My day started off so nice. Got into work early (I run the coffee bar at the Whole Foods on E57th St.), packed out a bunch of stuff, placed some orders. One of my all-stars was working with me, so I figured I could get away and do some more packing out and office-y stuff. Nope. At 9:30 she left due to stomach issues. And because of tight labor budget and scheduling, I was alone until 4pm. A nice 10-hour day. Meanwhile, I see the snow outside the window, but everyone assures me it's not sticking. Since the store was dead (everyone hiding at home) I decided to do some shopping. Got to the bike, loaded it up, suited up, then headed for the QBB. OK, visibility was nil and people were still driving like assholes. Got over the bridge fine. Northern Blvd moving slow, but that's fine since snow was sticking and I still couldn't see. And some guy in an 18-wheeler next to me wondered why I didn't just weave in and out of traffic. I tried to explain traction of a two-wheeler vs. 18-wheeler, but I don't think he got it. Hung a left onto 45th St, er, almost. Someone was turning right onto it but aborted midway through. No prob. Traffic moving slow up 45th. Rear wheel of the GS swung out left a few times, but I kept it up. Headed up a slight hill to a stop sign where intersecting traffic on left does not stop. I was gonna just ride through but saw headlights. Eased on front brake -woopsie-daisy! down I went onto the starboard side. Was able to hurk it up onto the side stand, but it was sorta leaning against an SUV. Tried to stand it up to see if I could straddle it to ride it. Boots had no traction and the camber worked against me cuz it went down onto the port side. A good samaritan helped me get it back up. After breathing for a bit, I took out two bags of groceries and humped it the two blocks home. Yes, I dumped it two blocks from home. I put on my new Red Wing boots, with traction!, and walked back to the bike. A car had left the parking spot just in front of the bike so I started to maneuver it into that spot, instead of being half in the road. I got it against the curb and noticed it was fairly upright. I swung a leg over and could stand it up. So, I fired it up, put on the hazards and duck-walked it the two blocks home. Damage? The left Jesse bag is pushed in even farther so it barely opens & closes. I'll find out more tomorrow. Me? A sore back. Message to Mother Nature left on my topcase: Duck-walking tracks: (Also, very similar to the tracks I leave when walking on a nude beach)
AWESOME ADVENTURE. BTDT Hard to believe NY has snow, and it's tee shirt weather up here in the GWN. :huh
The snow in NY yesterday was horrible. Snow mixed with ice. I hardly ever don't ride home. And snow is usually no problem. But yesterday I got a lift home and left the bike in the parking lot. It was the worst road surface I have seen for a while. Very dangerous.
Not yesterday, but I rode when snow was in the forecast for the p.m. though it "won't stick to roads and treated surfaces"... Within 15 minutes of the first flakes, all surfaces may as well have been coated with grease; this on a rear tire just at about lifespan. I made like a bike messenger in terms of my front brake. Interesting ride home. Now knobbies, on the other hand...
Duck-walking tracks: (Also, very similar to the tracks I leave when walking on a nude beach)[/QUOTE] Btw gla you and the bike are ok
So how does one handle a bike in the snow? When the rear end starts to slide out do I gas it? clutch in? throttle off? hands off the bars and cover my head?
Well if you're on a big, heavy bike, and 'normal' tyres, and there's enough snow to make the road really slippery, then you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Especially if there's lots of traffic around you. Proper winter tyres usually have some sort of studs, and their thread pattern is much closer to a motocross tyre, than a street one. Riding on snow, the studs won't help, they're for ice, but the pattern must be open enough, so that snow will not stick to it so easily. If that happens, you go down before you notice. The choice of bike also makes a world of difference. A big GS, for example, is about twice as heavy as it should be for winter riding (I know some people do ride them in winter though). Think 125cc - 350cc enduro bikes, now those would be much more suited for wintry riding conditions, and also much easier to pick up when you crash
I strive to keep the bike vertical. As in no leaning into the turns and such. I steer it like a shopping cart. Very gentle on throttle, clutch and brakes so as to not break traction, quick gentle action to regain traction if I do lose it. My feet are generally down on the pavement, sliding along to act as outriggers. I will maximize traction wherever possible; from riding an unpaved shoulder to staying on an interstate where tires have melted snow. Whatever works best for the area and situation. Increase the heck out of stopping distance, turning radiuses, slow acceleration, etc. This can cause problems with cars as they have more traction and tend to crawl up your backside to "encourage" you along. Speeds are low, so should I go "woops" and wipe out, I hopefully won't get hurt badly. If it ices up, I quit trying. I have not found ice riding on the streets with non-studded tires to be successfull in any fashion.
