VFR Snow Tires?

RiderWearhouse (the Aerostich guys) have a simple screw-in carbide stud kit if you get serious. 80-100 in each tire. Rain tires (colder compound and more void area) like the Avons would be a good place to start.

 

Yea a enduro is better, but the Dunlop 616 is your best bet if you do ride, & they hook up pretty damn good on the dry stuff.

I ride all year round & as long as "NO" Ice on the City/county/state/interstate asphalt roads, I'm riding.

i commuted on the SM, Sprint ST, Harley Dynaglide, & the enduro last year.
Safest & most manuverable was the SM. but the Sprint ST with the 616's on it was a close 2nd this year.

I pop down to LA on the Sprint & when coming back, if it's snowing, or snow on the highway, I feel the road a lot better & confident with the 616's.

There also the best sport touring tyre out there for a all weather tyre.

 

I rode my 84 750 Interceptor in the snow last weekend, it's like learning how to ride again

lesson-don't down shift at all, no gunning then letting off rapidly, no gunning at all.

Dropped it twice downshifting. going 5 kms first, then 30kms second. I had 10 P.S.I. in my rear street tire and 15 p.s.i in my front. Damage- broke mirror, broke right handlebar positioning tab-(you can adjust it to different angles now!), scratched right cover, bent left clutch lever into a banana, headlight points to the right, put a light crease into the tank, (but it can be removed.)

I bought the bike for a winter beater($600) to repalce my XL 500 R that I had planned to use, which I suggest acquiring a crappy 70's enduro.

Things I've learned-snow is actually quite like gravel, i can lift my bike up off the ground on ice in 2 seconds flat(good workout), and that when i think about it, it was actually stupid, but I'm young, so that's my excuse.

Enjoy and expect to pay.

 

I can't believe this thread actually exists....

 

Good to see others are out their in the cold I see very few bikes on my commute from maryland to virginia (40 miles each way) my vfr and a bmw fellow traveler. I am running avon storm tires but have to lay up in the snow for a few days.

 

We got about 4 inches of snow last week and my bike has been sitting in my dorm room ever since. Having driven around in my car in the slick stuff i recognize that although it would be great fun to tool around on a bike, breaking stuff on my bike would be a very expensive way to have fun.

Maybe when the student loans come in next semester i'll buy a little enduro.

 

Am I getting old?

I used my first Honda the good old VF 750 F ´83 model one winter (year´98-´99) and it was ok. I did not get any Winter tyres so I only redused the air in the tyres a bit, removed every thing not needed like mirrors, turnsignals and fairing and slowed down. It was fun but I don´t recomend it.
My point is our lowely streetbikes are to heavy to use in snow. If you can get your hands over an old enduro bike (Honda XL 600, XR 600, Suzuki DR 600 Yamaha XT 600 Kawasaki KLR 600) it would be alot more useful and your VFR would be unharmed next summer.
Best regards from Iceland.

 

And one other thing... Use trial tyres not motocross tyres, They are soft and work better in snow.

 

I'm with you Hater81, reading this thread is like watching a train crash. Can't these guys discuss porting heads or something else useful?

Hey, I'm thinking of putting some handlebar tassels off a My Little Pony bicycle on my VFR! What do ya think?

 

When I was in college in a high mountain valley in Colo in the sixties, I got a job changing temp and wind recording drums up at 10k feet in Schofield Park. Got a snowmobile and free housing in Crested Butte.
Only problem - 28 miles to school, and the only thing I had that would start in those temps was an old Enfield 500 twin/w/single carb. It wasn't unusual for the temps to drop to -25 to -40.
Solution? Wear multiple layers with the outside layer painted to reduce the wind.
Trials universals are definitely the way to go.
Ahhh youth and stupidity.......

 

grave digger