Compare extra cost to setup snow bike

[mikesnick]

Everyone will have different items but it might be interesting to see what others add or modify. Expensive sport!

$2400 to $2950: Chopped subframe 450, Luggage 2 pieces 175-200,Rework throttle body 200-300, Aftermarket plastic 200-250, Heated grips 40-50, Temp gauge 39, Hour meter 33, thermo-bob 125, Radiator guards/braces 75-125, High pressure radiator cap 28, Dual break 125, Pipe Guars 50-75, Stabilizer 500-600, Hand guards 75-175, Handle bar risers 50-75, Hand guard shields 35-50, Aftermarket seat or shaved 100-150, Silky saw 100. Plus avalanche bag/shovel/beacon/probe.

 

[Wheel House Motorsports]

hand guards 100
light kit 240
slip on 350
custom intake 50
adventure pegs 275
thermobob 175
skid plate 75
Dobeck Gen4 400
raptor TRS spring kit 125

Got a bit into accesories, but at the same time, I'd dump just as much into sleds, if not a lot more

Big thing for me is overall cost of operations/ travel.

Cost of riding, I burn on average half of what I did when sledding, overall wear and tear seems to be lower also, less broken bumpers, etc. I still wreck and replace things, but after 30+ rides so far this season I have had to do oil changes and filters, and thats it, which averages out really similar to injector oil usage on my sleds.

Really adds up when you start taking trips and you got 3-4 bikes in the pickup splitting fuel vs dragging a trailer or driving separate.

Snowbiking is far from cheap, but I can tell you that it is for sure cheaper then sledding, especially if you ride a lot.

 

[Uncle si]

After 3.5 years I figure 4x the money and 10x the labor per riding hour, and totally worth it.

 

[up-high]

Chopped sub-frame, luggage, stabilizer Just what are you riding

 

[suva]

Bark busters w/hand mitts $35
Avid thermostat/carb heater $318
Skidplate/snow shield material $pilfered from work
Temp Guage $43


I think If I were to start over I'd skip the carb heater and temp guage, and I'm not sure if I can count the handguard setup because I'll want that for dirt riding too.
I already had all the snowmobile stuff like:
$12 folding hand saw (though I haven't used it since I stopped riding 2 skis)
$7 snow shovel
$50 cargo box

 

[Sketchy Red]

lightly used kx450f = $3800

used Tsled ST kit = $3500

4x8 sheet of .100" plastic = $52

thermobob = $125

knock off pelican case = $37

homemade ski dolly = $32

temp gauge = $39

heavy fork springs = $109

homemade intake =$50

Having a blast riding a snowbike = $$$ priceless

 

[mrsnaglepuss]

BURNING MONEY

Snowbiking is a sport that is unreachable for a lot of people who would like to do it, because the cost is prohibitive. Until the industry presents a stand alone snowbike out of the box, produced in numbers large enough to bring down production costs (like snowmobiles) it will remain that way. The cost of a dirt bike Japanese or European is high compared to a larger cc road bike, with more material and technology involved, how long did we wait for fuel injection and an electric start on a dirt bike? Some kits cost more than the bike new. Plus all the add ons to complete the transition to a snow worthy vehicle, plus the high maintainence issues and ouch you have a flat wallet, and you haven't got suited up and arrived in the delivery vehicle at the riding area yet. Did I mention fuel, oil, access fees, licencing, insurance?

With the Canadian economy going into the CARBON TOILET the Canadian dollar is hovering below .70 cents US and is heading towards .65 cents U.S. That is kicking anything from the USA to Canada right in the gonads, ouch again. I predict the snowbike kits and other products from the U.S. to Canada will drop drastically next year because of the exchange rate and driving the pricing of goods and services up reflecting that. Oil will go south of $30.00 USD per barrel, energy sector is over 20% of Canadian GDP, OUCH AGAIN. As for kits manufactured in Canada a lot of the materials are sourced from the USA, and they are already the most expensive.

But hey, the sky's not falling, but the snow is, maybe the used kit market will perk up because of demand over pricey new ones, or more do it yourselfers will surface. In the mean time, ride on brothers, ride on, it's snowing somewhere.

 

[Ducatiracer]

I didn't buy much am I doin it right.

I have my dirtbike I ride most of the year and I bought a used Short Track Timbersled for $2700. I needed spacers $35 and dollies from harbor freight. $35. I ride every weekend.

 

[mrsnaglepuss]

I have my dirtbike I ride most of the year and I bought a used Short Track Timbersled for $2700. I needed spacers $35 and dollies from harbor freight. $35. I ride every weekend.

Now that's what I call makin it happen!

 

[J800]

Dedicated snow bike.

