Manufacturers - I would buy THIS kind of Snowbike!

[eric82930]

This is what I hope the mfg's will build. I just started a new one where I cut the frame completely off under the swingarm bolt and behind the bottom motor mount and bridged the gap with the tunnel side plates. The paddle tips almost touch the bump on the cases where the shifter shaft crosses. Still needs testing but getting the weight off the ski is the biggest improvement in our sport. Its worth 20 hp when the ski isn't dragging and slowing you down. The Gnarbike looks like a good direction as long as its a light 2 stroke version. The 4 stroke would be too heavy to pickup. We don't need 150hp or automatic transmissions. I Rode the honda africa thing and its a joke. If you can't clutch and shift that's not the machines problem. Learn it or buy a sled. We don't need the manufactureres to handicap an entire industry to appease the lesser skilled masses and we can't expect to convert the entire sled population to single ski. If they aren't dirt bikers, they just don't do well on snowbikes either Its harsh but its just the way it is. Soccer moms have no buisiness buying a sports car with a 6 speed stick shift, Minivans are purpose built for them. For the kind of riding a 800 twin cvt snowbike would be good at, I would be able to ride a stock skidoo 850 and have just as much fun and enjoy the roads a whole lot more.

I just put an 11" wide cmx track on this beast and its amazing. It can 1/4 throttle in waist deep pow and not even have to open the power valve. Its a gear higher everywhere than a kit style snowbike and uses way less fuel. The front end is actually too light at times and certain snow types you can turn the ski lock to lock and it still goes straight. It requires a lean in and lean forward to hook. Its easy to add more ski pressure by limiter strap and shock pressure but in the early season baseless pow you need a snowcat style setup to not get stuck. There is no gas in the front tank, its all in the back with a pulse pump feeding the carb.

 

[Dartos]

Is the panthera engine living up to the hype?
(Considering the BRC is rated in the mid 60’s for HP..........)

We'll have to see. I was at the shop on Christmas Eve and he was working on the frame. I would guess he will have it on the snow in the next 5-10 days.

The frame/riding position/setup will be similar to what he built for me. Here is a picture from the build (Almost finished in picture).

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

We'll have to see. I was at the shop on Christmas Eve and he was working on the frame. I would guess he will have it on the snow in the next 5-10 days.

The frame/riding position/setup will be similar to what he built for me. Here is a picture from the build (Almost finished in picture).

Nice!!!!

Fuel injection is a must, and the 14+ yz motor does vvery well.

What’s the weight on that?

Any more pictures?

(The radiators should be eliminated and a small tunnel cooler would keep that motor happy. )
Full engine and exhaust shrouding would make it stay hot.

Fyi the jay marmount map helps those motors sing on the snow.

 

[Chadx]

That chassis config is wild. Anxious for full build thread with ride report, pics and vids.

 

[Dartos]

Nice!!!!

Fuel injection is a must, and the 14+ yz motor does vvery well.

What’s the weight on that?

Any more pictures?

(The radiators should be eliminated and a small tunnel cooler would keep that motor happy. )
Full engine and exhaust shrouding would make it stay hot.

Fyi the jay marmount map helps those motors sing on the snow.

The engine is from an 18 YZ450F. We took it out 1 day to test everything out then dropped it back at the shop to finish up a few things. Engine cover/blanket is on that list.

Having never owned a snow bike before I cannot comment on how it rides compared to the current generation of snow bike kits. But it did everything very well for what I tried to do. After riding snowmobiles for the last 25 years I was blown away by the maneuverability of this thing.

I am working out of town for a few more days. I'll see if I can get a weight on it when I pick it up.

On his previous bikes he has been mounting one radiator on the forks above the fender. We decided to go with the stock 2 radiators mostly because I liked the way it looked. Why do you favor a heat exchanger over a radiator?

I have a couple more pictures but am having trouble resizing them down to meet the SnoWest requirement. Dang computer hates me.

 

[eric82930]

Can we see some pics of the other side? I gotta say the gnar bike is looking like my top choice if I wasn't building my own. Light ski and a manual tranny are at the top of my list. 2 stroke would be preferred but the yzf is a proven work horse.

