I'm only kinda joking about that. Snowbikes enjoyed a brief period of hype like rollerblades in the 90s. But that's fading now. Obviously guys enjoy them and they're good tools for a certain style of riding. But I've seen a lot of guys buy into the hype to be let down by an underpowered machine with finicky mechanical issues, so they've gone back to snowmobiles. The hype is fading at the same time as the post-COVID downturn in powersports sales, and at the same time that dedicated snowbikers already own a sorted machine. We keep hearing about a dedicated platform with a bigger CVT motor, but until that happens I don't think the snowbike market has a bright future.
2025 Timbersled
- Thread starter suva
- Start date
I have not seen a significant increase in technology since I bought my 2018 Aro kit, at least not enough to justify a new kit, whereas I have 2 new matrix sleds (9R and Boost).
I love my snowbike and it definitely has its place, just not in deep snow or big hills, but without a major manufacturer building a 100+hp reasonably reliable machine I don’t see the sport evolving a lot past where it is. Given the current cost of a new sled I would be willing to buy factory snowbike for 25k, but I don’t see the market being big enough to justify it. I expect sales to unfortunately continue to decline thus no major technological changes.
Maybe someone will get a turbo or supercharger kit right for bikes.
I love my snowbike and it definitely has its place, just not in deep snow or big hills, but without a major manufacturer building a 100+hp reasonably reliable machine I don’t see the sport evolving a lot past where it is. Given the current cost of a new sled I would be willing to buy factory snowbike for 25k, but I don’t see the market being big enough to justify it. I expect sales to unfortunately continue to decline thus no major technological changes.
Maybe someone will get a turbo or supercharger kit right for bikes.
I don't think the growth of this sport will be driven by snowmobilers switching to snowbikes. It will be driven by dirt bike riders that have never been into snowsports falling in love with it.
I'm not surprised by some slowdown in purchases of new kits, but in the area I'm in, popularity of the sport is definitely still increasing. I think the slow down of new purchases is because there are actually enough kits out there now that you can find a decent used setup. When I started, and for a number of years after, the only kits you could find were new.
I think what you guys saying about snowbiking is correct, but I think there are a couple nuances to this that are holding the sport back. We don't see them because we all participate in motorized snowsports and we forget what it is like to be "new".
I got into snowbikes with literally zero experience on a sled. I had wanted to try both sledding and then snowbiking for years, but I was held back by a few things.
1. Understanding what to do and where to go. As experienced riders we take for granted knowing just what we are supposed to do with these machines. Without friends to guide me I didnt know what machine to buy, where to take it, what gear to wear and what exactly am I supposed to do when I get to the mountains.
This is where sleds will always beat snowbikes by a wide margin. Why? Because sleds are everywhere and they are easier to ride in a big variety of terrain. People can buy one for $2500 and ride it on a frozen lake and have fun (for a little while anyways). I know 60yr old women who go sled trail riding on flat trails.
2. Complexity of purchasing. Sleds not only win the price argument, but the complexity. I know a lot of motocross racers who cant even change their own piston on a 2 stroke. No chance those people can confidently build a snowbike. Sure they could buy a used one, but the complexity of it all will always scare people away.
People want to walk into a dealership and just buy a brand they have heard of.... get on... and ride. Until you can do that with snowbikes they will never become bigger than a niche sport
3. How fun is it when starting out. Truth is, nobody starts out riding in the trees on a snowbike. If you are a new rider you go to a meadow and ride around. Then you try climbing a hill. After a year or more of riding you start to enjoy trees on a snowbike.
The reality is that in a powder bowl snowbikes just suck compared to a sled. Sleds go straight up and do wheelies. Fun (I guess).
The only item of the list that the industry can address is #2. Making a single sku item that the public can purchase easily. Would that be enough to make them popular? My guess is that the manufacturers dont think the financial risk is worth the reward because of the other factors holding the sport back.
I got into snowbikes with literally zero experience on a sled. I had wanted to try both sledding and then snowbiking for years, but I was held back by a few things.
1. Understanding what to do and where to go. As experienced riders we take for granted knowing just what we are supposed to do with these machines. Without friends to guide me I didnt know what machine to buy, where to take it, what gear to wear and what exactly am I supposed to do when I get to the mountains.
