2017 Timbersled Snow Bike - FIRST RIDE REVIEW

"Don't expect it to handle like anything you've ever ridden before."

Those were the last words anyone told me before boarding a plane to Salt Lake City, Utah, where I'd have the chance to ride a Timbersled snowbike for the first time. Unfortu­nately, that was as far as the advice went, and nobody could tell me exactly what I could expect.

The reason why nobody could give me more insight is because it’s near impossible to describe the sensation, something I’d realize during my day aboard an ST 120 short-track-equipped Husqvarna FE 450. It’s nothing like riding a snowmobile because there’s less overall weight. And it’s nothing like riding a dirt bike, since the track and ski completely change the bike’s handling mannerisms. It’s all…different, regardless of kit or bike.

Speaking of kits, there are a few options available through Timbersled, the two main ones being a short-track kit and long-track kit. The former utilizes a 120-inch track for increased nimbleness (starts at $5,299, $3,999 as part of “RAW” kit) and the latter a longer, 137-inch track for easier adventuring in rough terrain (starts at $5,999). Both use a 10-inch ski and new convex track with 2.5-inch-deep paddles for traction.

The pieces sound simple but aren’t, with Timbersled having spent countless hours developing each so that they mimic the feel of dirt bike tires and thus provide nimble, more intuitive handling. The ski, for example, has three individual keels (the center keel taller than the outer ones) so that you are only on the center keel as you ride in a straight line and the outers as you lean into a turn.

Handling still doesn’t feel entirely natural, especially on hard-packed snow. Ride the snowbike in deeper powder though, and even as a rookie you’ll be leaning the bike over until the handlebar is nearly dragging through the snow. That’s not while crashing either!

In fact, it feels rather difficult to crash a snowbike, and with little experience I was riding more technical terrain than I ever imagined I would. Because the track has so much traction, you can climb almost any mountain, and since the bike is more nimble and narrow than a snowmobile, you can take almost any line you choose up to the top of that mountain.

The resulting sense of freedom is probably what I like most about the snowbike. No longer are you bound by traction and designated trails (as you often are on a dirt bike) but by your imagination and willingness to explore.

Of course, once winter is over, simply pull the track, ski, and chain off, reroute your brake lines back to stock (the snowbike kit places the rear brake up on the handlebar), remount your wheels and you’re off roosting dirt again—only definitely missing that feeling you get in the snow, whatever that feeling might be…