Boivin isn't alone in its desire to merge the snow and motorcycle worlds.
Dennis Schatz of St. Mary's, Pa., likes both so well, he has created a SnowCycle in his Pennsylvania shop.
What you see here is his second generation, the first he dubbed a Harley Cat, that was a hit with motorcycle and snowmobile enthusiasts. So, he kept fiddling with nuts and bolts at his shop to design the SnowCycle.
It combines a 2002 Harley Ultra Classic and a 2005 Arctic Cat SaberCat. Denny had to make the tough decisions piece by piece of which parts from each to keep and which would have to be made to order for the steering, drivetrain and suspension. All the while, he was trying to keep as many standard parts as possible. He made all the custom parts and linkage to assimilate the two technologies, creating a stable and user-friendly design.
Denny managed to keep the original bike suspension and opted for a twin track design to make the SnowCycle more stable with a lower center of gravity and plenty of traction for trail riding.
He used Harley's fuel-injected motor with Power Commander, a heavy-duty clutch, reverse, turn signals, radio and rear disc brakes. The 1200cc twin drives the twin tracks through the cycle's 6-speed manual gearbox.
Skis on the SnowCycle have dual carbides for turning and also have small wheels for maneuverability in the off-season.
"It rides like my Harley full dresser on the open road," Denny says. For now, he is producing the SnowCycle on a one by one basis. Look for him on the trails of St. Marys, Pa., or Old Forge, N.Y.
More info:
www.snow-cycle.com or e-mail:
mailto:info@snow-cycle.com.