ADV Bum 205 Posted January 31, 2008 I turned a snow shoveling trip into a little ride as well. Got to the mountains around noon. Got all my shoveling duties out of the way. Taking company up this weekend, so I had to clear parking and stairs. This pic proves I got my chores done. Got loaded up and headed for the trail. Arrived at my entry point, but covered in virgin snow. Did not want to try it as it was a decline to the canyon, and I had never ridden in snow. Headed down the mountain on the street so I could access the off road below the snow line. Roads were sketchy with loose gravel(for the snow) and slick patches. Made to the trail. In the canyon the water crossing were swollen. Headed up a mountain trail. Trails were rutted and completely different from all the rain and snow. Easy became intermediate. Every thing was perfect up until this point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ADV Bum 205 Posted January 31, 2008 As I am walking back to my bike, I notice the battery box hanging. Crap the steel tubing that holds the box up has snapped. Did a quick fix with zip ties and bungee cords. Go to take pictures of the hill climb and rutts from wich I just came and batteries die. Was going to take pictures over lake silverwood, but with no camera and the sun is starting to go behind the mountain, I decided to head back. Going back down is cool. At the bottom now and I come to the fork in the trail. Its getting dark and cold now. One trail leads to the entry point that I did not want to enter (the shortcut). Other way is back the long way and long twisty road. I decide to take a chance on the shortcut trying to beat the freeze on the roads. Trail is torn up from the rains. As I am climbing the snow begins to appear. Not bad in small patches. Come to a point where the trail becomes all deep virgin snow. Now the going is getting tough. Snow when soft is difficult, but now temps have dropped and it is starting freeze over. After crashing multiple times, walking the bike spinning tires, Im stuck. The end of the trail is about 150 yards up the hill. The bike just will not climb with the ice. My boots would slide like skates. Damn it! Gotto go back. Head back down. Get out of the snow and start hearing clunking, clatter noises. I figure I wasted the 15 year old clutch with all the wheel spinning lately. Doesnt seem to be gear specific, so I pull over to discover my axle bolt came loose and the chain is trying to jump off. Figured I would try the camera. Batteries had enough for a pic. Now it is fricken dark and freezing. Make it back to the road. If you have not ridden on icy twisty road, your not missing anything. As we climb the streets start freezing with the water from the melting ice. The loose gravel they put on the roads is also a treat. I am almost back to the house when I loose it in a turn. Felt the back end go and turned into the slide. Looked like and ice racer for a moment, until I slide into to the snow bank. Made it back. It made for an interesting trip. It seemed things were really trying to go bad. None of the things were to serious in them selves, but compounded I was getting deeper and deeper. Riding alone has risk, even on the simplist of rides. My wife now likes the idea of me getting the spot device. Joliet a Pm is on the way. Will be going back next Thurs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SCHWINN 0 Posted January 31, 2008 DUDE! Glad to see you made it out. Great write up and pics, now sign up for chief gunners maintenance day. Oh yea I forgot you said guests at house in the mountains this weekend. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PastaPilot 17 Posted January 31, 2008 It seemed things were really trying to go bad. None of the things were to serious in them selves, but compounded I was getting deeper and deeper. Riding alone has risk, even on the simplist of rides. My wife now likes the idea of me getting the spot device. Joliet a Pm is on the way. Will be going back next Thurs. That is known as a taxonomy of errors. It is best represented by a swiss cheese diagram, i.e. how many holes can you get through before crashing? Excellent learning experience, would've been great to join you. Maybe next week, if you don't want to try the desert that is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirt dame 561 Posted January 31, 2008 Sounds all too familiar. I have been in lots of snow and know the feeling of hitting the frozen ground under it over and over again in the course of just one mile. Snow that's a couple inches; not so bad. Once it gets near a foot deep, your done. The front wheel becomes a giant powder sugar donut that won't turn. And of course snow looks so nice and soft, hiding rocks, roots, ruts and ice underneath. Sounds like you had a brrrrrrrry cold time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OUTERLIMITS 0 Posted January 31, 2008 In regards to the battery issue, I have seen a few people on Thumpertalk relocate it either into the airbox or under the seat. I did not like the airbox idea because it forces you to use a pod filter that is completely exposed to water, but the under seat option was interesting. That one used a 450X battery which is a couple pounds lighter and cut into the bottom of the seat just a bit for clearance. It gets rid of the giant battery box and mounting frame and allows mouting a flat XR600 side panel. The guy who did this mod has a high comp XR628 engine and has not had an issue yet using the smaller battery. I suppose that because the 650L engine is such a low compression engine, the 450X battery would be doing less work turning over the engine compared to the stock high comp 450x. The 650L also has a pretty thick seat to start with and cutting into it a bit would probably not be an issue, but there is always the taller Guts/Baja Design foam and cover available if it is. Just a thought Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ADV Bum 205 Posted January 31, 2008 I have seen all the mods on TT. Wont sacrifice the airbox. I added a gel pad in the seat because it was to thin in the rear where I usually sit. Cant cut into the seat. I did down size my battery to a smaller gel battery the sprint mg 5l-bs. It is equivalent to the ytx5l-bs. I believe stock is the ytx9l-bs. I saved a little weight, but the other advantage was the gel. When in higher altitude I had issue with leaking battery. The gel also holds a charge better. The bracket is 15 years old. Metal fatigue and me bashing the shite out of it does not help. I have replacements. Next bracket will be reinforced at the weak point. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