 

[Norma Stitz]

Can we see some pics of the other side? I gotta say the gnar bike is looking like my top choice if I wasn't building my own. Light ski and a manual tranny are at the top of my list. 2 stroke would be preferred but the yzf is a proven work horse.

I agree. I’d certainly accept a test ride on that one, especially their cr500 version.

Question: if we want to get less weight out front why aren’t we mounting the spare gas farther back on the tunnel? That would shift the CG rearward without costing a penny. It would decentralize the mass however.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I agree. I’d certainly accept a test ride on that one, especially their cr500 version.

Question: if we want to get less weight out front why aren’t we mounting the spare gas farther back on the tunnel? That would shift the CG rearward without costing a penny. It would decentralize the mass however.

The reviews and video i’ve see Of the gnarbike shows it’s already a wheelie monster.
Fwiw

 

[mrsnow]

V twin

For those who are interested in a v configuration eng. apprilla makes a v twin putting out 70hp with no more weight than single cyl. In fact the svx weights in at 214 lbs. dry with a little tuning I guess u could gain a few more ponies. Starting to look pretty nice. Hmmm.

 

[dirtrebel]

I tried snowbikes for two seasons in the winter of 2014-2016. While I loved the places you could go (deep ravines, sidehills, etc) but, I missed the ability to be able to lift the front tire whenever I needed to clear a snow covered log or whatever.

I had a piped 2010 KTM 530 XC-W with a 2013 Timbersled 136" kit. I was trying to keep the Timbersled kit up to date and the technology was advancing by leaps and bounds and my friends and family all still rode sleds so I ended up selling my snowbike. I figured if I really missed it, I would buy another one someday.

Then I saw these videos and realized that THIS is the answer to relatively low powered tractor like snowbikes. I can only imagine how fun a still lightweight 150 hp snowbike would be. Manufacturer's you knew there was potential in this market and this is where I feel the market is for a factory built snowbike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMG9JYD5isM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxAkE2Rw5kg

Thoughts?

I know where there's a couple of those bikes featured in the vids for sale if ur interested

 

[dhdey]

for people who snow bike in the super deep mountain stuff the biggest hold back is having a manual transmission.. having a cvt would mean you could tune a 2 stroke to have a small powerband and massive HP just like a sled

 

[eric82930]

for people who snow bike in the super deep mountain stuff the biggest hold back is having a manual transmission.. having a cvt would mean you could tune a 2 stroke to have a small powerband and massive HP just like a sled

For a lazy rider possibly but for pure snowbike performance I disagree. The pipey tuning you talk about was a big deal 20 years ago but these days thanks to ktm 2 stroke power bands are relatively high and wide.

Also on the gnarbike having the gas tank more centralized is probably a good choice with the engine over the track. It is possible to not have enough front end weight. On the bikes I'm building moving the gas to the rear works well to balance things out.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

For a lazy rider possibly but for pure snowbike performance I disagree. The pipey tuning you talk about was a big deal 20 years ago but these days thanks to ktm 2 stroke power bands are relatively high and wide.

Also on the gnarbike having the gas tank more centralized is probably a good choice with the engine over the track. It is possible to not have enough front end weight. On the bikes I'm building moving the gas to the rear works well to balance things out.

Have you ridden a modern properly clutched 800?
The power transfer is anything but lazy.

(Having the motor in peak power at all different track speeds)

However much “inefficiency” occurs the availability of ready power on tap for any situation is still superior to any mortals ability to clutch/shift/rev a direct drive in tune with snow density/elevation/hills/creeks etc.

In the 80’s the inefficiency was “rule of thumb” 30%. (This has improved drastically in the last couple years)

However being too low in the rpm rang, too high (limiting trackspeed in the instant you need it) or even as benighn a problem as cold fingers. All these give greater amounts of inefficiency in small windows of time.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

The engine is from an 18 YZ450F. We took it out 1 day to test everything out then dropped it back at the shop to finish up a few things. Engine cover/blanket is on that list.

Having never owned a snow bike before I cannot comment on how it rides compared to the current generation of snow bike kits. But it did everything very well for what I tried to do. After riding snowmobiles for the last 25 years I was blown away by the maneuverability of this thing.

I am working out of town for a few more days. I'll see if I can get a weight on it when I pick it up.

On his previous bikes he has been mounting one radiator on the forks above the fender. We decided to go with the stock 2 radiators mostly because I liked the way it looked. Why do you favor a heat exchanger over a radiator?

