I used to ride in the snow and cold quite a bit when I lived in Wyoming and my cut-off was zero degrees F. Below that, even the electrics couldn't keep up with it. I like living in Virginia, we can ride year 'round, but we haven't had much snow at all since I've been here and I miss it. The snow just ususally turns to ice here whereas in Wyoming it would sublimate (one benefit of the incredibly dry air, I guess). Once the roads were plowed they would be bone dry even if there were several feet of snow on the ground. It was so cold on my ride to work one morning that a water main froze and broke, then when it ran down the pavement it turned to ice, especially where the cars had splashed it around onto the cold asphalt. That was a bit slick, gotta watch stuff like that very carefully. I once rode from my home in Lander to Teton Village (Jackson Hole) and back (350 miles round trip) with snow on the ground just to buy my season ski pass at the Village . It was cold, but it was pretty cool to combine my two favorite sports like that. I've been running Shinko tires on my GS the past two sets and have really liked them for gravel roads and they work fine on pavement too, no issues in the rain. They're about 1/2 the cost of Tourances, grip great under all conditions, and last almost as long for me. The tread blocks are bigger with wider gaps and the rubber is significantly softer that the Metzelers so they grip better when it's cold. The Tourances seemed to get hard as steel when it was cold and lose some grip. Doug
That's not a bear, it's a big feral pig! I hear they get upwards of 1000 pounds down in that country, some kind of exotic Russian boar cross-breed. MMMM, good eatin'! Doug
I agree, I ran one set of Shinkos and had none of the cracking. Changed to a Tourance on the rear and really feel a difference in traction, wet, dry, dirt. Less miles but that won't matter as much if you low side.
Not the most adventerous pictures I've ever taken but this is my new to me '07. Just had it a week so far and I am in love!!! Took it out on a run today and stopped off at a great little catfish stand, If you're in the DFW area, let me know, I'll send you the route.
This is Alp d'huzes. 8000 people on bycicles climb the Alpe d'Huez in France to collect money for the fight against cancer. Some do it once but some climb the mountain 2,3,4,5 or 6 times. A 2 day event where I and 122 other Motards help to keep the mountain safe for the participants, we ride the mountain many times up and down. Escorting cars, trucks and coaches who have to take the road and give help to people who need it.
You guys need to keep your GS's clean <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikonpicture/8442836759/" title="BMW R1200GS by Nikonpicture, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8234/8442836759_98c4c2130f_c.jpg" width="800" height="484" alt="BMW R1200GS"></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikonpicture/8443924166/" title="BMW R1200GS by Nikonpicture, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8332/8443924166_789283128d_c.jpg" width="800" height="482" alt="BMW R1200GS"></a>