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Detroit, 11:37 PM
Mon Nov 23
29 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #winterdriving more →

    Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water

    On-Roading: How to Keep Your Car Out of the Snowy Ditch
  • Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.
    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face.
    12/20/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    For anybody who cares, here's a badly translated version of the original article. [translate.google.com] It appears to be some motorcycle journalists in Norway having fun in the snow in Norway. Perhaps someone who reads Norwegian can help with the words that don't translate?
     Reply
    Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was starred Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was unstarred
    Image of layabout layabout
    12/20/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    Where was this story copied from? Firstly the car is around £40k,second the car is from Austria so why is Sweden mentioned as the photo is even in Austria being tested by KTM for winter use with new tyres. Come on Jalopnik!
     Reply
    layabout was starred layabout was unstarred
    Image of layabout layabout
    12/20/08

    @layabout .... .- .--. .--. -.-- / -.-. .... .-. .. ... - ...: This is the original story about tyre & clothing tests...

    Drivers addicted to the unique thrills of the KTM X-Bow no doubt dread the onset of winter, when the open-topped mid-engined sports car is relegated to hibernation in the garage. That's no longer the case, however, as diehard X-Bow drivers can now take advantage of winter gear offered by KTM's PowerParts and PowerWear accessories collections. Properly equipped, a dedicated driver can keep his X-Bow on the road all winter long.


    Snow tires are the first part of the equation, of course. Pirelli Sottozero snow tires are offered, with five-bolt wheels and center locking available. For icy condition, homologated snow chains are also available.


    By now, you've probably noticed that the X-Bow is a roofless roadster. The motorcycle experts at KTM have a solution to that too, in the form of specially designed winter clothing for the driver. Schöffel-designed driving clothes and a Schuberth helmet are both made specifically for keeping the X-Bow's driver warm during winter drives. The full outfit: helmet, jacket and trousers starts at 950 Euro. Indoor and outdoor covers for the car are also available.

     Reply
    layabout was starred layabout was unstarred
    Image of dolo54 blows minds and blows engines! dolo54 blows minds and blows engines!
    12/20/08

    @layabout .... .- .--. .--. -.-- / -.-. .... .-. .. ... - ...: Nothing can prevent you from looking like a lunatic however, but I'm cool with that.
     Reply
    dolo54 blows minds and blows engines! was starred dolo54 blows minds and blows engines! was unstarred
    Image of layabout layabout
    12/20/08

    @the artist formerly known as dolo54: I only posted it as i read about the article 3 weeks ago,a friend of mine came back from Austria & was staying near to where they did the photoshoot. On his return i saw some of the photo's he took of the X Bow on a back of a truck. He also has some pics of other KTM toys they had on another truck.
     Reply
    layabout was starred layabout was unstarred
    Image of smalleyxb122 smalleyxb122
    12/20/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    Such a machine really should have a Y with the X in its name.
     Reply
    smalleyxb122 was starred smalleyxb122 was unstarred
    Image of my favorite car is a motorcycle my favorite car is a motorcycle
    12/20/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    More than once i've dodged snowstorms on a motorcycle, trying to stretch the riding season a little too long. Every ounce of attention is focused on finding the best traction, knowing you no longer have the roadholding ability to dodge cagers ... fun, fun, fun ...


    To keep a helmet lens clear one must keep the breath off it (interior shield, like a FogCity) and if possible allow lots of exterior air ventilation, which needs to be adjusted carefully unless you're tolerant of eyeball freezing. I'm surprised this driver didn't opt for a better ventilated helmet (motocross instead of road helmet has more vents).

     Reply
    my favorite car is a motorcycle was starred my favorite car is a motorcycle was unstarred
    Image of joneez wants the clunkers he paid for joneez wants the clunkers he paid for
    12/20/08

    @my favorite car is a motorcycle: See the wheels? An MX helmet would look just like 'em!


    I sometimes purposely ride my DR350 to the Sierras so I can ride in the snow. A good set of nobbies and you're ready to toss some powder! Just keep the speed slow so it don't hurt as much.

    Nothin' funnier than sliding sideways into a snow bank and nothin' more painful that finding a mailbox in said snowbank!


    BTW, I wear a Scorpion helmet for the winter. They're fog coated from the factory, and it works better than anything else I've tried. And they're cheap too!

     Reply
    joneez wants the clunkers he paid for was starred joneez wants the clunkers he paid for was unstarred
    Image of DoctorNine DoctorNine
    12/20/08

    @joneez is riding his Bandit in the rain: Thanks for the tip on the helmet. Didn't know about the coating.
     Reply
    DoctorNine was starred DoctorNine was unstarred
    Image of Elhigh Elhigh
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    Leave it to Scandinavians to drive things never intended for snow, in snow.


    I enjoyed wrapping rope around the rear tire of my bicycle for snow traction. It worked, even. Getting going was a bitch but once you've got some headway, you're golden. No abrupt maneuvers, though.

     Reply
    Elhigh was starred Elhigh was unstarred
    Image of thunder; now eta-powered thunder; now eta-powered
    12/20/08

    @Elhigh: Wow; I thought I was the only one who did stuff like that. I caught heck from my Dad one year for taking the chain off one of the swings in the back yard and wrapping it around my bike's rear tire. I figured if Dad put chains on his pickup, why not my bike? It worked great, but like you said; abrupt maneuvers led to abrupt stops.


