Need some advice on bike choice

[allpowersports]

I need some advice on choosing a year around bike.

I know this horse already have been beaten to death a couple of times.

I'm a snowmobile convert, so bike on snow is all new for me. I have been riding snowmobile for almost 30 years so now it's time for something new
As a bike rider would I consider myself pretty novice but not really a newbie
I would love to have a MX bike for winter use with a Mountain horse and a wood's bike for tight singel trails and exploring in summer, but finances will only allow one bike for now.

I live quite a bit north of the arctic circle, so we have long dark period during the winter, November to February. So the bike needs to be able to power light and handwarmers.
We have very shifting snow conditions her we can have soft handlebar deep snow one day and hard wind packed snow the next day. I mostly ride between 100 and 3300 ft with no trees above 1300 ft. We usually have decent snow for riding 7-8 months a year.

And the next question is ST or LT, also a question beaten to death a couple of times. I'm around 190 lbs without riding gear so I'm leaning towards the LT.

I have kind of accepted that I probably need to choose a dual sports bike to start with.

Right now have I found two candidate bikes around the right price range but witch of the bikes would be my best option for Mountain horse in your opinion?


Husaberg*FE450 2009
-57 h on it
-Rekluse (Core EXP)
-studded - and nubby tires
-High and low seat
-New oil and dust rings on fork
-Stiffer Springs in fork, for rider weight 85-95kg + original springs
-6 speed and efi

Or

Yamaha*wr 450F 2011
-230 km
-Studded and nubby tires
-Full FMF exhaust system

Both bikes are in the same price range.
But I can probably find a* bunch of different* newer MX bikes in the same price range: Yamaha Yz 450F 2011 - 2012, Kawasaki KX 450 2011 -2013, Honda CRF 450R 2010 - 2012 or A Suzuki RMZ or RMX* 450z 2011 - 2013 in the same price range.
But then I need to install light and most of those bikes can't power hand warmers with the original stator, and won't work that good as wood's bike?
Will I be disappointed with a dual sports wide range and power wise during winter?
I have never ridden a 450 MX as a wood's bike / single trails bike, but I'm thinking they would be a handful to handle and first gear to tall in the woods.

 

[torkd]

This kind of goes over everything your asking I think.
http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=372555

I'm running a 2011 YZ450 with the ST kit and I'm 230lbs before gear. Works pretty good, a long track may work better but I've never ridden one. It's kind of all trial and error, this has been my first year and I've learned lots just by getting out and testing my own set up.
-I've added a Cyclops LED light bar that is brighter then any stock headlight, I don't run heated grips.
-An engine enclosure to keep your motor hot and out of the snow
-2 inch handle bar riser with Cycra hand gaurds and Moose Racing giant wind blockers
- rad gaurds are something I didn't put on and wish I would have, bent my rads first couple rides
- a gripper seat with the ribs on top is very handy, felt it hard to stay planted with the stock seat cover.

 

[allpowersports]

Thanks,
Yes that tread covers a lot of my questions, I did read that one before I posted a new tread.
But I still debating with myself witch one of the two bikes that would work best as an all around bike, or if I just should man up not think about summer so much and just go with an MX bike. The Pro RMK 800 that gets replaced by the snow bike doesn't work that good in summer either

 

[Rush44]

Can't go wrong with a 2009-2012 KX450F. The only reason I don't like 13/14 is because of the air forks. Same goes for the 13 CRF450 since they too use air forks. They are not conducive to snowbiking as the temperature changes from the garage to the trailhead greatly affect air pressure and many times (I have seen it personally) ended in blown seals with shocks that have zero pressure.

The KX is a GREAT snowbike. I also LOVE my new KTM 450 SXF but it lacks in the dirt when compared to the KX. I still wish I had my 2011 KX450 for the summertime... awesome awesome bike.

 

[Frostbite]

I just went through the same dilemma.

It's tough when everyone seems to be saying the MX bikes work better as snowbikes because they are lighter and have close ratio transmissions.

BUT

In your heart, you know your need lights (and a lighting coil to power your your nice toasty hand warmers) and if the bike doesn't already have them from the factory, you will have to add them.

Then there is the carb vs. fuel injection debate. Don't be a afraid of a carbed bike. Nope, they don't fire up quite as quickly after a tip over but, they also don't over fuel when not up to operating temperature and perhaps adding fuel to your oil. In your area north of the Arctic Circle, this could be a very real concern.

5 vs. 6 gears and close ratio vs. wide ratio transmission is another concern. If you don't want to race the bike in the summer perhaps a bike with a wide ratio may be more useful in a summertime application. You may give up a little bit performance wise but, I think you would like having a 6 speed transmission. I have one and I can't tell you how many times I tried to shift up to 7th gear on the trail.

Electric start vs. kick start only. Kick starters work great and save weight but, it's hard to argue the convenience of being able to just hit a starter button. I would make sure you get a bike that has both type of starters. The cold temperatures really take a toll on your battery and running hand warmers as well can leave your battery semi depleted. I have been damned glad I had a kick start as well as an electric starter.

