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capulin overdrive
Well-known member
Is it wishful thinking that they're working on a ground up purpose built snowbike?
When will we get Timbersled R&d gossip?
- Thread starter capulin overdrive
- Start date
I just filled out the Polaris timbersled survey that most or all timbersled owners have been getting and you can bet that was in my comments and wishlist. It was a pretty good survey and fairly long. That being said, I think we are 4 or more years away from seeing a dedicated and from the ground up snowbike. ...I hope I'm wrong and it is sooner.
only R & D gossip i know is they are testing a narrower kit then a SX, Single center driver prolly 8-8.5 inches wide.
isnt' the purpose of a snow bike to have a toy that can do both summer work and winter work? so if there was a straight purpose built snowbike, wouldn't that drive costs up in away?
That being said (and i'm arguing against myself here), i would be VERY interested in a straight up purpose built snowbike. 2 stroke, big power, EFI/smart carb equipped, etc. A lot of us build bikes that just stay snowbikes. I honestly don't think my bikes wouldn't last long doing both duties all year long.
Perhaps the best solution would be continuing to offer the kit, as well as a full ground up snowbike.
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capulin overdrive
Well-known member
That's the sales pitch, and what you tell the wife.
Seems most are leaving them as snowbikes.
My 2 cents is that both the bikes and kits are too expensive.
I'd be all over a 100+ horse single ski priced in the sled range.
Both would be ideal, the conversion is a pretty sick setup and works really well, that being said, you leave a lot on the table doing both, and when you build a sick running bike to turn the track, its mostly useless as a summer bike without a fair amount of parts swapping.
For the guys that build dedicated winter bikes, its easy to see where a purpose built 1 ski would save some coin!
New KTM 450 - $9200
various goodies $2000
ST kit with TSS $6400
Dedicated winter bike - $17,800
I feel like the 2k in goodies is fairly low as I know its easy to dump that much into a bike setting it up for snow, but that puts you in the ballpark of building a kickass dedicated bike. Now its easy to wee where there is room for a purpose built bike to come in and really push the single ski envelope.
What hooks guys is the fact they already have a dirtbike, pick up a used kit for 3-4k and now they can rip all winter instead of having to buy a sled as well.
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DenverSnowBike
Active member
You can drastically save $$ by buying a used dirt bike...you can find great bikes in the $4k-$5k range. You could subtract $5k from your bottom line.
Oh for sure, I wont argue that, I had an almost brand new 2014 YZ this spring with mods and 32 hours on it for 5500. Im just suggesting what I see as a very common trend of guys that are heading out and want the best.
A bargin hunter can always do good in every market, especially the snowbike market since bikes can be had for cheap in the fall. Im merely just doing high end retail on everything to be fair.
Sold my 2013 Pro RMK because this whole snow biking thing sounded too interesting to not try.
Picked up a CLEAN 2009 yz450 for 2500.
Located a holdover 2015 kit for 4200 plus 300 fit kit.
So far have bought bigger pegs and a temp gauge for 150
7,150 seems pretty cheap to me for a dual sport setup, we'll see how well it works. I'm sure that there will be some more money spent on parts
Picked up a CLEAN 2009 yz450 for 2500.
Located a holdover 2015 kit for 4200 plus 300 fit kit.
So far have bought bigger pegs and a temp gauge for 150
7,150 seems pretty cheap to me for a dual sport setup, we'll see how well it works. I'm sure that there will be some more money spent on parts
I hope you guys can make me eat my words because for 17,000.00 that assemble line machine is going to be very limited . It'll be more like 30,000.00
Gotta hand it to you guys though , you still can't see it for what it's worth . The next step in evolution is a Snow Hawk because everything you've done so far had been addressed years ago .
Those running the 250s' in the ditches are the only ones that really have it going for them . Don't sugar coat these machines , how can it even be warrantied not to mention insured for those that actually do use them , they are spent after one season .
Those two prices up there are the starting price of a New 600 120 HP+ ST Snow Hawk and the price of a big bore 900 LT Snow Hawk .
Please Lord Please , let it not be another four years because I'll be in my mid 50's and by then I'm gonna really hate you guys
Gotta hand it to you guys though , you still can't see it for what it's worth . The next step in evolution is a Snow Hawk because everything you've done so far had been addressed years ago .
