My Ice Tire Story

Well, I got all excited about a month ago because it finally seemed like it was going to get cold enough to ride on some ice! I went out and bought 1250 1" ice studs (AMA Gold) for a good deal. I have an extra set of tires I normally run just for ice (My stock rims and tires) and they have treated me good for the last few years...

 

Spent a couple nights after work studding them up with the new long studs (I usually run 3/8", but this year I said screw it, go big or go home). Got them done, and the anticipation to ride set in.

http://www.offtopic.forum/uploads/imported/2013/01/636619371EEB4BAD97EADAC9B2AC728024500000-1.jpg

 

A few buddies of mine who race gave me a ran, said they where going to be doing a test and tune track day on a local lake, and asked if I wanted to come out. I geared up, loaded the quad and go pro and off I went! I get out on the ice, and it is PERFECT ice conditions. Absolutely NO snow, 6" ice and a desolate lake. We do a couple runs around the track, using old race take-off slicks to outline the inside corners. I get about 25-30 minutes into the day, and come around a corner HOT.... I nipped a tire and the inner sidewall on my right rear tire just exploded!

http://www.offtopic.forum/uploads/imported/2013/01/2C4D8B03566A4665A2F84C7430A0F64424500000-1.jpg

 

http://www.offtopic.forum/uploads/imported/2013/01/470054FBAC44497CBE50DA0B36B9BEFB24500000-1.jpg

(this is one of the 12 holes in the sidewall. There is also 2 big gashed on the inner curve of the tire)

 

I was left the rest of the day taking pictures and film of the events. We ended up having 7 racers come out and play.

http://www.offtopic.forum/uploads/imported/2013/01/920873B57820437D837E6B12897356D824500000-1.jpg

 

When I get home I decided to order some new tires. This time I went with the Cheng Shin C826 18x8" rear tire.

http://www.offtopic.forum/uploads/imported/2013/01/D8865CFA969A4F78A6ADAE21DB82F16324500000-1.jpg

 

Last night I got them all studded up finally. Still running the same 1" AMA Gold Series screws. I didn't bother running 2/lug on the outer lugs because I don't feel it's needed.

http://www.offtopic.forum/uploads/imported/2013/01/EAC9888DF4E04D9491CACED6952CE6FD24500000-1.jpg

 

I have a T-handled ratcheting hex-wrench I use to clock the screws. Makes it nice and easy. I took a vacation day at work today, and am about to go run these tires for the first time!

 

Here is a video from the track day, along with a 3-hour endurance race from last weekend.

What kind if tire pressure were you running on the rears?

I was running .5-1 PSI in the rears at the time. Im just assuming they folded over due to the lack of pressure and the studs poked through. Surprisingly enough, I didn't pop the bead like I told one of my buddies I thought would happen. I was hooking up WAY too good for something not to happen. My Cheng Shin's I am running at 11-12 PSI, and man they bite hard!

Ya that's not enough psi... I run some stockers for fun and put 5-8 in all of them. Lets you slide some but still hooks good depending on where you position yourself and I haven't ripped the side wall yet... Knock on wood...

 

I want to try those CSTs but we haven't had a winter to justify them... I have 1k bag of screws on the shelf waiting.

After todays 4 hours on the ice, I can't believe I haven't went this route sooner! These tires are where it is at. These things hook like no other, and that is with only one stud per lug, with 3/4"-1" of snow on the ice.

 

Here is some raw video I took with the gopro this morning. I was trying out some random places with the camera just to see what it looks like. I think this would be a good view for a nice little hare scramble ... unless of course you are in last! haha

 

[video=youtube;L3i-hrQrs98]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3i-hrQrs98

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3i-hrQrs98

Is that a river?? Looks cool.

 

What size/kind of fronts are you using? When go with the 18 rear I'm going to want a 20-21 front instead of the 22 that I have to match the rears now... So it's more then just the tires for me.. Rears, fronts, screws, time, beer, time, more beer... Shit gets expensive! lol

Yeah it's a river. I took some other footage today, just haven't done anything with it yet.

