I use mine in cold weather. There is enough wattage to run a heated vest or jacket with a PWM controller. I crashed on the ice last year, so I have been a little more picky about what days I ride during the winter (I'm in MI, BTW). The KLX runs fine, starts fine, and has better traction that just about anything with two wheels (except for studs on ice).

Personally for a 4 mile trip in NY I would spoon on a store bought studded tire for the 3 or 4 worst months. With little mileage you could get 4 or 5 years out of the tire. The studs on the store bought ones are typically less aggressive than screws which will help negate part of the "slippery on dry pavement" syndrome.

I rode a bike year round in Marquette, MI and enjoyed it immensely.

 

What's more suitable for riding in the snow than...



The tank-like tread of the Hyanide consists of 77 segments made from hard plastic covered by rubber all held together by Kevlar fiber rope. Since each segment flexes, the tread is much more flexible (and compliant to road surface) than a tire.

Both wheels rotate into turns; the rider steers with hands and feet both. To turn left, for example, you’d push the right side of the handlebar forward, to point the front of the tread left—it’s the same motion as on a motorcycle. At the same time, however, you’d also push back on the right pedal, angling the rear of the tread into the turn. This action would twist the tread into a crescent shape and whip the Hyanide around a turn.

 

^Thats crazy!

I'm pretty much sold on the KLX250S, already sprucing up the winter cage to sell it to help fundage. Hopefully I can pull it together before winter cause I'd hate to have to drive through another winter (go figure).

 

Did you end up doing this? I have a KLX 250S and I only commute 1.3 miles to work here in the poconos/PA. I've been riding to work all summer and want to keep it up through the winter... so nice spending $3 on gas for several WEEKS of commuting, and as a bonus 1/4 of my ride can be fire road when I choose, but I don't want to be stuck pushing her home if we get 6" of snow middle of the day. Going to post a new thread cuz this is old, but hoping you're still around and have some success story on this!

 

I can help a bit.
I've ridden Grip Studs screwed into Dunlop D606's, since 2012 in NH.
You can do it. Just wait for the plow, riding in tracked snow sucks, as does anything over 4" in my experience.
You could certainly ride in 6" of wet snow but be prepared to play slip and slide. Studs work great if they can bite ice or a road surface, otherwise it's up to throttle control and *****...
And riding studs on pavement might not be legal where you are...if not catch a ride on snowy days.
And be careful on those warm afternoons when snow melts across a cold road...that sh$t is slicker than pig sh$t...DAMHIK. I saved it, but I was so lucky I could've won the lottery that night.
I did end up saving enough $$$ to buy a cage for super cold or crappy weather days.
Check out the "Winter Riding Thread" on ADVrider.

 

Hey, I've never done one of these before but signed up so I could try and ask you guys a question about winter riding...I studded the tires and realized I do need to reject my bike...would either of you's know what jet to use off hand? Because it sounds like if I don't find the answer it's kinda a lost cause unless it's not cold out. If anybody could somehow get back to me on this I would GREATLY appreciate it

 

Tell me the altitude and temperature you want to jet for.