This is where sleds will always beat snowbikes by a wide margin. Why? Because sleds are everywhere and they are easier to ride in a big variety of terrain. People can buy one for $2500 and ride it on a frozen lake and have fun (for a little while anyways). I know 60yr old women who go sled trail riding on flat trails.
2. Complexity of purchasing. Sleds not only win the price argument, but the complexity. I know a lot of motocross racers who cant even change their own piston on a 2 stroke. No chance those people can confidently build a snowbike. Sure they could buy a used one, but the complexity of it all will always scare people away.
People want to walk into a dealership and just buy a brand they have heard of.... get on... and ride. Until you can do that with snowbikes they will never become bigger than a niche sport
3. How fun is it when starting out. Truth is, nobody starts out riding in the trees on a snowbike. If you are a new rider you go to a meadow and ride around. Then you try climbing a hill. After a year or more of riding you start to enjoy trees on a snowbike.
The reality is that in a powder bowl snowbikes just suck compared to a sled. Sleds go straight up and do wheelies. Fun (I guess).
The only item of the list that the industry can address is #2. Making a single sku item that the public can purchase easily. Would that be enough to make them popular? My guess is that the manufacturers dont think the financial risk is worth the reward because of the other factors holding the sport back.
I fully agree with #2... but you made me realize with point number 1 that it depends where you are and what your terrain is.
Where I am, almost all the riding is tree riding. So when I tried snowsports, I did try sleds first and absolutely hated them for the terrain I had to ride on (tree holes galore - and I found them all).
When I tried snowbikes for the first time, I too had no experience or friends riding, but I immediately could navigate the trees so much easier than a sled (still alot of stucks, lol)
So for me, point number 3 was reversed. I had way more fun to start as a struggling beginner on a snowbike vs. a sled.
Exactly. ^^^^
Fair point for sure. I only have experience living riding in the rocky mountains.
I always draw the comparison between skiing and snowboarding. It takes a long time and a lot of effort to become a good skier, like as in a really good skier. Snowboarding you can get decent at pretty fast. Same holds true for sledding, it takes a lot of practice and strength to get good at tree riding a sled like a pro. Most people can ride a snowbike places they could never put a sled, myself included. There's no such thing a a sidehill which makes life easier. It takes a different skill set than sledding but I would argue its one that is easier to master. JMO.
M5
M5
I have had sleds for many decades lived at 6K feet in the Sierras so big Mts are right out the door.They are great in more open terrain and just after the storm and will work ewe in the technical, Clearly Snowbikes are better in the tight steep treed stuff, But Riding My Sled in that super technical all day will tear ewe down after an 8 hr ride, each day will wear ewe down further and few can ride consecutive days without finding themselves digging more than riding in the technical areas .
, The Snowbike is easy on the body and riders can take a trip and really ride every day to its potential. Really great for exploring new areas,The sport has slowed down mostly because many have already built there 20-30K setup . I ride a custom Yeti 137 ss with pro level sledders and the two really do complement each other when riding with sledders that have skills. Going with bigger HP Snowbikes, CVT exc simply defeats the nimbleness that the 450 has. They need to stay lite and flickable . If ewe want big HP/weight and enjoy pointing and pinning throttle just get a sled . we don't ride big chutes anymore we just find the most steep /technical terrain on the mt. so the Snowbike does have an advantage . A pumped up 450 has similar track speeds as a 600 mountain sled so just use skill instead of relying on brute HP. The aging sledders will eventually enjoy the Snowbike and still hammer the mountain. Rather ewe want to admit it ewe all will be aging by tomorrow morning " LOL
, The Snowbike is easy on the body and riders can take a trip and really ride every day to its potential. Really great for exploring new areas,The sport has slowed down mostly because many have already built there 20-30K setup . I ride a custom Yeti 137 ss with pro level sledders and the two really do complement each other when riding with sledders that have skills. Going with bigger HP Snowbikes, CVT exc simply defeats the nimbleness that the 450 has. They need to stay lite and flickable . If ewe want big HP/weight and enjoy pointing and pinning throttle just get a sled . we don't ride big chutes anymore we just find the most steep /technical terrain on the mt. so the Snowbike does have an advantage . A pumped up 450 has similar track speeds as a 600 mountain sled so just use skill instead of relying on brute HP. The aging sledders will eventually enjoy the Snowbike and still hammer the mountain. Rather ewe want to admit it ewe all will be aging by tomorrow morning " LOL
