Snow Bike Revolution

[takethebounce]

Have rode two of them now and was close to making the move this year if it wasn't for our brutal dollar and the price of the kits. That is after 20 years of riding sleds in the mountains.

Both i rode were 4 strokes (YZF-450 and 450-XC) and i used to race a 450 SXF in supermoto. My current ride is a Husky TE300 two stroke though which is due to the low maintenance and light weight. You are exactly right that the oil needs done after every weekend of riding, valve checks every 20 hours at most and when you go to rebuild it is very pricey. A two stroke leaves out the valve maintenance, still needs tranny oil changed (not as often as a 4 stroke needs engine oil) and will still require looking at after a season however a top end for a two stroke is very cheap in comparison to a 4 stroke and can be done by anyone with a little bit of mechanical prowess, personally i wouldn't even know where to start with a 4 stroke. Same can be said for items like exhaust (2 stroke $350 for a full exhaust vs 4 stroke at $1000+) or head (2 stroke $200 vs $$$$$$$$ for a 4 stroke).

If i was building a snow bike i would start with my 300 and put on an APT Smart Carb to eliminate jetting constantly. Would then do a high compression head ($200), FMF Fatty exhaust and shorty silencer ($350), and bolt up parts like larger pegs, seat, hand warmers and large hand guards.

Also, when picking a bike i wouldn't even entertain using one that doesn't have E-Start. I stalled the YZF in a really bad spot on a tough sidehill and had a hell of a time getting it kicked over again.

If you do go that route look at the Lectron carbs as well. APT pissed me off for a year with their promises of delivering a product and it never happened so I went with Lectron on my KTM which was also cheaper and its been flawless.


As for the two stroke comments, if you haven't ridden a two stroke snow bike but like riding two stroke bikes you should try one. I tried a 250 KTM 2 stroke last year with some motor work and a SmartCarb and it ripped. It responded very well and the 250's like to be on the pipe a little more than the 300's and a little feathering of the clutch really made me like the 2 stroke over the big thumpers.

As mentioned the newer 4 strokes have he conveniences of fuel injection, a little more torque and many have the easy button but used KTM 2 strokes with estart are easy to find for less of an initial investment over the newer 4 strokes. Of the people I now with 4 strokes only the guy bouncing them off the limiter all day are doing more valve work but overall aren't seeing big issues, and with the gear reduction of the track kits there isn't a bunch of added strain on the gear boxes to really add more fluid changes.

I am not sure I would make one my full time winter ride but it does open of a tighter terrain and its a lot of fun!

 

[duggyb]

myself and 4 buddies have got 2016 kits with TSS on order, we have all been die hard sledders for years. I know the sport still has lots of work on both the kits and bikes but i want to get into it now so i can get ahead of the learning curve of all you twin skiers that are I guarantee going to be jumping onto the bandwagon in the next couple years. Timbersled got bought out by Polaris this year so don't think the big boys aren't watching the sport.

PS 2014 Summit for sale i really need to dump to pay for this 16 kit thats going on my 570 Husaberg. PM ME

 

[gates559]

The snow bikes look to difficult to ride drunk, I'm sticking with sleds for now.

 

[gibsons]

Interesting read. I thought of unloading one of my xm's to try a bike for a season, but holy crap they don't seem cheap.
Knowing nothing about these bikes and setting them up, how would they compare or compete with the old snow Hawks 800cc?

 

[takethebounce]

Pretty easy, compare an élan to a T3 XM. That's about the same as comparing a snow hawk to a modern snow bike.


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[lilduke]

Ive never ridden a snow hawk, but they look like they go a lil better than an Ellan.... Snow bikes work pretty good, but they just look like a hacked up dirt bike to me.

Think Ill stick to 2 Ski's for a while yet....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1DCk46aMis

 

[lilduke]

I think snow hawk was going on the right track so to speak, ahead of its time. These things(snow bikes) should be purpose designed from the ground up. IMO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBInGezejmw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzDNvGC7WgI

 

[sylvanAssault]

I know guys dumping their bikes to go back to sledding, they can't go where a sled goes in deep snow. In my opinion like a sea doo fun for 20 minutes then nope!

 

[FernieHawk]

I know guys dumping their bikes to go back to sledding, they can't go where a sled goes in deep snow. In my opinion like a sea doo fun for 20 minutes then nope!

I had a 600 136" SnowHawk for a few years and loved it. It was not set up for steep Pow, so I could not do the big climbs, but lots of people modified their Hawks so they could climb anything a 'two ski' could. I sold it because my 'two ski' riding friends did not convert and 'single' and 'two skis' do not mix that well.

If a major manufacturer comes out with a new 800cc mountain version of the old Hawk...ill be back to a single ski like flies on Shiite. They are a lot of fun.

 

[duggyb]

I know guys dumping their bikes to go back to sledding, they can't go where a sled goes in deep snow. In my opinion like a sea doo fun for 20 minutes then nope!

