Snowbike VS Snowmoible

[Ausm7499]

The math tells the whole story.

The pro 155 has 2325 square inches of track for 417lbs = 5.6 sq inches per pound.

The Mountain Horse LT kit has 1712.5 Sq in of track divided by 320lbs (610 berg) = 5.35 sq in per pound, so pretty close in the flotation department.

Power to weight ratio is another story.

155 pro - 417lbs divided by 145HP = 2.88lbs per HP

LT MountainHorse on 610 Berg - 320lbs divided by 65HP = 5.35 lbs per HP

The Mountainhorse needs to have almost 115HP to have the same power to weight ratio as the Pro RMK.

A track with a stiff 3.5" lug in the center(6" wide like a moto tire), 3" lugs on the sides in a nice domed curve to make the bike corner and sidehill easy, plus a ski that trails exceptionally well and does a better job of keeping the bike up on top of the soft deep snow, plus a motor making 95HP+, then I'm in. Until then, I can't be convinced.

I understand the math and your reasoning but believe you are missing the whole point of the snobike. Weather some of you want to believe it or not the snobike has a lot of advantages over a sled and of course vis versa, and yes I am speaking from experience with both. I see the snobike as a great tool to access places in the backcountry that a sledder can't or would never want to take their sled. Snobiking gives you more freedom than a sled ever will and Timbesled nailed it on the head saying "Anywhere you want to go" and for the most part it's the truth. Different strokes for different folk. I do believe the snobike is here to stay though.

 

[Uncle si]

The math tells the whole story.

The pro 155 has 2325 square inches of track for 417lbs = 5.6 sq inches per pound.

The Mountain Horse LT kit has 1712.5 Sq in of track divided by 320lbs (610 berg) = 5.35 sq in per pound, so pretty close in the flotation department.

Power to weight ratio is another story.

155 pro - 417lbs divided by 145HP = 2.88lbs per HP

LT MountainHorse on 610 Berg - 320lbs divided by 65HP = 5.35 lbs per HP

The Mountainhorse needs to have almost 115HP to have the same power to weight ratio as the Pro RMK.

A track with a stiff 3.5" lug in the center(6" wide like a moto tire), 3" lugs on the sides in a nice domed curve to make the bike corner and sidehill easy, plus a ski that trails exceptionally well and does a better job of keeping the bike up on top of the soft deep snow, plus a motor making 95HP+, then I'm in. Until then, I can't be convinced.

The missing side of the power equation is what you are pushing. Bikes have one ski and no bodywork, so they don't work as hard in the powder.

My Kx450f with a short track did better on bottomless days than a 600 mountain sled. I am stoked to have more power on this winter's bike, but I don't think you need 90-120 Hp to keep up with a PRO 800.

 

[up-high]

Don't think the MH needs a wider track(wider = less nimble) and the MH can't sidehill any easier than it does now. The 10" ski with new dual runner makes it tame on the packed trails/road.Ride one for a couple of hours and get the feel of it. As for power, there are turbo kits available. And you don't need 115 hp. Your calculations forgot the riding weight of both machines. 2 0r 3 gallons of fuel weighs a lot less than 10. Snowbikes aren't about power and track size. They are about accessing areas that a sled will never do. Its about different riding. About riding through trees that are so tight you lose your sense of direction. About siehilling something that you would have a hard time walking across and stopping to look around. Riding trails(unless absolutely necessary) and going where the sleds go isn't what this new winter sport is about.

 

[Uncle si]

Im sorry friends, but I just don't see it?

These are VERY talented riders for sure. On what one would presume are "built" snowbikes. And we all know this event well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzQoRSjnEK4

Again, the riders are extremely talented, but the machines appear pathetic compared to the performance of the sled.

Hopped up sleds for sure, but most likely hopped up snowbikes to "showcase" them as well.

I want this to work too, shoot, I own a Berg570, new 501 and a KTM 690.

My personal belief is that they might fizzle out such as the SuperMotard and Pit bikes did after the early 2000's, for example.

