Savage snow bike kits?

[Addytude.055]

Has anyone actually used one? I'm from the Midwest, flatter ground, fell in love with the concept of a snow bike since I first saw one several years ago, but never got one since I know the type of riding I do wouldn't suit a timbersled or camso. I ride with sleds and I need speed to keep up. These kits would be useless in the deep stuff but for trails and track they look FAST. The only place I can find any video of them is Savage snow bikes Instagram account which are like 20 second clips (why I'm hesitant to drop 4k on a kit) but there are a handful of vidoes with timbersled and Savage kits on the track and the Savage kits are flying by the timbersleds like they aren't even moving. Plus quite a few clips of these kits on fields and trails just rippin. So what does everyone think about them? Anyone know first hand? Thanks in advance

 

[dirtybeacher]

I raced against a couple guys on these kits, and wouldn’t say they are any faster than any of the other brands. I would say their biggest advantage is that they weigh less.

Bottom line is sleds and bikes don’t mix. Without regearing the kit, max speed on a road legal bike like a 500 exc is a bit more than 50mph. Depending on your state/province, bikes might also be illegal to ride on sled trails. Most people hate trail riding, but my bike is setup really well for it. I have a blast riding tight and twisty two track, but wide open straight trails are painfully boring.

I don’t know where in the Midwest you are, but I’d say most snowbikers would either ride in the UP area, or make trips west. In that case you would want a kit for deep snow.

 

[Addytude.055]

I appreciate the reply. It's hard to believe the reduced weight and reduced drag from the narrower track wouldn't translate to more power being delivered, which is why I was leaning toward them. And yeah really wide open straight trails are boring even on sled. What do you have for a bike that is set up well for trails? If I might ask

And yeah on the snowmobile trails it is illegal to ride a bike on but I live in a sparsely populated area, in 10 years of riding I've never even seen a dnr officer on the trails outside of big ride events, I'm just not that concerned about getting a ticket I guess.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

Probably the main reason savage doesn’t get much press is because the other mfg got scared savage would clear out the field in snocross. (Savage snowbikes are effectively banned from X games due to the 10” minimum track width requirement)

If i lived in the midwest it would be the track to have.

 

[dirtrebel]

I made one and ripped it almost 10 years ago, handled great and hauled ass! Obviously the bike was a pos, but man it was fun! works good on super hard snow or less than a foot of soft, I wouldn't hesitate to rip one if I was in flatlands! Back then it was the snowxcycle we copied, got us hooked on snow bikes for sure! I don't know if id pay 4k for one when a timbersled or other kit can be had for less than that, but they look fun!

 

[powdermuncher]

Those things were horrible in any amount of snow -- constant stuck fest that is why they never caught on. A decent track might fix that a little bit. A good hard 2.5 inch paddle may help and a proper ski with carbide runners all around.

 

[Sheetmetalfab]

Those things were horrible in any amount of snow -- constant stuck fest that is why they never caught on. A decent track might fix that a little bit. A good hard 2.5 inch paddle may help and a proper ski with carbide runners all around.

You are talking the snowtercycle?



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[powdermuncher]

Dont quote me on the Name , was the exact same design that fit inside the swingarm.

He brought it to arctic man around the same time 2 Moto was the one to have.

Neither one worked well in the snow.

He took on a dealership bought 5 units and lost his shirt on them could not sell a single one once people got stuck left right and centre with them.

 

[Knottdirtdiggin]

I have had a Savage kit for 3 seasons now and live in the flatlands of southern Ontario. I’m a 40 year old intermediate rider who races enduro and the occasional moto. I raced the savage a few times here in the CSRA series (I was the guy getting lapped by everyone else!). I have also rode the Mototrax kit. Weight is definitely the biggest difference between those two. Also the thinner track on the Savage makes it feel more like a bike whereas the wider track wants to stand up more in marginal snow conditions. My two cents is this; in snow depths above 2-3’ go with the wider footprint but anything less or riding on a track I would go with the Savage.