My observations you may want to consider...
We all scream for more horsepower, but how much is enough?
Should we take it to the point where sleds have been a number of times, that point of insanity where we have great big tracks to float great big chassis to handle great big horsepower from great big engine with a great big gas tank to give it some range. Meanwhile the operator dimension stays the same and has one simple desire...to be propelled over the surface with reasonable speed, range and effort.
I hear a lot of discussion about the need for manufacturers to build us a purpose-built snowbike...isn't that defeating the whole purpose of this unique snow vehicle...to be able to adaptably utilize an already expensive investment in all seasons?
I, for one, believe that the future needs to include higher efficiency (meaning more power to the ground), much lighter weight and increased durability to equal that of a dirt bike.
I believe that in the near future it will be possible for a person to be satisfied with a 250 cc 4-stroke (something that an average person would ride in the mountains in the summer) with a track conversion kit. Of course it will never go straight up a hill like a snowmobile, but I can envision a track kit that does not significantly add to the weight of a bike, and is low enough to the snow to be handled by the shorter in stature.
One last note, why are we running snowmobile-strength tracks on snowbikes? Could it be that this is where our efficiency and weight problems could be solved? I think so...
If we can achieve these goals, I think we can all agree that more people will be drawn to the sport of motorized winter recreation.
We all scream for more horsepower, but how much is enough?
Should we take it to the point where sleds have been a number of times, that point of insanity where we have great big tracks to float great big chassis to handle great big horsepower from great big engine with a great big gas tank to give it some range. Meanwhile the operator dimension stays the same and has one simple desire...to be propelled over the surface with reasonable speed, range and effort.
I hear a lot of discussion about the need for manufacturers to build us a purpose-built snowbike...isn't that defeating the whole purpose of this unique snow vehicle...to be able to adaptably utilize an already expensive investment in all seasons?
I, for one, believe that the future needs to include higher efficiency (meaning more power to the ground), much lighter weight and increased durability to equal that of a dirt bike.
I believe that in the near future it will be possible for a person to be satisfied with a 250 cc 4-stroke (something that an average person would ride in the mountains in the summer) with a track conversion kit. Of course it will never go straight up a hill like a snowmobile, but I can envision a track kit that does not significantly add to the weight of a bike, and is low enough to the snow to be handled by the shorter in stature.
One last note, why are we running snowmobile-strength tracks on snowbikes? Could it be that this is where our efficiency and weight problems could be solved? I think so...
If we can achieve these goals, I think we can all agree that more people will be drawn to the sport of motorized winter recreation.