What's the latest with Arctic Cat's proposed 650cc purpose built snow bike?

[Rick E]

I understand that Artic Cat has been toying with the idea of building a 650cc 2 stroke purpose built snow bike.
This would NOT be a converted motorcycle......... It will be purpose built!

Now I'm not talking about the proposed Artic Cat SVX 450 4 stroke snow bike......... this will be a 650cc 2 stroke purpose built snow bike.

Arctic Cat Snow Bike Patent Application | Mountain Sledder

A new Arctic Cat snow bike patent application suggests the dream of building a production snow bike isn't over for the snowmobile manufacturer.

sleddermag.com

The single cylinder 650cc 2 stroke engine will be FI and will have an AFT exiting exhaust system leading into a nicely tucked away expansion chamber.
It will offer a lower center of gravity compared to that of a Timber Sled.
No conventional motorcycle clutch in lieu of a CVT system. That alone will be excellent!
Larger fuel capacity as well.

https://sleddermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Arctic-Cat-Snow-Bike-Patent-04-e1558646097684.jpg

If they pull this off, it's going to knock the socks off of the Timber Sled market.


Anyone have any updates on this?

 

[Rick E]

Ok, it looks as though no one has any updates on this.

Question: If Arctic Cat did build this machine (in a 650cc single cylinder 2 stroke version), what would you think about it?

 

[Teth-Air]

I love the idea that they could have reverse with a 2 stroke.

 

[boondocker97]

Might finally make me consider having a snowbike in my garage if they can keep the weight of it down.

 

[CB_Rob]

Id jump on one.
The possibility of a dedicated snow bike is the biggest thing keeping me from buying a kit now.

I keep going back and forth... 8 grand will get me a decent used snow bike or a sweet used powder sled.
Id love the boondocking, but so miss the horsepower if i went for the 450.

 

[Old & slow]

I am having a hard time understanding a 650 single cylinder 2s. That is a big piston even if it has a longer stroke and lower rpm. Maybe fueling and engine design has advanced enough for this to work? It does have my interest though.

 

[Rick E]

Teth-Air, I agree..... having reverse would be excellent.

Boondocker, one of the advantages, in addition to a lower center of gravity, is lessor weight!

CB Rob, I fully agree. I'd buy one in a heart beat over that of a motorcycle conversion.
My son has a converted 450 KTM. The 450 just doesn't have the umff needed.
A 650 cc 2 stroke would offer the much needed power increase.

Old and Slow, that would be a large displacement for a single cylinder high RPM 2 stroke engine.
However, from what I see, the snow bike guys don't appear to power up as hard as we need to do in order to get into the same areas.

Lastly, think of how nice it would be to have the CVT instead of a spur gear transmission and clutch system.

 

[CB_Rob]

Teth-Air, I agree..... having reverse would be excellent.

Boondocker, one of the advantages, in addition to a lower center of gravity, is lessor weight!

CB Rob, I fully agree. I'd buy one in a heart beat over that of a motorcycle conversion.
My son has a converted 450 KTM. The 450 just doesn't have the umff needed.
A 650 cc 2 stroke would offer the much needed power increase.

Old and Slow, that would be a large displacement for a single cylinder high RPM 2 stroke engine.
However, from what I see, the snow bike guys don't appear to power up as hard as we need to do in order to get into the same areas.

Lastly, think of how nice it would be to have the CVT instead of a spur gear transmission and clutch system.

I keep hearing people talk about how awful our CVT clutches are. That the gyro effect is too much to throw around .
Is there a math equation to put a weight resistance on a clutch spinning 8k rpm?
Ive never really noticed the resistance to movement or lack of.

 

[goridedoo]

Ok, it looks as though no one has any updates on this.

Question: If Arctic Cat did build this machine (in a 650cc single cylinder 2 stroke version), what would you think about it?

I would probably try one if the price point was right. 10k or less and I think I’d have to.

Any time I’ve ridden with a snowbike they are constantly tinkering and having issues. They just aren’t built for the snow, and that makes it tough.

 

[CB_Rob]

I would probably try one if the price point was right. 10k or less and I think I’d have to.

Any time I’ve ridden with a snowbike they are constantly tinkering and having issues. They just aren’t built for the snow, and that makes it tough.

Doesn't the company that owns Polaris now own AC?

And that company also owns timbersled...

I bet we'll have to count on Yamaha or skidoo to make a snow bike that competes with the kits

 

[MTsled3]

Doesn't the company that owns Polaris now own AC?

And that company also owns timbersled...

I bet we'll have to count on Yamaha or skidoo to make a snow bike that competes with the kits

Textron owns Cat. Polaris is its own entity. If I remember right, Polaris has also submitted patents for a dedicated snowbike with a CVT. I'll try to find the thread on that.

