2017 Husky FC 450 w/ 2018 Timbersled ARO 120 questions

[Rick E]

I plan to purchase the above Husky/Timbersled.
It appears to be cherry from what I've seen.
It has only 60 some hours on it.

It has been a Snow Bike since day one and has never seen the dirt.
The dirt bike equipment (wheels, tires, swing arm, etc) has not been used and is included.
It includes all of the goodies that one would expect to have for a good snowbike set up.

-C3 Powersports: Backcountry Pegs, Intake, Coolant Heated Bars, Bar Risers, Hand Guard Kit
-Snowbike tune on forks
-Timbersled TSS rear Air Shock
-Timbersled Trio front Shock
-Seat Concepts Gripper seat
-Hydraulic Clutch
-PST Engine Jacket
-Acerbis Skid Plate
-LED headlight

$11k

I'm a diehard 2 stroke fan.
I had hoped that Arctic Cat would have their Purpose Built, 650cc, single cylinder, 2 stroke, CVT, Snow Bike on the market by now.
Apparently they are still undergoing patent rights issues.
So, in the mean time, I'd like to be able to occasionally switch from Snowmobile to Snow Bike.

What is the general consensus of this 450cc 4 stroke setup?
Will it have enough power?
Does the ARO 120 sound OK?

 

[needpowder]

Arrow 120 rips. That seems like a good price. I am on a riot 3 inch in often my buddy, with an arrow 120 kicks my ass. Depends on conditions, of course but that kit is no slouch.

 

[boondocker97]

The Husky's have a little more mellow power delivery in stock form than their KTM counterparts, but a lot of that difference might be made up with the snowbike intake. Curious why it's running a Trio front end shock setup if the fork was specifically tuned for snowbike use. Shouldn't need both.

 

[Rick E]

Well, I bought it!

Short story:
The seller lives in Central Oregon. I live just east of Portland.
We had several phone conversations that led me to believe that he was genuine, and that it was in excellent condition as described.
I was ready for a road trip.
As it turned out, he was coming to my area to pick up a trailer.
So, he brought the sled to me...... how can you beat that?

I gave it my best inspection while it was still in his truck. I was not disappointed at all.
It's actually nicer than what I was expecting.
The original tires/wheels, chain, handle bars, OEM seat, etc had never hit the ground..... just as he had described.
It also has the Rekcluse clutch system that was not listed in his ad.

We then drove to my bank where I got a cashiers check for him.

I've been tinkering with it.
Now I can't wait until I can ride it!

*********************************
boondocker97, I don't know enough about these yet to understand why it has the Trio front end shock setup!
Please explain your comment! I'm all ears!

One item that was missing, was the Fox Shocks air pump! He is going to see if he can find it and then send it to me.
If not, I'm going to order one.

Question # 1:
Are these Fox air pumps specific for each type of Fox unit?
There are 3 Fox shocks on it.

I'm not a fan of the Fox Shocks......
Several years ago, I bought a new pair for one of my snowmobiles..... they leaked.
I had to stop periodically and pump them up.
I sent them back and they replaced them and I immediately sold them!
I hope that I have better luck with these!

Question # 2:
Is the Husky FC 450 capable of adding a Kick Start?
I'd like to thwart off Olé Murphy in the event that the electric start would fail.

 

[Rick E]

Question # 3:
I see that the track suspension incorporates 3 Fox shock absorbers.
The forward most is pnuematic.
The two behind that are spring tension.
The center Fox shock is missing the spring retainer.

Are all of these retainers the same, or do I need to order a specific retainer?
(I plan on taking that shock off later today and taking precision measurements)


So I have 3 questions....
.... re; the Fox air pump
.... re; adding the FC 450 kick start
.... re; the spring retainer

If anyone can help, I would appreciate it.

 

[GlennRMK]

No spot in the cases to add a kicker unfortunately. Get a jump pack and a quick connect. On my 19 Husky 450, I often don't even try to start with the battery if its real cold (below 10-15F).

I think the air pumps are generic

Not sure on the retainer

The 16+ 450s seem pretty bulletproof from what I've seen. My buddy has almost 500 hours of snowbike use on the original piston.

 

[boondocker97]

Snowbike kits weight the front end significantly more than when they are setup for dirt. So a snowbike specific setup usually runs much stiffer valving and springs (or air pressure if your fork hasn't been spring converted). The Trio was sold as a way to add both damping and spring (via air pressure) in a bolt-on form. So that you could pull it off in the summer and have the standard dirt fork setup again. If the fork was really setup for snowbike application then the Trio is just extra weight you're packing.

