Coast to Coast Canada in winter??

[vanveen]

Hey I met Philip Funnel when he was heading up North, he was known for his love of BMW's so seeing him on a FLH was kinda strange, he had a sidecar and all sorts of electric gear, hippo hands on the bike, said the only time you could go to the far north was during the winter because the muskeg and the rivers freeze over and they plow a road thru, he was a regular contributer to Cycle Canada before then, never heard if he made it or not, come to think of it i've never heard of him again, perhaps somewhere in the far north, after global warming makes Canada's north into a balmy resort they'll find some ancient harley at the bottom of some bog and think some wuss threw it away because it wasn't loud enough seriously though, with modern electric gear, a sidecar, studded knobs, lightweight synthetic oil you could make it, long as you don't get run over by a semi, Mexico sounds like more fun to me

[Esteban]

Motorcycles fall down. Sidecars are not motorcycles - sorry.

Originally Posted by Deuce

Phil Funnel, the old Vancouver BMW dealer did it with an old airhead and sidecar. He also went to 'Took in the NWT in January the year after (late '70's I think). Bring a Coleman to warm the oil in the morning
Remember, across Canada includes Newfoundland, so it is more like 10,000kms.

[Steve G.]

I would only consider doing this with a sidehack. You will fall down many times otherwise. In the dirt, no problem, but falling down while sharing the road with long haul semis steaming along in a blizzard would be scary.
Thinking about it for a minute, I don't like getting cold, I wouldn't do it. If you don't mind getting frostbite, go for it. If you make it, it will be a good news thing in the papers for motorcycling. If you don't make it, know one will ever know.
Ciao, Steve G.

[HighwayChile]

be a boy scout~be prepared. from your back ground you know how bad it can be. on a good few days, everythings jake, just heated clothing, your good. but the worm can turn and your raven feed.

be ready for a break down and a night/day of -50 below. get a big ass windshield, hand guards, i've seen some homemade frame mounted leg wind deflectors.
your on a GS650? i think i read they made a 380 alternater, you could power disco ball AND a hot tub with that. or look into how much yours puts out, and what your heated clothes draw.
go to the van bike show, gerbering has a booth. buy everything. speak with mountaineers re extreme conditions, and equipment.

plan for the worst so your not a pain in the ass to rescue people.

black ice? really shit snow, consider screws for your knobs, if you have room and it doesnt freeze a cordless screw driver could sink enough in each knob to give you some traction. how much snow riding have you done?
do it for the right reasons, not to piss on anybodys parade but I'll bet its been done, some poor SOB who needed to get from one coast to another, no internet, no record, just a guy on his bike.
do it because you want to, not because the last 12 guys didnt write in about it. and when you do, post some pics, and best of luck.

[markjenn]

I don't see any reason it can't be done if you have plenty of time. That would be the key to make it a safe trip - plenty of time, so you could hole up for a day or a week if you needed to. If you were forced to ride in bad weather or on slick roads because you had to maintain a schedule, I think this could make such a trip ridiculously dangerous.

The cold problem should be completely addressable with the right gear and electric clothes. If the F650 doesn't have the watts to power jacket, pants, and gloves, I'd take a different bike. I like TCK80's as all around tires, but there may be better choices. I don't think you want to be screwing around with studs or ice tires - if the weather is bad enough to need them, you need to quit riding and most likely 95% of your trip would be on dry roads that would just eat them up.

You probably do need to look into a block heater or some what to keep the engine warm at night. This sort of thing can be home-brewed and I'd bet that most motels would be so sympathetic to your plight that they'd let you keep the bike indoors. Some car traverlers leave their engines running all night, and I've heard of folks doing that with small Hondas, although I have no idea how a F650 would feel about this. Again, if it is -30 one morning, I question whether it would be a good idea to travel that day.

I'd do a few-day shakedown trip to debug your equipment and technques - make sure everything, including you, is up to it.

To me, this is just like long trips in very small, limited-capabiliity aircraft - you just have to not be in a hurry and let the trip unfold on it's own schedule. If the weather gets bad, park it or turn around. It wouldn't appeal to me, but I can see how it would be an achievement.

- Mark

[beemer67]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Deuce
Phil Funnel, the old Vancouver BMW dealer did it with an old airhead and sidecar. He also went to 'Took in the NWT in January the year after (late '70's I think).

