All New Timbersled SX –Mountain Horse

[Driggs427]

All New Timbersled SX –Mountain Horse


Hello all;


I'm excited to finally be on Snowest and blogging about the sport I love. My name is Derick Driggs, I live in Sandpoint Idaho. I've been riding snow bikes for the last 4 years. I ride an average of 2+ times per week in the back country, and race at every available snow bike race/competition.

I've ridden the current 3 major brands of snow bikes (2-moto, Ad-Boivin, and Timbersled), and have work my way up to the awesome Timbersled Mountain Horse. I feel that it is the best kit available and will be for years to come. I have had the opportunity to see and test some future designs of newly engineered stuff for the Mountain Horse.

In fact, I rode the prototype 2013 Timbersled SX-Mountain Horse this weekend. This kit is specifically designed for race and trail applications (it handles like a dream). The ability to transfer the weight from front to back gives it a dynamic feel and ultimate control on hard surfaces. Also, the new and added linkage suspension allows you to take the jumps bigger and further than ever before. I'm so excited to be racing the new SX this season please come out to all the Mountain West Racing events to check out the latest from Timbersled.

It is very exciting to see where the sport started and to where it is going in the future. To be there from the start and watch this evolution is truly amazing to say the least. I can't wait to see what's next!

I definitely have my preference (TIMBERSLED MH & now SX-MH), and a list of reasons why! Really it just comes down to great engineering and their passion to never stop improving on their products and design!

What's your preference and why do you choose to ride what you do?

 

[snowhawkaddict]

Only a matter of time.

Awesome.

That's a Snow Hawk track!

Wonder what some bodywork and parrallel twin cvt powertrain would work like?

 

[whitefish]

2013? Who care about 2 years from now?

 

[Timbersled]

Great post Derick. It has been fun watching you shred the mountains and race courses on the Mountain Horse. Looking forward to more great videos and pictures of your adventures.

As for the 2013 protoype, this is a great example of the evolving sport of snow biking. This year we will see a long track version (136") and some new ski options, along with some new accessories that we will be working on.

To address the previous comment, the 2013 model year is 1 year away, not 2. This year's model is the 2012 version. 100 have left the shop so far and another 100 will be leaving between December 20 and January 31. We only have about 8 left as of today (12-6).

Posted by Dave @ Timbersled

 

[TLKDPROD]

Seems to me like adding that 3rd shock was the next logical thing to do.

Props to the guys over at Timbersled, that's finally a very nice kit that pretty much seems "complete" to me right there... and I beleive this info might irritate some guys that just ordered their 2012 models, thinking they were buying the very best & latest...

I beleive that this 3rd shock option should be on the mountain kits too with the option of being able to lock it in place like the cross country bicycle rear shocks. Would give more option for when the mountains' snow turns to salt. Just my .02 cents anyways.... !

Cheers !!!

 

[powdermuncher]

Looks like the contact patch has been moved as far forward as possible.

That in itself should make a huge difference in handling.

That and a real snow-bike Track (hawk) --- it should work well

If I order it now when can I have it ???????

 

[off road rider]

Welcome Derick!! Thanks for the news!!
Ive heard the Hawk tracks are sweet on a timbersled..

 

[Rush44]

Any planned changes to the standard MH for 2013?

 

[Jon Mutiger]

I'm not an engineer, but I pretend to be sometimes. It's my understanding that a piece of suspension connected at a plane that will travel away from the pivot point is called a falling rate suspension.. And because of that the concept of having this extra shock take up the big hits might not work out as planned.. I like the concept, but the arc the shock end will follow has to be continually decreasing in distance from the other end of the shock or it won't work as intended.

Personally, I'd like to see splined shafts, gearing options, metric fastners.. all things I think another kit has already addressed.

With that said, I'm not an engineer, but I would hazard to guess that nobody else is who's designing these fun filled contraptions. Trial and error has almost been eliminated from modern prototype design using FEA analysis. Having made a few things in my day, I would imagine the ultimate product will be EASY to produce, have a rising rate suspension geometry which is coupled early in it's stroke to ensure ski pressure throughout the operation of the unit under most conditions.

Of course, I love this sport, it's why I'm here.. I think all these designs we're seeing now will evolve the sport into something new and affordable so we all have other dirt bikers to ride with.