Oh come on now! I learned to drive in Chicago winters with a 78 El Camino with an open diff! Of course now I have a 4x4 for the snow so I see your point.
Monsignore, great tale Glad you made it I have a similar story to tell. I had just traded in my bike into Ducati NYC for this absolute stunner - 2012 Moto Guzzi Griso 8v in the very limited addition Tenni green with spoke wheels. This happened to be the day prior to the snow storm, and because of scheduling just couldn't pick up the bike. I'll just pick it up after work the day of the Noreaster. There's no way the snow is going to stick I don't know about the next guy, but when you're picking up your brand new to you bike, the day couldn't go any slower. Then I look out the window at work around 3 o'clock and see blizzard conditions. Something like this: Needless to say it WAS sticking I get out of work, and walk to the subway. I some how convince myself that if I stick to main roads I should be fine as I can still see black top. My further Moto fever kicks in so hard that I actually take the subway TWICE in the wrong direction - two connections. After finally getting to Spring street and 6th Ave the winds have kicked up quite a bit. It's still snowing, and I can no longer see black top next to the store. A normal person would have just turned around gone back into the subway and gone home to pick up another day. Not me, I was in full blown, moto crack fever. The salesman are frantically rolling all the bikes into the store. I walk in with crazy eyes and look straight at Eric, the guy that sold me the bike. He doesn't even blink. He says you taking it tonight? I say yup. He says great it's ready to go. I'll roll it to the corner for you. I suit up in my best sneakers, jeans, Roadcrafter, and lame ass fall gloves, and we roll the bike outside. Hmm, sideways wind and sleet.:huh We get to the corner and Eric's shivering as he turns on the bike. I forget everything - completely transfixed by the glorious sounds emanting from this amazing looking bike. I mount up and quickly familiarize myself with the beast. Great center of gravity. Nice and low. Really comfortable riding position. I look to my right thinking Eric had split, but he was standing there as if he needed to witness this act of complete idiocy in real time. Off I go down Prince street. So far so good. The wide tubular bar gives me great feedback and the torque carries me through most of the slipping and slidding. Foxtrapper and windmill have described the technique that I was using. Very light touch on the controls. Keeping as vertical as possible, even when turning. Just like a shopping cart Everything was going fine until I hit the approach to the Williamsburg bridge. I knew that it was going to be a tough crossing since bridges ice up first, but I didn't count on the bumper to bumper traffic all the way across. Of course, that is also compunded by the narrow travel lanes on the bridge which make it difficult to lane split. Plus, I had rigid saddle bags attached After I get to the top of the bridge, my fingers like ice cubes, and my jeans are starting to get soaked from the snow, I can finally give my clutch hand a break. Once I crossed the bridge, the streets seemed marginally better, but I wasn't seeing black top anymore. Visibility was the worst. Snow kept accumalting on my visor, until I just kept it open out of frustration. Finally made it. I was wrecked emotionally, and completely frozen, but intact. I will never do that again. At least with this bike
You certainly chose a good day for picking up a new bike. Glad you made it unscratched! I wasn't as lucky a few winters ago, going down on ice with the GS in Harriman park. I was unhurt but got myself pretty scared, enough to keep me away from riding when the roads get dicey.