There are two types of Fox analog pumps. One with a single gauge that goes from 0-150psi and one that has two gauges back to back with one reading 0-100psi and one reading 0-300psi. If the shock has an Evol chamber you need the dual pressure one. If not the single will do. There are pumps with a digital gauge available too. I've heard bicycle shops carry pumps that fit the bill too since their are float shocks for them. Only use the pump on the Float shocks. Not needed for any coilovers.

As Glenn said, no kickstart available on that motor platform.

Pull the serial number off of the shock that's missing the retainer and call Carver Performance in MN. They'll send you what you need.

 

[TreewellDweller]

Question # 3:
I see that the track suspension incorporates 3 Fox shock absorbers.
The forward most is pnuematic.
The two behind that are spring tension.
The center Fox shock is missing the spring retainer.

Are all of these retainers the same, or do I need to order a specific retainer?
(I plan on taking that shock off later today and taking precision measurements)


So I have 3 questions....
.... re; the Fox air pump
.... re; adding the FC 450 kick start
.... re; the spring retainer

If anyone can help, I would appreciate it.

I ordered a generic shock pump that actually works better than the Fox brand. Just make sure it can pump up to 350 or 400 psi. They all have the screw on fitting on the hose.
As for the spring retainer, find a good motorcycle or snowmobile shop and they can find or order one. Not really a big deal.
In the last 20+ years I have owned a couple of 4-stroke sleds and never had a starting problem as long as the battery was good. Have ridden in -20 temps on 4-stroke sleds and snowbikes. Be sure to use a light weight oil. This makes a huge difference. There are some good options for small, powerful booster packs. Easy to pack.
Just a few things to consider. Sounds like you’ve found a great snowbike! Enjoy!

 

[Rick E]

Thank you GlennRMK, boondocker97 and TreeWellDweller.

As for electric start, my son-in-law has had KTM Timber-Sled starter motor issues, hense my reason for asking.
I'm bummed that I can't add one to this Engine!
Although it would be one more item to carry, the Jump-Pack sounds like a good idea.

Yes, I understand that the coil over shocks do not require air.

Re; the coil over shocks..... the threaded adjustment collars appear to be very easy to turn. I wonder if the center shock adjustment collar had some how loosened up, and was the reason for that spring retainer to come off.
Any thoughts as to that?
Any thoughts as to something that would lock the collar?


The seller has been great. He has ordered the spring retainer for me.
He is also checking on the air pump to see if he still has it. Otherwise, I will look for one.
He also has the OEM owners manual that he forgot to bring to me.

boondocker, I'll ask the seller if he knows whether or not the forks have been spring converted.


Disclaimer (LOL):
I am not a 4 stroke fan at all.
I do know that everyone is using a 4 stroke for their Snow Bikes.
I'll do my best to enjoy it.
This bike will remain set-up with the Timbersled ARO 120.... and will never see the dirt as long as I own it.
I will ride my Husky TE 300i in the dirt.

See images below showing the front FOX shock and headlamp.


Question # 4:
What pressures should I shoot for the front ski FOX, and for the FOX up front on the suspension????


Question # 5:
Do any of you recognize the Speed Demon LED head lamp?
The only thing on it is Speed Demon...... no P/N, nothing!
I like the low profile, how the wiring harness plugs in to the bike's system, and I like how it mounts.
However, it has taken on moisture inside of the lens.
I'd like to find an exact replacement that includes the female plug.
I have searched, but came up short!

Question # 6:
The handle bars have been raised.
What are your thoughts on that?
(see photo)


Thanks for all of your help. I do appreciate it!

 

[Rick E]

Ok, one more silly question:

Why do these guys leave the front fenders in place?

My fender is still there.
I see lots of of Timbersled pictures, and they all have the front fenders on.

 

[GlennRMK]

Ok, one more silly question:

Why do these guys leave the front fenders in place?

My fender is still there.
I see lots of of Timbersled pictures, and they all have the front fenders on.

I gotta have a front fender. Feels so weird to ride without a front fender IMO.

 

[Rick E]

Glenn, I get it about the front fender! Thanks!

Any takers on my questions # 4, 5 and 6?

 

[teal_210]

Glenn, I get it about the front fender! Thanks!

Any takers on my questions # 4, 5 and 6?

The front fender deflects a lot of snow away from the rider. I lost a fender this year, and was super frustrated the rest of the day because I couldn't see with all of the snow being blasted straight at my face. I was constantly having to slow down to be able to see, and ended the day completely soaked.