 

[CB_Rob]

Textron owns Cat. Polaris is its own entity. If I remember right, Polaris has also submitted patents for a dedicated snowbike with a CVT. I'll try to find the thread on that.

Ahhh
They owned Polaris for a while ending in 81

 

[MTsled3]

Textron owns Cat. Polaris is its own entity. If I remember right, Polaris has also submitted patents for a dedicated snowbike with a CVT. I'll try to find the thread on that.

Found the thread: https://www.snowest.com/forum/threads/dedicated-snowbike.453485/

Dedicated snowbike chassis but uses a dirt bike engine and transmission

 

[Rick E]

I would not be interested in a 4 stroke engine, nor the selective spur gear transmission that requres an In/Out clutch.

For me, the larger 650cc 2 stroke engine w/ the CVT is the answer.
The CVT has been used successfully for years.

If Bombardier is engineering something like that, I would be on-board.

I'll be bold here and will say:
Mark my words...... one company will evntually come out with a dedicated snow bike, a more powerful single cylinder 2 stroke engine, w/ a CVT, lower center of gravity, and it will blow the Timbersled out of the market!

While very fun to ride one, the idea of converting a dirt bike into a Timbersled is less than appealing.
It's like a dual sport...... it's not really a dirt bike, and it's not really a street bike.

 

[Rick E]

Dedicated snowbike chassis but uses a dirt bike engine and transmission
https://www.snowest.com/forum/threads/dedicated-snowbike.453485/

Pardon the rendundacy.

For me, the entire idea behind a "purpose built" snow bike would be to eliminate the modified motorcycle chassis, the motorcycle engine and the spur gear transmission.

In this illustraion, they get it right.
Single cylinder 650 cc 2 stroke, with reverse rotation capability.
As some of you have mentioned, the 450 lacks power.
Note where the exhaust leaves the cylinder.
Note the CVT system.
Note how the track system tucks nicely up under a "real" tunnel.
Note how the suspension is more in line with a real snowmobile suspension.

 

[Rick E]

I bet we'll have to count on Yamaha or skidoo to make a snow bike that competes with the kits

I think that once Arctic Cat, Yamaha or Skidoo does come out with one, there will be NO compitition.

Polaris is deep into the Timbersled kits.
I can't see them backing off on the Timber-Sled kits in liu of a dedicated snow bike.

 

[Bunsdad]

I love the idea of a cvt snow bike but I wonder if there will be a lot of slavery issues if they became more widespread. A sled is very stable in even the worst conditions. I’ve owned a modern assault and that might be as close as we want to come. As it sits now the ride is comfy, the seat is narrow and the looks are amazing. But there can be no doubt that this idea of tall and narrow is getting les stable. It would be nice if the tall sleds would get wider like the new 1000 Polaris quad but trailers will have to be inline. Make the assault
2” higher and 6”-10” wider put a 1000tripple in it woaaaaaah!
But you will lose off trail ability
But YA!

 

[spoon]

I think that once Arctic Cat, Yamaha or Skidoo does come out with one, there will be NO compitition.

Polaris is deep into the Timbersled kits.
I can't see them backing off on the Timber-Sled kits in liu of a dedicated snow bike.

Timbersled kits will still sell even if they did come out with dedicated snow bike. Lots of guys out there still would like their machine to be a dualsport/season use machine.

 

[spoon]

Some of those patent pics show a 2 ski version of that bike so being more stable for trails to cover a broader market is a smart move if they do it. Some of the tech going into the blast (single cylinder) and the new Adapt clutch seem to lean towards Cat going to a narrow chassis in near future. Not near enough for some though.

 

[Bunsdad]

I understand that Artic Cat has been toying with the idea of building a 650cc 2 stroke purpose built snow bike.
This would NOT be a converted motorcycle......... It will be purpose built!

Now I'm not talking about the proposed Artic Cat SVX 450 4 stroke snow bike......... this will be a 650cc 2 stroke purpose built snow bike.

Arctic Cat Snow Bike Patent Application | Mountain Sledder

A new Arctic Cat snow bike patent application suggests the dream of building a production snow bike isn't over for the snowmobile manufacturer.

sleddermag.com

The single cylinder 650cc 2 stroke engine will be FI and will have an AFT exiting exhaust system leading into a nicely tucked away expansion chamber.
It will offer a lower center of gravity compared to that of a Timber Sled.
No conventional motorcycle clutch in lieu of a CVT system. That alone will be excellent!
Larger fuel capacity as well.

https://sleddermag.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Arctic-Cat-Snow-Bike-Patent-04-e1558646097684.jpg

If they pull this off, it's going to knock the socks off of the Timber Sled market.


Anyone have any updates on this?

Will sound epic