I have a 2017 BETA 480rr and 2018 Mototrax 129. My first snowbike. I already want more of everything, more power, more flotation, better trail manners. What's the best? I've never ridden another kit or bike. Those of you who have, please tell me there is more before I go back to a sled.
Is there something better?
- Thread starter snojnke
- Start date
Are you riding with sleds or other bikes?
Mostly sleds. Don't get me wrong I enjoy my bike, but watching videos of other snowbikers site looks like they are moving a hell of a lot faster. Even through deep snow. Just wondering if I picked the wrong bike/kit combo.
Any fuel injected mx 450 with timbersled aro. 
I’ve got a big bore Ktm 450sxf to a 520 and I still want more. I think you will too. It’s just never enough. We’ll always want more and more My bike sure feels weak sometimes though on those steep, straight climbs with over 2’ of fresh snow. Redline city!! Switch back and forth too lots. Gotta keep your momentum up! There’s no taking off on a steep uphill like a rocket like a sled does. 3rd gear, 3/4 throttle and keep that speed up!!
There is something in the works on the kit side that will be light years better than any kit on the market according to a test rider that I know who will remain anonymous. As far as power, I still believe a purpose built snowbike with a modern two stroke efi 500 twin and a narrow cvt transmission is the answer. It would be light and have over 100 horsepower easily. That would cure the desire for more power. With it, you could go fast up the same chutes as the sleds and you could rock the trees and sidehill like a bike already can.
I am hoping you are right.
Maybe like what SkiDoo did with the Rev chassis for the rest of the snowmobile industry, one of the big's will come out with a purpose built snowbike that will render all the kits a well as end the need to swap our bikes over each spring/fall.
For now, I'm content with the way the snowbike works and realize there are limitations to its performance.
Hey Cory, I have been running the same setup as you for two years now. One thing to keep in mind with the 520 is that it signs off at about 10,500 rpm. It took me a while to really figure out how to use all the power available in that motor. Coming from a moto background I was used to ringing the bikes neck as close to the rev limiter as possible and keeping rpms up. After some testing and tuning I found that the 520 really loves to be short shifted. If revving out in third, go ahead and grab fourth. It will not have the power to rev 4th to the moon but will pull it. It is deceiving as when pulling in these lower rpms. Naturally a guy thinks shift down and rev to the moon but let the extra torque of that big bore do its job. Though your rpms aren't up there you will have a lot more track speed. In longer pulls you will likely have to drop to 3rd but will have more travel speed and momentum when doing it. I didn't find much of a difference from stock to the big bore until I started riding the bike this way and am now very happy with it and can see quite a difference from the stock abilities. It does make for a little more shifting but once you figure out those sweet spots you will be quite surprised. Cheers.
What we found was mixing sleds and bikes doesn’t really allow the bikes to be enjoyed to their maximum. Bikes have different needs and sleds can’t really enjoy they same terrain that bikes excel at. That’s why you’re trying to make your bike act like a sled.
interesting. I have been playing around and trying to find the sweet spot recently actually. on longer climbs or wide open areas that stay the same for a long time, ill hold the same gear.. 2nd or 3rd. and ill play around with the RPM. I found that 3/4 or full throttle doesnt help much at all... 1/4 to half throttle actually makes me go faster, and is quieter and easier on the motor vs having it scream and trench, even on uphills. slowly learning and figuring the ol girl out.
I see it in the summer too on tires... guys revving the bike way too high, dumping the clutch way to hard, spinning the tire way too much. low RPM = traction!!
how many hours are you getting out of your 520 set up? piston life? valve adjustments? oil changes?
