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 :Punk:

Pics from the weekend...
http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/high-country-fishing-9-8-2010-1.jpg

http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/high-country-fishing-9-8-2010-3.jpg

http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/high-country-fishing-9-8-2010-2.jpg

http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/high-country-fishing-9-8-2010-6.jpg

http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/high-country-fishing-9-8-2010-11.jpg
Perfect sight fishing / trap laying conditions
http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/high-country-fishing-9-8-2010-10.jpg

A nice 3 1/2 pound brown caught and released
http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/high-country-fishing-9-8-2010-7.jpg

The road to snowhere
http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/high-country-fishing-9-8-2010-19.jpg

http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/high-country-fishing-9-8-2010-18.jpg

[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.:laugh:

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 :D!

[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 :D!
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.:laugh:

:laugh: what I was thinking when I saw the pic :woohoo:

[ADVGD]

http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/snow-chain-1.jpg

http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/snow-chain-2.jpg

http://www.wepdata.com/files/ADVGD/snow-chain-3.jpg

[george formby]

That is the dog's danglies! I love fly fishing & love riding in snow.:yes: 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]

:Punk: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) :yes: 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!

[ADVGD]

Hi there buggsubique

Mind you, you need something like that with those Vee Rubbers you're running!

Dunlop D605's front and rear my friend :p


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.

Front max is 70km/h while rear max is only 40km/h. The chains are tight, but as you mentioned, the swingarm comes into play with high centrifugal force. They can be further adjusted to limit this and comfortably achieve more speed (I've had them up to 60km/h) but this requires a more complex attachment system that takes a lot longer to get them on and off. Quick fitting was an important factor so using them is not a huge ordeal, as they are I can quickly fit the front and rear in under 10 mins and its nice and easy. Most of the trip above (fully laden) I was just chugging along at max of 30km aiming to stay upright... they served me well.

[ADVGD]

I love fly fishing & love riding in snow

You sir have good taste :yes:

[buggsubique]

Hi there buggsubique


Dunlop D605's front and rear my friend :p




Ahhh, fair enough. obviously Vee Rubber plagiarised the tread pattern.

[pete376403]

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

Could really have used some of those on the last B/Monkey. ADVGD - How much would you sell a set for? - 17" rear & 21" front

[XF650]

Could really have used some of those on the last B/Monkey. ADVGD - How much would you sell a set for? - 17" rear & 21" front

Yes, especially ironical because I actually supply chain, links etc (amoungst other things).

[ADVGD]

Could really have used some of those on the last B/Monkey. ADVGD - How much would you sell a set for? - 17" rear & 21" front

Get ready to be shocked...

Parts list
-----------
$300 2 X top end car chain sets @$150
$40 centre lining chain
$120 12 X heavy duty springs
$36 24 spring clips
$32 4 X heavy duty stainless carabinas
$100 fabricators fee to wield over 70 joiners

Total for the materials ... $628 :shit:

With trial and error this first set took the best part of 25 hours to make :blink: this included angle grinding the snow chains to extract the required sections, preping the centre lining chains, making 70+ joiners out of close link chain, testing and altering for a snug fit, road testing, assembling ready for wielding, droping into fabricators to wield up, plus running around and getting all the parts...

Now that these final prototypes can be used as a template, I estimate this could be reduced to approximately 8 to 10 hours labour, but with the materials price so high I simply couldn't supply them at a realistic price. I am however more than happy to supply any info to help you if you decide to make some yourself.

There is also this website that sells chains for US$149 ea (NZ$220 ish) - Wunderlich (http://www.wunderlichamerica.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Session_ID=e7bf877240b38fb08a61c02e3c 2f8a80&)
The site seems to be experiencing problems but will not doubt be up again shortly

[Eddieb]

Wunderlich products are available more locally through http://www.motohansa.com.au/

[Transalper]

Some interesting stuff here... http://dr650.zenseeker.net/Tires.htm
Includes ice studs and some snow chain stuff.

[Underground]

217088217087

Bit of a rainy day in paradise today so I was mucking around in the shed and I rediscovered these chains we used to use on a V8 falcon ...and thought hmmmm ??
So half an hour and a handful of zip ties later I was out digging in the mud :woohoo:
The only modification I did was to zip tie the chains a couple of links closer on to the bands .
I rode up and down the hill with it and it didnt chew anything off the bike ,but I would be reluctant to get out of first gear incase it did tho.
It tractored up the wet grassy bits real fine and when I stopped on a slope it did what I thought it would and dug a trench , that has been my experience with chains on heavy trucks in the mud too ,they make a huge mess and when forward motion stops the truck ends up buried up to its nuts real quick.
Right , now where's the snow ?

[ADVGD]

217088217087

It tractored up the wet grassy bits real fine and when I stopped on a slope it did what I thought it would and dug a trench

That's a mighty fine trench Underground, you could easily seal the deal for local council pipe laying contracts with those trench digging capabilities :yes:

[NordieBoy]

Anything to get out of getting a new tyre :D

[Underground]

217130

This might be stretching the topic a bit . but it takes that idea of snow chains just that little bit further :blink:

[ADVGD]

217130

This might be stretching the topic a bit . but it takes that idea of snow chains just that little bit further :blink:

That's just pure awesomeness:Punk:

[NordieBoy]

Great for hill climbing but turning may be an issue...