Based on all this, I bought a used 2010 KTM 530 XC-W. It is carbed, has electric start AND a kick start and has 6 gears. Just what I needed.

Best of luck to you......

 

[FinSno]

Can't go wrong with a 2009-2012 KX450F. The only reason I don't like 13/14 is because of the air forks. Same goes for the 13 CRF450 since they too use air forks. They are not conducive to snowbiking as the temperature changes from the garage to the trailhead greatly affect air pressure and many times (I have seen it personally) ended in blown seals with shocks that have zero pressure.

The KX is a GREAT snowbike. I also LOVE my new KTM 450 SXF but it lacks in the dirt when compared to the KX. I still wish I had my 2011 KX450 for the summertime... awesome awesome bike.

What is kx450f (FI) 09-12 engines mile/hourage in snowbike use? How often you have to change piston etc? How often you change oil and filter, check valves etc etc... Im planning to get my first MH kit with FI bike and just dont know what bike to buy, kx450f, yz450f, cr450f, some carb ktm.. ugh 2010-2011 is newest model that i can buy.. bikes are so expensive here in finland..

 

[allpowersports]

What is kx450f (FI) 09-12 engines mile/hourage in snowbike use? How often you have to change piston etc? How often you change oil and filter, check valves etc etc... Im planning to get my first MH kit with FI bike and just dont know what bike to buy, kx450f, yz450f, cr450f, some carb ktm.. ugh 2010-2011 is newest model that i can buy.. bikes are so expensive here in finland..

I'm from Sweden but lives in Norway close to the Finish border and I have found that the bikes actually is cheapest in Norway.

 

[Rush44]

What is kx450f (FI) 09-12 engines mile/hourage in snowbike use? How often you have to change piston etc? How often you change oil and filter, check valves etc etc... Im planning to get my first MH kit with FI bike and just dont know what bike to buy, kx450f, yz450f, cr450f, some carb ktm.. ugh 2010-2011 is newest model that i can buy.. bikes are so expensive here in finland..

I put on around 100-120 engine hours in the winter. You don't have to worry much about changing pistons or rings from pure winter use like you did if the bike ran only in the summer. Why? Air quality. You aren't sucking up dirt and particulate... nothing but crisp clean mountain air. If you use the bike during the summer I would treat those hours for whatever the manufacturer recommends. The Thumpertalk KX guys all seem to think a non-raced MX should get torn down every 150ish dirt hours. That's for them to decide since I have never had a bike long enough to have to tear it down. I try to buy bikes with less than 20 hours on them.

I change the oil every 2 rides or when I add volume from fuel/moisture. If you go out on a super cold day and the oil turns milky white... change it. And after the change let the bike run for a good 20 minutes in the shop so the crankcase can vent the built up moisture from the water introduced by the previous ride. I change the oil filter in the winter about once a month (sometimes less). The valves are also a strong point on the KX. I know some guys with near 200 hours on their motors that have yet to shim anything. I would just do a check every 50 hours to make sure you are in spec. If the bike becomes hard to start that would also be a good time to check. The KX's, if running right, are about the easiest race 450 to kick start.

2011 was a great year for the KX. In 12 they narrowed up the body and the seat a bit and I liked the larger feel of the 2011. The 12 feels a little more like sitting on a 2x4 than the 11 did. Obviously these are all my opinions and someone may have better information than me.

Edit: Frostbite also mentioned that you might want the carb since you ride in the sub-arctic since the FI's can sometimes overfuel. One downside to riding carbs, especially in colder climates, is carb icing. Carb heaters sometimes aren't enough. Just another wrench in the machine for ya to think about!

 

[allpowersports]

I will go for an FI bike, we don't have to cold where I live now in Norway compared to inland Sweden where i come from due to the gulfstream.

If I decide for an MX bike will it be an Kawasaki, Yamaha or an Honda. The KTM bikes are to expensive.

 

[FinSno]

This kind of goes over everything your asking I think.
http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=372555

I'm running a 2011 YZ450 with the ST kit and I'm 230lbs before gear. Works pretty good, a long track may work better but I've never ridden one. It's kind of all trial and error, this has been my first year and I've learned lots just by getting out and testing my own set up.
-I've added a Cyclops LED light bar that is brighter then any stock headlight, I don't run heated grips.
-An engine enclosure to keep your motor hot and out of the snow
-2 inch handle bar riser with Cycra hand gaurds and Moose Racing giant wind blockers
- rad gaurds are something I didn't put on and wish I would have, bent my rads first couple rides
- a gripper seat with the ribs on top is very handy, felt it hard to stay planted with the stock seat cover.

Is than engine enclosure selfmade or some aftermarket thing? Does engine run now on normal temp even in cold powder days?

 

[torkd]

Is than engine enclosure selfmade or some aftermarket thing? Does engine run now on normal temp even in cold powder days?

Home made out of crazy carpets (thin plastic). I noticed a big difference on powder days, there was a lot less gas in the oil. I also have a rad blocked off with the same plastic material. I don't have a temp gauge installed which is something I really should do.