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honda 450r explorer install/ride review

E
Nov 24, 2008
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Hello all,
My name is Brian and this is my first post on snowest.

My experience in single ski bikes or hawks is very limited but I have an extensive background in atvs.
I have raced local and national hare scramble events for over a decade having won many titles and championships-but enough about me:face-icon-small-hap

I really wanted to share my thoughts about my latest and greatest toy,
an explorer kit for my 05 honda crf450r.

About a week ago I met Mike from explorer kit direct at a demo event in Little Valley,NY.
I was there with some good friends who had invited me to see and ride the explorer conversions, but truthfully I just wanted to put some miles on my new sled.
We spent a few hours tearing around and shooting some video but I had not ridden any snobikes until the sun was just starting to go down.
It was then that I had my first ride on the KTM250.

What can I tell you-after 2 minutes I had a grin from ear to ear and just had to have one.
This came as a big suprise to my crew as I would have won the vote for least likly to buy a conversion kit hands down.

Instalation was very straight forward and took about 5 1/2 hours to complete.
Sunday was spent riding and playing with all the configuration options the kit makes available.
The fun factor of this machine is 2nd to none.I am not a bike guy at all but I found myself powersliding hard corners at speed like a pro!
My friends and I came away with a new appreciation for winter motorsports.
Take it from a veteran quad/snowmobile guy these kits are the most fun you can have in the snow bar none.I cant wait to ride again.

Big thanks to Mike from explorer kits direct,not only for his top notch service and support but also for giving me the oppertunity to experience snobikes first hand at his expense.
 
T

TLKDPROD

Well-known member
Jan 25, 2008
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Salmon Arm, BC
Nice to hear that easthill ! Welcome to the one-ski riding fam'lay !

For sure these kits will get attention from lots of guys from other sports than motocross.

Great product + the awesome job that Mike is doing right now travelling and letting people try them for free (not fackn 240$ for a day like the Hawk Renthals use to be (or still is?), half of people who signed up actually bailed...). That's the best marekting out there; letting people find out what that thing really is at no cost. Not "hearing of a gyy who tried it who happened to be a total uncapable..." All that together and you've got a reciepe for success.

Too bad that has never been done during the early days of the Hawk. I hope AD Boivin will do it right with these and let people try them for free on their side. That being said, I want to try one even though i'm totally sure I will not want one.

Bottom line, either you're on a Doo or even a Yamaha sled, it doesn't matter to me, I just enjoy riding with people having a smile on their face and if the 2moto / Explorer kits can bring more of these smiling people out there to love winter and have fun in the snow... and become kids again, that's all that matters to me !

See ya up in the mountains ! Carry a flexible hose tube so I can give you guys a few liters of 40:1 pre-mix gas for your 4-strokes when you'll run out your 8L gastank !
 

off road rider

SnoWest Paid Sponsor
Premium Member
Jan 2, 2008
1,729
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Kent Wa
Welcome!!

Sweet! Im glad you've found your way to the single ski..and snowest.
Im extreemly jealous of you guys back east right now.. It might snow here sometime next year????
 
J
Dec 3, 2007
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Just a little heads up to anyone interested in buying this kit, I would assume it took 5.5 hrs to assemble and install this kit. Once everything is assembled it shouldent take more than 45min to an Hour to go from bike to sno-bike or vice-versa.

Now someone get stoked to own one of these things and buy my setup!

07 KTM 450 SX-F with explorer kit. $7000
 
B
Jan 12, 2008
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hamburg,ny
hey mike...

sell east hill 2 more of these kits so he can try them on his TRX450r(1 for each side)....he's a quad guy. maybe he will stick to one ski and get a hawk next, then race the gncc's on a bike! bri sell the sleds and get a hawk! there is a 800 in ny for sale on ebay....cheap!or im sure mike will part with one of his...
 
B
Jan 12, 2008
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hamburg,ny
and we all thought...

the single ski bike contraptions were new....tony better be riding that at hawkfest. if i were closer id buy it for sure. 400 compared to 3g for an explorer (sorry mike) but look at that thing, no comparison for the money.lol. id like to see the early pioneers of the single ski revolution take a spin on a 800 hawk or an aprilia with the explorer kit!!!
 
T
Dec 26, 2007
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Minnesota
I got it

I will sell you a 125 DT Yamaha enduro 1980 or somthing like that

Mint condition. No rear tire, or rim, Front tire is flat, no grip's , kickstart is broken, Carb's are gone. seat has been digested by I don't know what. Rear fender is gone. Frame is as sterdy as can be. OH Forks have just been re-valved. Pipe is still there.

Just give me your best offer.

LOL.

Really though are you going to mount the kit to a bike that matches the original year of manufacture. Display only or is it going to be at hawk fest.
 
T
Dec 26, 2007
317
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Minnesota
Even better

Just custom build a Frame to fit a 600cc. Sport bike motor.
Let the imagination gooooooo.

Honda 600rr rocket take off the back wheel and mount the explorer. Would that work. make it work.
 
T
Dec 26, 2007
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Minnesota
Yep,

Yep heard of ParkX in Elk River. And Nope I'm not to cool for you guy's. I will take a look are your date's of arrival and really try to meet you.

+Tom Mn.
 
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