Handlebar risers: This will be a unpopular opinion i'm sure - but they completely wreck the handling and steering of the bike. Take them of, you'll have more leverage and better control.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

The front fender deflects a lot of snow away from the rider. I lost a fender this year, and was super frustrated the rest of the day because I couldn't see with all of the snow being blasted straight at my face. I was constantly having to slow down to be able to see, and ended the day completely soaked.

Handlebar risers: This will be a unpopular opinion i'm sure - but they completely wreck the handling and steering of the bike. Take them of, you'll have more leverage and better control.

Not sure why you would think that’s an unpopular opinion.

Seems to be the consensus I’ve seen among most snowbikers who ride a lot and ride steep terrain.

Tall bars = less ski control.

 

[eric82930]

The headlight looks like it could just be a cheap Walmart led fog lamp. If you can't Google the brand, it's probably a cheap china brand but if it works don't worry about the condensation in the lens. A lot of the internal led stuff is sealed on the pcb so the water won't get into the components.
Tall bars have more leverage to lift your bike up after a tip over. I ride trees and steep side hills all the time with mine just fine but my upper body is tall. everyone personalizes there set up so you should at least try it before you buy lower bars.
If you want more help on the shocks you should learn the correct names. The extra shock on the front fork is called a trio. The one under the seat is called a tss and the front track shock is also called a center shock (from sled terminology) and the rear is the rear. The collars will fall off if the spring is too loose. Timbersled.com has parts fiche to point and click order. The threaded adjusters should not spin easy. They usually have an extra jam nut or an Allen lock screw to keep them from turning.
I think fenders look gay on snow bikes but if you trim them back a bit they look better like the beak on a snow hawk. Really up to you.... My Bikes are all custom frame like the attic cat you saw so the ski floats in powder and doesn't submarine as bad so I'm not running a fender. There was one day this year the snow was kind of annoying in my face on down hills but it was so ridiculously deep it was by far the least of my worries. If your ski isn't floating it's a good idea to slow down on the down hills so you don't risk hitting crap you can't see. Sleds don't ever go that deep because they float on the belly pan. Ride safe!

 

[Rick E]

Thank you, Eric!
The system is not letting change font color, so I'm numbering your comments and my responses.

1...... The headlight looks like it could just be a cheap Walmart led fog lamp. If you can't Google the brand, it's probably a cheap china brand but if it works don't worry about the condensation in the lens. A lot of the internal led stuff is sealed on the pcb so the water won't get into the components.


2...... Tall bars have more leverage to lift your bike up after a tip over. I ride trees and steep side hills all the time with mine just fine but my upper body is tall. everyone personalizes there set up so you should at least try it before you buy lower bars.


3...... If you want more help on the shocks you should learn the correct names. The extra shock on the front fork is called a trio. The one under the seat is called a tss and the front track shock is also called a center shock (from sled terminology) and the rear is the rear. The collars will fall off if the spring is too loose. Timbersled.com has parts fiche to point and click order.

4...... The threaded adjusters should not spin easy. They usually have an extra jam nut or an Allen lock screw to keep them from turning.


5..... I think fenders look gay on snow bikes but if you trim them back a bit they look better like the beak on a snow hawk. Really up to you.... My Bikes are all custom frame like the attic cat you saw so the ski floats in powder and doesn't submarine as bad so I'm not running a fender. There was one day this year the snow was kind of annoying in my face on down hills but it was so ridiculously deep it was by far the least of my worries. If your ski isn't floating it's a good idea to slow down on the down hills so you don't risk hitting crap you can't see. Sleds don't ever go that deep because they float on the belly pan. Ride safe!

1.... I'm too anal to use it.

2.... I have no plans to change it as of now.

3.... Thank you. I'm a stickler for using the correct terminology.

4.... These adjusters do turn quite easily. I think that is why the retainer fell out. I now have a new one in place.
I will figure out a way to prevent them from turning so easily.

5.... I'm leaving the front fender. I was just curious when I asked the question.

 

[Rick E]

I found the head lamp I was looking for.
It is a Roadshock # 57190 LED 1,050 lumens 250 ft range .

It appears to be an exact replacement for the SpeedDemon that failed.

$28.00.
And yes..... it's made in BBQ Pork and Fried Rice country.

 

[Rick E]

Regarding the front fender....... I've got an idea!
I'll put a large bright colored arrow decal on my front fender.
That way, I'll know which way to point the handlebars!