 

My fronts are still just stocks. I'm too cheap to buy new ones when these still work. I'll get 21" next year.

Yeah I'm just afraid I'll kick the shit out of the rears and need new rears next year too... You damned no mater what you do lol... That's why my wife shakes her head when I talk about it lol... Poor girl!

Yeah I'm just afraid I'll kick the shit out of the rears and need new rears next year too... You damned no mater what you do lol... That's why my wife shakes her head when I talk about it lol... Poor girl!

 

Hahaha so does my girlfriend. But she knows how I am about my R, so she just keeps quiet .. haha

waoo nice vid.. so i guess you need to inflate them a lot and put screws in them for grip... interesting..

waoo nice vid.. so i guess you need to inflate them a lot and put screws in them for grip... interesting..

 

Well the new Cheng Shin C826's I bought are Bias Ply. The normal operating pressure is around 10-12 psi to make the tire have a nice profile. I normally wouldn't run my tires with that much air due to ballooning, but these things seem stiff, and I like that!

 

 

Here is another little clip from yesterday.

[video=youtube;ex6YLlr-vXc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex6YLlr-vXc&list=UUuApHeR0Kbfe7B_BiqIrwGw&index=1

I might have missed it... Where did you get them and how much?

it was at the beginning. They where just heading out, and I decided to follow them. Wasn't really anything other than 2 85's and a 125.

 

I just swapped out the sprockets this morning, should make up for the rear 18". I'm just not used to running an 18" tire on the ice, so 5th gear feels short. went up 1 down 1.

 

EDIT:

 

After looking at the video, I deleted it. I HATE using Windows Live Movie Maker, lol. I'll post some stuff tonight when I am all done riding and what not.

I'm running 1 up on the front with 20" tires... I just about hit rev limiter on our long straight.

In the winter I can hit the rev limiter on the river (where I took the videos I posted). There are some good straightaways that really allow the bike to stretch out. It's not much, but with the right people it can turn into a really fun time.

Here's a clip of the track we have... 280 is my brother-in-law, no quad footage, he made the video for sponsor reasons..

 

 

[video=youtube;DVXA_XmxZMQ]

FLAT TRACKIN THOSE CORNERS! What studs are they running, Canadian? Chewing up the ice real good!

Pretty sure they're Canadian... They're like the gold screws but taller and have one longer edge. You can drag peg in the corners.

 

They're all supermoto guys, 280 was the champion at loudon nh (new Hampshire international speedway) this year.

Super moto guys are fast. All the guys I ride with race super moto in the summer.

I can pass some of the guys and hang with the fast guys if I don't wash out in a corner... I think the swaybar and better tires would help a lot.

 

There's a flat track group here that's starting up ice races on some local ponds and lakes. If I didn't have a birthday party today I'd be loading up to race now... Next weekend for sure and I'll have my swaybar hooked up by then too.

I don't run a sway bar. I had an opportunity to buy one for cheap, and passed on it. I can hang with most the guys, but I don't bother racing competitively. The ice around here has been too iffy the last few years to put that kind of time into it. hell, tomorrow and tuesday they're calling for mid 50's and THUNDERSTORMS!

 

Here is a little clip of me rockin' a wheelie through the gears yesterday.

[video=youtube;FILa1-qWyg8]

=youtu.be

I picked up my durablue swaybar for $75 shipped... Tires and studs are the big investment for me.

 

Last weekend was the first time I went out on the ice and there's still some places I wouldn't trust. I figure 4-6 more weekends and its over.. The short season is another reason I haven't bought the tires I want. 40's and rain mid week here.

I manage to get around pretty well with out a sway bar, but I wouldn't mind getting one.

 

Today was a bad day for the R. Not sure exactly what happened, but 10 mins into riding today I cracked a wheelie and when I came down it shut down and would not start again. The good news is I still have oil and compression. I'm hoping it's just a plug. I will find out this week when I get a chance to look at it.

Bummer... Good luck, hope its something simple!

Yeah Me too. If it's something serious, it will be put on the back burner and I will buy a 4x4. I love the quad to death, but the little that I actually get to ride it I don't want to sink more money into it.