Keep the weight down, TWICE the power, and a much larger track and id buy one. But until Austria or Japan build such a machine to base a kit off of, it will still have a limited market.

Regards

Lot's of salesmen in here. Ride what you like, for me dirt bikes belong on dirt not snow.

I think you guys should get on a demo.

Like others here, I loved my sled, and rode a lot. Seeing bike tracks made me curious, and videos made me very interested. Now I don't have a sled. For riding in fun terrain, I like to snowbike much better.

I don't sell the things.

 

[up-high]

And those look like stock 121 MH kits. They even have the killer 6" ski. And I'm pretty sure those bikes aren't "built" they are stock. And racing up a track isn't what they were designed for. get some sleds to follow them in the mountains and then see how pathetic they look. listen to your Uncle si. Go ride one.

 

[Berg570FE]

Nuggetau is right.

They simply do not have enough power. And I rode the Berg 650 with a turbo even. Also a KX450, as well as a 570. Both powder and spring snow.


Regards

Ok, I will try it once again.

 

[up-high]

Don't have enough power to do what? Climb Monster in Revy? No they don't. That's not what they are about. I don't understand this fixation on power! I had a 310 Apex ( 2.1 lb/hp) I don't miss it (except for the sound) and if I get the berg stuck, I just pick up the back and move it over. What didn't you like about the turbo 650? Should be plenty of power. Watch Alan's vid of the Boondocker turbo. looks like it goes anywhere he wants.

 

[nuggetau]

I think the snowbike will eventually evolve into something I would want to ride. As it is now, a snowbike is like riding a nimble(off trail) but under powered grinder all day long.

Your argument is that the snowbike is good because it makes the difficult terrain easier. The argument could be made that the reason we ride snowmobiles in difficult terrain is we want the challenge.

I have said my piece, so no more from me.

 

[Leaf27]

Don't have enough power to do what? Climb Monster in Revy? No they don't. That's not what they are about. I don't understand this fixation on power! I had a 310 Apex ( 2.1 lb/hp) I don't miss it (except for the sound) and if I get the berg stuck, I just pick up the back and move it over. What didn't you like about the turbo 650? Should be plenty of power. Watch Alan's vid of the Boondocker turbo. looks like it goes anywhere he wants.

Just out of curiosity did you injure yourself on your snowbike? I have rode dirt bikes all my life, started off in 1980 on a CR80. I know that you have to be on the ball when riding them on dirt, snow is a whole different beast. At my age 42 I will leave the testing for the younger crowd and enjoy sledding on a sled (for now). I am all grin from ear to ear on my Pro, not sure if a snowbike would do the same for me.

 

[H1Pilot]

Sleds are cool, snowbikes are cool.

I am interested to see which manufacturer will develop a new model that may appeal to this emerging market. What if I put a single ski on my Polaris Pro?...hmmmm?

 

[Cberg]

Just out of curiosity did you injure yourself on your snowbike? I have rode dirt bikes all my life, started off in 1980 on a CR80. I know that you have to be on the ball when riding them on dirt, snow is a whole different beast. At my age 42 I will leave the testing for the younger crowd and enjoy sledding on a sled (for now). I am all grin from ear to ear on my Pro, not sure if a snowbike would do the same for me.

I will say that I am all grin from ear to ear when I'm on my snowbike. For me its the fun of tree riding, boondocking capability and the maneuverability of the snowbike that has me hooked. Nothing more fun than blasting through the trees with a group of buddies on bikes.

 

[Rush44]

I rode sleds for about 14 years before my buddy prodded me to throw a leg over a Mountain Horse. I took one look at that thing and laughed as I took off on my nicely equipped M1000... but eventually he told me I just HAD to ride it so I traded him for about a half hour. It didn't sell me at that point but I could see where this thing might be a lot of fun. The next year I took the plunge and bought a kit and bike. I'm now on my 3rd new bike (I like to try all my options) and will be considering a turbo after this years guinea pigs are done working the bugs out.