    Here in the frozen NA midwest, there are lots of descendants of Scandihoovian immigrants, and they follow the same patterns here. Like motorcycle races on frozen rivers. And riding snowmobiles across patches of open water. But I'd like to see them try driving that X-Bow around here this weekend, with about a foot of new snow being whipped into drifts by 40-50mph winds. That chin spoiler wouldn't last ten seconds.

     Reply
    thunder; now eta-powered was starred thunder; now eta-powered was unstarred
    Image of CARBONFIBER CARBONFIBER
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    * If they built this with a windshield I'd buy it in a second!


    Having said that, I think EVERY car could use R&D winter experience like this in Siberia, Finland, Canada.


    Even FISKER & TESLA!


    The input is invaluable!!!

     Reply
    CARBONFIBER was starred CARBONFIBER was unstarred
    Image of something_unique_and_descriptive something_unique_and_descriptive
    12/19/08

    @CARBONFIBER: Especially Fisker, Tesla, any other electric cars... think how extreme cold can fuck with the electrics and batteries on normal cars... just imagine the nightmare that could be.
     Reply
    something_unique_and_descriptive was starred something_unique_and_descriptive was unstarred
    Image of MushyHeirloom MushyHeirloom
    12/20/08

    @something_unique_and_descripti...: On the other hand, it's usually diesel cars that are balky on cold mornings. Sometimes less wiring isn't best.
     Reply
    MushyHeirloom was starred MushyHeirloom was unstarred
    Image of Mad_Science Mad_Science
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    That's my new desktop background.
     Reply
    Mad_Science was starred Mad_Science was unstarred
    Image of Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face.
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    Three words,


    Hell.


    Fucking.


    Yes.

     Reply
    Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was starred Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was unstarred
    Image of damnelantra™ damnelantra™
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    i dont need any more reason to lust for the x-bow. thanks anyhow jalopnik
     Reply
    damnelantra™ was starred damnelantra™ was unstarred
    Image of DoctorNine DoctorNine
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    Say what you want, KTM can design some shit.
     Reply
    DoctorNine was starred DoctorNine was unstarred
    Image of joneez wants the clunkers he paid for joneez wants the clunkers he paid for
    12/19/08

    @DoctorNine: But the 990 Superduke is nuts! Not the cheap-ass generic peanuts nuts, but gourmet cashew and macadamia nuts in chocolate nuts.
     Reply
    joneez wants the clunkers he paid for was starred joneez wants the clunkers he paid for was unstarred
    Image of DoctorNine DoctorNine
    12/19/08

    @joneez is riding his Bandit in the rain: Absolutely. I am a hair's breadth away from getting one of the regular Dukes right now. Looking for the most righteous thumper to start moding. BMW has a nice one too, so I am at a crossroads...
     Reply
    DoctorNine was starred DoctorNine was unstarred
    Image of token_illiterate_commenter token_illiterate_commenter
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    Having just received 24" of mother nature's white stuff I think I see one little problem. Ground clearance. That thing would be high centered in a nanosecond. Of course so is anything around here lower than a 4x4 F150.
     Reply
    token_illiterate_commenter was starred token_illiterate_commenter was unstarred
    Image of Deartháir II Deartháir II
    12/19/08

    @token_y_chromosome: Well, tomorrow morning I take a lowered Corrado through the Crow's Nest Pass in the Rockies, where apparently they've received quite a bit of snow in the last few days. Betcha money I pass more than one 4x4 pickup that's stuck in a ditch?
     Reply
    Deartháir II was starred Deartháir II was unstarred
    Image of Unevolved has three moving parts. Unevolved has three moving parts.
    12/20/08

    @token_y_chromosome: Keep your velocity up and you shouldn't get high-centered. Granted, that doesn't bode well for any cornering that may or may not be in your future.
     Reply
    Unevolved has three moving parts. was starred Unevolved has three moving parts. was unstarred
    Image of Deartháir II Deartháir II
    12/20/08

    @Unevolved: and also may or may not be planned, and/or may or may not be successful...
     Reply
    Deartháir II was starred Deartháir II was unstarred
    Image of dontknoa dontknoa
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    I wanna drive a go kart on a frozen lake.
     Reply
    dontknoa was starred dontknoa was unstarred
    Image of newport413 newport413
    12/20/08

    @dontknoa: Driving a go kart on a frozen lake was one of the best things about growing up in rural Minnesota.
     Reply
    newport413 was starred newport413 was unstarred
    Image of Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face.
    12/20/08

    @newport413: Driving dad's car on a frozen lake was one of the best parts of growing up in rural Maine. That and taking the stick and flying his seaplane when there wasn't paying tourists in it.
     Reply
    Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was starred Mike the Dog is sitting by the door with a pair of cow slippers, and a very sad face. was unstarred
    Image of dohcspit dohcspit
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    Hello mattracks do you have anything that fits a KTM X-Bow ?
     Reply
    dohcspit was starred dohcspit was unstarred
    Image of Mad_Science Mad_Science
    12/19/08

    @dohcspit: Are you me?
     Reply
    Mad_Science was starred Mad_Science was unstarred
    Image of Mad_Science Mad_Science
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    Needs Mattracks on the rears

    [www.mattracks.com]
     Reply
    Mad_Science was starred Mad_Science was unstarred
    Image of Tanshanomi Tanshanomi
    12/19/08

    In reply to Track-Ready KTM X-Bow Takes To Snow Like Duck To Water
    WANT.


    That's all. I can't even comment on the whole snow thing. My brain just keeps getting stuck on WANT.

     Reply
    Tanshanomi was starred Tanshanomi was unstarred
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