The snow bike thread

YotaAtieToo

YotaAtieToo

Thick skull
Joined
May 19, 2020
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Loc
Bonners Ferry, ID
Since someone started a sled thread, why not a snow bike thread. I've been wanting one for a few years now, looks like the most fun thing ever.

I think if I do it, my money goes way further if just buying a complete setup. I'd like to try and get a 500 ktm or husky, but 450 would be fine. I've heard the 450 mx bikes work really well, but the trail/Enduro bikes have a better charging system and bigger fuel tank. We do most snow shenanigans at night, so a good light is important.

The one thing I really haven't looked at much is the different track lengths and different brands of kits. I think timbersled was the way to go for a long time, but it looks like there are other good brands now. Most of the area closest to me is tight woods, not a lot of open big hills, so I'm guessing a shorter track would be best?
 
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Started out on the 450 Kawi, was carbed and a four speed, had a 2015 Timbersled kit. Found the 2017 YZ450FX with kit for a great deal. Fuel injection, 5spd and electric start, handles much better, made a huge improvement in my riding(I'm not a dirt biker). Timbersled is prettypopular theythe first ones to mass market the kits. They do have their problems, but have become pretty reliable, there are some great deals on leftover 2018/2019 kits still at the dealers. There is also Camso, they are a cheaper kit, will get you out there, the deep snow performance seems to be less than the others. Then there is CMX, Yeti and Snowtech. CMX and Yeti are very well built and liteweight kits, but also have the price tag. Snowtech are made in Utah, seems like a well built kit. Think there might be some other kits out there, but these are the main ones. There is usually 120, 129 and 137 inch versions. I ride a 129", seems to do most things well, if you are going to be riding super deep and lite powder then the 137" would be better.

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Our snow seems a little different than most places. It's usually heavy powder. The type that makes good snow balls easily. Usually holds weight a little better than duff shit. Not sure what that means.

I figured if I decided to bite the bullet I'd just grab whatever decent setup I could find. I've seen a handful in the $7-9k range on newer efi bikes. I'm not going to know the difference between a 120 and a 137 anyway :laughing:
 
How easy would they be to adapt to a non-standard bike. I keep threating to get one, but would have to mount it to my Sherco, guessing it's do able.

I've been looking at Timbersleds and the Riot (around the 120") is what I think I'd get.
 
Weasel said:
How easy would they be to adapt to a non-standard bike. I keep threating to get one, but would have to mount it to my Sherco, guessing it's do able.

I've been looking at Timbersleds and the Riot (around the 120") is what I think I'd get.
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I'd think most guys on here could fit a kit to most anything.
 
Making the spindle would probably be the most difficult part.
 
Quote: Includes additional fit kit for ktm.
I say it's just the parts to adapt this kit to a KTM.
 
Weasel said:
How easy would they be to adapt to a non-standard bike. I keep threating to get one, but would have to mount it to my Sherco, guessing it's do able.

I've been looking at Timbersleds and the Riot (around the 120") is what I think I'd get.
Click to expand...

I've been told to not bother putting a kit on anything but a 450. When I asked some guys who have nice snowbikes about putting a kit on my older kdx200 just to try out snowbiking they said no way, I'd burn it up because it would be WOT all the time. I would love to have a snowbike but everyone I talk to says you need to spend a lot more than I'm willing to do it.
 
larboc said:
I've been told to not bother putting a kit on anything but a 450. When I asked some guys who have nice snowbikes about putting a kit on my older kdx200 just to try out snowbiking they said no way, I'd burn it up because it would be WOT all the time. I would love to have a snowbike but everyone I talk to says you need to spend a lot more than I'm willing to do it.
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I call bullshit on needing nothing less than a 450.........

Video proof of the bullshit......

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mZzBSBhuWjo
 
larboc said:
I've been told to not bother putting a kit on anything but a 450. When I asked some guys who have nice snowbikes about putting a kit on my older kdx200 just to try out snowbiking they said no way, I'd burn it up because it would be WOT all the time. I would love to have a snowbike but everyone I talk to says you need to spend a lot more than I'm willing to do it.
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Yeah I've heard that as well, mines a 290 2-stroke I still think it would be fine.
 
You fuckers...i already had an interest in these. I'm not a bike guy at all. It would likely never get switched to a dirt bike in the summer if i had one :laughing:
I always wanted a track/ ski setup for my yfz450x. That thing would've been fun in the powder or drift jumping.
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
I call bullshit on needing nothing less than a 450.........

Video proof of the bullshit......

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mZzBSBhuWjo
Click to expand...

You're kidding right? 8" of hard snow? I wouldn't even bother riding in that.

Deep powder and elevation rob power. I don't see why anyone would bother with a smaller bike. Most guys are trying to hop up the 450s.

Fwiw, i hate 450s in the summer.

For perspective. The talon wouldn't pull 3rd gear with tracks in any kind of powder, and that's ~50% reduction.
 
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Weasel said:
Yeah I've heard that as well, mines a 290 2-stroke I still think it would be fine.
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Depends on what you want to do with it.

I read a lot about doing a efi 300 ktm, most guys say they're OK, but you're clutching and shifting constantly. It's hard on a bike.
 
