motorcycle exist Reifenwerk Heidenau
I have no personal experience with that.

 

I run the K60 on my bmw, but not the silica. They are great tires. Grip on road is beyond where I can go.

 

I'd use the cage.
I had to bike to work one winter. Even with studded tires, there was the occasional fall.

Look at the forecast and only ride on warm days with no chance of snow. You'll need to wash the bike often if they apply salt to the roads.