Thinking of motorizing straight on through winter

GoldenMotor.com

Ouch that Hurt

New Member
Jul 27, 2013
38
0
0
Port Alberni, BC, Canada
I will totally be riding through the winter here. Although; it's more rainy then snowy.

Been waterproofing the entire bike. Shrink tube for the electrical and caulking to seal everything; are a bikers best friend.
 

CTripps

Active Member
Aug 22, 2011
1,310
1
38
Vancouver, B.C.
i will be riding thugh the winter in style !!!!!!!!!

check out the link for a grubee bike snowmobiel!!!!!!!!!!!!

i will just put this link here !!! its only the 48cc too !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBd-uVwG0jc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8FefRzcWjg

That's the "KTrak" conversion kit. We kicked the idea around last winter in another thread, you can probably find it with a quick search. Looks interesting, but I'd probably stay with a wheel on front instead of the ski. Another point that came up was how the track would corner, as opposed to a wheel. I don't recall anyone stepping up and saying they'd go try it out though.
 

rogergendron1

New Member
Sep 18, 2013
882
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42
woburn ma
That's the "KTrak" conversion kit. We kicked the idea around last winter in another thread, you can probably find it with a quick search. Looks interesting, but I'd probably stay with a wheel on front instead of the ski. Another point that came up was how the track would corner, as opposed to a wheel. I don't recall anyone stepping up and saying they'd go try it out though.
if i could afford a ktrak lol i would already be riding on it !!!! just for fun and to turn heads !!! but ahhh nope i am a broke homeless bum....
 

CTripps

Active Member
Aug 22, 2011
1,310
1
38
Vancouver, B.C.
Yeah the ski worries me more than anything else with that set up. It's bad enough when your front wheel suddenly bogs when switching surfaces with any throttle behind it. I can see that ski doing the same thing, with less steering ability than a wheel.
 

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
38
Central Illinois
Yes....the ski doesn't look like the ideal front end to me.

And my hat is off to the tinkerer who came up with that drive track arrangement. That's neat engineering.

But, all in all, the bike itself does not look like the right machine for the various conditions a serious winter commuter is going to need.

No doubt it's right at home on snow covered trails. But on real streets with auto traffic?

Having my doubts.
 

bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
38
Central Illinois
Having some second thoughts about motorizing through the heart of winter, too. My motor bike is just a bit clumsy at low speeds. Not a problem on dry, even wet, pavement and road sides. But on hard packed snow and ice of varying depths? Plus the question of seeing road surfaces after dark? I just don't know.

Though I'm likely to try.

Still, I might just have to use my plain old pedal bike through the heart of winter.

It's light. Sleek.......Agile........yeah, it's sounding good right now.
 

BarelyAWake

New Member
Jul 21, 2009
7,194
21
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Maine
Riding in the winter isn't that big a deal w/a bit of caution - but there's a price to pay, the consequences of rock salt and calcium chloride like this year old cassette;

 

Dan

Staff
May 25, 2008
12,765
115
48
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Moosylvania
Oh man BA. That be ugly!

Did close to that to a Worksman wheel one winter. Ya have me convinced to do the dedicated winter crasher, motorized bicycle. I suppose if ya really kept up with regular clean ups and good maintenance, it would be OK but not exactly my long suit, lol.

EDIT: just clicked on picture. Wow! The up close view of that is really bad. Looks like it was salvaged from a ship wreck.
 
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bluegoatwoods

Active Member
Jul 29, 2012
1,581
6
38
Central Illinois
Riding in the winter isn't that big a deal w/a bit of caution - but there's a price to pay, the consequences of rock salt and calcium chloride like this year old cassette;
It's strange. I've seen photos like that. I have years of winter riding experience. But my cassettes/freewheels and so on don't end up looking like that. And it's not like I'm a fanatic about cleaning my bike, either. I'd like my bike to look it's best at all times. But really keeping it looking sharp takes more time than I can spare.

Maybe they just don't use as much salt around here.

I'm located on the outside edge of a medium sized city. Some of my commute is under suburban conditions. Part of it is on a commercial street that is bordering on urban conditions.

Perhaps it's worse in dense cities and heavier winter climates. But it's not like our winter is all that soft. I'm about halfway between Chicago and St Louis. And our climate is just about halfway between those two as well.
 

BarelyAWake

New Member
Jul 21, 2009
7,194
21
0
Maine
You're right, this is "worst case scenario" in just about every way lol - Maine uses a lot of CC & salt, truly excessive amounts despite the harsh conditions. That's also a cheap raw steel cassette (not nickel or chrome) and I'm coastal, I live about fifteen feet from the ocean.

Which is ofc why I use that pic, while others have fared better it's a good "heads up" regarding winter use - that no bike ya love should be subject to it ;)