Three snow bike reviews:
UFO:
Yes I understand it is off the market but it is a unit we compared to. It was mounted on a KTM 450. It had no breaks, yet, they were never needed. There was so much drag that not only you didn’t need a break but the 450 didn’t have the power to keep up with the Timber Sleds. If it was on the show room floor next to the Timber Sled I would purchase it first based upon looks, yet, looks were deceiving. During half the season we stripped off the gear on the track shaft. We ran it hard and one rider in our group got it to work but we also stuck him with it all the time. It was highly affected by rider weight.
Timbersled:
We ran the 2014 and the 2015 on a Honda 450 and a KTM 450. The problem here was the Honda always got the worst skis (front end kit discussed later) which gave me a bad impression which I unfairly put on the bike. The KTM had a 2014 121 TS with a belt drive. This unit was a nightmare to get running. Nothing was square or straight. After shimming and work it ran good with the belt drive. The Honda had the 2015 121 TS. During testing the 2014 obtained the 2.5” Yeti track. This was a drastic improvement over the stock track. Both units were an improvement over the UFO with the 2014 TS being better than the 2015. The belt drive and the track were the improvements. The belt drive freed up needed horse power and the 2.5” track was what we all knew it to be.
CMXBK:
OMG. Within the first 100’ we all knew this was a new world. They moved the unit forward over 1.5”. This changed the handling to the point where you have better control. It is 10 pounds lighter than the TS. The weights were from the 2014 121” vs the 121” CMX-BK. It has been built by a Snowmobile Builder. There are no grease zerks and all bearings are high speed and sealed. It has Ice Age rails with a snowmobile suspension backed up with Raptor Shocks. I had the 137” and was real worried. I bounced on it in the shop and thought I was going to get thrown off when I hit the bumps on the trail. Oh, how wrong I was. The suspension worked to perfection. It was a real smooth ride. We had no problems or adjustments on the suspension. Once again a Snowmobile Builder set them up. We had two 450 KTM bikes, one with a 121” and the other with a 129”. The other two were 500 KTM bikes with a 129” and a 137”. Each performed flawlessly.
Raptor Front end kit:
What a game changer. We ran this front end all winter. We used numerous skis and the current set works the best. Each ski works independently of the other and mounted to each fork. It is WOT on the trail with less stress on the rider’s shoulders. It really shines on the side hill. The uphill carbide of each ski holds the side hill. When crossing dirt it won’t dig or plows like the big Simmons Ski. Once you trust the front end you will be in 5th gear on the trail. One rider even said he will never ride a single ski again.
Conclusion:
The CMX-BK is a game changer. It gives the rider a greater feel of control in every situation. Combined with the Raptor front end it is the full package. This is my first year on the snow bikes and the difference is amazing. From the first time rider to the Pro, it will out preform your expectations. I am so glad I got to be part of the R&D on this project.
70% snow/30% dirt. small, compact, light and purpose built for snow.