YotaAtieToo said:
Depends on what you want to do with it.

I read a lot about doing a efi 300 ktm, most guys say they're OK, but you're clutching and shifting constantly. It's hard on a bike.
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We don't have deep powder or ton of elevation. It's 5k-7k maybe 2-3 feet over the course of the winter and trees, lots of trees. Basically half of our wheeling areas get shut down during the winter. Snowmobiles have all kinds of options including cross country, tough on a sleds with the trees.
 
Weasel said:
We don't have deep powder or ton of elevation. It's 5k-7k maybe 2-3 feet over the course of the winter and trees, lots of trees. Basically half of our wheeling areas get shut down during the winter. Snowmobiles have all kinds of options including cross country, tough on a sleds with the trees.
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Gotcha, with 2-3' you won't want to be flying around anyway, a stump or rock can easily be just a few inches under the surface and make for a bad day.
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
I call bullshit on needing nothing less than a 450.........

Video proof of the bullshit......

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mZzBSBhuWjo
Click to expand...

Would probably be fine, but the guys I talked to are the ones who have a snow bike to go where they don't want to take a snowmobile. Deep snow, steep hills/side hills with lots of trees. I've never really taken one anywhere near their limits but I have ridden a couple for short rides and I can see the need for lots of power with a wide power band. No torque converter so shifting isn't trivial.

I didn't see anything in that video that couldn't be done with a $200 enticer, not the environment I'd see someone needing a snowbike for.
Granted it's lighter, but that KTM is still ~35hp? 35hp is about what a really tame vintage snowmobile from the 70's would make, with most 440's in the 50hp range, and larger sleds with a lot more. Keep in mind it takes a lot of power to spin a track and move through loose snow.
 
larboc said:
Would probably be fine, but the guys I talked to are the ones who have a snow bike to go where they don't want to take a snowmobile. Deep snow, steep hills/side hills with lots of trees. I've never really taken one anywhere near their limits but I have ridden a couple for short rides and I can see the need for lots of power with a wide power band. No torque converter so shifting isn't trivial.

I didn't see anything in that video that couldn't be done with a $200 enticer, not the environment I'd see someone needing a snowbike for.
Granted it's lighter, but that KTM is still ~35hp? 35hp is about what a really tame vintage snowmobile from the 70's would make, with most 440's in the 50hp range, and larger sleds with a lot more. Keep in mind it takes a lot of power to spin a track and move through loose snow.
Click to expand...

Wait, why are we arguing with a guy from TX about snow? :flipoff2:
 
YotaAtieToo said:
You're kidding right? 8" of hard snow? I wouldn't even bother riding in that.

Deep powder and elevation rob power. I don't see why anyone would bother with a smaller bike. Most guys are trying to hop up the 450s.

Fwiw, i hate 450s in the summer.

For perspective. The talon wouldn't pull 3rd gear with tracks in any kind of powder, and that's ~50% reduction.
Click to expand...

Did you watch the whole video? At the end he is riding in powder in the trees. Doesn't look like he or the bike are having any problems.....

I can understand not wanting to put that kit on a small 2 stroke because of the lack of bottom end torque, but saying it can only be used on a 450 is retarded.

Comparing a Talon to a bike is also retarded...... My talon is around 1600lbs and makes about 94hp. Your 4 seat Talon makes the same hp and weights alot more. My KTM 350 makes around 39hp and weights 261lbs. Power to weight ratio is slightly different. :rolleyes:
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
My KTM 350 makes around 39hp and weights 261lbs. Power to weight ratio is slightly different. :rolleyes:
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Add the weight of a snow bike kit onto that and that's not a power to weight ratio to brag about in the snow.
 
SLOWPOKE693 said:
Did you watch the whole video? At the end he is riding in powder in the trees. Doesn't look like he or the bike are having any problems.....

I can understand not wanting to put that kit on a small 2 stroke because of the lack of bottom end torque, but saying it can only be used on a 450 is retarded.

Comparing a Talon to a bike is also retarded...... My talon is around 1600lbs and makes about 94hp. Your 4 seat Talon makes the same hp and weights alot more. My KTM 350 makes around 39hp and weights 261lbs. Power to weight ratio is slightly different. :rolleyes:
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I watched the end too. I don't think you realize what deep powder is. We get storms every few years, where guys with light rigs on 54s can't go more that 6" at a time. Sleds aren't much better off either. I've seen pics of trucks buried under 10'+ of snow in a few days :laughing:

Deep powder is like 3-4' minimum.

If everyone out there is trying get more power out of a 450, why would anyone want to start with less?

Obviously that wasn't a direct comparison. I'm just saying, that's how much the tracks and snow rob power. I'm not talking about a small 2 stroke, the 300 makes 51 hp and is 230 lbs.

I guess if someone just wanted to put around on hard shallow snow, it's probably fine, but seems like a lot of money and effort for that.
 
I just read this but dunno on posting up link or video, too bad :flipoff2:

Electrek has a conversion kit "ENVO Snowmobile" for turning mountain bicycles into electric snowbikes.

Up to 20k/m
2-4 hrs riding time-
 
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