Submit weekly snow bike requests to Polaris, Ski-Doo, Arctic Cat, etc

Hawkster · Feb 7, 2019

Ben 500RR-S said:
I can't help but to think of the recently shuttered Alta Motors with the electric EXR/MXR bikes where there was just not near enough sales and predicted sales to keep the business going. Then there is Snowhawk/AD Boivin, Buell, Victory, powersports is just not growing.

The electric is coming on hot and heavy , to much funding for it not to . Boivan moved on to other things and Buell was locked up and screwed by Harley , they just about destroyed him . Victory was a corporate screw the consumer and changed their focus towards Indian bikes and is cleaning up the flat trackers with it .
It's all about profit to the big boys , the one skis should be backing Cat's bike 100% because you don't see anyone of your kits trying to legalize a machine

Ben 500RR-S · Feb 7, 2019

Alta(electric) ended because NO one wanted to fund them anymore. There was NO path to profitability and sales were nowhere where they needed to be to keep the entire operation going.

Victory and Buell ended because like Alta, no one was buying the bikes.

How about the Actic Cat SVX 450 or whatever they had named it.

People aren't buying Sherco bikes anyway, never mind one with a Camso DTS 129 kit. Arctic Cat probably knew to quit before losing lots of money. Then again, they could come out with something tomorrow based on all the letters I've been sending them.

Jaynelson · Feb 7, 2019

I would rather see one of the bike companies buy out/get in cahoots with a track kit company and build something (or have a winter spin-off division), rather than a sled company try to build one from scratch. I think the former has a higher chance of producing a quality unit. I have NEVER ridden or worked on a Honda or KTM and found myself thinking "Gee I wish Arctic Cat made one of these." And neither has anyone else LOL

Basically what's out there now, but with larger oil capacity, integral mounting, 3rd shock and chain tension systems. And a bunch of snow specific setup from factory.....intake, gearing, forks, cooling system, fuel capacity, seat, heated bars, yada yada. All the stuff dialed that guys are worried about farting around with.

Get all that stuff bang on and the trail legality sorted.....produce a dialed ready-to-ride unit to sell. Worry about hot rod motor options later.

NEWDUCK · Feb 11, 2019

David24 said:
Trust me your not missing anything. Snowhawks are heavy and do not handle well at slow speeds. I’ve owned a couple. I’d rather bolt a kit onto a 125, then ride another snow hawk.

Definitely a learning curve. A bigger one than a snowbike. But once you get it down its hard to leave it. Thats a big issue the major manufacturers are going to have. Getting people past the learning curve of riding with a cvt tranny. If they go that route.

coryf89 · Feb 11, 2019

what are these?? arctic svx snowbikes? a sherco bike with a camso track and an arctic cat decal or what?

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-snowmobile/...29/1330088457?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-snowmobile/...99/1414407053?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-snowmobile/...29/1414065799?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XTXD-YqzCk

few small hurdles to get passed on whats required to make a machine a "snowmobile" and why its so tricky:

- for a vehicle to meet SSCC (Snowmobile Safety Certification Committee) specifications for a snowmobile, it MUST have a left-hand brake.

- the exhaust be contained such that the rider does not contact it.

- The intensity of the headlight.

- The location of the reflectors.

- The noise level of the exhaust.

byeatts · Feb 11, 2019

coryf89 said:
what are these?? arctic svx snowbikes?

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-snowmobile/...29/1330088457?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-snowmobile/...99/1414407053?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-snowmobile/...29/1414065799?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XTXD-YqzCk

too funny engine size 794cc..

Ben 500RR-S · Feb 11, 2019

coryf89 said:
what are these?? arctic svx snowbikes? a sherco bike with a camso track and an arctic cat decal or what?

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-snowmobile/...29/1330088457?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-snowmobile/...99/1414407053?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-snowmobile/...29/1414065799?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XTXD-YqzCk

Arctic Cat had a great idea to take a 450 Sherco, add a Camso DTS 129 kit, along with all that was needed to make a regular dirtbike/dual sport go in the dirt, with all the snow-stuff, and sell it as a ready to ride unit.

The SVX never made it to market.

There was probably no interest in it, at all.

Hawkster · Feb 11, 2019

That is not the reason from rumors .

Cat is or was trying to make it a legal turn key .

There are all sorts of reasons why .

One of the biggest hurdles is a snowmobile is a snowmobile and when it comes to laws that is where everything comes to a screaming stop .

One of the simplest rules for starters is a snowmobile has a left handed brake , sounds stupid right ? My Hawks are legal and why is that ? Must be the weight

The are other problem that come into play . For those that participate in other winter sporting machines it's almost common knowledge that most dirt bikers believe they do not have to abide by the rules that sleds , quads , side by sides do . My god those 4 strokes are deafening with a pipe and I thought my Jaws pipe was annoying . The tree huggers have a hay day with you illegal boys .

