Got the ICE bike

[Super Dave]

Professional ice tires do not really make it easier, just raises the bar. You can learn the same lessons with any tire, the professional tires just have a higher limit.

More traction..."raises the bar".

You can learn limits with anything, yes, but with the traction limit lower, it's not as easy.

Case in point...

Just about anyone that can reasonably ride a motorcycle can be a track day rider or even a road racer.  There is so much traction available, mistakes can be covered by excess traction.  Someone can have really poor habits, yet they can still get away with most things.

We've got it easy with so much traction.  You can learn the same things road racing, too, but the bar is so high the margin of safety becomes so tight...

On the flip side, dirt track.  Mistakes are amplified as traction is so low.  Add to that short practice sessions and heats that, if you don't do well, will leave you on the side lines watching the race you wanted to enter.  Some riders try dirt track, but don't go much further as they don't develop the proper skills to be better.  

As we continue to add more and more traction, a rider can go faster and faster.  The traction can cover mistakes in technique.  If you have better technique, you can ride closer to the envelope of traction all the time.  

FEEL.  And it's that feel for traction that sets the fastest riders apart from others.

Same goes for the bike.  KR always trained his guys on XR100's.  Similar aspect to traction.  If you're riding a big MX bike, it's pretty easy to slide around.  But to learn how to slide a bike that makes 6HP...a rider has to learn how to feel the envelope of traction again.  

 

[Super Dave]

"Just ride the f^cker!"

You should have been here on Saturday....
 :P

One name...PURK.   ;D

[Thorny]

He told me he might come up for my "1st annual Ride At Your Own Risk" ice race. How did he ride on scale of 1 to 10? Was it his first time?
 Seems like he is pretty excited to do it, so thats cool.

[Super Dave]

Not bad.  You know how it is...road racer sitting on the wrong side of the bike, foot out too early.  But not bad.  I'd give him a 6 or so.  Got better as we rode.

[tzracer]

For ice riding to help with roadracing, I have found that predictable traction is more important than low or high traction, predictable traction helps to develop the feel for traction. I am not saying that you have to go out and buy professional ice tires, I don't have any. I have found that some home made ice tires vary from lap to lap, probably due to inconsistant placement of screws and random angles. If you take care in making your own tires and just don't rush the job, they can work very well. But as you say Dave, racers race, so just one person showing up with Fredette tires will cause other racers to want to have them.

[Thingy]

Do you think that Husky CR250 would be a decent ice bike?  It is the one I care about the least ;)

Care about the least?...  You are heartless.  How can you not like a Husky. :(

Maybe you're not heartless.  Maybe AFRAID is the better term.  Hey Jeff, did you know that he nicknamed the 250 the 'Devil Bike'.  He can't handle a bike that bites back. ;)

[Super Dave]

Maybe AFRAID is the better term.

We used to ice ride my friend's '74 Maico 250...

You ever feel an old Maico clutch lever?
 ;D

[bweber]

Let's see.  I have ridden the bike less than a dozen times and have broken my right collarbone on it twice.  IT is the "Devil Bike" because I think it is possessed!  Now I just let my firends ride it while I stick to the Yamahas.  Hitchcock and Hanson are pretty good at destroying pipes on it, but they can't ride it for sh^t. ;D

[Jeff]

Maybe you're not heartless.  Maybe AFRAID is the better term.  Hey Jeff, did you know that he nicknamed the 250 the 'Devil Bike'.  He can't handle a bike that bites back. ;)

Hey man, I don't blame him...  Anthony Connor has an RM250 that I won't go near...  I was pretty scared to consider it as an ice bike, but the controlled lack of traction was what I looked at when I was considering the RM.  As things worked out, I got the 4 stroker so I should be a little more controllable on the dry.

2-stroke 250's are death by twist of the wrist...  Them things are lethal, ruthless and downright mean...

[am_#65_john_deere]

i'm gonna kick your ass on the ice next weekend ;D ;D ;D 8) 8) 8)

[Thingy]

2-stroke 250's are death by twist of the wrist...  Them things are lethal, ruthless and downright mean...

Amen Brutha.  I admit it.  You are right.  The only way that I can ride it is by only using 1/8 throttle. ;D

[am_#65_john_deere]

them little 250's are fun,
but if you disrespect them, they will spit you off.
gotta luv-em and you gotta ride them hard.
mine has spat me many times, but i still luv it.

i have a crf150 as well and it's a blast too.
i bought it for the wife, but she is pregnant :o :o now so i ride it ;D ;D ;D ;D