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Snowhawk back in business

Hawkster

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Yep, pretty cruddy terrain, Hawk is under the cover. IMG_20200308_114457590.jpg

One would have to be an idiot to build a retirement home in such terrain.
IMG_20191118_134635529.jpg
 

Hawkster

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I agree that train looks pretty boring I would even avoid that kind of riding when I had a sled. When it's all open with lots of tracks I would head straight to the trees. But if I HAD to ride in that terrain then a Snow hawk would be pretty cool. If they could make it a lot lighter it would appease a lot of people who want a fast straight line Sally with a CVT. I did spend some time on one in 2003 ish? it was a 600 but it had a really crappy ski at the time and I didn't like riding it in the trees at all I could go faster through the trees on my sled.
Ski makes a huge difference, we have some Iron Dog riders for neighbors. One of them had a bike kit and we ran them threw the trees , had him , ran the trail we couldn't shake each other, out in the open he shot a straight line I went way wide and still beat him to the tree line.
If I lived state side, she'd be parked unless going to Cooke City or like places.
When it was a 600 I ran the crap out of it, fuel mileage sucked and we had a serious love hate relationship going on.
Set up is critical, wrong set up is bad. That blue one had the wrong set up when he bought it used. It was kicking his ass till I got on it and it tried to kill me.
Those other Hawks above, all different and they ride completely different could tell you which one it is by the track they leave. One has freaking ape hangers :)
 

Hawkster

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Checking out a glacier cave behind me, personally I prefer this view, Hawk tracks.
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ravenous

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Those videos are interesting. The terrain is so flat you can actually look in the distance and see the curvature of the earth.
Megadoses of LSD or mushrooms could help to make this geography more interesting. If I lived on the moon the Snowhawk would be a great option.
 
A
Nov 14, 2017
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Those videos are interesting. The terrain is so flat you can actually look in the distance and see the curvature of the earth.
Megadoses of LSD or mushrooms could help to make this geography more interesting. If I lived on the moon the Snowhawk would be a great option.

That's actually the funniest thing I have read in a while. I nearly spit my coffee onto my computer...

Hawk: Your passion is admiral and infectious. I have no doubt that your machines work amazing in the terrain that you have around your cabin, and it really does look like you are having a blast. You look like you are living your dream and have a pretty hot wife, so nobody can say you aren't rocking life to the max.

That said, I just cannot see how a hawk would be rideable in mountain terrain. We ride super tight trees on steep slopes and get into some seriously gnarly stuff. A couple rides ago we had a guy go nose first into an icy hole with a creek running at the bottom. Getting his bike out was a 4 man affair and we would have needed a crane to get a snowhawk out of that hole. If someone came out with something like the snowhawk for sale I would not buy one. I want lighter and smaller, not bigger and heavier.
 
N
Jan 3, 2008
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Bone stock hawks are garbage. But still enjoyable to ride if you are in a group of them. 100%agree that tight tight slow tree riding a hawk struggles. Needs at least 10mph to ride smoothly. The new owners will need to do some major changes and have quite the price point and marketing to sway the crowds. Rider position and reliability should be top priority.

I hope to have this build on the snow before summer. If I can find a totaled sled this will be boosted next year.
IMG_20230316_075736933.jpg



Not the tightest terrain around but the speed you can carry through areas like this is unreal.

Tony.jpg
 

Hawkster

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The insults are amazing, must be the woke crowd.

I have done nothing to insult the bikes in this thread about Snow Hawks.

Those of you that are upset because you actually drove one or tried to understand it , you failed.

Not sure why the insults to someone that has driven one for almost 20 years, I'm almost 60 and still pick that fat pig up when I go down. Not to mention my better half rides one, that's funny.

Like I've said I've rode bike kits, hell of a lot easier than a Hawk.

Boivin also made a snow bike kit long before any snow bike kit came out and those to this day are finally making a transition from a chopped off snowmobile skid.

There's three different version skids the Hawk has come out with the Expert X, Xtreme and the X2.

Expert X is an adjustable coupled skid and the only skid offered to sleds, works great and the only complaint anyone can come up with is the weight because the hardware is twice the thickness. You toca a rail that's the least of the problem.

Xtreme is uncoupled and designed to follow the terrain, was never ment to float.

X2 is a combination of both skids plus, coupling is adjustable in the field, composite that is stronger than any current aluminum skid, doesn't ice up like aluminum.