How many of you guys belong to a snowmobile club ? but you occasionally drive down or rip up the groomed trails . Majority rules and those clubs want nothing to do with you guys if you can not participate and play in the sand box together to fight for rights that are constantly being taken away . Double edged sword so if your not legal your not welcomed .

Cat just hurdled over the crap and put that dual mono rail on a sled and is selling the crud out of those things . I road with a couple in high country and they are pretty impressive especially since they have two skis .

I am rooting for these guys to pull off the turn key bike for what what they tried or are trying to do . I hope they pull it off or at least they will be known for moving the sport forward besides being a kit .

Ben 500RR-S · Feb 11, 2019

I'm happy because up here in NH, VT and even Maine, consider our snowbikes, snow machines as the definition is loose so as long as something has a ski or skis, and a track, it is good to go on the trails up here.

Problem is, we all know that all snowbikes sort of blow chow on the groomed or ungroomed snowmobile trails and there are no legal areas where Joe Public can go and ride off-trail.

Arctic Cat would sell very few snowbike ready to ride package(s) up here.

wwillf01 · Feb 11, 2019

I have seen the Arctic Cat on the mountain... It is way quieter than any Snowbike I have heard... Besides a 2 stroke of course...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Hawkster · Feb 15, 2019

Submit this

Norma Stitz · Feb 15, 2019

Hawkster said:
Submit this

God no! I want a thin, light, agile bike that stays put when I get off it.
I had a snow hawk and found the steering feel to be awful. They achieved getting the track forward and ski lighter, but they went too far and made too many compromises to get there imo. Mainly the linkage steering.

mtnthumper · Feb 16, 2019

I'd like to see some smaller companies team up and get it done. CMX and BRC could put together a great package.

Hawkster · Feb 19, 2019

My better half just read that comment and asked me to post one of her with her 16 year old machine .

I really don't see anyone in the near future making a turn key one ski because the manufactures can not build what you knuckle draggers want . The crotch rockets have a better chance of making a go of it .
Cat's Alpha pretty much summed it up and if you want a thunper look at the Yamaha's Phazer MTX , that little 500 is a boondocking ripper with the correct set up .

motox54 · Feb 20, 2019

mjgiandalia said:
I think its about time one of the major snowmobile manufacturers starts focusing on a single purpose snow bike. I know Arctic Cat tried but, the 450 4 stroke is not going to cut it. Since the biggest complaint is a lack of power and ability to climb steeper terrain, throwing a twin 600cc fuel injected 2 stroke motor that they already have into a frame engineered for a snow bike does not seem like too tall of an order.

The snow bikes lack the power/weight that the snowmobiles have. The 600cc that makes around 120hp at sea level would be sufficient for a snow bike. Not to say that they couldn't toss an 800/850 at it.

This being said I have begun to submit weekly messages to Polaris, Ski-Doo, and Arctic Cat requesting for such a build. I have received emails back on the topic saying that they will pass the message along to their design engineer team so, maybe if they notice they are getting dozens of emails each week on the topic they might do something about it. If you find yourselves with a few minutes of spare time consider submitting requests with me.

Here are some links:

https://www.polaris.com/en-us/contact-support/

https://www.ski-doo.com/form/contact-us.html

https://store.arcticcat.com/Contact/

Just because they have a frame for a 450 and a 600cc motor does not mean you can just flip it in there. Thats a fairly big undertaking. I don't believe there is a big enough opportunity for a major OEM to make money off them yet which is why they haven't been made yet. As the snowbike sector grows you will eventually see someone come out with something.

s.back · Feb 20, 2019

All these guys are still trying to figure out how to make a pair of boots and pants for snowbikes. Last thing on there mind is a purpose built snowbike.

Jaynelson · Feb 20, 2019

Hawkster said:
Yamaha's Phazer MTX , that little 500 is a boondocking ripper with the correct set up .

The best set up for a Phazer is to set it up in your driveway and back over it with your truck. Then go down to any sled store and set yourself up with any other modern mountain sled lol

Coldfinger · Feb 20, 2019

Jaynelson said:
The best set up for a Phazer is to set it up in your driveway and back over it with your truck. Then go down to any sled store and set yourself up with any other modern mountain sled lol

LOL, good one.

Hawkster · Feb 20, 2019

That is funny but to bad it'll run several thousand miles before it needs an actual tune up .

Kind of like the 2020 Doo 154 with a 146 tunnel , been preaching that all along and when one of the kit manufacture's did come out with a short tunnel the others flipped out and beat them into submission .

The average consumer just isn't ready to look outside the box and the manufactures know it.

motox54 · Feb 21, 2019

Could you imagine if Doo made a snow bike though? It would come with too soft torsion spring suspension and they would make you pay about 2500 bucks for an x edition in which you only get the front wheel to convert in summer. The rear wheel, chain, rear sprocket and tires would be available in their options and accessories catalog.

Submit weekly snow bike requests to Polaris, Ski-Doo, Arctic Cat, etc

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