Snowbikes!
November 25, 2023
We love snowbikes! Here are the most commonly asked questions, and our responses.
About Snowbiking and This Article
We just got a big dose of "Pumped Up" for the season during a brief trip to Montana to visit the headquarters for CMX, a boutique snowbike brand. Basically, they make Ferraris.
Instead of writing all about them to a general audience of moto enthusiasts, we've decided to collect a list of the most frequently asked questions about snowbikes, and our responses.
Instead of writing all about them to a general audience of moto enthusiasts, we've decided to collect a list of the most frequently asked questions about snowbikes, and our responses.
What is that?
Snowbikes are dirt bikes that have been largely stripped down to accommodate a track kit on the back, and a ski on the front.
Are they easy to ride?
Actually, yes, they are very easy to ride. Easier to learn than dirt bikes, and far easier than learning how to ride a snowmobile in the powder.
Can they go where sleds go?
Absolutely! In fact, it is a common saying that once you move from sledding to snowbiking, your riding area gets 10X bigger. Basically, snowbikes are so good in the trees, that even relatively novice riders can get right in there. The same cannot be said for snowmobiles.
There is one place that snowmobiles can be superior and that is in the wide open, and on super steep terrain that require monster horsepower to go straight up.
There is one place that snowmobiles can be superior and that is in the wide open, and on super steep terrain that require monster horsepower to go straight up.
What do snowbikes cost?
Here's the bad news. Getting set up with a properly equipped new snowbike is going to set you back nearly double what a snowmobile will cost.
On the bright side, your daily operating costs are a lot lower, and you get a dirt bike out of the deal!
On the bright side, your daily operating costs are a lot lower, and you get a dirt bike out of the deal!
Can they handle DEEP snow?
Oh yeah. Snowbikes do really well in the deep snow. They are light, pretty powerful, the ski lightly packs the snow, and then the track kit drives on top and nabs some traction. After 8 years of snowbiking and on average 25 X / year, we've only had one day that was just too much.
Are the bikes pretty modified?
Yes, the bikes are modified to convert them from a warm/dirt environment to a cold/snow environment. Take a look around at the snowbikes in TMA and have look at the common mods. You will find that most people don't do anything to their engines, it's all about intakes for snow, thermostats, engine blankets, special skid plates, heated bars, big & grippy footpegs, and comfy seats.
Some Fun Photos from CMX HQ
For those who know their mountain sledding history, Mark Hoffman, and CMX, are legends. It was thrilling to spend a day in their facility, to watch them work, and to be surrounded by so many snow Ferrari's!
Our Fave Snowbike Companies
We've been having a lot of fun working with CMX and MTN.TOP over the last two years. Here are links to their websites. Enjoy!