Oh, the joy of winter riding...

[northwind]

When I set out from my hous today, it was sunny. When I got to the bottom of the road, there were a few flakes of snow. About 2 minutes later I was riding in about an inch of drifting snow, wping my visor every 10 seconds, sliding aound like an eel... Sounds rubbish doesn't it? But that was the most entertaining commute I've ever had :)

Touch of carb icing to make it really interesting- wouldn't pull between idle and 5000rpm so lots of clutch work, wee slides in every corner... Popped up the visor on the last stretch because the drifting snow was convering it up in seconds, so when I walked into my work my helmet was full of snow... I got a big round of applause, and for the next hour or so when the cage-driving staff turned up and made excuses, they got shot down in flames ;)

i don't think I'll do that again through choice... it's such a short distance between getting where you're going and stacking it in conditions like that, and there's too many idiots that just can't drive in snow- I reckon I was at more risk from other road users than from myself. Special mention goes to the guy who spun the big BMW right behind me, and the absolute **** who, when finding me doing around 30 on a totally snow-covered 50, decided to overtake on the even worse outside lane, and smacked into the hidden far kerb, then nearly came across and collected me, before overshooting a set of lights and ending up sideways right across a roundabout.

But today, it was well worth the madness :) And the bike started first time for the run home.

[The Basket]

Wow...Fun riding in winter...I didn't know there was any... :D

Carb icing...Is that something to do with cakes?? :D My K5 has ran like a smug, fuel injected grin.

Seriously, i have decided that proper winter riding is for snow ploughs only. Best way.

[northwind]

If my carbs were set right, and weren't set for power not for practicality, I suspect I'd've bee fine... But such is life.

[21QUEST]

- I reckon I was at more risk from other road users than from myself. .

That my worst fear when the weather is that bad.

...so why didn't you turn round and go back home. Have a brew and a lie in :) .


Cheers
Ben

[northwind]

Thought about it, but on the really bad stretch it'd have been unsafe to stop or turn, given the visibility... And I kept on expecting it to improve. Usually the snow only lies well down to the bottom of that bad stretch, then it tends to melt a lot at the lower levels. Not today :)

[chutz]

good stuff eh Andy ? I got caught out in February like that. I rode the 30 miles to T?Wells to see him but 5 miles from the end of my journey it started to snow. Too late to turn back so I carried on and took him out for pizza. A few hours later when I had to ride home there was rather a lot of snow and the same visor thing you had. Took me nearly 2 hours to do the 30 minute journey but god was i wide awake!!! Not my fave idea but one that I'm glad I've survived. :shock:

[Anonymous]

went to work yesterday in the snow in the car. left the front of the flat and arrived 15 seconds later half way down a hill at a corner. 2 cars in front and 3 behind me. first car brakes at corner - only doing 20 mph and slowly and gracefully slides sideways unfortunately there is a road to the rugby club there and hence no kerb to stop him, over the path he goes and into the bushes and has problems getting his door open with the brambles, next car negotiates corner no problem then me only to be faced with cars coming up the hill on my side of the road gawping at guy in bushes. I look behind and see car behind me catching up bit quickly i decide to not look - no bump comes I look in mirror no sign of him glance sideways and there he is inbeded in back of car in bushes.

there was only half an inch of fresh snow, its scotland not exactly unheard off. all nutters :lol:

[Dicky Ticker]

Northy old mate with your history of calamities I'm surprised you even set foot oot the door :lol:

[northwind]

if it'd been snowing when I left I'd've got the bus :)

[kwak zzr]

if it'd been snowing when I left I'd've got the bus :)

that would have been the best idea, theres too many people dropping there loverly sv's :D

[northwind]

The other thing was, I've only got one crash bung at the mo... Mullered the left hand one ages ago and never replaced it. So, do I crash it on the left where there's no crash bung, or on the right where my hip's made out of tin? :)

[Fizzy Fish]

well done for making it there in one piece. amazing how well you can ride with the motivation of an R&G missing!!

most people in cars really have no idea re road surfaces, they're just not used to thinking about grip - even though it snows every year!

[JakeRS]

if ya hips made out of tin, do you set airport detectors off? :lol:

always wanted to do that :lol:

[thor]

so when I walked into my work my helmet was full of snow... I got a big round of applause, and for the next hour or so when the cage-driving staff turned up and made excuses, they got shot down in flames ;)

LMAO - Sweet!

[Daimo]

I TOTALLY agree with you.

When i used to ride my old 200cc ped to work, i wasn't bothered, so the snow and ICE used to make my ride esp interesting. I live on the north downs so we are quite high and snow hits us before it hits the rest of kent :lol:

Many a time i've gone downt he road, rear end weaving left and right as the rear tyre constently spins. Used to make it so much fun.

Wouldn't dare on the SV, not looking forward to snow/ice, much much much heavier, longer, more costly if i break it etc :(

[jon]

And i thought driving a mid engined, rear wheel drive cage on ice was entertaining enough, if i was a little less sensible i'd pull the bike out of storage at the first sign of snow.... but that would be /really/ stupid.

[tricky]

Well done Northwind.
I remember when I was 16 I went to work every day on my C50, come rain snow or shine.
Riding the plag in the snow was quite good fun. (probably cause it was already knackered so dropping it very rarely caused damaged + the fact it was being ridden by a 16 year old idiot)
I'm sorry to say (20 years later) it has now been several weeks since I last came to work on me bike. :oops:

[northwind]

if ya hips made out of tin, do you set airport detectors off? :lol:

Well, 3 big medical-grade stainless bolts. Probably would set off an aiport detector, it always sets off the alarms you get at the doors of some clubs. I'm considering getting a doctor's note :)