Motorbike snow chains

[ADVGD]

Heading off on the bike into the High Country for a few days of riding, camping, fly fishing and hunting can't be beat. Although winter can have some pretty rough days, the majority are good, ripe and ready to enjoy. With winter producing far more windless days than our predominantly norwester summer periods this makes for great sight fishing conditions and awesome days up on the tops hunting, the chance of encountering a snow storm however is undoubtedly inevitable if you're out most weekends. To prepare for this I constructed snow chains for my bike (due to none being available in New Zealand) which received their first debut over the weekend. Although motorbikes with a decent set of hooves can hold their own in snow, the snow chains gave far greater control on the slippery packed down icy sections and the thick layer of the slippery sludge on windy steep tarmac descents. All up 50 km in the snow was ridden with the chains on and not one spill, they definitely get a big tick from me as a vital part of winter riding equipment when venturing into the High Country or places susceptible to snow. Aside from the sensible and safety factor of snow chains, they're a truck load of fun

Pics from the weekend...









Perfect sight fishing / trap laying conditions


A nice 3 1/2 pound brown caught and released


The road to snowhere

[Crasherfromwayback]

Great pics mate!

[hamjet]

Great stuff. You're the man. Love your thread. I was working up that way over the weekend and I was thinking of you, it sure was cold /wet and snowing yesterday. I'm a keen fly-fisherman, but hell . You are obviously well set up to endure it mid winter and all by bike!

Did you ride out of there yesterday or this morning?

[ADVGD]

Did you ride out of there yesterday or this morning?

I rode up Friday afternoon, camped up Friday and Saturday night, then rode out Sunday afternoon. As I was approaching the top of Porters Pass a Suzuki Ace overtook me at a crazy speed considering the amount of snow and slush on the road, sure enough as I came up to the 35km bend at the top, it had skidded out and slid nearly 20m with the only thing finally stopping it from falling over the 200m+ drop was a bank of snow from the snow plough. Lucky to be alive. I pulled over to lend a hand to get their car back onto the road and was greeted with much appreciation from the male passenger, and a very sheepish, look from the female driver!

[Transalper]

Now you've done it, you're going to have to make some chains for everyone else too now.

The thought has crossed my mind several times that ice studs or chains would be nice right about now, but never done anything more than looking on the web about it. You're the first local I've seen using some traction assistance. They look great... what we can see from the photo.
Cheers
TA.

[XF650]

That's great innovation.
I want some for next Brass Monkey.

[Padmei]

Good stuff. you may haveto put some more pics up on how you made them. (Not that the snow stays around up here for long)

[zeRax]

its all true! you are the man, thats awesome


you should post some detail pics of your chains too so we can all copy !

[ADVGD]

Good stuff. you may haveto put some more pics up on how you made them. (Not that the snow stays around up here for long)

you should post some detail pics of your chains too so we can all copy !

Can do, will do, stay tuned...

[_Shrek_]

Now you've done it, you're going to have to make some chains for everyone else too now.

what I was thinking when I saw the pic

[ADVGD]

[george formby]

That is the dog's danglies! I love fly fishing & love riding in snow. The chains look excellent, I used to use rope & had to re-tie every 30k's. You could have yourself a nice wee cottage industry on the go...
Excellent post.

[Underground]

I want some !!

[buggsubique]

two thumbs up mate, those chains are the shizzle! Mind you, you need something like that with those Vee Rubbers you're running! I literally cut my rear one up and binned it as I just found it too unpredictable in the gravel. Front still ok though.

Whats your max speed with chains on? Do they flare out with speed? I image they could eat a rear swingarm for breakfast if too loose.

Good stuff, Matt

[Crim]

Awesome chains (and great fish) You need to send those photos of your bike in the snow (with chains) to Jim at TVone weather - better than all the bloody plane stuff he always has! - and might kick off your cottage industry!