Pics of the ride in the snow today!

[DK Custom Products]

I've ridden in the snow before...but nothing like today...even when we were up in Canada and Alaska, the snow was not anywhere near 5 inches in 3 hours.

I know for a lot of you, that's nothing. *But the last time we had anything close to that, down our way, was over 15 years ago, and I did not have a Trike at that time...and I would not venture out in snow on 2 wheels.


Took video of the ride home, will have that on youtube soon.


Here are some pics-


It started snowing this afternoon at the shop. *I had a plastic bag over the seats sheepskin cover.

Knocked some of the snow off, plugged in the heated jacket, turned on the video, and headed home.

It's about a 14 mile ride how via the backroads. *Stopped about halfway to take a few pics-

It was beautiful out, and I wished I would have left earlier so I could take a longer way home, but I did not want to be riding in this stuff after dark.

There were a few spots where it was more snow on the road, but For the most part the roads were slush. *It is amazing how much ice built up on the TG in a short 14 miles.

Check out the rear wheel filled up-

One thing that had me a bit perplexed...with all this ice, I wondered why the engine temp was running up around 200. *On the way in, when it was dry and a few degrees warmer, the engine temp was 180.

Then I saw that the vents for the radiators were iced over!

Lots of ice!

After pulling inside, I took a few pics of the underneath. *WOW! Everything covered with ice, many nooks and cranny's just filled up!*

From day one I have been amazed at the handling capabilities of the Tri-Glide. *Today my respect for its' stability and handling grew even more!


When I get the video on youtube, you will see a few places where I tried to break it loose to slide and just was amazing how stable it was. *Even the times I did break it loose, it was completely predictable.


I wasn't foolish...roads that I normally travel 55-75 on, today I was going 35-45. *But before I left, I was thinking I might have to be riding as slow as 10-15. *The TG impresses me again!!!


Oh! *I did discover one fault with the 14-up TG's. *:laugh: *When I got home I put my emergency brake on. *When I went to release the brake to pull in, it was frozen on. *I dug and hit at some of the ice to break it loose. *No joy, so I rode it in with the brake on. *It was over 45 minutes later than enough of the ice had melted that the brake would release. *:laugh:

Kevin

 

[Keystone]

Don't ride in MN when it's like that out because of all of the salt on the roads. Getting it off is no easy task. Anyway, looks like you had a blast!

 

[bikerbillone]

Kevin, you are one brave soul, that is not for me. That radiator icing up could be a real problem, but then it's probably way too cold to damage the motor.

 

[Rod69]

Looks like a fun ride. Glad to hear how stable the trike is. Glad you made it without any trouble.

 

[Hhardrockminer]

Hey Kevin,

I think from past experiences that no matter what yr. ride you would have the Emerency brake would freeze up.

Glad you enjoyed the ride and arrived home safely.

RIDE SAFE AND FREE!!!!

Ken

 

[rhino 2]

I ride In the snow all the time, After 3 or 4 inch's it gets a little tricky, The main thing is to stay off of the front brake or the front tire becomes a ski.. And yep the oil cooler will slush up, So I keep an eye on it, I don't have an oil temp gauge, that's more info than I need. Also I have to ride on a dirt road to get into my camp, And in the spring the mud will completely cover the oil cooler.. So when I get back to the blacktop I stop and clean it off. As far as the ''Parking'' brake, I never use it.

 

[GARYD]

A man after my own heart. You'll have to come up with a radiator heater now.

Good for you - break the sterotype of a typical motorcyclist. ThumbUp ThumbUp ThumbUp

Can't wait to see the videos.

 

[pcombe]

Togowote pass, Wyoming.

I have been in the situation where I have been caught in a sudden snow storm and had no choice but to ride and I admit I have chosen to ride in it a few times while on a trip and there were no other routes to where I needed to go.
My trike handled it pretty well all in all.

The Columbia ice fields in Canada were and experience also.

