Arctic cat prototype snowbike

[JimBridger]

Riding some of the most powerful bikes on snow kits, we've come to the realization that shifting is what is holding these machines back. It's the limiting factor. For instance: turbo'd bikes, they have all the power we need. Problem is, they light the turbo, blow through the gear, then you shift and they fall on their face. A cvt would keep us in the meat of the power and add another level to this sport imo.

 

[AllHatNoCattle]

Riding some of the most powerful bikes on snow kits, we've come to the realization that shifting is what is holding these machines back. It's the limiting factor. For instance: turbo'd bikes, they have all the power we need. Problem is, they light the turbo, blow through the gear, then you shift and they fall on their face. A cvt would keep us in the meat of the power and add another level to this sport imo.

I rode with a guy who had a turbo. Reliability problems aside he just didn't like the bike for the type of riding we do (tight trees, gnarly and technical). He sold it pretty quick and if anyone ever brings it up he always says it was "just too much power for what we do".

I think there is terrain where more power and a bigger track would be ideal, but for mountain riders I think bikes going the other way is the ticket. Something like Erics custom rig or a Ruffian where you have a stock 450 motor but 2/3 of the weight of a current snowbike with a smarter rider position.

My guess is that current snowmobile manufacturers are looking at it through the lens of making a snowmobile on one ski and realizing it wont sell. Really what we need is someone to look at it from the bike side and make a snowbike more like a dirt bike.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

biggest downside to CVT is the increased rotating mass of primary and secondary clutch, on a UTV no big deal, on a bike you want to lean to steer ,way not good having the gyro forces of those spinning clutches, 7000 rpm clutch's have a mind of their own, the early mx bikes with cvt were almost impossible to muscle around a corner when you had them rev'd up past 4 or 5 thousand rpm, riding a sled years back with a turbo Yamaha 4 cylinder bike engine and transmission, ok it was big and clumsy, but first thing you noticed was how agile it was to throw side to side without 25lbs of spinning clutches dictating where you are headed.

 

[eric82930]

Yeah a good cvt discussion is always guaranteed to cause an argument. I personally don't feel like they are much of an advantage other than deep spring days it's hard to find the shifter when the snow is heavy. I'm an expert at tuning sled clutches and yet there has been many rides per season where I'm sure I've left over 10hp on the table because of the clutch not shifting right.
The turbo problem is a turbo problem not a transmission problem. Turbos on sleds are the same way when you chop the throttle. The new stock turbo sleds are pretty amazing but they are even more sensitive to clutching and get pretty doggy if it's not perfect. Anyone tried a turbo on a new ktm that you can shift with the throttle on?

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

Argument- some
Purchase justification- lots