Ever been caught in a snow storm on a bike?

[Digitdion]

Been a wild few days of weather out there in the south. I live in Queenstown and thank god have 7 weeks off work, some of which will be spent taking the big KTM out for a good ride. First day up to Ohau lodge. Bloody wet. Had to ride thru deep water to escape the next day. All the poor bastards in cages had to wait.
Then up to Hanmer springs thru heavy rain, sun and Wind. Got to love the Hot springs! Today, well thank goodness I got up early. Had a feeling more weather was on its way. Was heading up to . Originally I was going to do the rainbow road if the weather had been a bit more normal. Plan B was the Lewis Pass. Nelson is my old home town, so I know the Lewis pass well. A great ride.
Its a gradual climb heading north , and before I know it it was sleeting. No worries matey, until it got a hell of a lot heavier. No Worries until it began to sit on the road. Deep slush. Oh, bloody good at the top and its all down hill from here. I reckon 20 minutes later I would have had to stop. I have ridden over the crown range before in snow but nothing like this.Over to the North Island tomorrow. At least it will be a tad warmer up North.

Now my Question is , have any of you boys and girls been caught in a snowstorm on your bike before? Will be keen to hear your stories.

Cheers Dion

[madmal64]

Only once have I had the snow experience like you described. Way back in the good old days when the Cold Kiwi was up on army land on the Desert Rd.
They came on site and said they would be closing the road in about 30 mins.
Gear packed and off we headed back to Wellington as I didn't like the idea of getting caught up on the highest point on that part of the road. 10 minutes after leaving the site I could not tell where the verge of the road was, it was just white everywhere. If it wasn't for the road markers reflecting we would have been in the shit. I ended up just following a mates tail light all the way to Taihape. Gets interesting following a red light when everything else is white. I remember how much reflection came off the falling snow too, made it hard to see any great distance.
Not a fun time.

[Big Dave]

Yes - I lived in Hobart for a few years. Rode in snow over Mt Nelson to get to work on quite a few occasions.

It's wet, slippery and not at all pleasant. Particularly in peak hour traffic.

The flurries are also very disconcerting and visually distracting.

The best way around it was I moved to the Gold Coast.

[Skunk]

Yep, Napier-Taupo Road. Couldn't see anything with ice inside the visor and snow on the outside.

[AllanB]

Years ago it started to snow as I rode two-up loaded with gear on the old zig-zag to Arthurs Pass coming over from the West Coast.

Fun times............

[lb99]

brass monkey 96, up on the dunstan trail with a broken front mudguard and bald trials tyres, and a sprained ankle, that was the worst ride home ever (xt400)

somewhere between milton and dunedin, thought my electrics were crapping out, was the build up of snow on the headlight, had to wrap a rope though the spokes on the back wheel to get up saddle hilll.(xj750)

plus numerous whiteouts on the motorway between dunedin and waikouaiti, pretty normal stuff really

[FJRider]

I went over the Lindis pass in '82 I think... Went through the "gate" 10 minutes before they closed the road. Was on a GS1000. Caught up with the Works truck at Dip creek.... followed him out. Was not ...fun and friggen cold.

[Oakie]

Yeah, four or five years back I guess and I'd just left home on the 10 km commute to work. I was about 1km from home when it started to snow. I thought it'd be fine and I'd get to work before it became a problem ... but I was wrong. In short order it was settling and by the time I got half way to work the road was fairly well covered. I was very careful obviously and remember reaching a bit of an 'S' bend where instead of riding around it in one sweet movement, I rode to each apex then stopped the bike, pointed it at the next apex and rode a straight line to the next apex where I stopped and the same thing again. Got to work safely and got some incredulous looks from my workmates.

[gatch]

Yep, making a trip to dunedin from nelson, got stuck just outside of christchurch in snow, was built up on my lap and in the bends of my elbows, visor frozen shut etc.

Then again 2 days later finishing the trip, snowed on after leaving oamaru and going over the kilmog ? Sideways, backwards, on its side.. Had packed toilet paper in my helmet so that when I could lift the visor and pluck a bit out, wipe my glasses, wipe the visor off and have 5 minutes of clear vision till it gummed up again, arrived with no feeling in arms or feet..

[madbikeboy]

Ice in Edinburgh on a scooter (I'm straight!).

Fell on my ass.

Got up, fell on my ass.

Two wheels, two feet. My ass.

[vifferman]

Now my Question is , have any of you boys and girls been caught in a snowstorm on your bike before?

I've ridden while it's been snowing twice, when I lived in Christchurch. It was actually rather conducive to communtering, as the cars were tootling along very slowly, so I just rode up the middle in the slush.
The only real issue I had was visibility: I found that snow doesn't readily slide off the visor like rain does, so I was alternating between riding with the visor open (and my helmet filling with snow!) or riding with it nearly closed, and having to swish the snow build-up off every few seconds.
Riding with an open-faced helmet (and no gloves!) in a heavy hailstorm was far more problematic...
There was only one day when I deliberately didn't ride on account of the weather. I thought, "Damn it's cold! Wonder why there's no frost?!?" Set off, and got all of 10m before I realised there was black ice everywhere, then very gingerly u-turned with both feet down, parked the bike, and took the 4WD. Even that was sliding everywhere, but at least I didn't end up lying on the road....

[jim.cox]

A bike on fresh snow is great fun - the deeper the better

I used to work ski patrol, and my transport was an XL600

They work REALLY well.

But it does help to have good tyres you trust - icy downhill corners can be very very scary

[skidMark]

I went over the Lindis pass in '82 I think... Went through the "gate" 10 minutes before they closed the road. Was on a GS1000. Caught up with the Works truck at Dip creek.... followed him out. Was not ...fun and friggen cold.

Now now... how can thier be any ride you cannot enjoy on a gs1000....

[Eddieb]

A bike on fresh snow is great fun - the deeper the better

I used to work ski patrol, and my transport was an XL600

They work REALLY well.

But it does help to have good tyres you trust - icy downhill corners can be very very scary

2 winters as a m/c in London riding in snow 10 or more hours a day for up to several months means you get used to it pretty quick.

[jim.cox]

2 winters as a m/c in London riding in snow 10 or more hours a day for up to several months means you get used to it pretty quick.

10 or more hours - By which stage it isn't snow any more

Grey gritty wet slush more likely - sort of jellified road crud

Yum !