Great thread.
Here's some ideas. We have been trying to seal off the airboxes to prevent snow so much that the engine is sucking a bowling ball to get air. They already NEED more air, not less. I think we are chasing the problem the wrong dirrection. Remove all foam, frog skin's etc. Then,
Option #1 - cut the floor out of the air box. The snow will fall through and not fill up. Your engine will not suck hard for air. Pre-filter stays clean. Don't keep trying to seal it tighter and tighter. We are compounding the problem of air access to the engine.
Option #2 - Remove the entire air box. Get a "Bending, reducing,coupling from Frozen Boost, 2.5" for the carb end or 2.25 for fuel injected bikes, 45degree bend to a 3" end. On the 3' end add an outerwears torbo snowmobile pre-filter. The entire unit sticks under your seat, no snow build-up, totally free air access to your engine.
Carb Ice; Most carb bikes use the same carb demension. The PWK39 is most popular. The other PWK models have the same carb body, only a different throat bore and slide, jetting, etc. Get the KTM 300KCW electric carb heater. Drill the "Bosses" indicated in the instructions, and install. It comes with a thermostat controlling the power demands. I am by-passing the thermostat with a small rocker switch mounted on my plastics. Turn it on and your carb is heated. Off on those warm set-up days.
Next; The snow blasting against the carb super-cools the aluminum. Take an old set of Klim pants or Jacket, or similar Gortex material, cut a pattern and make a "jacket" to wrap around your carb or throttle body. Sew velcro to the inside seams for easy on and off. Your carb or throttle body will stay warm and dry all day.
Last; But not least, install a KTM inline thermostat. 70C/160F to keep engine temps up.
These three mod's will provide a warm engine and carb, no airbox snow, and abundant free flowing air.