Unlike yourself I didn't really enjoy it though?
Theres just to much of that white crap around here.:AGGHH:

 

[jtilmon]

Kevin, it snowed in Olive Branch also, it sure was pretty, but messy today.
We don't get many snows here that wet and pretty. Have a great day.

 

[Steve on 3]

Kevin, I am wondering if a mud flap that extended down from the front fender skirt would solve some of the icing on the radiators. I think what you are getting is slush kicked up by the front tire. Also. I learned the hard way never put the parking brake on if it is below freezing and wet. Even on a car, a little bit of ice can stop a v-8.

Can't wait to see the video. We were supposed to have gotten that last night but the warm gulf air got here before the cool northern air and all we got in the Charlotte area was rain.

Spring where are you? Anybody see that Phat Punxatawney Phil. ?

 

[NHBAGGER]

Don't ride in MN when it's like that out because of all of the salt on the roads. Getting it off is no easy task. Anyway, looks like you had a blast!

I agree, salt is nasty!

 

[DK Custom Products]

Don't ride in MN when it's like that out because of all of the salt on the roads. Getting it off is no easy task. Anyway, looks like you had a blast!

Yeah! It was fun playing in the snow!!!

Kevin, you are one brave soul, that is not for me. That radiator icing up could be a real problem, but then it's probably way too cold to damage the motor.

I reckon whatever that colored liquid is in the radiators, it has anti-freeze properties. I agree with you, don't think there was any risk of damage.

Looks like a fun ride. Glad to hear how stable the trike is. Glad you made it without any trouble.

Yep, lots of fun, and even more impressed with how stable she is.

Hey Kevin,

I think from past experiences that no matter what yr. ride you would have the Emerency brake would freeze up.

Glad you enjoyed the ride and arrived home safely.

RIDE SAFE AND FREE!!!!

Ken

Yeah, I never used the E-brake on the '11. And I believe this is the first time I've ridden the '14 (which I do use the E-brake on regularly) when it was both Freezing And Wet.

Won't be doing that again.

I ride In the snow all the time, After 3 or 4 inch's it gets a little tricky, The main thing is to stay off of the front brake or the front tire becomes a ski.. And yep the oil cooler will slush up, So I keep an eye on it, I don't have an oil temp gauge, that's more info than I need. Also I have to ride on a dirt road to get into my camp, And in the spring the mud will completely cover the oil cooler.. So when I get back to the blacktop I stop and clean it off. As far as the ''Parking'' brake, I never use it.

Yeah, I tested both the front brakes and the foot brake pedal to see what they felt like/what point they would lock up at. Unlike a 2 wheeler, on the TG, the front brake can't be used for 70+% of the braking power, especially wet or slushy/icy.

The snow/ice did not leave a bad amount of cleaning to be done. Mud, that is no fun to clean!

A man after my own heart. You'll have to come up with a radiator heater now.

Good for you - break the sterotype of a typical motorcyclist. ThumbUp ThumbUp ThumbUp

Can't wait to see the videos.

Gonna give Mary the raw video in the morning for her to edit it down to a video.

View attachment 25610 Togowote pass, Wyoming.

I have been in the situation where I have been caught in a sudden snow storm and had no choice but to ride and I admit I have chosen to ride in it a few times while on a trip and there were no other routes to where I needed to go.
My trike handled it pretty well all in all.

The Columbia ice fields in Canada were and experience also.

Unlike yourself I didn't really enjoy it though?
Theres just to much of that white crap around here.:AGGHH:

I can understand that... this was a novelty down here...I can see where it would get old very quickly if one had to deal with it every day...being on the TG was not bad, but just getting out around the house doing chores...it's cold and nasty.

Kevin, it snowed in Olive Branch also, it sure was pretty, but messy today.
We don't get many snows here that wet and pretty. Have a great day.

Yeah, and it was even heavier and colder down toward Hickory Flat where a lot of the DK Team lives.

