New snowbike kit: Snowtech MX Adrenaline

M5- · Feb 1, 2016

Can you put a Yeti style wheel kit on it using that hole in the spindle? Weren't you running that huge track with that after market shock thing or am I thinking of someone else?
Why the change?

M5

AdamTBO · Feb 1, 2016

M5- said:
Can you put a Yeti style wheel kit on it using that hole in the spindle? Weren't you running that huge track with that after market shock thing or am I thinking of someone else?
Why the change?

M5

Indeed you can. We have tried a yeti wheel kit and it works well. We will be working on offering another wheel kit in the future. The huge track doesn't ring a bell, we run a camoplast 2.5 maxtrack

andy_09 · Feb 8, 2016

i got to rent one this weekend in yellowstone and while it was fun i do have some complaints, most importantly im 5'11'' 210 lbs and i couldnt touch the ground in most situations. snow was pretty soft but it seemed like i got almost no float or weight transfer making the front end seem really heavy and dived alot.rear brake didnt take long to ice up but would thaw quickly if you remembered to ride the brake before you actually needed it, and lastly they are just plain slow, i am slightly biased coming off and 1100 turbo but i felt bad for the bike just barely off the rev limiter in second gear most times if climbing or sidehilling, this could all be in the bike set up but now i really want to try the other kits mostly yeti and cmx to see how they compare, would also like the try the ktm 300 ps bike was a fairly new husky 450

yooper 8 · Feb 8, 2016

Please PM me with pricing and availability info.
Thanks! Kit looks very cool.

n16ht5 · Feb 9, 2016

andy_09 said:
i got to rent one this weekend in yellowstone and while it was fun i do have some complaints, most importantly im 5'11'' 210 lbs and i couldnt touch the ground in most situations. snow was pretty soft but it seemed like i got almost no float or weight transfer making the front end seem really heavy and dived alot.rear brake didnt take long to ice up but would thaw quickly if you remembered to ride the brake before you actually needed it, and lastly they are just plain slow, i am slightly biased coming off and 1100 turbo but i felt bad for the bike just barely off the rev limiter in second gear most times if climbing or sidehilling, this could all be in the bike set up but now i really want to try the other kits mostly yeti and cmx to see how they compare, would also like the try the ktm 300 ps bike was a fairly new husky 450

It sounds like you have never been on a snowbike before... my CR500AF is definitely not slow with one of these kits.

n16ht5 · Feb 9, 2016

Yesterday I took the SnowtechMX our for a good ride on Mt Baker. Snow conditions were very spring like, with deep mank down low to spotty patches of ice and crust up high. We rode from 2400ft to 10,000ft.

Bike - 2005 CR500AF - motor built by Cobalt Cycles, ported with pulse induction, PC platinum pipe, running avgas. Forks setup for double my weight. SnowtechMX 129 kit with built in third shock.

The built CR500 with the Snowtech is like riding a rocket. My friend was riding a 15 KTM 450 Turbo on a 14 Timbersled ST. I had no issues pulling hills right alongside him. He had to get towed out unfortunately after his bike jumped timing though.

The 129 seems to be the perfect in-between length that has agility as well as float. I was pulling chutes I didn't think I would make. In unconsolidated snow the Maxtrack really climbed up onto the snow and pulled well. The lugs felt a bit soft on hard pack and ice compared to the TS track, but the deep snow performance seems to make up.

The suspension is by far the best I have rode on a bike to date. The rear shock is an adjustable Fox air shock, and the third shock has very fine length adjustment. I never felt any abrupt bottom-outs, even after putting my helmet into the bars from landing so hard. The third shock has two lower mounting locations to adjust the spring rate. I found the rear hole to work in sync with the ratio of my forks and give the hardest spring rate.

All through the day I had no issues with the kit at all, save for one bolt I forgot to threadlock (CR500 vibrations). I really loved being able to narrow my tool bag down to metric only. The gas can mounts were very quick and secure with the cam straps.

