Who's ridden the newer 600 and how would you describe the power to weight ratio?
Is this thing safe for the occasional trail blast 5 miles into town or is it not gonna be a fun riding in the corners around traffic?I try to ride mainly offtrail,powerlines,gaslines and ditches and am seriously contemplating a snowhawk.If you rode the fan cooled hawk,what class of sleds would you put the hawk in if you were racing side by side,I'm trying to get an idea of which one would be the best choice for me.Thanks for your insight if you decide to offer any! :div20:

I saw both of them at the Nielsen Snocross in March. The whole crowd was laughing and they were so slow. I don't know if it was the rider or what, but he was getting smoked by a 440 SnoPro. The rider just looked like he was working twice as hard and wasn't reeking any benifits.

Up close, some of the componets looked very primative too.

Never had a chance to ride one. Actually I have yet to even see one on the trails or in the ditch around my place. I have seen them at the WSA races and I was not all that impressed. They seemed slow and the racers didn't get big air. Usually when they raced most people got up to go get another beer. I'd like to see one of them run head to head against a 440 snopro to see how they compare.

i thought that AD Boivan stopped using the fan cooled engine in the Hawk?

there were 2 here in town. one was owned by a dude that liveds for dirtbikes and snowmobiles. he seemed to handle the thing very well when it was running. the other bike was owned by the snowhawk (yamaha and honda) dealer here in town. unfortunately, the dealer's hawk didn't get out too much. it had to be half scraped to keep the other machine on snow for most of the winter. stators and rings (600 HO) were the main culprits.

I thought it was still available,but if I buy one it will be used so it really doesn't matter if there still making them or not. Ronin,yeah thats the reason I'm a little leary about the 600 yet,ring troubles.I know the fan cooled cant be more than 70-80 horse but with its lightweight I think it may be comparable to say a 500 liquid in terms of HP to weight ratio?Thats what I would like to know....I just want a unique ride that will be somewhat trailable and get me to the real fun!

I haven't ridden one but I've seen maybe 50 people take turns riding it. Half of them fell off at one point or another. It looks very unstable, but it is unique and I'm sure it just takes some getting used to. However the rider who was doing the demonstration got on the sno-x course and did a couple of laps.He couldn't keep up with the sleds and he didn't get much air. It had everyones attention but those who tried it came away less impressed. It makes a great recreational vehicle but as far as a 250 miles day riding, I'd stick with the sled.

If I wanted to ride a motorcycle I'd buy a Dirt bike!!!! Those things look super clumsey.

I just sold my 600 ho sno hawk. It is a giant waist of money"$9000" if you dont live in the mountains. These things are meant for only one thing and thats alot of powder. They are very hard to ride on any trail when you come to any corner it takes the whole damn corner to turn and that doesnt work when there is on coming traffic. Plus if you ride on anything but powder it will overheat. I took mine back to the dealer three times on overheating problems. It would overheat about 5 miles into every ride on good condition trails. The dealer told me that the heat exchangers are to far away from the track for the snow on a trail to cool them down. If you got the fan cooled model it would be better, but it still is a real bitch to ride on the trails and the fan cooled is alot slower. Most dealers will let you test ride them, you should do that first. I bought mine last augest, it was one of those "got to have it things" that I should of test rode first. I will try and find a picture of what mine looked like.

I've never driven one but how was it on a lake or smooth flat trail??? Are they just too unstable at high speeds? Is it geared short?

I saw one way back when they first came out. He was coming at me on a trail and we were both going about 40. I almost crashed after he passed me because I had to turn my head to see what it was:wtf: ....

I sat on one, holy hell it seems heavy to me, and bulky, but thats all i've heard of them, seen on the trails too..

LeMoine's Motorsports in Negaunee Michigan (near Ishpeming) has had Snow Hawk demos in the past.

Website

Last winter I put on over 1500 hundred on the liquid and you can't get me back on 2 ski's :smilielol: I can't drive them anymore the sleds are like tanks . The Hawk is like a ghost in the trees , sleds can't follow and it's not because their narrower and it side hills forever without breaking a sweat , park it on a side of a mountain and when your done laughing at all the high marks that you just ran over you just twist the throttle and keep cutting the side of the mountain. Just about forgot the most important thing IT DOESN'T GET STUCK Sorry about shooting my mouth off . It takes saddle time but when it finally clicks the machine is a total thoroughbred. It's not a SNOWMOBILE!!

I agree with hawkster. I have not ridden in the mountains but here in Michigan trail riding it is AWESOME. The first 20 miles are rough to get use to, but after you get the hang of it man watch out. My buddy Neil is a dealer here in White Lake and Jay my ridding partner has the 04 600 H.O. It’s hard to keep up with him on the trail. He can make that thing fly in the air. Into towns to get gas is a bit of a trick but he key is Carbide. Keep an extra set in the tool box for trail ridding it seems the sharper they are the better. They do not ride like a sled at all, so if you sit or use your seat on your sled there not for you.