Quote:
Hey I met Philip Funnel when he was heading up North, he was known for his love of BMW's so seeing him on a FLH was kinda strange, he had a sidecar and all sorts of electric gear, hippo hands on the bike, said the only time you could go to the far north was during the winter because the muskeg and the rivers freeze over and they plow a road thru, he was a regular contribute

This was two separate trips. He rode a solo R80/7 to Tuk in 1979. His FLH days were in the early 80's. He was carrying an extra batttery in the top box and did have to drain the oil and heat it up. He was running 5-30W in the engine and 20-50W in the tranny in the really northern bit. Another problem after several falls his handlebar windscreen shattered like glass due to low temps. Ended up making a shield using a foam camping pad over the remaining framework. Visor on his helmet also shattered.

Phil still lives east of Vancouver, BC, but is retired from motocycles due to health.

[MadMmmike]

After speaking with a guy that rode all winter and lives in Canmore/Banff area.
He had a KLR, and with an electric blanket wrapped around the motor at night, it would start the next day, he also used heated clothing and big mukluk boots.....he had those big mitt's that fit around the bars and stay permenatly attached with heated grips I believe. He used Karoo tires with sheet metal screws as studs, at first things were sketchy but after the heads of the screws wore off it was better, but he said to never take traction for granted, he also never went down, and that includes riding the columbia icefields in the beginning of january.

It sounds like a cool challenge, but I think it must be done smartly in order to be done as safely as possible.

If ya do it, And stop in Calgary, drop me a PM, I'll see if my Roomie doesn't mind a guest for a night!!!
Peace,
Mike

[Drif10]

Originally Posted by markjenn

I don't see any reason it can't be done if you have plenty of time. That would be the key to make it a safe trip - plenty of time, so you could hole up for a day or a week if you needed to. If you were forced to ride in bad weather or on slick roads because you had to maintain a schedule, I think this could make such a trip ridiculously dangerous.

The cold problem should be completely addressable with the right gear and electric clothes. If the F650 doesn't have the watts to power jacket, pants, and gloves, I'd take a different bike. I like TCK80's as all around tires, but there may be better choices. I don't think you want to be screwing around with studs or ice tires - if the weather is bad enough to need them, you need to quit riding and most likely 95% of your trip would be on dry roads that would just eat them up.

You probably do need to look into a block heater or some what to keep the engine warm at night. This sort of thing can be home-brewed and I'd bet that most motels would be so sympathetic to your plight that they'd let you keep the bike indoors. Some car traverlers leave their engines running all night, and I've heard of folks doing that with small Hondas, although I have no idea how a F650 would feel about this. Again, if it is -30 one morning, I question whether it would be a good idea to travel that day.

I'd do a few-day shakedown trip to debug your equipment and technques - make sure everything, including you, is up to it.

To me, this is just like long trips in very small, limited-capabiliity aircraft - you just have to not be in a hurry and let the trip unfold on it's own schedule. If the weather gets bad, park it or turn around. It wouldn't appeal to me, but I can see how it would be an achievement.

- Mark

Good words here.

I would check the jetting on the carbs in -30, just to ensure that it'll fire, and not run too lean. Colder air=denser air, remember.

Think about ensuring that you avoid carb freezing in the intake. I seem to remeber something about high speed air in small aircraft carbs and heaters for them.

Use a sled helmet and shield, a decent one stays fog free. Buy a set of "hippo-hands" for the bars, and top of the heated grips. Use some Moose barkbusters without the plastic shields, just the aluminum bars. Good for crashing, plus they'll keep the hippo hands from pressing on the controls.

The leg shield idea can work well, don't forget to shield your feet.




What the hell, dare to be different. If you need a place to warm up in eastern Ontario, drop me a line. Got a full shop too, so if the bike needs some tlc, gotcha covered.

And I got some scotch to fix the rider, too.

[kdude]

Quebec had 41cm of snow yesterday and it all fell in 11 hrs ! And its not exactly warm here either.

Ontario also got hammered by the same storm. If your very lucky you'll get mostly freezing rain as you ride further east..

Just a wake up call. As for the gerbings. I was the pants , jacket , socks and gloves and believe me they won't help you during a Quebec winter.

[ZZR_Ron]

You're crazy. I like that.

Let me know when you're coming trhough, (PM me)
and I'll turn up the heat, and keep a warm beer around for ya.

