GP450 ADVENTURE to Rugged Snow Bike With Oliver "Brokentooth" Solaro

Most riders hibernate and plan next summer's adventures during the cold winter months. Meet one rider who's season begins when the snow flies and lakes freeze.

Oliver "Brokentooth" Solaro, "Canada’s Ice Road Biker," has been featured in many well-known publications such as The Globe and Mail, Canada Moto Guide , RevZilla , as well as on some popular podcasts like This Motorcycle Life ( @Bruce ), and Adventure Rider Radio. As his nickname suggests, he's best known for his frigid escapades completing the longest ice road in the world and hauling a half ton of dog food to Churchill, Manitoba both in the dead of the Canadian winter while solo on his motorcycle. In each of these endeavours, he looked death straight in the eye, and lived to tell. Although in the case of the Wapusk Trail, it was with just one eye because the other was frozen.

Motorcycle Modifications
He uses a highly customized 2015 CCM GP450 with no wheels: the front has a snow ski fitted, and the rear drive is a Camso DTS129 snow track. The DTS129 isn't exactly bolt-on either so Oliver used the highest quality table legs from his living room, a grinder and a welder to make it fit. Probably the only off-the shelf modification were the handlebar muffs to keep his hands warm. It turns out the factory engine management system works very well in these cold conditions, so no mods needed there, save for a secondary battery. But he did drill a hole in his valve cover and JB welded an old Harley-Davidson breather elbow, at his starting point in Gillam, Manitoba.

Despite the tongue in cheek description of these modifications, Oliver is very thorough in his design and implementation. As an engineer myself, I appreciate his approach. The front ski provides resistance, the snow track is a huge power loss, and towing a 1000+ lb sled in the snow all add up to huge stresses on the small 450cc engine, clutch, and specifically the torque limiter. And the ever-present extreme cold. For example, instead of using a solid tongue for his sled, he purposely used straps to act as a point of failure to reduce strain. And the straps did break several times which was inconvenient, but not as inconvenient or potentially deadly as a blown torque limiter and clutch. The trade-off though became "the tail wagging the dog." Any directional change resulted in the sled trying to pull the bike and on a downhill, the sled wanting to overtake and run over the bike. But since we all know the ending, we also know his solutions were up to the task.

One other note: at the temperatures he rides in, exposed skin will freeze in seconds, but Mr. Brokentooth deliberately chooses not use any heated gear. His reasoning: if the heated gear dies, he dies. Instead, he wears warm insulating gear.

Oliver, the Person
Oliver is silly, funny, creative and a talented rider but most of all, he has a big heart. A genuine good guy that would give you the kilt off his waist. While on vacation in 2016, Oliver and his wife Michelle donated 10 brand new bicycles to an orphanage in Nepal and they refer to it as the "Best Day Ever."

His 2018 adventure to Churchill, Manitoba was a dogatarian mission to deliver 1000kg of dog food to save lives due to the broken rail line. And myself, I have also been the recipient of his good will in many personal ways including being fed and housed by him multiple times at La Iglesia Solaro (he lives in a converted church). To be fair, I'm sure he would be happy to host any traveler in need. And after I chatted with him last night, I felt lighter, happier and inspired for the future.

I asked him about the most important thing in life. He responded, "Acceptance, both the world around you but more importantly, of yourself." During the inevitable low times, he gains strength first and foremost from his wife and family. And why does he risk life and limb in the subzero remote regions? Quite simply because it is his happy place.

Follow Oliver "Brokentooth" Solaro at:

• YouTube: Bwokentoof
• Facebook: Sun Dog Project and Brokentooth
• Instagram: bwokentoof