Snow riding tip

[BigGreenMachine]

Something I learned from my older bro a long time ago for conquering deep powder without getting stuck. The idea is to reduce the drag on your frame by creating a smooth surface under the motor so snow doesnt pack up and reduce your ground clearance. Everyone (except u warm climate guys) has been there beating ice off the bottom of your machine. Its simple and effective really, you just use a crazycarpet as a skidplate right from your downtube back to the swingarm. This allows your front tire to float as the carpet raises you over the snow and your rear tires act as paddles to push you along your way. He used to use this on our old YTM 200 shaft and it was very effective. I think it will be even better on my 85 Tecate because of the fat front tire, way less weight, more power and the fat Spidertracs I'll have pushing me along.

To all you ppl with snow down now, get out and enjoy it. I've got another month and a half to wait trailprotrailpro the snow gets here.

:TrikesOwn

[smokinp]

cool tip...I love riding in the snow and for all of my winter time riding I have always have a trike with no suspension but now I have a 200x!I cant wait

[Dammit!]

cool tip...I love riding in the snow and for all of my winter time riding I have always have a trike with no suspension but now I have a 200x!I cant wait

200x's thrive in the snow. You'll have a blast.

[MTS]

hmmm im gona have to do that tommrow biggreen thanks for the tip...ill do it on my 82' 200 ...i always get stuck and have to pull the front end up for the knobies to grab..pain in the ass when your tired...do you think some thin slipry aluminum would work??cuze then i could make one with a little subframe to bolt on and off seaonal for it...hmmm

[Dammit!]

Anybody remember those front wheel ski kits they used to make for trikes back in the day?

[BigGreenMachine]

Anybody remember those front wheel ski kits they used to make for trikes back in the day?

Yeah They were very cool, wouldnt take much to fab up a nice ski out of a new deep powder ski off some new mountain sled. I wanted to buy a Track kit and mount it on my Tecate along with a ski up front but cost of the kits kept me from doing it. 1700 for the two rear tracks that were meant for the older Banshee's.

My trike, yeah slippery aluminum would work but only in nice fluffy snow, the wet stuff would stick and eventually build up. The subframe idea is a good one though.

[bigredhead]

Never ridden in snow before.. should be another month or so.. maybe 2 at most.

Got me a snow blower and have an itch to try it ! almost tried to cut my lawn with it yesterday as my mower quit on me !

POS mower... :mad:

[MIK6]

I have my snow machine all ready to go!! Its not a trike but I can't wait to get it in the snow.
I will be trying out my 85 Polaris Scrambler trike for the first time this winter as well, the 225DR didn't do to bad last year till I rolled it over in the creek (22 degrees out!!). I did like the 350X w/ spidertracks for a snow rider.
I have a 04 Kawi Prarie700 for this year. I have an Alum products complete skid package, a HighLifter 2 in lift, and 27in MudLites. I think it will do OK!!

MIK6 / Mike

[foster]

How do you attach a Crazy Carpet to the udnerside of a trike without it coming off?

[bigredhead]

Zip ties !

[BigGreenMachine]

Zip ties !

Agreed, I'm gonna zip tie it to the downtube and on the sides of the frame and let the rest hang so it flows back past the swingarm pivot.


I have a 04 Kawi Prarie700 for this year. I have an Alum products complete skid package, a HighLifter 2 in lift, and 27in MudLites. I think it will do OK!!

I've heard nothing but good things about those Praires. Kawasaki would be my first choice in a utility quad right now. My dad ordered 26inch Spidertacs for the 99 Kodiak today, 10 inch wide front and 12.5 inch wide rears, should be awsome in the snow. Ive got 22 inch Spidertracs for my Tecate also, knarly tires.

[bigredhead]

make sure the Crazycarpet don't melt on your pipe !!! that would **** !

[atctim]

What is crazycarpet?????????????????

[trikerider2oo7]

them roll up sled things

[Pistonhead]

Just a big piece of coloured thin plastic with 2 handles punched in it.