 

[mountainhorse]

Cant Wait to ride in January!!

 

[Timbersled]

The purpose of the SX kit is for Snow-Cross Racing and any type of terrain course ride like ditch banging or hard snow riding. As the racing sports grow we want to be right there with it and to have the latest technology. The difference between the standard Mtn. Horse kit and the SX is the same different between a Mountain sleds and a Snow Pro race sled. They both have their purposes and do them well.

The SX kit is shorter due to the drive axle being moved forward and up for more ground clearance. It is designed to transfer more weight onto the track with the use of the 3rd shock that is linkage mounted on top of the sub frame. This allows the snow bike kit to be duel suspended (sub frame pivots where the stock swing arm pivots). The benefit of this is faster hole shot acceleration, more traction in corners, and it is much lighter on the ski making it possible to lift the ski off the ground on acceleration allowing the rider to go through a whoop section faster without bottoming the front forks (making the back suspension do most of the work). Also with the duel suspension, it will absorb a massive hit to the suspension with its 20” of overall rear suspension travel, like casing the top of a jump or landing flat.

This kit is not engineered for mountain riding. The reason it will not be good for this is because it will transfer too much weight and lift the ski off the ground causing loss of the control needed to climb hills. The current Mountain Horse kit will remain the same with minor changes and evolution of the system throughout the years.

Our plan with the SX kit is to sell them next winter (2012 & 13 winter) as a custom order kit. You will need to pre-season order it to get one. We hope that people will buy them for racing and will help grow the racing sport. We and other manufactures of snow bike kits are excited about racing and making it grow and become as big as snowmobile racing some day.

Allen

 

[Jon Mutiger]

Thanks for clarifying that!

The linkage was the missing link for me. So.. How about them metric fasteners??

Jon

 

[Timbersled]

Thanks for clarifying that!

The linkage was the missing link for me. So.. How about them metric fasteners??

Jon

That is something we have thought of. Here is how I see it. First it is hard to buy good off the shelf metric bolts that are hard enough and will not break or stretch. We currently use all Grade-8 SAE bolts and some S/S. With this if you need to find a replacement then you can go to any hardware store to get one that is the same as what was in it.
Here are the sizes that are needed and there substitute metric sizes to be able to take the entire MH kit apart.

Wrenches:
7/16” / 11mm
1/2” / 13mm
9/16” / 14mm
5/8” / 16mm

Hex Key:
5/32 / 4mm
7/32” / none
1/4” / 6mm

Hope that helps you to understand our reasoning.

Allen

 

[FrozenMOTO]

That is something we have thought of here is how I see it. First it is hard to buy good off the shelf metric bolts that are hard enough and will not brake or stretch.

While we dont have any strength issues with are fasteners as we use 8.8 and 10.9 grade metric bolts. These are the equivalent of grade 5 and grade 8 in standard sizes. We use the two depending on whether a specific bolt should shear in the result of a massive impact or bend yet remain usable.

On the other hand they are relatively difficult to find in the states. I have spent days finding good suppliers that carries everything we need and at a good price. I wish American could change to metric, then it would be easy.
Allen

 

[vector boy]

Seems to me like adding that 3rd shock was the next logical thing to do.

I beleive that this 3rd shock option should be on the mountain kits too with the option of being able to lock it in place like the cross country bicycle rear shocks. Would give more option for when the mountains' snow turns to salt. Just my .02 cents anyways.... !

Cheers !!!

The only problem with the "lockout" like on XC bicycles is that they are only on air shocks. Just by looking at the picture, the third shock just looks like a stock coil over.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

1-10

metric taint cutting edge, you don't need it, you could also put metalic water base glow in the dark paint on the frame in colors to match the bikes or non profit organizations logo. make improvements that are performance oriented when you can.

becasue you " can" , don't go there.

And by the way, snowmobile racing participation is going backwards at hyper speed.

 

[eskimojoe77]

SX Beating MH over the top at Jackson Hole

We haven't heard much lately about the SX, but I did just watch it smoke two standard MH's in a Jackson Hole hillclimb video. Was it a result of rider, conditions, the third shock? Curious how the trail version spanked the mountain version.

 

[Mtn. Muncher]

It was from the harder paddle on the snow hawk track. It hooks up on the hard snow super good.