I'll be the first to say it's not a machine for the majority of riders, you don't understand it, don't do it.

Those with such a negative attitude need not apply, it won't work.

There's a reason why none of the big guys build a turn key and the investment in so many ways is to great to do it.

The man that made this machine left Doo because he knew they would not build one and when he left he took that skid with him.
 

Hawkster

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I'm running the Expert X because it's coupled and the back up is the Xtreme 121 that this model came with. The Xtreme is the best riding high speed bashing skid, there's 3 shocks in it.
IMG_20171203_190501457.jpg
 

Hawkster

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NEWDUCK? I see your putting in the rev race plate :) gonna add a torque arm to it also?

The last owners had a really nice forward set/antivibe combo, was thinking about it but now all that info is gone.

It would of been a great addition to the Ohlins forks.
 
C
Jul 21, 2010
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Personally I don’t understand the need to attack others here for their preference in riding areas or the machines they ride. Something I usually like about this place vs other forums like vital Mx is that members here are typically respectful and eager to learn/listen. Vital is a cesspool of assholes and idiots that turn any thread into a pissing match within the first few replies. Lately I see this place heading in that direction more than I’d like. Hawkster obviously likes his snohawk and we prefer ****ty bolt on kits that we constantly complain about not having enough power or having to DIY everything.
 

Hawkster

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Was, kind of regret not getting it up and running. One to many projects.
 
E
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Hawkster-sorry about being harsh with the terrain comments. I was a tree rider my whole life, and seems like if I go fast I just get hurt worse so first gear in the trees gives me a good excuse to go slow...
3 skids to choose from would keep me busy for a while for sure. I'd have to try them all. Thumbs up for the Cannondale ? I've spent some time on one of those too.

Newduck-the stock hawk frames look massive and heavy. What do you predict you can get the weight down to with your custom frame?
 

ravenous

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Me, too, Hawkster. I totally apologize for my terrain comments. I am a complete a-hole.
The truth is that some of those Hawks are super bad ass looking and obviously work amazing in their environment.
Our snowbikes are so anemic with their 60ish horsepower. Your Hawk would slaughter my snowbike out there in your element.
 
N
Jan 3, 2008
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Hawkster-sorry about being harsh with the terrain comments. I was a tree rider my whole life, and seems like if I go fast I just get hurt worse so first gear in the trees gives me a good excuse to go slow...
3 skids to choose from would keep me busy for a while for sure. I'd have to try them all. Thumbs up for the Cannondale ? I've spent some time on one of those too.

Newduck-the stock hawk frames look massive and heavy. What do you predict you can get the weight down to with your custom frame?
My other hawk with the stock frame is at 440lb full of fuel. This tube frame I would love to be at 400lb full of fuel. I think its possible but it might sacrifice some reliability. I might do a build post and weigh it in each stage of the build. And yes the stock frames are heavy and so are those rear skids.

NEWDUCK? I see your putting in the rev race plate :) gonna add a torque arm to it also?

The last owners had a really nice forward set/antivibe combo, was thinking about it but now all that info is gone.

It would of been a great addition to the Ohlins forks.

This is the factory 800r plate. Its getting a stock 800r out of an 07 rev to start out with. And yes torque arm of some sort is going to be installed. Might even be as simple as the rev rubber puck.

Ive just lost motivation to finish it as those bikes in the background make me want it to be summer already. :oops:
 

Hawkster

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Good deal , I mounted a home made torque arm on the PTO side since there's three different points it can be done.
IMG_20171116_104234762.jpg
The ring gear is gone, I was warned that you can't run that clutch on an 800, not true, better than any flinging hammer you can put on it. All the mass stays centralized. Engagement is 2850.
There is a warning on running this clutch, it does not have the weight those others have and if you have a questionable crank that needs the mass don't do it.
Reason why I mention that is do some research on that year 800 you have. It was the transition from an HO to a eTec.
Say high to the crew also :)
 
N
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I had one too for a while. Fun but I agree
I agree, I had one too. I think the biggest downfall was having linkage steering, the forks have to be attached to the handlebars.
yes, I had one too and it was filled with potential but the big fail was the linkage front end. It gave terrible steering feedback. also the weight was way too far back on the skid, it was a constant wheelie, fun but they went too far. The perfect bike would be between hawk and timbersled geometry IMO. But with direct steering.
 
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