ICE ACTION

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 15/01/2010 (5972 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

St. Malo — There were no shortage of excuses when local motocross legend Kim Houde suggested that I hop on his vintage Yamaha dirt bike and rip around the icy track that is carved into the frozen surface of the lake at St. Malo Provincial Park.

My words of protest, however, fell on deaf ears.

"I’m just here to report the facts," I pleaded with obvious fear in my voice. "Nobody wants to see me break my leg, or worse."

As it turned out, if the good natured ribbing I received from Houde and his pack of fellow daredevils was any indication, that’s exactly what they wanted to see, and they wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Peer pressure, getting caught up in the moment, bravado, stupidity, call it what you like, but before I knew it I was wearing a helmet, goggles and elbow pads, and was sitting on a rumbling 400cc beast that sounded more like a machine gun than a motorcycle.

As I clicked the bike into first gear, released the clutch and rolled out onto the icy track my middle-aged knees reminded me that it had been a long time since I had fallen off a motorcycle. My only goal was to keep it that way. Going straight was no problem, but that only lasted for about a hundred feet. As I headed into the first turn and hung my foot out the way I’d seen the other guys do it, something amazing and totally unexpected happened, the countless metal screws that had been drilled into the bikes front and rear tires dug into the ice like my teeth into a cheeseburger.

As I carefully rounded the corner a triumphant cheer surely erupted from the crowd, but all I could hear was the chain saw between my legs.

With my newfound confidence I rolled on the throttle and screamed into the numerous corners of the icy maze at breakneck speeds (10 km/h).

Out of the corner of my eye I caught the gallery of seasoned ice riders watching me, but the majority of my attention was on the guy in front of me. He was obviously far more experienced on ice, but all my mind could focus on was passing him in the next corner. I gritted my teeth and went for it, and was totally elated when he was left in my cloud of snow dust.

That guy may do a great job grooming the track, but his garden tractor was no match for a two-wheeled terror like me.

Only a fool would have allowed this neophyte to actually ride alongside other motorcycles, and these guys might be a bit on the crazy side, but they certainly aren’t fools.

In fact, the majority of the riders who make up this informal group of ice demons are seasoned motorcycle racers who compete in motocross; road racing and hare scramble motorcycle events throughout the province. Although they have no official leader, it’s easy to see that Houde, a former Canadian motocross champion and Manitoba’s most celebrated rider is the one to watch on the track. When Houde climbs on the very same bike that I struggled to pass a garden tractor on, his formidable skills are apparent. He slams the bike so hard into the icy corners that you are certain he is going to crash into the snow banks that surround the track, but just in the nick of time, with the flick of his wrist and a wiggle in his hips, the bike gracefully slides into and out of the corner like a Greyhound dog chasing a mechanical rabbit. In the straightaways he blasts the engine to the redline and in the corners he leaves a rooster tail of ice shards in his wake.

Houde certainly wasn’t the only capable rider on the lake last Sunday, and despite the fact that the guys don’t have any official races, there is a healthy dose of friendly competition in the air as riders of all ages, shapes and sizes jockey for position.

The selection of motorcycles is as varied as the riders. The ice seems to be the ultimate equalizer as vintage mounts from the 1970s run alongside late model offerings from the likes of Honda, Yamaha and KTM. Although there are more turns to slow things down a bit, the similarity to flat track motorcycle racing on dirt is apparent.

Well, except for the fact that they are riding on sheer ice.

Traction is achieved via specialized metal studs called Kold Kutters that are carefully drilled into knobby tires that were designed for the dirt. Pre-load is taken out of the rear suspension for better handling in the corners. Carburetors have to be re-jetted to compensate for the cold temperature.

There are spills to go along with the thrills, and riders cover themselves in protective gear that when combined with their winter wear makes them look like abominable road warriors from a frozen future.

There are, after all, spikes on their tires.

According to John Rooney, an instructor in the electrical division at Red River College and a long-time motorcycle enthusiast, ice racing in Manitoba has likely been happening for as long as there have been motorcycles. "I first got involved in it in 1983," recalls Rooney, "but it’s been going on for many, many years." Rooney offered that in the past motorcycle ice tracks have been carved out on the river near Selkirk, at The Forks, in St. Adolphe and even on the retention pond at the Red River Co-Op Speedway. In the 1980s there were even sanctioned races, sponsored race teams, and as many as 70 local riders who would test their skills on these icy tracks.

Nowadays the group is much less formal, and smaller. On a good day 30 riders might make the scene, but the guys are more than happy to simply clear off a section of the manmade lake at St. Malo and blow off some steam. "There is a dedicated group of motorcycle enthusiasts in this province who just have to ride regardless of the weather," said Rooney. "It’s in our blood."

Miraculously, there was no blood left on the track, not even mine.

willy@freepress.mb.ca

Weekend action

Although the group doesn’t have a formal schedule, they will host a number of Sunday rides at St. Malo throughout the winter and invite spectators and fellow riders to check out the action. If you’re interested, email jroon@mts.net for more information.

For some great vintage local motocross and ice racing photos, you can also join the Facebook group "Manitoba Motorcycle Racing."