Kevin, I am wondering if a mud flap that extended down from the front fender skirt would solve some of the icing on the radiators. I think what you are getting is slush kicked up by the front tire. Also. I learned the hard way never put the parking brake on if it is below freezing and wet. Even on a car, a little bit of ice can stop a v-8.

Can't wait to see the video. We were supposed to have gotten that last night but the warm gulf air got here before the cool northern air and all we got in the Charlotte area was rain.

Spring where are you? Anybody see that Phat Punxatawney Phil. ?

Yeah, it was amazing watching the huge amount of slush coming up in a V shape off the front tire!

Kevin

 

[Steve on 3]

I'd have to think twice about taking my $35k+ TG out and cutting donuts. My luck, I would have an oil pan failure. The oil pan would fail to hold all the parts that came flying out through it ! They seem to do pretty well in the snow though. can't wait for the video.

Steve

 

[Papa Zook]

Kevin,
One of your fellow Mississippians just posted this video on YouTube.
Apparently 'yall aren't used to getting snow down there!

 

[DK Custom Products]

I'd have to think twice about taking my $35k+ TG out and cutting donuts. My luck, I would have an oil pan failure. The oil pan would fail to hold all the parts that came flying out through it ! They seem to do pretty well in the snow though. can't wait for the video.

Steve

Fuzzy, funny you mention donuts! That was the first thing I did.

So3, the TG is a lot tougher than I ever though it would be. I've done plenty of burn-outs, wheelies, slides and some very nice drifting thru curves on asphalt and dirt roads on TG's. Donuts are probably one of the easiest things I've subjected my TG's to. However, I agree with you, the TC engine is the link, and I won't own one without a warranty.

Kevin,
One of your fellow Mississippians just posted this video on YouTube.
Apparently 'yall aren't used to getting snow down there!

Nope, not used to snow...last time we had this much was over 15 years ago.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Vid is up on Youtube!

​

Kevin

 

[bikerbillone]

Totally inspirational to this old Florida boy, thanks for the post.

 

[Sully]

That was Cool, or Cold :laugh: The Trike sounded Great ThumbUp

 

[Steve on 3]

Awesome ride Kevin, I will bet it was fun to drift at will.

 

[trikermutha]

Man I would have been puckered up the whole way back..

 

[DK Custom Products]

It was fun! I was prepared to ride home very slowly...even thought 5-10 mph might be the safe speed.

Was amazed how well it held...I'm sure it was because there was no ice beneath the snow.

Tomorrow night we're foretasted to get freezing rain and then it will not get above freezing all day Thursday.

Probability is that the roads will be a skating rink. I may take it out for a little spin around the neighborhood...just to see how it does...but I don't see how it could be very safe on the ice.

If I venture out on it, will take a video.

 

[GARYD]

Do you hose it down after you get home or just leave it covered in snow/ice? :AGGHH:

 

[rhino 2]

Do you hose it down after you get home or just leave it covered in snow/ice? :AGGHH:

I don't know how Kevin leaves it.. :Shrug: I just park mine wet in my Garage, It's only gonna get wet the next time it snows, Which it's every third day around here...

 

[DK Custom Products]

Do you hose it down after you get home or just leave it covered in snow/ice? :AGGHH:

Laid down a bunch of towels on the floor and rode it in on top of them...thought they would absorb the ice and snow as it melted. Well after about 45 minutes the towels were soaked and the majority of snow and ice was NOT melted yet.

Got a bucket and dug most of the snow and ice out from under the bike, took the chunks off the towels and put them in the bucket and emptied the bucket outside. After 5 bucketfuls most of it was gone.

A day or two later I rode it in some pretty good rain. Have not washed it or hosed it down yet.

There is NO salt or chemicals on the roads I've been riding on.

Tomorrow I may venture out onto the ice...we'll see.

Kevin

 

[DK Custom Products]

Went out for a little ride today in the snow and ice.

Kevin