The spindle is a world of difference better than the TS spindle. It fit the bike as if it were factory. Much more rigid and built than the "drill here" TS spindle that is prone to bending and ripping apart at the fork clamp area. I will get photos in detail later this week. The ski works very well on hard pack and trail. It is very forgiving when the bike is vertical, yet will hold an edge if you throw the bike over. Yesterday in the heavy mank it did not hold an edge as well as the new TS ski does, with its deep channels. I brought this up to Snowtech, and they are looking at providing removeable outside keels in the future for different snow conditions.

I will provide more input in the next few rides, and I hope to get some seat time on a Yeti and CMX to compare against them. I am very happy I got this kit, as I was looking for a durable kit with a well designed suspension and handling. This really hit the spot IMO for an aggresive rider who likes to ride on the pipe.

Crust, boiler plate, and ice at 10,000ft

n16ht5 · Feb 13, 2016

Video
https://youtu.be/R6EZyd-7XjA

n16ht5 · Feb 29, 2016

Friday I was able to see the full potential of the kit in the steep trees of central Washington.
The suspension is amazing.

I could keep on the power and still navigate through the trees with even ski pressure the whole time; all the while riding over stumps, fallen trees, and ruts. I did not notice this as much on Mt Baker with its big open snowfields and deep powder. Friday, however, the difference was night and day.

The Snowtech felt so much more in control over rough terrain that it made climbing under power through the trees easy, controlled, fun. With the same kind of terrain while on my Timbersled, even with the Cobalt shock mount, I felt like I had an XR50 swingarm on my CR500… The Timbersled suspension in the skid was so much more prone to bottoming out, jamming the bike into a different direction each time. This led to erratic ski pressure, which led to the constant necessity of backing off the throttle to stay in moderate control. The Snowtech was soaking up (very) large blowdowns just under the snow with the ski gracefully held in the air the whole time. It put a grin on my face immediately… having all the power on tap of the CR500 with the control I now had with the new kit. I can’t wait to get back in the trees next weekend to try and tackle more hard terrain.
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Take a look at the photo below.. see the difference in the suspension travel the Snowtech has over the Timbersled. Not to mention the Snowtech looks like it was built by NASA to be used in a battlefield.

Now for some ride photos.. you will notice my riding partner that made it up the ridge with me was on a 13 KTM 450SX Boondocker Turbo with a 14 Timbersled ST (no TSS). On steep open climbs I was neck and neck with him on my CR500 Snowtech 129 until he felt the need to back off the turbo, which then I would pass him. In the tight trees or rough climbs I had no problem passing him. I was letting him go by me to get ahead, then I would catch up every time. I don't skill was a factor, if anything he had the skills to handle his bike better than I could. When we traded bikes for a brief moment both of us could not believe how much easier and more capable my bike was through the trees.

My riding partner on his 13 KTM 450SX Boondocker Turbo 14 Timbersled ST

n16ht5 · Feb 29, 2016

In the video you will notice a YZ450F on a 16 Timbersled LT with TSS.. he did not make it up the ridge with us and ended up back at the truck to take a nap with a busted radiator after many attempts at the climb...

poor guy

https://youtu.be/u9osIDm-Hzw

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AdamTBO · Mar 1, 2016

n16ht5 said:
In the video you will notice a YZ450F on a 16 Timbersled LT with TSS.. he did not make it up the ridge with us and ended up back at the truck to take a nap with a busted radiator after many attempts at the climb... poor guy

https://youtu.be/u9osIDm-Hzw

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Great pictures and video Chris! Thanks for sharing.

byeatts · Mar 1, 2016

AdamTBO said:
Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for the feedback!

Surely this has hung from a scale? the kit looks awesome

SEOINAGE · Mar 2, 2016

Chris I have to ask you this. I wanted to ask if you noticed it or could explain what is going on. It seems like in multiple instances you take a hard hit, and the skid soaks up the hit, but you lose all forward momentum. Noticed this in multiple areas of various vids with the kit where it seems like you just stopped despite being on the throttle. That seems like somewhat of an issue.
Have you ridden an SX kit with the air shocks, really nice being able to set them up as you please? I feel like I have a solid suspension set up and have never clunked my rails.

byeatts · Mar 2, 2016

SEOINAGE said:
Chris I have to ask you this. I wanted to ask if you noticed it or could explain what is going on. It seems like in multiple instances you take a hard hit, and the skid soaks up the hit, but you lose all forward momentum. Noticed this in multiple areas of various vids with the kit where it seems like you just stopped despite being on the throttle. That seems like somewhat of an issue.
Have you ridden an SX kit with the air shocks, really nice being able to set them up as you please? I feel like I have a solid suspension set up and have never clunked my rails.

I really like the innovated thought in this kit. the steep approach angle adds actice suspension however when you claw in the deep and front ski will rise up and trench very quick, From the mod sled field this same thing happens on any track type motorsport. I guess the trade off is lighter ski pressure for deep powder performance? like to hear from the designer about his thoughts?

n16ht5 · Mar 3, 2016

SEOINAGE said:
It seems like in multiple instances you take a hard hit, and the skid soaks up the hit, but you lose all forward momentum.

Have you ridden an SX kit with the air shocks, really nice being able to set them up as you please?

Most of the time it is either the super heavy snow going up to the bars or I am hitting something under the snow, like a log. I'm trying out a bigger ski this weekend to see if that changes things. Same thing happened on my TS...

I haven't rode an SX kit. I know I would tear the windows out on that narrow track in no time.

andy_09 · Mar 15, 2016

obviously i hadnt ridden one hence the reason i rented one in west yellowstone for the day, it was slow just saying, i know it could be the setup, bike etc but you basically crawled up everything, have you ever ridden an 1100 turbo? i know its apples to oranges but i had hoped it would have been half as fast as my crf450 dirtbike

n16ht5 · Mar 15, 2016

Video
https://youtu.be/xQ3ma9FSMgQ
[YT]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ3ma9FSMgQ&feature=youtu.be[/YT]

WingNutRacing · Mar 15, 2016

?

Is that the YETI ski? Seems to spit alot of snow out the front of it....

n16ht5 · Mar 16, 2016

I made the ski. Its 12 inches wide. Floats great

n16ht5 · Mar 22, 2016

Spent some more time up on Mt Baker this weekend. Getting things dialed in on the ski and the bike are making things very fun. I jumped on my friends 16 TS ST W/ TSS and immediately noticed the harshness when coming down hard on landings compared to the Snowtech. You can definitely feel the bottom of the suspension, where as on the Snowtech it seems to remain smooth even to the point of putting your head into the bars. The kits felt very similar climbing and navigating through the trees. Hard to compare directly as he has a 450 on a 120 ST. The Timbersled track seemed to grab the snow better on harder snow. I wish the Yeti track had more lugs that were stiffer.

I finally got the chance to try the Yeti ski on his kit... in fresh snow it was amazing. Held a line very well, better than my expectations. I really disliked the fact it did not flex AT ALL, however. I didn't get to try it on icy snow, but he said he hated it, darty and grabby.

I got my 12.5" home brew ski working well, held a line as well as the Yeti in deep snow. Flotation was spectacular, finally felt like the bike was balanced in deep snow. Icy snow or on the trail it was death. The 6" dual keep simmons I used as a base is the problem. I need to make a center keel like the Timbersled ski to replace the dual keel center. I had to ride it on one edge or the other like a snowboard, otherwise it just darted everywhere. Off the trail it transformed into the best ski I have tried to date.

n16ht5 · Apr 3, 2016

Back at it... overnight stay at Park Butte Lookout. So far I have had to do zero maintenance on the kit.

New snowbike kit: Snowtech MX Adrenaline

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