Getting set up for ice riding

[OreoGaborio]

Wanna give ice riding a whirl this year... what do I need to know about putting everything together to get me & the 400exc out on the ponds from scratch? Alls I got is a dirt bike & a way to get there.

Anyone got a checklist of must-haves & gotta-knows?

I hear the Canadian Ice Tires are pretty much a necessity. Where do I get em?

[Tricky Mike]

Winter, winter, winter

You shut your mouth!!!!!!!!!!!

[csmutty]

Jeff Fredette is your man. Not cheap, but will last 3 or 4 seasons.

http://www.frpoffroad.com/Fredette-R...ductId=-162909

Those are the ama legal ones. Here are your canadian ones...

http://www.frpoffroad.com/Fredette-R...ductId=-173624

[tsorfas]

Where do you go for that? Iv heard MA isn't ideal n people get in trouble?
NH n VT im assuming?

[gregp]

For recreational riding, I wouldn't worry so much about the tires. Any decent set of knobbies will work just fine. Use Kold Kutters or canadian MF44 screws. I usually use at least 1000 per tire - 1000 1/2" for the front, and another 1000 5/8" or 3/4" for the rear (3/4" only if you have a newer tire with tall knobs left). If you want to get serious, the next step is to run a street bike tire carcass inside of your rear tire to enable use of 1" or longer screws.
If you want to jump in with both feet, yes, you should get the Kenda Ice racing tires, and start researching screw patterns used by local go-fast guys.
http://www.allthingsmoto.com/forums/...-screws-39080/

Keep in mind that the taller the head on the screws you use, the more likely it will be that they pull out (some will pull out anyway, so you want to have some spares to replace the lost screws), and longer lengths will be desired. Regular Kold Kutters work just fine for most recreational riders. Also, noise is starting to be an issue, so keep your machine as quiet as possible out there, unless you are going to be riding on a private pond, or a very secluded area.
Some people insert the screws at steep angles, but I have found the perpendicular is best, in terms of not losing screws. Racers will carefully align the slots of each screw to be perpendicular to the direction of drive (rear), and parallel in the front (aiding lateral traction).
Jet fat, gear high. :-P

(All of this from a guy who runs TapCon's from the inside out - for trail riding)

[OreoGaborio]

Smutty, thanks for the link. Might have to buy a set of those. Are the non-AMA worth the extra coin in terms of durability/longevity? I'm not all that worried about performance, I just want a good return on investment either in how long I can use them for or what I can sell them for when/if I don't need them anymore.


And thanks for that info, Greg. Think I"m just gonna bite the bullet & buy tires already set to slap on there and skip the headache of screwing them myself. I almost wanna buy a second set of rims, too but dunno if I wanna foot the bill for a whole separate set-up.

For noise, my 400exc has a stock system on it so it's pretty quiet and it's also got a 6 speed transmission so it's got legs.

[snwbrdr435]

For noise, my 400exc has a stock system on it so it's pretty quiet and it's also got a 6 speed transmission so it's got legs.

Your welcome to swing by my place in the winter. If it freezes..... Got two good days of pond hockey in last year before it thawed.

[OreoGaborio]

HOLY SHIT, 700 BUCKS??? FUCK, I thought those prices were per set!

Guess I'll go with the cheaper AMA ones.

[OreoGaborio]

you guys wrap the tires with anything when not in use to keep from chewing up your trailers & wearing out the screws?

[union]

And thanks for that info, Greg. Think I"m just gonna bite the bullet & buy tires already set to slap on there and skip the headache of screwing them myself. I almost wanna buy a second set of rims, too but dunno if I wanna foot the bill for a whole separate set-up.

For noise, my 400exc has a stock system on it so it's pretty quiet and it's also got a 6 speed transmission so it's got legs.

Unless you like bleeding and swearing a lot get a second set of wheels and be done with it. They are stiff and suck to change.

you guys wrap the tires with anything when not in use to keep from chewing up your trailers & wearing out the screws?

Yes get wraps. The screws are good for ice. They get dull pretty quick on anything else. Unless Im riding the bike the wraps are on

[csmutty]

Plus you can race with the ama ones.

[OreoGaborio]

linkie to good cheapie wrapie?

These things sold in pairs?
http://www.moto-man.com/Moose-Racing...p_p_17223.html

[union]

linkie to good cheapie wrapie?

These things sold in pairs?
http://www.moto-man.com/Moose-Racing...p_p_17223.html

Thos are the ones. They come in pairs. Can order them from PK if you want.

[OreoGaborio]

Nice. Yeah, if PK can get em I'll do that.

[union]

Nice. Yeah, if PK can get em I'll do that.

Remind me or him next week. He is in colorado until Monday I think

[OreoGaborio]

ok

[R7]

And thanks for that info, Greg. Think I"m just gonna bite the bullet & buy tires already set to slap on there and skip the headache of screwing them myself. I almost wanna buy a second set of rims, too but dunno if I wanna foot the bill for a whole separate set-up.

IMHO, you're better off the first season to buy 2 boxes of 1,000 Kold Kutter screws and have a fresh set of knobs on the bike. It only takes a couple hours to screw them in if you have a decent screw gun. Pull them out in the spring and you already have new knobs on the bike for the riding season. I say that because buying tires and rims is a pretty big expense. You never know, you may not like it, the bike may suck, you may find you don't have the time, no ice?? They won't be easy easy as you think to resell either, as with just about anything.

[Chippertheripper]

There's a guy in ct on nedb that makes tires $400/set I think.

[gregp]

There's a guy in ct on nedb that makes tires $400/set I think.

Those are carbide spikes, for trail riding. Completely different ball game.

[Chippertheripper]

Ahhh...I see.

[breakdirt916]

IMHO, you're better off the first season to buy 2 boxes of 1,000 Kold Kutter screws and have a fresh set of knobs on the bike. It only takes a couple hours to screw them in if you have a decent screw gun. Pull them out in the spring and you already have new knobs on the bike for the riding season. I say that because buying tires and rims is a pretty big expense. You never know, you may not like it, the bike may suck, you may find you don't have the time, no ice?? They won't be easy easy as you think to resell either, as with just about anything.

this.

plus you can get new tires for like $25-$30...throw in a couple boxes of screws for $20/pop and you're good to go for under a hundy...heck the craigslist motorcycle mechanics out here in cali are so desperate for work, I might be able to convince them to install the spikes onto the tires for ya too and ship it to ya...

what size are you tires?

[OreoGaborio]

18 rear
21 front

[breakdirt916]

peeeeete!

what's the width and profile?

[OreoGaborio]

Hell if I know! It's a 2001 KTM 400exc!

According to the net, stock sizes are a 90/90r21 front and 140/80r18 rear... but the rear that's on there now is a 100/110r18.

[gregp]

Any 110 (4.50) will do. You have a 100/110-18 on there now...? A 100/100-18 is a 125 tire. I suspect that you have those numbers reversed.. 110/100, otherwise you have an extremely *tall* 125 tire. And the "R"? If you have the numbers correct, I'd have to guess that you have a radial trials tire on that thing...?
You should be looking for any 110 width knobby.