I have a couple more pictures but am having trouble resizing them down to meet the SnoWest requirement. Dang computer hates me.

Try Tapatalk?

The heat exchanger is much more consistent. (Low speeds can cause overheating and snow contact causes low temperatures, with radiators) also radiators are vulnerable to tree smashing.

 

[eric82930]

I didn't mean the power is lazy I was referring to cvt being better for a lazy rider. A stock 250sx is 50 hp these days and easy to use with a bullet proof hydro clutch. Times 3 that would be similar to a 750cc 150hp sled engine.

 

[CATSLEDMAN1]

enough already

ok, step back from the bark/the trees /the woods, THINK.

BIG ALUMINUM sheaves and rubber belts were the only option to the farm implement companies building sleds 40 plus years ago. 2019 they are still screwing with perfection on a really bad design. Yeah my cat 800 sled woops, and my Yamaha sled will climb trees, but they have a poor excuse for power transmission.

When sleds and snow bikes have transmissions instead of the current sad state of CVT, power can be efficiently applied to forward motion. We don't have sled transmissions with gears because the sled companies don't have the balls or money to let their engineers go there.

If you ever fooled with bikes for 50 years you realize that 4 strokes are good for garden tractors and excavators and bad for marginal loose traction conditions, two stroke engine design by default goes where its loose, 4 stroke where it tight. so SNOW IS LOOSE OR TIGHT ?

My KTM 4 stroke snow bike is a sorry state of affairs.....just sad. But who makes a big two stroke...........nobody. Would I ride a 4 stroke out in the woods and swamps and sand.........ok I tried three brands over the last 20 years, I learned they are DUDs. Great dual sport bikes, failures in the marginal soft stuff, aka sand/snow/mud. 4 strokes are great grave diggers.

Two stroke technology and 10 speed transmissions are out there but not to a cheap little sport like snow bikes. Whoa is me. I will have fun two days a week on my KTM, but do I think I'm riding cutting edge technology.........I'm not that whacked out, not gone trump, no I ride just the cheapest stuff let out of the pen so far.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

ok, step back from the bark/the trees /the woods, THINK.

BIG ALUMINUM sheaves and rubber belts were the only option to the farm implement companies building sleds 40 plus years ago. 2019 they are still screwing with perfection on a really bad design. Yeah my cat 800 sled woops, and my Yamaha sled will climb trees, but they have a poor excuse for power transmission.

When sleds and snow bikes have transmissions instead of the current sad state of CVT, power can be efficiently applied to forward motion. We don't have sled transmissions with gears because the sled companies don't have the balls or money to let their engineers go there.

If you ever fooled with bikes for 50 years you realize that 4 strokes are good for garden tractors and excavators and bad for marginal loose traction conditions, two stroke engine design by default goes where its loose, 4 stroke where it tight. so SNOW IS LOOSE OR TIGHT ?

My KTM 4 stroke snow bike is a sorry state of affairs.....just sad. But who makes a big two stroke...........nobody. Would I ride a 4 stroke out in the woods and swamps and sand.........ok I tried three brands over the last 20 years, I learned they are DUDs. Great dual sport bikes, failures in the marginal soft stuff, aka sand/snow/mud. 4 strokes are great grave diggers.

Two stroke technology and 10 speed transmissions are out there but not to a cheap little sport like snow bikes. Whoa is me. I will have fun two days a week on my KTM, but do I think I'm riding cutting edge technology.........I'm not that whacked out, not gone trump, no I ride just the cheapest stuff let out of the pen so far.

Have you seen the powerhouse customs direct drive sled build?
It basically became a novelty to ride around the cabin.

Time between shifts made the thing lose so much momentum that it was a pain.
It had push button electric shift.

 

[eric82930]

It really comes down to rider preference but in the end what will sell for the most profit will win out. My crystal ball tells me the mfgs will start building modern snow hawks and us gear junkies will be stuck with front heavy low powered conversions.......

 

[chumbilly1]

Check out the bike that FASTRAX /Union Bay Racing is building. Full of bada$$ ideas and very custom.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

Not much different than what les is doing.

Skinnier for sure. Wondering if that’s a Polaris scrambler 400 motor.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro