Tire advice, JVL?

Figured I would just post here, I know John has a lot of experience in this area and likes to type on here but others might as well. And this has very little to do with rally unless you count it being in dirt, and burning gasoline. And being ridiculously fun.

Planning to do a scramble with the dirt bike Jan 1, and last year I noticed many were running studs. I showed up with worn out knobbies since I was there for exercise more than finishing position, and spent a lot of time picking my bike up (think permafrost with a thin layer of clay slime on top). Exercise mission accomplished.

Anyway, laziness prevails this year and I am wondering about studded tires for the two wheeler. The ones you can buy look awesome, and expensive. Not sure I want to spend a bunch of money on something I won't use all that often. Recommendations on making my own? Pitfalls, where to buy screws, all that fun stuff.

Thanks in advance!!

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John Reed
John Reed Racing
www.johnreedracing.com
johnreedracing@gmail.com

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

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I used those on my quad and they worked awesome. I didn't use tire liners but never had problems with flats or leaks. I tried it on a car once and I got about 3 miles out of them before they were all over the lake. Don't waste your time trying to use sheet metal screws, they aren't the same.

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Dave Grenwis - DG Rally - www.dgrally.com

Trellborgs. those are the shit!!

Those Ice Kutter screws are awesome also

Both will keep you upright a lot more. I was pretty successful in the snow, it has a lot to do with confidence in sliding the front tire, and line selection

My neighbor who:

a) has raced motocross/hare scrambe, and
b) owns a car tire shop/general repair garage

has a Kold Kutter sticker on his ATV, and it's not holding broken plastic together.

I'm guessing they don't completely suck, but I'll try to ask him soon.

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Andrew Steere
Lyndeborough, NH
KB1PJY

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DG_Rally
I used those on my quad and they worked awesome. I didn't use tire liners but never had problems with flats or leaks. I tried it on a car once and I got about 3 miles out of them before they were all over the lake. Don't waste your time trying to use sheet metal screws, they aren't the same.

What caused them to pull out of the car tires? I ordered some last winter to use on a car tire set and don't want to waste the time if they won't work.

How long was the set you tried?

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Thanks,

Kevin Wesley

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kwesley
What caused them to pull out of the car tires? I ordered some last winter to use on a car tire set and don't want to waste the time if they won't work.

How long was the set you tried?

I would think it had to do with friction, the tires had plenty of tread. I think they were 3/8" and it was on a mk3 jetta that I was driving in anger. Screw studs (without nuts) aren't allowed at the car ice events I've been to in MN, probably for that reason. If they were longer and I had applied some kind of glue that might have helped. I would use the style with nut backers if I was going to do it again with a car. It looks like kold kutters has those now, I don't think they were available back then.

Now I'm missing my 400ex. Its been damn cold here and with a foot of snow, the lakes are just asking to be torn up.

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Dave Grenwis - DG Rally - www.dgrally.com

Trelleborgs are the shit if you want to cough up the coin. For dirt only woods and scramble use plain old sheet metal screws will work fine. Kutters would be ruined within half a lap anyhow. Expect a good number of either to pull out unless you are using a liner and screws at least 1.25" long. Save the Kutters for Ice only.

Just found these which would probably work pretty well for woods and dirt, and better than plain sheet metal.
http://www.amazon.com/Kold-Kutter-Snowmobile-Traction-KK-150500-12/dp/B0060WPW8M



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2013 11:50AM by yeroc40.

About a decade ago a bunch of us were using sheet metal screws in winter tires for our winter autocross series. They were installed with a glue/sealant on each screw. They worked great and the grip was fantastic. Interestingly, the quality of tire being used had a big impact on the effectiveness of the screws. You still needed a quality winter tire to make the most of them. (there was no limit to the number of screws, most tires taking ~200 easily.)

What did happen is the screws would pull out, litter the course and eventually cars would be getting flats from picking up 'thrown' screws. Summer came, and the 'normal' users of the lot (a parking lot for the now defunct race track) were picking up screws in their tires on a regular basis. That's when the ban on screws came down.

Of course that's all cars, not bikes, but might transfer over somewhat.

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First Rally: 2001
Driver (7), Co-Driver (44)
Drivers (16)
Clerk (10), Official (7), Volunteer (4)
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Last Updated, January 4, 2015

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john vanlandingham
Blame is for idiots. losers.

John have you tried a trials tire yet? they are amazing for medium-quick riders.

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phlat65
John have you tried a trials tire yet? they are amazing for medium-quick riders.

I have not, but I see a lot of debate about them on the forums for riding up in the coast range in the winter, with many claiming they are the cats meow (and I see a lot of bikes using them too).

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John Reed
John Reed Racing
www.johnreedracing.com
johnreedracing@gmail.com

Everything you want to know about studded motorcycle tires here:

http://albertadualsport.ca/showthread.php?5166-Tell-us-what-type-are-you-studs-all-screwed-up-or-slippy-slide

Pay attention to mxcollector, he's a 50 y.o. ex motocross racing frog (frenchman ), great guy to ride with, he's the guru you want to listen to. He flys by me on his 690 like I'm standing still, on any terrain.

You have to register for the site to view posts, but it's free....

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John Reed

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phlat65
John have you tried a trials tire yet? they are amazing for medium-quick riders.

I have not, but I see a lot of debate about them on the forums for riding up in the coast range in the winter, with many claiming they are the cats meow (and I see a lot of bikes using them too).

I run a rear trials tire on my TE310 from So Cal desert to Tanum single track....but they're no bueno in snow and mud. the tread gets packed and doesn't clear like a knobby does.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/2013 11:34AM by urr.