Long story short...I have been on Sleds for many years and have run them all from stock to turbos. I wanted to try snow bikes but didn't want to spend the $10-15K to do it "right". I had a 2004 KTM 450EXC in the garage that I ride a couple times a year but after reading way too many threads thought I needed a newer fuel injected bike then needed to add thousands of dollars of extras and spend $5-7K on a kit to do it right. Put it off a couple of years till I had an older kit drop in my lap for a really good price. Decided to bolt it on and go ride, it can be done. I know I will do some mods to it but fun can be had with no changes. A $3k bike with a $2k kit and a $20k grin on my face. This thread is to encourage others that are on the fence to pull the trigger and just do it. I have a little different prospective as I have the funds to go buy a new bike and what ever kit I would like but for me it was a challenge to have fun with as little effort and money as possible and it was easier that I thought. A couple more rides and getting my wife out on it then we might just transition to snow bikes who knows.
First ride on my low budget build
- Thread starter hughesfoundation
- Start date
I agree, I bought a used bike and a used kit and will have it on the snow for $6500. About the same price as a new kit alone when you factor in shipping and a fit kit.
I'm about 8$k into my build with a lo mile 2012 efi bike and a new mototrax enduro kit. Still a chunk of change for a lazy welder but a lot less than a new 450 and a yeti kit would cost. And, it's fun!
I have 2 rides in on my budget build. The bike is a CR500, I have had 500's for years so I had basically everything to build it but my original price for the bike was $1500. I went with the Timbersled Raw kit and snow checked it so that was almost dead nuts $4000 out the door with fit kit tax and all that. I added heated grips for $100 or so, I added the electric start kit which was my big ticket item at $1500. I used one of my old desert tanks and then bought the mountain addiction tank for like $115 or so I think. I used an old baja designs light I had from the 2014 Baja 500 that a sponsor at the time bought for me. that would have been about $400 and I paid up for a set of cannon race craft fork springs. I forget the rate but they bind at about 1" and I had to grind the guides to fit the springs over them. I valved them up with my special blend just kind of going off what I do in the dirt and which way I go. I am a big boy like 6'4" and about 270 after Christmas so I am used to valving for my weight but never had to do anything like this. When I got done and pushed on them I wasn't sure I hadnt gone too stiff. When I put them on the bike it felt pretty balanced. When I rode it I think I might have nailed it.
I paid attention to what guys have done on here and added some of my own little twists. I have ridden it twice. I have owned snowmobiles before but I can tell you for me personally I will never own one again. This thing is a riot and I could go places after about 3 minutes on the thing that I personally would never be able to ride to on a snowmobile. This is the most fun I have ever had in the snow. I have been sort of hating winter for about the last 15 years...now my dreams have snow falling.
I guess it sounds kind of weird to call somewhere around $7500 a budget build, but I think it applies.
I paid attention to what guys have done on here and added some of my own little twists. I have ridden it twice. I have owned snowmobiles before but I can tell you for me personally I will never own one again. This thing is a riot and I could go places after about 3 minutes on the thing that I personally would never be able to ride to on a snowmobile. This is the most fun I have ever had in the snow. I have been sort of hating winter for about the last 15 years...now my dreams have snow falling.
I guess it sounds kind of weird to call somewhere around $7500 a budget build, but I think it applies.
Last edited:
