Polaris RMK 800 snowbike

[Brett Kobernik]

I personally think there is just too much money to be made with the current kits. My buddy just bought a MTNtop kit and he paid a similar amount to another friend who got a whole polaris sled for the same amount. The profit margin has got to be ridiculous on these things.

I have similar suspicions. Too good of a profit margin, no incentive to take it to the next level.

Brett is definitely persistent.

#can'tstopwon'tstop
I will not quit until I have a great handline single ski machine with more power than I need. I'm close.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

I have been following Ruffian for a couple of years. I follow their social media and periodically google them and check their website. When I first heard of them they were touting the next big thing which was the EVO.

You were supposed to be able to just buy a Yamaha 450 motor and drop it straight into their frame and rip. It sounded like a brilliant solution. You could pull the engine from your motocross bike and swap it for the season if you didnt have a dedicated bike. If you wanted a dedicated bike you just buy a motor and you are done.

I waited and watched for the model and there was never a single viable video of it being run on snow. There was one video I saw of a guy who rode it around in a field wearing a toque and a tshirt. Since then, it seems they have quietly dropped the concept.

I still have never seen any real world video or reviews of someone riding a Ruffian. Even the little ones, which they seem to still sell. I assume those are for scooting around your farm property and not mountain riding.

This is the future of snowbiking in my opinion. And for the price of a mountaintop, I also wish it was more like these concepts. Include a frame and let us drop our engines in. For now, it seems we will still be waiting.

I personally think there is just too much money to be made with the current kits. My buddy just bought a MTNtop kit and he paid a similar amount to another friend who got a whole polaris sled for the same amount. The profit margin has got to be ridiculous on these things.

I think allen is going to sell to Polaris again when they offer enough money. ?

No data for this just seems probable.

 

[suva]

The profit margin has to be huge as well as reduced legal headaches to not selling a complete unit. Now that the kits are pretty reliable and year to year improvements are incremental I keep thinking kit sales will slow down enough to force polaris to develop a singletrack width snowmachine but people keep buying snowmobile parts to jury rig onto their dirt bikes.

Brett what kind of other machines do you typically ride with? I sold my snowhawk because it wasn't capable of going where the conversions could go and it really wasn't compatible with sleds either.

 

[Brett Kobernik]

Brett what kind of other machines do you typically ride with? I sold my snowhawk because it wasn't capable of going where the conversions could go and it really wasn't compatible with sleds either.

I ride with both bikers and sledders. My problem is neither can go where I can. Bikes don't have the power or traction for climbing certain terrain and struggle in deep snow. Sleds can handle deep snow but they need really good soft snow conditions to be really agile and even then they struggle with tight trees and lots of side-hilling. I have fun with both types of machines but probably prefer to be with bikes because we get into more intricate terrain. I end up breaking trails for them to follow up steep hills and even then I need to be careful not to go too steep.

I'm curious about why the snowhawk wasn't capable of going where the conversions could go?

 

[n8-r]

Gnarbike has been doing cbr1000’s , yz450’s and panthera 550’s also.

Brett is definitely persistent. .

Credit given where it’s due.

I did 6 bikes in 5 years (2 stroke 800, 300, 2 450’s, R6, ninja 636) and have been watching/ wishing for enough spare time to build more again

I have been following Ruffian for a couple of years. I follow their social media and periodically google them and check their website. When I first heard of them they were touting the next big thing which was the EVO.

You were supposed to be able to just buy a Yamaha 450 motor and drop it straight into their frame and rip. It sounded like a brilliant solution. You could pull the engine from your motocross bike and swap it for the season if you didnt have a dedicated bike. If you wanted a dedicated bike you just buy a motor and you are done.

I waited and watched for the model and there was never a single viable video of it being run on snow. There was one video I saw of a guy who rode it around in a field wearing a toque and a tshirt. Since then, it seems they have quietly dropped the concept.

I still have never seen any real world video or reviews of someone riding a Ruffian. Even the little ones, which they seem to still sell. I assume those are for scooting around your farm property and not mountain riding.

This is the future of snowbiking in my opinion. And for the price of a mountaintop, I also wish it was more like these concepts. Include a frame and let us drop our engines in. For now, it seems we will still be waiting.

I personally think there is just too much money to be made with the current kits. My buddy just bought a MTNtop kit and he paid a similar amount to another friend who got a whole polaris sled for the same amount. The profit margin has got to be ridiculous on these things.

Not sure if you've seen this video, but it shows alot of Ruffians potential, and they do have a 600cc/100hp model in the works for next year.



I can understand the difficulty in gaining traction with a new product while the mass mentality is looking elsewhere at conversion kits. Eventually, purpose built bikes like Bretts and Ruffian will catch on and take off at some point, but you're right the conversion kits are too easy for them to milk $$, thats where the money and instant gratification is.

I'm forward thinking and like to be looking 5-10 years ahead, but I've learned to appreciate the special times like this where " Little Folk" get to tinker and innovate until the big manufactures see the light and then come in with their millions like Polaris did with Timbersled. Even though Timber sled, MtnTop, and the likes machines look fancy and Top tech, design and performace wise, they're actually at least 5 years behind what Brett and Ruffian are doing IMO.

 

[suva]

I'm curious about why the snowhawk wasn't capable of going where the conversions could go?

The main issue is that the body panels hindered steep sidehilling, but It's top-heavy weight also prevented me from carrying enough speed in tight trees to keep from getting stuck. It also didn't stay on top of the snow very well, I think the high mounted driveshaft was mostly to blame for that.

 

[NEWDUCK]

The main issue is that the body panels hindered steep sidehilling, but It's top-heavy weight also prevented me from carrying enough speed in tight trees to keep from getting stuck. It also didn't stay on top of the snow very well, I think the high mounted driveshaft was mostly to blame for that.

Stock rider position + stock suspension really was a downfall. You would of been amazed at what a rear suspension swap would of done.

I feel like the bikes are just more forgiving. If you mess up no big deal, just stop, gather yourself and off you go again. Hawks you gotta have momentum to help stay upright

 

[Hawkster]

It was not designed for deep snow, we where converting them to mountain machines long before the new owners did, owe a big thanks to the snow bikes for thier skis. Simmons was the only manufacture that came with a saddle bracket that took a much larger bolt. Yeti does now, I made mine before they had that option. Thinking about trying this ski to replace one of three I use, thier skid is also killer.

0 - All

moto-trax.com

 

[suva]

I had a mountain horse ski, holz skid and 153 track on mine. Yep, momentum was paramount on the hawk. I bet the 15" wide track on the narrow rail rear end on Brett's machine would make it a lot more forgiving.

 

[Brett Kobernik]

Thanks for the insight on the Snowhawks. I’ve never ridden one, but I’d like to try one sometime.

The single rail skid really gave my machine the agility I was looking for. Lots of confidence creeping around in tight trees.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

Thanks for the insight on the Snowhawks. I’ve never ridden one, but I’d like to try one sometime.

The single rail skid really gave my machine the agility I was looking for. Lots of confidence creeping around in tight trees.

Really?

Got me thinking now………

 

[Brett Kobernik]

Really?

Yes. I liked the set up so much that I bought another skid ($3000) and track ($1200) for my turbo project. 165" track for this build. That is a HUGE amount of cash for me to spend on a project so that should tell you how confident I am in it.

 

[fgauvin7]

Yes. I liked the set up so much that I bought another skid ($3000) and track ($1200) for my turbo project. 165" track for this build. That is a HUGE amount of cash for me to spend on a project so that should tell you how confident I am in it.

Can't wait to see an other iterration of this build, every time it is getting better! Will you start again from a RMK chassis or would you prefer something else as a base?

By the way I just found a donor today for a futur sled based project!

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

Yes. I liked the set up so much that I bought another skid ($3000) and track ($1200) for my turbo project. 165" track for this build. That is a HUGE amount of cash for me to spend on a project so that should tell you how confident I am in it.

What turbo sled?

I’m currently riding a matryx boost. ??

 

[Brett Kobernik]

@fgauvin7 I'm really interested to see your sled based build.

My turbo project is identical to the current build but with a longer track. When I reworked my current machine this summer, I built a second frame and chassis. The turbo is a 2011 Polaris Pro 800 with a Boondocker kit.

 

[Hawkster]

Thanks for the insight on the Snowhawks. I’ve never ridden one, but I’d like to try one sometime.

The single rail skid really gave my machine the agility I was looking for. Lots of confidence creeping around in tight trees.

Check out that mototrax skid on that sight, the skid pivots and is a lot easier to dial to rider and conditions than the other skids, check the track lugs also.