I need rider input

I ride a sled and have always wanted to ride a snow hawk, since i ride dirt bikes regularly. I have 2 huge concerns. The first is rideability on hardpacked/icy trails. It seems to me that the front ski might slide on the ice and lead to a very unstable and unpredictable ride. My second question is in regard to untracked powder and back country riding. That is what i do most of the time and I want to be able to continue to go to the places that i have always ridden and ride with the "hill climb" guys that i currently ride with.
I would appreciate any feedback from you current show hawk riders that might put my mind at ease and help me to make the cross over from 2 skis to 1. Since i can only afford to own one snow toy, I want to make sure that I make the right decision.
Thanks

You just have to ride one and find out for yourself, My experience is that the learning curve is different for everyone. Once you learn how to ride one trail riding is a snap. The backcountry is where the hawk shines, I can go places that My "hillclimb" riding buddys will not even attempt, I would say the only place I won't go is up the big mountain vertical shute's that I can't side hill in. But I wouldn't take my sleds there in the past either so thats not saying that the hawk can't do it with the right rider.

My suggestion would be to hook up with someone and spend a day riding a hawk.

Hi, I agree. If possible, you should take one for a ride. The original ski setup on the snow hawk was less than desirable for trail riding , but with the new ski configuration, and trail adapter, they handle very well on the icy corners, and on hard packed trails(so dont believe all of the hog wash that you may hear). You will also want to run studs if you trail ride for more grip in the icy corners. studs in a snow hawk go in the tips of the paddles, and they are sold in sets. Both a standard, and a performance stud kit is available for these. I ride in michigan, and I prefer the performance kit on the icy trails that we ride.
For deep powder, and off trail riding, well this is where it is very easy to get hooked on a hawk. (There is a reason that the factory ran out of the 2008mountain version of the snow hawk while most of us were still riding jet skis!)

If you get a chance, take one for a spin. You will want to try one for a few hours if possible. Most people will need a day or two to really get the feel for the hawk and how it reacts and responds.

My personal first reaction to the snow hawk was oh crap, what did I get myself into now! But by the end of the day I was HOOKED!

Two hours on the machine and I was going places I would never take a sled (I've rode sleds most my life). I don't mean up the steepest, nasty climbs - I'm talking off - camber, down hill draws that you don't even think about taking sleds into. This was the deep powder stuff. I'm still working on the trail stuff because we really don't ride trails out here. I'm learning to relax more and I don't get arm pump like I did when I started. They are fun - take the time, spend a day on one, your questions will be answered.

Hey I just got a hawk this year and so far with the snow we are having its been a blast, backcountry kicks ***! I had the same concerns you have regarding the hard pack capablilty. Well today I all my answers about the trail were answered. Yesterday we got almost two inches of rain on top of the great snow we had already. The trails were saturated and frozen over night, I was really nervous going out today but the thing ripped! I have an 04 600 HO with all the updates, I have to say the snowtracker kit is a must makes such a huge difference. The trails I went on were wooded and curvy. Once I got the feel of the minute steering inputs and leaning its a breeze, look ahead and anticipate. So cool. We popped out in a field with hills, I flew off the trail followed by my buddies.. The untouched snow was three foot deep and then saturated with 2 inches of rain so to say the least it was heavy and crusty. I made it a point to take the most messed up line across the hill to see if the two skis could match my turns, no way! Awesome Awesome Awesome.. Mine seems to eat a lot of gas and it starts hard when its warm. If you like your dirt bike you will love the hawk. My buddy is searching as of today to find one. Here is a pic

Heres another pic. You should get one!

Imput.

revkiller900
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 2




i have an o8 with the 159 and love it! being new to the sport i haven't had the chance to try the smaller displacement hawks but from what i have done with the 800 i can't say a bad thing about it the hawk is one machine that i can say has opened up some new terrain that i wouldn't normally ride and has made me look at the terrain a little differently i cant see myself riding another sled with two ski's!

Reposted this, seems to fit here better.
Exciting to see all the interest the forum is generating!
Let's see some new pictures of you folks, and please let everybody know if you've posted any new videos on the YouTube, MySpace, Etc. sites.