Those running the 250s' in the ditches are the only ones that really have it going for them . Don't sugar coat these machines , how can it even be warrantied not to mention insured for those that actually do use them , they are spent after one season .
Those two prices up there are the starting price of a New 600 120 HP+ ST Snow Hawk and the price of a big bore 900 LT Snow Hawk .
Please Lord Please , let it not be another four years because I'll be in my mid 50's and by then I'm gonna really hate you guys
My guess is now that Polaris has control of Timbersled they will be reuniting their old relationship with KTM. We would all love to see a setup that you just flip a few quick change fastners and bang you are on the snow, but I don't see that happening. The best hope would be for them to work togeather to develop a bike that is more suited for snowbiking. I don't think it will be a bike that will compete in a motocross or anything but a bike that is still fun to tool around on in the summer but is fantastic on the snow.
I don't know if huge horsepower is a must, but if they could figure out how to adapt a bike with snowmobile type clutches and not add a ton of weight. Even on a 70ish horse machine would still be a blast.
You bring up a good point, but the greater weight, high center of gravity, and completely ineffective ski make a hawk resemble a bike less than it does a sled.
I'm the first to admit that I am jealous of the power and CVT transmission of the Hawk! (May lightly used examples be availible at reasonable prices for ever and ever, AMEN)
I'm the first to admit that I am jealous of the power and CVT transmission of the Hawk! (May lightly used examples be availible at reasonable prices for ever and ever, AMEN)
I hope you guys can make me eat my words because for 17,000.00 that assemble line machine is going to be very limited . It'll be more like 30,000.00
Gotta hand it to you guys though , you still can't see it for what it's worth . The next step in evolution is a Snow Hawk because everything you've done so far had been addressed years ago .
Those running the 250s' in the ditches are the only ones that really have it going for them . Don't sugar coat these machines , how can it even be warrantied not to mention insured for those that actually do use them , they are spent after one season .
Those two prices up there are the starting price of a New 600 120 HP+ ST Snow Hawk and the price of a big bore 900 LT Snow Hawk .
Please Lord Please , let it not be another four years because I'll be in my mid 50's and by then I'm gonna really hate you guys
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portgrinder
Well-known member
dirtbikes get away with being closed course rated. if someone builds an out the door ready to roll snowbike there are going to be sound, emmisions, all sorts of other issues to deal with. some real brainpower will need to be involved in those areas.
You bring up a good point, but the greater weight, high center of gravity, and completely ineffective ski make a hawk resemble a bike less than it does a sled.
Totally agree , that factory ski has only one purpose and it's got nothing to do with depth of the snow . The design was ment to mimic a tire as much as possible , that explains why it has such a nasty curve to it not to mention a flat ski on forks was never in the design plan. Also the tracking kit was ment to be facing inwards not outwards that people flipped because they wanted more traction and believe it helps float a bit better .
One of the Hawks has the TS/S ski and I swear it was designed for those machines . Not only do they handle like they have power steering they also turn on a dime , no pushing and it doesn't try to throw you over the bars crossing pavement like the factory ski .
They have their faults too but these things have it all they just need to evolve for what you guys want , and sad to say I doubt that's gonna happen .
I have a saying if you can hang on and total out a Ditch chicken odds are they'll be prying your dead hands of the bar before putting you in a body bag . That is what you guys need in your bike kits to take them to the next level .
I still have one of these first gen ski , it'll float a ship but face plants are random . Of course you can't see from this view but the saddle is off center to the rear and the heal is shaped like what the heels look like on the Yammi floats or Curve ski . Because it is off centered to the rear and not to mention a stubby ski it does not have the unfriendly feed back the TS/S ski does . That ones a free be T/S , use it in the next model if you can since the competition is using the heel .
Just a thought........One thing that Timbersled has now is a tie to ANY motorcycle manufacturer. If you ride a KTM you can be a Timbersled guy....if you ride a Suzuki you can be a Timbersled guy and so on. If you build a purpose built snowbike, you are tied to that one manufacturer. Brand loyalty runs deep with some guys and they will only ride a Honda, or a Kawasaki. My thought is by doing a purpose built machine you will miss out on a HUGE cross-section of customers. That being said, what if they had a purpose built machine AND a kit for everyone else??????
