snow hawk vs. snow bike

Snow Hawk can perform in fluff and the snow bike can't. Depends the type of riding you do. If you like the flat stuff with trails the snow bike would be fine.
My experience with the snow bike was poor. Bike won't go anywhere if the snow was not as hard as a rock.

Take a look at the Timbersled Mountainhorse set up, I don't even own or ride dirtbikes but I'd like to ride one of these. They seem to have the right concept compared to other kits that I've seen, when the snows gone you simply remove the kit and throw on your wheels, can't do that to the Snowhawk.

I got to test ride these bikes a few years ago and I was amazed on how well they did in the deep and steep. Yes...the new Timbersled setup looks amazing and would love to throw my leg over one with a 530 to 650cc bike!

I stole these pics from another thread but you can see it is not hard pack. They will never replace my boosted sled but they are very fun to ride! Never been on a snow hawk so I cannot comment.

I found the Hawks last year and fell in love with them. I didn't ride my sleds once all winter. I attended last year's Hawkfest in Utah and got to ride several snowbikes, but not this new Timbersled Mountianhorse.

They were fun and they have there place in the world, but I don't think they hold a candle to a Snowhawk. For the price of a kit to add to a motorcycle, you can buy a Hawk. You will wear out the engine and transmission of your motorcycle with these kits. From what I've heard they just can't stand up to the demands of the application.

Having said that, what do you want to do with it. If you don't have access to wide open spaces and the mountians and are looking for something to play with in a smaller area you will enjoy them. They are a lighter weight machine and that's an advantage when riding in tighter areas. They are not legal on the trail system in the northeast.

This new Timbersled kit does seem to be a major improvement in terms of capability in the steep and deep, but again between the bike and kit you're looking at $10 - 12K and a $3,500 Snowhawk 503Fan will still eat it for breakfast.

Buy and watch the "Snowhawk Addiction" videos. There is a lot of footage of bikes with both the Explorer kits and the 2Moto kits. These videos will show you the operational differences between snowbikes and Snowhawks. As the saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words".

Hmm Thunderhawk I think you are wrong on your comment about the Engine's holding up. Also the Timbersled is not even in the same ballpark as the other snowbike kits I rode it in the powder and it did great we had a 2moto with us and it was fun but got maybe a 1/4 as far as the Timbersled if that. But I have have not rode the hawk and Timbersled side by side so It would not be fair for me to make a comment.

As far as the Engine Allen had 2 450's rode them since mid season almost all week every week bolth have got to be over the 2k mark by now and the one he is doing dirt on this summer has got to be well over 2k and not a penny was spent in the motor or tranny so that in itself is amazing.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of them I had a blast on the timbersled setup and I am used to a M8 on 8-10lbs of boost. The Snowbike did great in powder and hardpan easy to get unstuck (super light) and I was able to go through tree sections that I have never been able to do in the snow. I also like the fact when I sell my bike I keep the kit and swap to a new bike so wile the first part was spendy I will be able to keep it year after year and keep the track kit.

One things for sure the Single ske sport is starting to pick up speed as far as the Hawk I think if just one of the big 4 would build a lightwight hawk EFI setup I think it could sell out and then some if they were to market it right with Demo rides as I know Allen at Timbersled said 80% of his sales were all from Demo rides and right now he is very busy building them for customers.