EDIT: BTW, all the motels along the trans Canada have outdoor
receptacles for block heaters. They make a block heater that replaces your
oil drain plug, but I'm a bit unsure of a supplier. You could try a
small engine place, there's one on my snowblower.

When I get a chance, I'll throw a battery in the KLR, and see if it starts.

[HighwayChile]

just roll the sucker in your room
nobodys gonna screw with a crazy riding a MC in CA winter.

also try to recognize signs of hypothremia

[Newfie_DR650]

People always ride snowmobiles in the winter.

Just dress for it and you should be fine.

I have ridden ATV's in very cold weather and they start just fine, I'd go with a lighter oil but all should be OK.

And as another posted, Newfoundland is the Offical END of Canada.

When you make it to St. John's, NL and if you don't want to ride back to BC after the cold on the way over you can leave the bike in my garage and fly back. I'm planning on the Trans Lab Highway sometime this summer so you could fly back and ride across that with me.

Good Luck.

[Madtowner]

If time is a non issue, I think this can be done. Keep in mind that you may have to hold up in Quebec City if the snow is flying. They often close parts of highway 20 from Quebec City to River du loup (flats along the river) because of drifting. I assume this is the case out in the midwest as well.

[paulmondor]

Update..
I have had quite a ot of good feedback on this..
I have a guy modifying an oil pan heater for the bike here..
so foar so good..
I am from northern Quebec and believe me having spent 3 years almost with the infantry in the 22's i know about cold and surviving in it....I have personallly experienced as low as -85 in CFB Alert.

My buddy jean-pierre is looking as we speak for snomobile equipment.. one piece heated suit.. the mits and the Sorel boots that are known to be good to -60.

tirewise? i have ridden in snow before did the road between Montreal on the norht side of the st lawrence to quebec city in a snow storm.. 8 hours to do 180 kilometers.. so i have an idea of how to ride in snow..
i also know that studs can be easely screwed on and off a tire but to make it more solid you have to seal them inside the tire with proper sealer and hardware.. BUT on asphalt they would wear off and vanish in no time..
so studs are out of the questions..

I will not have a sidecar. if i want to do it with a sidecar might as well just do it in a Mini convertible and call it a day! sidecar would be cheating..

fuel antifreeze. low viscosity oil. and portable air pump to deflate or inflate the tires according to weather, speed and conditions will be mandatory..

i have also another weapon. i was born wit a metabolic body temperature of 100.6 at all time.. so i am warmer by 2 degrees. this has allowed me to endure cold in way most people cannot relate to.

I am very confident this can be done.. I have driven rigs for 11 years and al ot of it was in the gredat white north and to be honest with you i have rarely seen long patches of ice on the road.. except during a storm..
as for surrounding trafic it is a concern.,. I sure would take as many side roads as i can... and in some place use the shoulder..
Speed is not needed and i will have all the time it takes...

as to why??? well i have crossed this country of ours on bike a total of 17 times and as late as in late October when the temperature behind the screen on my 1150 adventure has reached -16. Also, probably over 100 on a rig..

So doing in the warm weather does not in any way or form represent a challenge..
I like risk and i think it can be done if done for the right reasonn.
my reason is that I have not done it and i know i can.. Plus it is a personal challenge i can get others involved with.. Just like i am doing now.
There are 1000's of us out there who love to go all over on 2 wheels just because we are passionate about our sport..
I am sure that with advice, help and support from my fellow riders all over the place i can do it..

Plus we all are adventurers in our ways and i think i would carry a bit of all those who helped me and encourage me and in many ways it would be a success for them as well..

So! So far we have year to prepare me.. Launc date 1st of january 2007..

PS i will keep in note all the addresses of those who kindly open their doors to me and i will stop by during the trip.. To chat, to laugh, to sharre and to thaw!
I am so damn looking forward to it..
One more thing.. i am not sure about which bike..
Any advice on this?? my 1st choice so far is a 650 Dakar and then an Adventure with lower suspension.

[Drif10]

You were a vandoo?

So you're predisposed to lunacy.

Was a 031 myself, years ago. 935 now in Trenton. Drop me a line here when you get closer to doing this.

As for a bike, I wouldn't recommend a 640 Adventure. Too tempermental. I know this cause I own one. F650 seems reliable, that or a KLR. I think the F650 has a higher alternator output, which you'd need for the heated goodies, so I think that'd be the better choice. 640 Adv only puts out 200w @ 5500 rpm, so that's another knock against it.