2014 ktm 450 SXF $6,000
New stator $150
Squadron head light $200
Heated grips $125
Trail tech voyager with guard $300
Hand guards $150
Ytz7s $100
Jump pack $130
Radiator guards $80
Bar risers $80
Foot pegs $100
Thermo bob $175
Seat concepts seat $125
Carbon pipe guard $120
Custom skid plate $50

Upgrades to 14 ST kit.
TSS $1000
Convex track $650

Expensive but worth every penny!!

 

[Uncle si]

I have my dirtbike I ride most of the year and I bought a used Short Track Timbersled for $2700. I needed spacers $35 and dollies from harbor freight. $35. I ride every weekend.

You are definitely doing it right! Riding every weekend will do a number on your valves (if you are on a 4 stroke) and those parts cost money.

Have fun!

 

[more snow]

You must be referring to a Honda!

Quote"Riding every weekend will do a number on your valves (if you are on a 4 stroke) and those parts cost money."

 

[Mauws00]

The real question?

What we really need to ask is what is added to your dirt bike that you do not and will not use on the dirt?

I run an 08 CRF450x, 3.2gal fuel tank, hand guards, q4 muffler, hour meter. It is ridden 5 of 7 days a week when the weather permits on tires.

For the winter I am running a CMXBK 120 ($6500), AME hand warmers ($140), heavy fork springs ($65)

So for the price of a good used sled I have turned my bike into a winter fun machine.

 

[Rush44]

Snowbiking is more expensive to get into if you go new.... but as Nick said at $15-$17 per trip in fuel it's cheaper in that direction every season. The extras are up to each person and I would estimate that since I try to stay in new equipment each season I'm spending more than I normally would on the winter... but not much more.

Also, what is it worth to now have a dirt bike to ride all summer where before all I could do was roll up the garage door, fire up my sled and inhale the 2 stroke?

 

[Answ3r]

I have a CR250 I ride all summer long,

bought extra jets for the carburetor (10-15$), a "solarstorm" bike light on ebay (30$) and built a kit myself for ~2000$ and enjoyed doing it.

I ride when the conditions allow me (low snow, east canada).

 

[AZ800]

There's always a way to be frugal. Plenty of guys out there riding $1000 sleds too, so the price of admission is still spendy compared to snowmobiling even if you're doing it on the cheap......it's all relative.
Bottom line, new for new, used for used don't matter. It's expensive!
The upside is if you ride it in the summer you're at least getting your use out of the bike, but like any hopped up toys they wear out by the hour.
When you're talking $15k plus for a stock new out of the box setup, that's pretty steep.
Heck I paid more for my couple year old used setup than any sled I've bought. Fortunately both the bike and kit had only been run a couple times and the original owner bought a bunch of the accessories.

 

[nblack300]

Here's where I'm sitting so far

Used 2011 350sxf and 2015 st kit - $6400
had full FMF, spare springs, headlight, thermostat added

heated grips - $20
handguard mitts - $20
rad cages/guards - $130 (will be pulled off for next bike)
heavier springs to come - $130
homemade dolly kit - $ free ("government work" at work)
jumper cables - $12 (e-start only bike)
kickstart kit - $220
TT temp gauge - $37
plastic from Menard's for engine covers - $12

More to come I'm sure...

 

[mrquick68]

Dedicated snow bike. I went the new route (ouch!)

New 2015 ktm 450 SXF $7750
Cyclops headlight $250
AME Heated grips $125
Trail tech vapor $99
Hand guards $100
Ytz7s $100
Jump pack $115
Radiator guards $80
Bar risers $50
Foot pegs $300
Thermo bob $175
Carbon pipe guard $120
KTM skid plate $100
Mountain Addiction rack/bag $250
FMF Slip on $385

Upgrades to 15 ST kit:
TSS $1000
Convex track $650

You can do it WAY cheaper but i built the bike just the way i wanted it and I couldn't be happier with it. It works great!!!

 

[Seeds]

Winter specific additions for my bike include:
2016 mountain horse lt $5400
Mountain addiction utility jug $75
Fmf 4.1 with carbon tip $340
home made dolly $75

I'm new to the game, so who knows what else I might get later.

 

[wwillf01]

Cr500 97 free completely wrecked
Smart carb 600
Carb heat and stat 200
Primer 30
Tunnel cooler of old Arctic cat 60
Hand gaurds 130
Handlebar mitts 30
Heated grips 150
Lighting coil 60
Rekluse 630
Tss 1000
Set of forks for Snow biking with heavy oil and springs from a 06 450r 250
Vortex ignition high power 400
Ported forged piston and head cut resleeved and reeds for most power 700
Crazy big expansion chamber ... More power 400
Exhaust, temp,morph gauge Koso 350
Still the best bike for cheap power that are ultra reliable



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