Beware the snow the rider thinks, too fraught with danger and despair. Fresh snow falling, light and dry in the darkness, experience reflects this snow is now the one to fear, for in fact, in great need, this snow is navigable by Vespa, it’s soft depth yields both traction and stability allowing passage, albeit slow, to two-wheeled travel under duress. I’ve made small journeys in such a mess.
Gratefully, no need presents itself and the only journey is to the end of the driveway to make a photo. A few mornings earlier I had the opportunity to explore a far more challenging winter surface.
Sunday morning, the temperature just about freezing, frozen ice and snow beginning to mix with liquid water creating an wintry plasma that defies friction or traction. The driveway was untreated but the roadways were dry with wet patches but clear of ice. Roadway assessments and predictions fall to any rider venturing out with snow on the ground, even if only at the fringes of pavement.
I take opportunities to practice in snow from time to time, usually off the road, in parking lots or farm lanes. Having snow tires helps but only for specific types of snow and ice. If there is traction to be had, the Heidenau K66 LT Snow Tex tires will bite into snow or snow pack and provide stability for forward motion. Obviously leaning is out so turns must be negotiated at a snail’s pace, literally, and a rider must be aware of the changing character of the snow.
Snow pack that offers a chance of traction can instantly become a hardened mass of snow bordering on ice which offers almost no traction. It gets worse when the temperature rises about 32F and a thin film of liquid water enters the equation.
This snow is hard with little traction. The scooter isn’t heavy enough for the tires to chew threw the surface. Still, it’s navigable though I road with my feet down just in case a tire started to give way to gravity. I feel comfortable handling a scooter of this size. I would not want to try a larger one, or a motorcycle.
At the other end of the lot I encountered wet ice pushing through hard snow, frightening in it’s lack of traction giving the feeling that the wheels could break loose of the ground at any moment. My feet offered no help at all. Riding on ice. I has it’s own lessons.
I experiment only to expand the data in my head which helps manage riding on the road — especially when and if I should be out.
The ride into State College for breakfast was uneventful — the roads clear with some moisture and salt, but nothing exciting. Saw a Piaggio Fly 150, have seen it around for awhile, but haven’t seen its rider yet. Another year round rider in town.
The darkroom was pressed into service again and I finally arrived at our Sunday morning photo meeting at Saint’s Cafe with some new gelatin silver prints. I had forgotten how satisfying it is to work in the dark.
It started to snow again while at Saint’s but the temperature held about the freezing mark meaning the ride home might be wet but not dangerous. The biggest challenge faced was transporting my 11×14 prints — too big for the topcase, they had to hang from the purse hook in a plastic back.
Safely home, the scooter in the garage on the Battery Tender, a forecast for more snow, I was happy to be warm and safe. While URALs and other sidecar rigs can play in more serious white stuff, for those on two wheels, the watch words remain, “Beware the snow.”.
Back when I had a big old R1150RT BMW, I was on such snowy conditions as you described so well and yes, one’s heart rate was up and yes, using one’s feet as pontoons is pretty useful on larger motorcycles. Nothing like the sight of one’s motorcycle, sliding down the hill, slowly spinning on it’s right jug at the same time, while you yourself are sliding down the snow-covered hill in its wake.
And yes, URAL sidecars frolic in such conditions.
So, when are you getting a sidecar for the Vespa? 🙂
No sidecar for the Vespa. I would probably get a URAL or BMW rig but not a sidecar for a Vespa.
I can’t imagine riding an R1150RT in the snow. Just asking for trouble as you attest to.
You’re a much braver man than I when it comes to two wheels on snow and ice. Unless it was with heavily studded tires on a frozen lake. Now that could be fun!
My courage and bravery is drying up. Soon I’ll be riding in warm weather like everyone else…
“Warm” is when the temperature is positive, right?
Warm is anytime you’re not cold!
Your article brought back a fond memory of riding a 2-stroke “dual purpose” bike as they were called then, in the 70’s. With a foot and a half of snow and full knobbies on my Suzuki, I rode from my home in Baltimore along a railroad track to a frozen lake. It’s the only time I could do a full power slide at 60 mph! The bike couldn’t fall over. If I stopped and stepped off, the bike just stood there. Blazing in a straight line, then throwing it sideways and pinning the throttle the bike would make a wide ark, rear tire sending a rooster tail 50 feet into the air! What a great memory. I couldn’t do that on a dirt track.
I never did that as a kid on a dirtbike. Never occurred to me you could ride after Labor Day. And now that I realize you can ride in the snow, I’m too old for that kind of youthful play…
All I can say is, is that spring is right around the corner! And by ‘spring’, I mean the warmer temperatures beginning hopefully in March, and by ‘right around the corner’, I mean hopefully in 5 weeks or so.
I’m ready for warm weather. Any cold weather fortitude and zeal I used to possess seems to have abandoned me…
Steve you are a brave and hearty soul. I parked my bike in November & haven’t bothered to venture out. We have actually had a Pineapple Express winter with lots of rain & mild temps. Some of the trees are starting to blossom and my camellia bush is in bloom. I think it’s time to renew my license tags and go for a long ride.
Pineapple Express winter — that definitely sounds like acceptable riding weather. And if the camellia is blooming, gee, what are you waiting for?
I’ve found the cvt on a scooter uniquely suited to slippery conditions. At least on my kymco, if there’s no traction, it won’t put the power down. If it must be done, it can be done. Of course, it’s the crazies in cages that are the bigger danger.
The CVT works well in the slippery stuff. And I agree about the cagers, they really are the bigger threat.
You do realise that the tires you have are not true Snowtex right?
what you have is this:
http://en.reifenwerk-heidenau.com/modules/reifenliste/view.php?lang=en&point=5&rtyp=16&profil=96&pic=58
thats a k66 Silica but not snowtex
this is snowtex
http://en.reifenwerk-heidenau.com/modules/reifenliste/view.php?lang=en&point=5&rtyp=16&profil=93&pic=51
and this
http://en.reifenwerk-heidenau.com/modules/reifenliste/view.php?lang=en&point=5&rtyp=16&profil=98&pic=60
i use the later ones, and they work great.
Man, looked at the Heidenau site and I would have to say you’re right. I looked back at my original post in the ModernVespa.com site and indeed the label on the tires said “SnowTex”. All I can figure is they introduced more tires since then and rebranded everything. When I bought them in 2010 there weren’t as many choices.
I’m curious now how much different the performance would be with the newer versions. Thanks for the head’s up.
Have you considered carbide tire studs, such as the ones Aerostich sells?
I’ve seen the self-tapping carbide studs but have not felt the need for them. They’ll help on snow and ice but be a problem on the bare pavement which is what I ride on most in the winter.