Snow bike conversion system
OwnerAllen Manguminventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A snow bike system includes a motorcycle converted for use in the snow with a rear suspension and belt track system. The belt track is relatively very wide and driven by a front wheel sprocket through a jackshaft. Matching shocks and struts in the rear suspension independently equalize the pressure applied to the ground. The rear strut is a sliding extension type that causes the front of the sliders to kick up when fully compressed during acceleration or climbing uphill. Increased weight on the rear track is shifted forward to keep the front ski down. The jackshaft provides both disc braking and moves the motorcycle engine drive power outboard to accommodate the wider belt track. A tubular subframe and tunnel rigidly mounts to the motorcycle's original rear swing arm pivots and shock mounts.
Claims21
An apparatus comprising:
- a motorcycle frame supporting an engine for driving an endless track, wherein the motorcycle frame couples at a rear end to a rear suspension system;
- wherein the rear suspension system comprises:
- a subframe;
- a strut disposed between the subframe and the motorcycle frame that rigidly couples the subframe with the frame, such that the subframe is substantially fixed in relation to the motorcycle frame;
- a tunnel coupled with the subframe and comprising a plurality of upper rollers for supporting an upper portion of the endless track;
- a shock coupling a track slide to the tunnel, wherein the track slide comprises a plurality of lower rollers for supporting a lower portion of the endless track;
- and
- wherein the track slide, the shock, the plurality of upper rollers, and the plurality of lower rollers are disposed within the endless track.
A system comprising:
- a motorcycle frame supporting an engine for driving an endless track, wherein the motorcycle frame couples at a front end to a front suspension system, and couples at a rear end to a rear suspension system, the front suspension system comprising:
- a pair of shock absorbers coupled with the motorcycle frame at upper ends of the pair of shock absorbers;
- a steering ski disposed between the pair of shock absorbers at lower ends of the pair of shock absorbers;
- and
- wherein the rear suspension system comprises:
- a subframe;
- a strut disposed between the subframe and the motorcycle frame that rigidly couples the subframe with the motorcycle frame, such that the subframe is substantially fixed in relation to the motorcycle frame;
- a tunnel coupled with the subframe and comprising a plurality of upper rollers for supporting an upper portion of the endless track;
- a shock coupling a track slide to the tunnel, wherein the track slide comprises a plurality of lower rollers for supporting a lower portion of the endless track;
- and
- wherein the track slide, the shock, the plurality of upper rollers, and the plurality of lower rollers are disposed within the endless track.
A system comprising:
- a strut disposed between a motorcycle frame and a subframe, wherein the strut rigidly couples the subframe to the motorcycle frame such that the subframe is substantially fixed in relation to the motorcycle frame;
- a tunnel coupled with the subframe and comprising a plurality of upper rollers for supporting an upper portion of an endless track;
- a shock coupling a track slide to the tunnel, wherein the track slide comprises a plurality of lower rollers for supporting a lower portion of the endless track;
- and
- wherein the track slide, the shock, the plurality of upper rollers, and the plurality of lower rollers are disposed within the endless track.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.