It will be interesting to ride the timbersled product. It addresses several issues that are problems with the other designs. I am sure it kicks **s
As a previous owner of a few different snowbike kits, I moved to a modded Hawk. I really liked the snowbikes but did experience what Thunderhawk is talking about.
In the tight trees nothing will touch a nicely setup snowbike.
A lightweight machine has huge advantages over the heavy Hawks in that circumstance.
However The Hawk Kicks but everywhere else. whoops , hill climbs, top speed. Even a well designed track/suspension setup wont make a difference there. Power is everything. The Hawk is very well balanced at speed.
But you cant buy a new Hawk and even if you could thats only a starting point, as in stock form they BLOW. They are not equal machines and should not be thought of as such.
Then again we are out there to have fun and the snowbikes certainly are that. I have no doubt that the Timbersled kit is very high on the fun factor.
I cant say my Hawk is always fun.. Heavy.Hard to move, maintenance whore, and sucks fuel like a drunk sailor with a bottle of gin..
I would like to have the new Timbersled product, perhaps thats the next addition to my garage? But my Hawk isnt going anywhere..
Plus the dirtbike conversions all need better lights:face-icon-small-win
Sell a ton of them!!!

Your site looks crazy big D.:face-icon-small-hap

They are all fun I have ridden a couple of 2 moto bikes and two different snoX cycle bikes and they where great. I would like to try the others ( explorer and timbersled ) I am sure they are fun also. I personaly went the snow hawk route first a 503 short track that I have slowly changed and adjusted to fit my riding style. I now have a 600 long track to start in with. The Hawk's are a good machine to begin with but respond well with changes and mods. The bike kits seem to be at thier limit ( or close to it ) and a stock Hawk is just the start.

Snow Hawk is the Best !

Motorcycle Conversions ??? Your on "CRACK"
Can You Say ""SNOW HAWK"" ########111111111 :boink::drum::face-icon-small-coo:wof::face-icon-small-sad:boink::wof::face-icon-small-coo:usa::face-icon-small-sad:heart::face-icon-small-fro:face-icon-small-hap:usa::drum::humble:arty::humble::drum:arty::humble::drum::humble:arty::drum:arty::humble::humble:arty::boink:

I say it depends, do you want to ride your dirt bike in the snow or very large single ski sled with a sled engine.

Its like a four wheeler to a dirt bike really. Yes they both have one ski but are a very different machine. The snowhawk setup right, meaning a long track and anything but the 503f will go quite a bit farther in the deep than any snowbike would want to. In the deep power and weight has alot to do with it. Of courses if you got a ktm 690 and turbo ed it they are not many modded hawks that would keep up.

I have a buddy who put a 660 mod Polaris engine in his hawk 503f after climbing a hill and the track stopped turning, no it didn't get stuck just didn't have enough to turn the track and that was only a 136". After he put the new engine and had the suspension re valved he likes it alot.

I think a lot of people are really missing the beauty of the snowbike. Its not to replace anything, its for those of use the love to ride dirt bikes. The hawk is nothing like a dirt bike and does not ride like one, even my buddies who swear buy them tell me this, they are a whole different animal.

As far as price you are not comparing apples to apples, yes a snowbike setup with a new bike will put you in at 12 - 13K, but a new hawk cost that as well if you can get them. Remember you are buying a NEW bike and NEW track kit, so to say you can get get a used hawk for 3500 is true but your comparison is not accurate. Also the fact that you can ride that bike all year means you can subtract the price of the bike from that cost. Also if you wanted a snowbike on the cheap you could get a used one for around 4K if you looked hard enough.

And we have had no problems with engines failing, in fact I have yet to hear of one yet, Im sure they have but I have not heard of them.

Flip77 said:

They are all fun I have ridden a couple of 2 moto bikes and two different snoX cycle bikes and they where great. I would like to try the others ( explorer and timbersled ) I am sure they are fun also. I personaly went the snow hawk route first a 503 short track that I have slowly changed and adjusted to fit my riding style. I now have a 600 long track to start in with. The Hawk's are a good machine to begin with but respond well with changes and mods. The bike kits seem to be at thier limit ( or close to it ) and a stock Hawk is just the start.

Click to expand...

Our kits that we will hopefully be taking orders on this winter are fairly upgradable, we tried to use as much industry standard parts as possible to give everyone as many options as possible, everything from gearing to shocks and skis. Also you can always mod the bike itself though I doubt you would reliably get much out of it.

SNOW HAWK's rule!