I think this is true for those EPIC deep days, which i can count on 2 hands how many i have had in the last 2 years of riding. This is something im willing to sacrifice in order to not ride 40km of whooped out trail to get freshies.

Pros also include riding areas that sleds have tracked out and still having fresh snow. and riding into june almost. Snow bikes perform awesome in harder snow conditions that sleds dont. and can get into trees where snow has NEVER been ridden so its still somewhat soft. I ran into Regan and Allen of Timbersled riding Revy on May long when i was going downhill biking.

we will see how the year goes but for me i feel i will get more seat time on a bike than my sled, plus i get to ride the back all summer, people complain about spending 18K on a snowbike setup yet they spend 13K on a sled they only ride half the year, seems about the same cost to me, plus i can justify buying a brand new 450 bike every year if i ride it all year long.

just my 2 cents.

 

[barefooter]

I think this is true for those EPIC deep days, which i can count on 2 hands how many i have had in the last 2 years of riding. This is something im willing to sacrifice in order to not ride 40km of whooped out trail to get freshies.

Pros also include riding areas that sleds have tracked out and still having fresh snow. and riding into june almost. Snow bikes perform awesome in harder snow conditions that sleds dont. and can get into trees where snow has NEVER been ridden so its still somewhat soft. I ran into Regan and Allen of Timbersled riding Revy on May long when i was going downhill biking.

we will see how the year goes but for me i feel i will get more seat time on a bike than my sled, plus i get to ride the back all summer, people complain about spending 18K on a snowbike setup yet they spend 13K on a sled they only ride half the year, seems about the same cost to me, plus i can justify buying a brand new 450 bike every year if i ride it all year long.

just my 2 cents.

That exactly hits it on the head. In the last 5 years I have had 2 days where I think my bike would have been underpowered and not have gone where my sled would have . I look back and think was the $25K that I put into my Turbo Pro for those 2 days worth it? And for the sleds who get to the mythical "too deep" snow, I will have pulled off the trail 1/2 hour before and am happily playing in the trees. In 2' of fresh.

Bikes are not going to satisfy a guy who likes to "point and shoot". Period. Don't have the track or the HP. But if you like tree riding and boondocking, they are hands down funner and wayyyy easier on the body. There is still room for both.

 

[neilsleder]

I have never drove a snow bike but looking at them I think a Recluse clutch would be awesome.


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[takethebounce]

recluse is okay on the snowbike. I wouldn't say I felt I needed one as stalling is minimal as you are on the throttle more in the proper gear than lugging a gear tall which is where a recluse comes in handy.

As far as the snow hawk being ahead of its time, it's true it was. But awkward fan cooled 500's and 600 twins didn't have the right balance. Weight distribution was weird I found on my limited riding time with one. But like anything there is always someone who can ride the crap out of it.




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[Beels]

Watching this thread with great interest. One of my riding buddies jumped into one this year. The thing that got me looking was a couple of years back, we ran into a guy in the backcountry who was in his mid sixties on one. Said he has screwed up shoulders and riding a sled would make him hurt for days. The bike changed all that, and he can ride whenever he wants without that worry.

 

[Trukker]

Watching this thread with great interest. One of my riding buddies jumped into one this year. The thing that got me looking was a couple of years back, we ran into a guy in the backcountry who was in his mid sixties on one. Said he has screwed up shoulders and riding a sled would make him hurt for days. The bike changed all that, and he can ride whenever he wants without that worry.

I don't think your that old yet Darcy…… I don't want to ride one yet for the fear I will need to come up with 25 k . I think a lot of my ol buds that ride MX are all going snow bike route

 

[jbb]

went from sleds to snow bike and will never look back. all i can say is dont believe the haters, snowbike do just fine and they dont need to be rebuilt every year

 

[sledneck_03]

mmmmmmmm a husqvarna 700 enduro with a timber kit on it.........

 

[ducati]

mmmmmmmm a husqvarna 700 enduro with a timber kit on it.........

Thought the same thing initially until i really looked at the specs. A 701 is 67hp but comes with a 320lb weight penalty, in comparison the FC450 is 63hp and weighs 224lbs and the FE501 is 57hp and 250lbs. The extra torque and longer maintenance intervals on the 701 would be nice but that damn near 100lb weight difference would be tough to overcome.

This is the 701 Enduro, same bike as the KTM 690 essentially.

 

[etecheaven]

Cant wait to try a snow bike this year cause im pretty sure im sold.

Just not sure on a few things.

What bike is best for it?
how easy is it to go from tire to track and back again?
Whats a turbo like on a bike? does it last?

cheers

 

[armascott]

I am also thinking of building a snow bike. I have only been sledding for a couple years, but have been riding dirt bikes for years (summer and ice racing). I do have a couple questions. What are guys using for boots? Also what range to guys get on fuel? Again only sledding in the mountains for a couple years we usually just ride Renshaw. Am wondering if you would just have enough fuel to ride to the cabin play around a bit then head back? or can you make a day of it?