The back country application explains itself.

Trail:
Pushing the front end in the corners is not a factor with the 'Hawk like it is on the sleds and bikes. The carbides have more traction than they need for the responsiveness the machine has. +1 to the confidence the studded track brings to the turn.
Icehole aned TCskibike have kinda noted the two rider aspects that trail riding a 'Hawk require. RELAX!!!! and then when you are relaxed, MINUTE, tiny, miniscule, almost imperceptable, inputs to lean-angle and steering for line correction. These machines don't take kindly to being manhandled on hard pack, you can throw them around in powder with good results, not hardpack. If you are quietly sitting on it and barely moving the bars and machine while flowing over terrain at full tilt, the trail ride is easy and predictable. The stress, fatigue and arm pump start when the operator thinks they have to wrestle the machine around. As the trail gets bumpy, rise out of the seat slightly and let your knees become part of the leverage to stabilize the machine while leaning into the turn. Don't tense up...

And buy that 'Hawk already. They are the only way to fly.

Third owner of my original Hawk.

Fri April 27, 2007 12:47 PM




Rideitlikeyastoleit


Posts: 8
Joined: Mon February 12, 2007


Ah the club. Everybody wants to be in the club. Right now it's a pretty exclusive club, but a very nice one to be in. I hope you get to enjoy full membership privileges.

Just a few of the membership privilages not to be missed:

1. Being voted the official probe of the group ( as in, "send in the probe to see if we can climb out of that")

2. Not being anyones tanker *****, but needing one for a long day of play.

3. Completely forgetting what it is like to pick a sled line on a hill.

4. Deleting the term sidehilling from your vocabulary, since it is a non event.

5. Waiting at the top, watching the sleds try to get where you are.

6. Pulling a sweet tail whip 180 back down a cornice lip.

7. Watching people's heads follow you as you ride past the pack of sleds.

8. Heading off a steep pitch at an angle, maintaining speed and control rather that shooting straight down at those waiting tree holes.

9. Getting the opportunity to talk to strangers about your evolutionary machine. (Hint: suggest that while they ride your hawk, you ride their girlfriend!)

10. And last but not least, being able to tell the story of the ski digging in and you actually surviving an endo (what, am I the only one that has done this?).

If anyone has a specific membership privilege that I have omitted from the top ten, please feel free to help me with the new membership packet that I have been compiling

Enjoy the ride.

-------------------------
Put your money where your mouth is.

Testament.

Please take a moment to read through the info about last winters shootout.
This is a link provided by Ed's Michigan Snow Hawk
http://www.michigan-snowhawk.c...wder_challenge_07.pdf

Thu April 19, 2007 3:29 PM

eeberg


Posts: 2
Joined: Tue January 23, 2007


So, back in January Steve (toys-4-us) let me demo a Snow Hawk and I absolutely loved it! I was pretty sure I wanted one before hand, but it only took one ride to be sure. I immediately started looking for one, and at the same time started to try selling my sled.

Mid-February I ended up buying a 2004 600 from a friend of Steve's and it is the best! I proceeded to ride it 5 times in a week and a half. I can't get enough! After 3 rides, I put on one of the new Gen II SImmons ski's, and a 136" track (it only had a 121" when I got it) and those two things made a world of difference! That ski kicks butt in the powder!

Unfortunately, after a week and a half I had to get knee surgery (it was scheduled, it was not a Hawk related injury). So those 5 rides were the only ones I got in this season. I sold my sled in March, so now the Hawk is the only snow-bird in my stable.

My knee is almost healed now, and this was the first chance I've had to post on this forum in a long time, so I had to mention my new purchase. If I'm lucky I might get one more ride in.
Here are some pics.......

-Berg

Edited: Thu April 19, 2007 at 3:37 PM by eeberg


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Thanks for the help everybody! It looks like I have got to find myself a hawk to ride for the day. I know that i am gonna love it. I guess the next challenge then will be to find a used one for sale so I can join the exclusive club!

Hey B.K. I live just north of you in Oakdale ( modesto area ) . I ride up Hwy. 108 . You can call me at (209) 345-2330 if you'd like to test ride .My friend has one as well (503 F ) .