The Varg Snowbike Thread

[Chadx]

We need a Varg snowbike thread since the Alta guys have/had one.

I've been riding snowbikes since 2014. Have done three different builds since then. The last one being a 2020 Yamaha YZ450F with a Yeti 129" snowbike kit. Have thought about electric for a long time, since it would greatly simplify the conversion process, which is fairly involved with ICE bikes trying to keep engine warm but not too warm, intake clear of snow, doing oil changes literally after every ride, etc. Nice thing about ICE though is we route coolant through the handlebars to heat grips with byproduct engine heat. Some use electric grips, but then, that would be one more draw on the Varg battery, or external battery, that just won't last. Battery electric gloves can help, and we sometime use them in combination with the heated handlebars for the ride in and out on the trail, but they are too bulky for the steep and deep sidehills banging through the trees.

I imagine the range of a Varg snowbike will limit it to riding directly from the cabin or house. Guessing 5 or 10 miles of range depending on trail or deep powder and how much time WOT. Not going to have the range for the 10+ miles trails we ride in much less spend any time in the deep mountain pow where you are WOT a lot for than trail/track riding and the tracks suck a lot more power than tire/wheel. Even thought about using a utility sled to drag a sleigh with electric snowbike and generator, but that is getting too complicated and would have to get the battery above 40F to charge it anyway. Not going to happen with a typical riding day we leave the trailer at -10F to 0F ambient temp. Only in spring riding are we riding above freezing.

Still fun to see the below video and hope to see more people messing with this.

Not my build. Just fun to see owners starting to experiment.

 

[FreedomFlyer]

I am getting ready to convert my Stark to Snowbike mode.
My plan was to warm it up in the shop to 70F then literally just zip tie an old ski jacket around the battery and go for it.
Any other suggestions would be welcomed as I have never even ridden a snowbike before let alone prepped any bike for it. I was thinking about using my electric gloves and hand guards to keep my hands warm.
Cheers

 

[Chadx]

I am getting ready to convert my Stark to Snowbike mode.
My plan was to warm it up in the shop to 70F then literally just zip tie an old ski jacket around the battery and go for it.
Any other suggestions would be welcomed as I have never even ridden a snowbike before let alone prepped any bike for it. I was thinking about using my electric gloves and hand guards to keep my hands warm.
Cheers

Nice! What snowbike kit are you going with (make and model)? Since we don't have the option to install a coolant kit on the handlebars, electric is the only choice. And since it's not really a known factor on how to tap into the Varg battery, battery gloves are a good choice. I use a version that Klim makes. As mentioned, they are a bit bulky, since they also have a good amount of insulation, but I only ride with them on the trail out and back. I switch to thinly insulated gloves for active riding in the deep. You work up a sweat and are plenty warm without heated gloves in that situation. Heated gloves are only insulated on the back of your hand, but that is what takes the brunt of the cold air.
Oversized handguards block a lot of wind and we run those on most snowbike kits.

If trail riding or riding in the spring, there won't be too much snow on the battery to deal with, but in the pow, no matter how much you seal it up, it will get in. And can actually hold snow against the battery. But shielding it as best as you can and then just running it. It will no doubt have greatly reduced range due to the cold and the drag from the track. But will be a lot of fun while it lasts.

Several of the snowmobile-focused clothing brands make snowbike specific insulation riding boots. I wear Klim Havoc boots, but there are a lot of other good brands. You could get away with snowmobile boots, since you don't have to shift, but snowbike-specific boots offer a lot more protection and support. I wear knee guards and tuck the shin guard portion into the top of the snowbike boot. Unlike snowmobiles, your feet and legs are very exposed so are at risk of catching buried stumps and rocks. Ride with the balls of your feet on the pegs and do not ride with the middle of your foot on the pegs with tows down because an obstacle will fold your foot downward.

Starting with an electric is greatly simplifying all the changes we make to intake (removing air filter and air box, adding intake baskets and wrapping snow proof intake prescreens), cooling system (adding thermostats, blocking radiators or even removing radiators and plumbing a tunnel cooler like I did), keeping snow off the engine/radiators, but making it so you can remove it when you start to overheat or close it up when you are running too cool), plumbing coolant to handlebars, adding extra fuel storage to tunnel and even plumbing that into bikes gas tank), LED lights for those long day ride outs, etc. It is normally quite extensive and expensive.

Are you riding directly from your shop/house?

Pics below of average mountain ride. We ride in about 7 to 15 miles on the trail (15 miles to this area) and then ride off-trail all day, then back to the trailer. I'd expect about 10 miles of trail riding with the Varg, unfortunately (as we run 40+mph all the ride in).

 

[FreedomFlyer]

Thanks for the response Chadx. I will be using the first snowbike kit ever sold. It won't have anywhere near the performance of the modern ones like you run.
Hopefully it will still be fun as I will be only sticking to well used packed snowmobile trails. It is called an Explorer and is super easy to install as you just replace your front and rear wheels. It also has the benefit of only increasing the bikes weight by 30 pounds total!
If I like snowbiking I will probably by a newer kit and machine and fabricate modifications until it fits the Varg. Until then this used kit I only have cost me $400 total on eBay and will give me a cheap and easy taste for the sport. I will be driving about 30 minutes from my shop to ride. Ever tried electric socks in a dirtbike boots?
Cheers