Mad italians driving on snow with summer tires - looks like between -10'C and -15'C:
YouTube - Kristallrally 2008
YouTube - Kristallrally part 2
YouTube - Kristallrally 2008 part 3
This is what an ordinary morning looks like before the snow ploughs have done their daily work - looks like about -10'C:
YouTube - KrystallRally 2007 - Norvegia - Terza Parte - in Kymco
What you see are the hard parts on the Norwegian rally - off the E6... we are talking a few miles (not even ten!). The "deep" snow driving shown is in fresh fallen cold snow - if one gets that depth at around 0'C a bike gets stuck just as the trike does in the clip. Using the feets as skiis is stupid! In just a mile the feets will be on the verdge of ice bites - it is -not- possible to do this for even 10 miles! If you try... you'll be getting "new" parts at the hospital...
None of the guys in the youtube clips would stand a chance to ride at -25'C and down dressed as they are.
Now take your bike out to the beach, on soft sand, full protective gear - just try push, lift-up and pull the bike. Do you think that will be any easier at arctic tempratures dressed in a way that makes the Michelin guy look "summer dressed", and with the bike fully loaded with all gears you need to survive at below -40'C and all the extra fule ?...
Going across Russia on a bike at winter is possible - but all bikes are not suitable, and some should not be even considered to use. It is not realistic to do this on a solo - you need a side-car; if you can not accept this fact...
These are the expected -good- condition though far warmer than in Sibiria:
YouTube - Riding in a winter Motorrad - - BMW F650 GS Dakar in the snow.
This is the absolute limit for even considering a solo at all:
YouTube - BMW GS on ice......motorcycle skis!
But the ski-hook-up is wrong, faulty, dangerously stupid - look at the swedish army gear in earlier reply above.
This is the situation with non-studded tires:
YouTube - BMW R1200GS Crashing in the Snow
This is with long studds (about 20mm) on ice:
YouTube - #103 Olof Eriksson on the Aprilia RXV
This is how it is at about 0'C to -5'C on a sanded snow-/winterroad:
YouTube - Crazy Riders and snow riding ( scooter kar sürüşü )
The killers are:
* low temps
* blizzards
...even a moderat snowfall can become a major problem...
A Greating from the Swedish BMW Club - from just outside Stockholm in about -5'C:
BMW Xchallenge Test