[BigGreenMachine]

yeah, these things are goofy fast on hardpacked snow. Fun but my GT snoracer is better. lol

[honda200]

I customized my old POS BMX frame, and i made 2 aluminum skis and attached them to the bike, and it was a blast flying down the hills, threw powder, wet and hardpack, ohh, and hardpack was like having ice on ice, it was NUTS, one of the scariest things i ever experianced

Curtis

[83185s]

so crazy carpet is a plastic tabagon pretty much? i used to have one till the beagle got ahold of it..dam dog always tears everything up! it was fun till u "accidently" ramp and then land..it hurts your *** so bad!! but it was awsome powersleddin!!

[83185s]

o yea would sprayin de icer on a skid plate work? im making one for my 185s in my manufacturing class out of 1/8 in. steel and wd-40 or some de icer would keep the snow off wouldnt it? so uh i guess spider tracs or good tires for snow and mud then?? they look pretty cool and it was about 3rd on my list u guys just knocked it up 1 so now my selection is spidertracs or mudlites

[MTS]

wd-40 would just make the snow stick better..you need to like wax it or something..or zip tie some crazy carpet to the bottem of it for the winter :D

[83185s]

o..i never actually thought wd 40 would help it stick..lol..but it is oil so yea i guess that makes since..i need to take in my exhaust to..and weld that sucker back together so its somewhat quiet instead of really freakin loud with that big straight pipe on it lol

[MTS]

heh...stright pipes are cool!...actually..my friends muffler off his 200m just fell off the other day wile we where ridein..head pipe stayed on and thats all it has on there now...lol freakin loud..little more power too lol

[83185s]

yea they get more power cause all that bs baffle thats blockin the exhaust is nt there..lol..mine didnt used to have the pipe on there just the header but my leg kept gettin burnt so i "added" some pipe..lol

[Yamada]

I bring back this old thread ( 3 years, I know). The other day I was thinking at a method to help my trike to go thru the snow and came across this on the board. Very good idea biggreenmachine. I'm gonna try this tip this winter on my big red.

[Aka_am]

After reading this thread, thanks Yamada lol. I still don't understand why a full alunium skid plate wouldn't work. (like no holes) what if the undersize is polished? and or waxed after every few rides

[bigred1]

i think its just the sled idea is quicker easier and no maintanence

[Aka_am]

I like..as long as it doesn't build up snow...don't see how it could. The aluminum becuase you don't have to take it off and put it back on, and it's stronger..and looks trick

[brapp]

and just think i used aluminum flashign for a house lol and it works well

[badasskfx]

heres some pics of what i ride in the winter... the tracks fwill fit on myy 250r also they have a 4x110 bolt pattern. i would like to find one of those skis i seen some one riding with on there threewheeler a while ago. any ideas where or was it a home made jobby?

[bp739]

heres some pics of what i ride in the winter... the tracks fwill fit on myy 250r also they have a 4x110 bolt pattern. i would like to find one of those skis i seen some one riding with on there threewheeler a while ago. any ideas where or was it a home made jobby?


Those are awesome, hows the V run with the tracks, still got enough power?I've wanted a set of those since the first time I saw them....are they worth the $$$$. Didnt know your V was the Faster Orange one....good choice.

[badasskfx]

a stock v has plenty of power to turn these tracks. its like having a 25 inch tire on the rear. accept much heavier. it is a blast to ride and only takes me twenty minutes to put them on or swap back to tires. theres a guy here in nh selling a used set for $1500 which i think is a great deal. he was on craigs list. the only issue is they can be a bit twitchy without a steering stabilizer. thanks for the props!! if you need a hand with your v let me know i know them real well.

[bp739]

thanks for the props!! if you need a hand with your v let me know i know them real well.

Thanks man, us V owners gotta stick together :D our machines dont get much respect :D ...wish I had an extra $1500 :p

[badasskfx]

i did cams pistons and valve springs and almost doubled my power. this thing cranks now. it was only $750 + 100 for other little thimgs

[Dirtcrasher]

Hmmm, ya know what would work good?? LEXAN, but it isn't cheap. It is far superior to plexiglass and can be heated and bent, drilled etc etc and won't crack.

Where to get it cheap?? Most sign shops who make and replace signs have tons of it and throw it away. I have sign guy next to my shop with a big pile of scraps....

This is a GREAT post and I can't wait to try it!!

THANKS