I love both sledding and biking. Winter is in my bones and I will ALWAYS have some machine pretty much no matter what. What the snowbike did was taking something I love doing and make it a crap ton better... traveling. I don't mean following some trail, I mean long gnarly routes where you don't cross your tracks and slay drainage after drainage after drainage. After being buried in an avalanche for 8 minutes I have moved on from pounding bowl after bowl and hi marking the same spot over and over. Traveling is a lot of fun on both the sled and the bike.... the bike just has a thrill factor that the sled didn't have for me. Majorly tight sidehills, terrain a sled could never see, never having to worry about your route down something.... and I have yet to find a spot here in NW Montana that a sled can go that I can't. You'd have to find some rock lined chute with no other exit to make that happen.

I love both. If finances weren't an issue I'd have both in my garage. But I know that when I back my truck up and look at them both I am going to throw my snowbike in the back of the truck 80% of the time. The fun factor is just too much of a draw for me.

 

[nuggetau]

Sleds are cool, snowbikes are cool.

I am interested to see which manufacturer will develop a new model that may appeal to this emerging market. What if I put a single ski on my Polaris Pro?...hmmmm?

Last year I saw a guy on youtube that put a single ski on a Doo XP. It looked almost unrideable, he was tipping over on flat ground.

 

[Leaf27]

I think you need to ride with other Snowbikes for it to be as fun as it can be. None of my riding buddies have one so it would be a hard sell for me (at the moment)

I guess you have to try one.

 

[mr p-j]

when they make a kit that works a gsxr 1000 or any other superbike i´m in for the snowbikes bigtime!
imagine a 180hp 4 cyl screaming trough the trees whit the ski high in the air and powerdrifting.
ahhh, one can dream right?

sorry for going a little offtopic. i know this will not happen any time soon but i like messing whit the idea...

 

[up-high]

There's a vid in the snowbike section of a bike with a R1 motor in it. Moves pretty good but I wouldn't want to get it stuck.

 

[up-high]

Just out of curiosity did you injure yourself on your snowbike? I have rode dirt bikes all my life, started off in 1980 on a CR80. I know that you have to be on the ball when riding them on dirt, snow is a whole different beast. At my age 42 I will leave the testing for the younger crowd and enjoy sledding on a sled (for now). I am all grin from ear to ear on my Pro, not sure if a snowbike would do the same for me.

Yeah I did. Shattered my femur but it was a combination of the 6" ski and a weak knee replacement.

 

[up-high]

when they make a kit that works a gsxr 1000 or any other superbike i´m in for the snowbikes bigtime!
imagine a 180hp 4 cyl screaming trough the trees whit the ski high in the air and powerdrifting.
ahhh, one can dream right?

sorry for going a little offtopic. i know this will not happen any time soon but i like messing whit the idea...

Check out the R1 mountain horse thread in the snobike forum.

 

[rmk8000]

Snowbikes look like a ton of fun but I think Sleds are a lot easier to work on and more reliable plus not having to adjust valves and change oil after every ride is another plus.

 

[Cpt.Ron]

Stoked in Revelstoke...

We have been reading this thread with great interest. We are a new Timbersled Mountain Horse Dealer. We just got signed up in early October and are stoked to go down next week to pick up our first order of MH kits, and of course stoked to get them installed and get out there to experience this for ourselves.

We have been sledding forever, and we don't anticipate dropping the sleds by any means, ..at least not yet, haha. What we do anticipate is a broadening of our Winter Fun. We are also motorcycle enthusiasts and have always had bikes, both street and dirt. We are looking forward to this alternate form of riding, as mentioned above the freedom that is allowed will be great. Also the new "old" riding areas will be of renewed interest again. Finding new routes and exploring new areas that may not be conducive to sledding well be a blast.

Overall, we are not seeing the controversy of sleds versus snowbikes, we are just excited about the extension of our Winter riding fun!!

FYI, we still have some new 2014 MH kits available, both ST and LT, give us a call if you are looking to join the fun!

"Stoked in Revelstoke"