Modifications

Logo_PIR 442 x 65


During the winter challenge in 2009 I could behold the arctic ice with my own eyes. Over there it was a wavy pattern. Ice floes, frozen upon each other, I  hadn’t seen, but very much counted on having to deal with them. I was sure that riding there with a standard bike would be impossible, but with some modifications it should work. Modifications were also necessary to take all the luggage. Because where to leave for 930mi/1.500km on fuel? That’s why I pulled a sledge, complete with build on shelter. Once the weather changed, when I wanted to escape from the biting wind, or for the night, I could simply hop in there.

Some necessary changes:

# Wheels. These should not sink too deeply into the snow. Previously I thought of needing balloon tires, but I realised that this would not be necessary as I had seen that the wind had build-up very compact snow dunes. With super-sized wheels the motorcycle should roll over it. Reifen-Immler had put a special snow thread on the tires and once on the ice screwed spikes in them from Best Grip.

# Front legs. A huge front wheel meant that the front legs needed to be extended 4 in/10 cm. Additional benefit of this was that the bike got more ground clearance.

# Swing arm. A rear tire which was 6 inch/15 cm higher as a standard one would certainly not fit. To be able to place it Vemewa extended the swing arm quite a bit.

NB achterbrug  Sjaak Lucassen Maashees 2112 019 - kopie    Photo © John Claessens

# Sledge hook. To be able to pull the sledge, a solid construction from the swing arm to the back was created.

# Handlebar muffs. Experience learned that they are indispensable. I used the Touratech(link) ones I still had from my Alaska 2009 trip.

# Radiator. To keep sufficient warmth in the engine while riding, I mounted aluminum plates in the bottom fairing which covered the front of the radiator.

The frame from the sledge was built from aluminum xxx. Around the frame came a layer of super light Lexan. On the bottom of the sledge lay a thick plate of Styrofoam for insulation. Via a pole, the mobile home was connected to the sledge hook.

The fuel consumption increases significantly when it is cold and the average speed that the miles/kilometres were going to be put behind, would be very low. Therefore the amount of fuel that had to be taken to be/go on the safe side would be about a gallon every twelve bird’s-eye view miles or 1litre every 5km. A small amount from it would be used for a generator, necessary to power the engine pre-heater which was mounted in between the cooling system and for the 220V-100W wire which, after it was winded around the carburetors, preheated the fuel before every cold start. By having a cover over the bike the heat stayed in the cocoon. A generator also comes in handy to charge batteries from cameras and other electronics and if necessary the start batteries. Also for the heat gun with which I could thaw frozen parts.

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