Reality is that mixing bikes and sleds is just fine if you ride with guys on bravos tundras and 550s, the bikes can hang just fine and even dominate over 550s they even do pretty well when riding with 600s. They just can not hang with 800 and mod sleds simple -- same as riding a tundra when everyone else has a 800.
its the location. ive been destroying 850s and turboed 800s lately. were obviously not chute climbers or have much wide open areas, but in the trees and trails and small stuff... ive got nothing but positive comments from sledders. I went higher, held the side hills longer, and had more fun. I especially love the trails in... theyre forced to ride the whoops, whereas I get fresh powder (side trail) the wholeeeeeeeee way in. im in heaven, theyre in hell. they do beat me on the long, steeper climbs, and breaking trail. but otherwise, im the one waiting on them, helping them get unstuck, etc..
"sickest 2 lines I seen today were by the snowbiker" I overheard the other day by a guy on a brand new 850..... and im far from pro... only ridden the snowbike 7 times now.
its all in where you ride and how the snow is I guess. if I had the choice, id ride with snowbikers. sleds just cant go where I want, as easily, and all day long. my sled buddies are exhausted after 3-5 hours. im good for 8+ then again the next day.
"im jealous" ive heard twice now this winter by a sledder, and havnt been out all that much.
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Hmmm, interesting. I'm pulling 4th and 3rd most of the time. Usually hold it wide open in 4th for most of a climb, engine will tractor at 8000 and gradually come down to about 6500 on longer pulls then grab third and let it sing. Rarely use second except in the tight trees or in a last ditch effort on longer steep climbs.
Do the top end every 70 hrs. Brewster West has done tons of these kits and is recommending that interval.
I do valves every 20 hrs and they have stayed in spec. Almost seems like a waste of time checking them lol.
I do oil every 2 days of riding, roughly 10-12 engine hours. Running Motul 5w40 and is super clean when changing. I am running a PR2 and if I remember correctly your bike has a Bazzaz system on it so you are likely overfueling a little more so keep an eye on oil level between days especially if real cold.
RMK-King
Super-Moderator
Something like this? I just wonder how it handles with the extra weight.
https://www.bismanonline.com/aberdeen_sd/custom_built_snowbike
Honestly, the way sleds have changed and the way trends in riding have changed, I dont think the two are as dif as everyone thinks. I have friends on 800+cc sleds that enjoy the treed/steep/nasty $hitholes we ride in. They are talented riders who enjoy a challenge for sure. Plus in our community the loss from avi and the gift of young kids has a lot of us getting our kicks in the trees vs. the big open stuff.
The ski-samps is looking pretty fresh.
I've ridden with sleds a bunch and have a blast, as mentioned the trail rides in I roll the edge, if we go to a bowl they want to high mark I find areas to play around and hit stuff they can't really get with any ease. in the trees I can do whatever I want and they have to work a bit, when riding with one guy who is very talented on a sled and is the guy who knows where we are going in this particular area I just watch what he is doing. We will be ripping through the trees and when I see him start looking for a way up something I just begin my cut. I switchback it, he shoots it...no waiting around for either of us and we both have a blast. I've heard conversations he has had with others saying "we were ripping I was with a couple guys on snowbikes so we just shredded" made me feel pretty good.
Good to see that lots of guys are finaly seeing that sleds and bikes can live together just fine. I have mine dialed well for trails now and like said befor it takes a fast rider on a sled to beat me as long as there are enough twists. They are different but not enough to not work together.
One of my good friends likes to ride with sleds , he is not verry aggressive and some of the snowbikers here try so hard to figure out lines ( that Sleds can not do ) just to prove a point that it takes the fun out of it for him.
One of my good friends likes to ride with sleds , he is not verry aggressive and some of the snowbikers here try so hard to figure out lines ( that Sleds can not do ) just to prove a point that it takes the fun out of it for him.
I have a Husky FE501 + Camso DTS 129 I have 35 hours on this setup and have tried other bikes and other setups and I find this to be the best so far (haven't ridden a yeti yet). Great power, especially third gear, you almost don't need another gear. Trails are fine, no complaints I avoid them where possible as they all get whooped out by the sleds. suspension seems fine, i haven't had a problem bottom out even some good size downhill jumps. I ride with some damn good sledders and I have no problem keeping up and going where they go, I have to take different lines then they do but we get there the same
