So let me share some background for getting studded tires for my bike. The purpose is mainly for day to day commuting to work, but I certainly have more adventures in mind.
Getting studded tires and making the bike capable on ice is a pet project I have had in mind a long time, since I bought my first off-road bike back in Sweden in 1998. The inspiration came from the motorcycle couriers in Sweden who ride through the winter on studded road tires.
A few years ago I tried “screw in” studs on my Suzuki DRZ400 with mixed results. They were extremely uncomfortable on asphalt and the screws ripped out quickly both on asphalt and ice. However they did provide amazing traction on icy roads and made some limited snow riding possible. I spent time playing around at several places here in Washington, mainly in Cle Elum and at Evan’s Creek/Carbonado. These DOT studs are different and provide a much more solid solution, but I still have to give final verdict. Also, I don’t plan on doing serious off-roading since the Beemer is just too heavy if I get stuck.
The tire I first had in mind was the Trelleborg T-644 Army Special. It was manufactured specially for the Swedish army motorcycle couriers who ride throughout the year. It has a softer rubber compound that doesn’t get stone hard in cold conditions, and it provides a good foundation for studs. My research tells me that the Trelleborg brand has been acquired by Mitas based out of the Czech Republic, however it seems the T-644 has been taken out of production and Mitas only produce rally tires, including ice-rally tires with long spikes that cannot be used on asphalt. (If anyone has different information, please let me know!) This had me stuck for quite some time. I also tried to get any local tire company to stud a new set of knobby tires for me, but couldn’t find anyone who would do it; Les Schwab only studs car tires that come pre-molded for studs, and all other companies I approached shook their heads. I assume the presumed liability kept them from helping out.
Eventually I started calling tire companies in Sweden, thinking that going back to the source was the right approach. And it worked out. Eventually I got connected with Lasses Rallyservice ph +46 (0)174-10626/fax +46 (0)174 10791 and learned that they were studding Pirelli MT21 tires. While I was prepared to order straight away, it turned out that shipping to the US was really expensive and it added up beyond my pain threshold. However with the information that Pirelli tires worked well for studding, I went back and did Bing searches. This eventually led me to Mike at Kevin’s Cycle Inc, who explained that he had studded Pirelli before with car studs. He sent me some sample studs to make sure I was getting what I expected, and soon thereafter I ordered my set of MT21; 90/90-21 and 130/90-18.
Below is a copy of the warning up on their site. Please heed it. I am not joking! Using studded tires significantly changes the riding characteristics and special care should be taken, in particular in traffic! In fact, I would not recommend anyone to use studded tires unless he/she has extended experience with off-road riding and is comfortable with the wheels moving back and forth without panicking. My experience so far is that riding with studs on asphalt is like constantly riding on loose gravel – it is quite doable, but the handling is very different.
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WINTER STUDDED TIRES FOR DUAL SPORT BIKES Pirelli MT21 DOT approved tires with carbide tipped winter studs. Great for adventure and dual sport bikes. EXTRA CAUTION MUST BE USED when riding on bare pavement. NOT ALL STATES allow the use of studded tires on public roads. Check with your local and state officials before using studded tires. WARNING!! Studded tires dramatically change the handling characteristics of your motorcycle. Familiarize yourself with how your bike corners, brakes and accelerates BEFORE driving on public roads. Failure to do so could result in an accident, injury or death. These tires are recommended for very experienced riders only. |
Final note, consider that I have custom made 21”/18” wheels and that I am not running the stock 19”/17” wheels on the Beemer. I just realize that I haven’t made an entry about the wheels I bought from Woody’s Wheel Works a year ago. I’ll make sure to add one soon. If you cannot wait, I have made several entries at www.advrider.com. Look for postings by alias HawkHog_v2.
More to follow when I have more experience with the tires!
I saw your tube videos after I googled studded tires for BMW motorcycles. I was at 2012 Seattle motorcycles show checking out the BMW G650GS Sertao and was thinking how I can adapt it to winter riding both on and off-road.
Adrian
Hi Adrian, I have now ridden for 4 winters on studded tires. I am very hesitant to recommend anyone to try it out since it significantly increases braking distance on dry and wet roads, which is what we have in Seattle most of the year. Studded tires do make it possible to ride on ice and in snow and I have a blast doing it. My recommendation would still be to leave the bike at home for those few days and maybe focus on forest roads or roads with less traffic.
My best “winterization” of the bike is getting the Hippohands “gauntlets” that fit over the handlebar. They keep my fingers dry and warm. Note, I actually don’t use them when I ride in snow since I want to be able to stand up at any time (and shift the balance point to my feet/pegs) which the Hippohands don’t really help with…
Let me know what you end up with!
Happy riding!
Yes, after nearly breaking my neck last Fri. morning on ice patches on the way to work I’m thinking of getting tire studs on my GS1200. I’ve been looking out on the internet and I saw those screw on studs but don’t know if it’s worth the effort. I’ve been riding with hippo hands for a few year now, and think it’s one of the best investments in riding gear. I do 100 mi. a day every day all tear around, so I’m pretty picky as far as my gear goes.
Stan Ellefson
Chesapeake, Virginia
I tried the screw-in nails/studs on my smaller DRZ400 but found that they wore down immediately on tarmac. I think I would only consider them as a complement in an emergency or if I was only riding in snow. Even the carbide tipped “real” studs are prone to losing their tips on the heavier GS1200 if I do any spinning. So if you are considering combining road-riding and spinning the rear wheel then you will find that you dont have much traction left. If you are looking at commuting and are able to refrain from having fun with a spinning wheel then you are more likely to get some use and life out of the studs. Note, I am referring to the carbide tipped studs since I found the screw in to have little value on tarmac.
Hej Håkan,
I have just last week (04.dec.2014) picked up a set of Mitas/Trelleborg studded tires for my G650 GS Sertao. Got them from Snellingen Motorcroscenter in Oslo, Norway. You can google the address etc.
So they are still out there.
Good luck.