In a shocking development a few hours before Polaris is set to publicly launch its 2026 snowmobile lineup, the corporation announced it is discontinuing its Timbersled snow bike conversion kits.
Polaris purchased the Idaho-based Timbersled company in 2015 and made it a high priority for several years when talking to both off-road and snowmobile media. Just a couple of years ago, Polaris officials were describing snow bikes as “the fastest growing segment within the powersports market,” and the brand was regularly making rather big annual updates to the product line.
But in an announcement that was unveiled at 1:20 p.m. central time today, March 5, the company now said “we no longer see a long-term path for growth within this niche snow bike kit market.”
The snow bike/snow bike conversation segment certainly was a darling in powersports a few short years ago. Snow bike racing was found at X Games and on the national snocross tour, rental operations were being established, motocross stars were helping to build the hype and sales boomed.
In addition, many mountain riders we know raved about how easily they could hold a line on a snow bike when on a steep hillside. Some worried that snowmobilers would dump their sleds in favor of snowbikes, but Polaris/Timbersled officials predicted that snowbikes would be an entry point for off-road riders into snow sports, and those riders may someday buy sleds.
Also in 2015, Arctic Cat’s showed off an SVX 450 complete snow bike it was developing based on a Sherco dirt bike at Haydays. That created a huge stir at the event. Plus, rumors were flying everywhere that Yamaha and BRP (and possibly Kawasaki and Suzuki, among others) were very interested in the snow bike market and were developing product.
The buzz over snowbikes has seemed to cool the last couple of years, but the move by Polaris to kill Timbersled is nothing short of stunning due to the monstrous hole it leaves in the once-hot market. There are a couple of smallish, low-volume brands that remain in the snow bike market, but Timbersled was that industry’s 8,000-pound gorilla, so-to-speak.
Here’s the full release from Polaris (below).
“This afternoon we will announce our decision to stop selling Timbersled snow bike kits at the end of 2025. We are not launching a MY26 Timbersled lineup and have discontinued Timbersled production moving forward.
“We are committed to supporting our Timbersled dealers and customers. I mentioned that we will continue to work with our dealers to continue to sell Timbersled kits this year. Timbersled kits purchased this year will receive one-year warranty. We will continue to carry service and warranty parts and will continue to operate a customer and dealer service line for product support.
“This was a difficult decision. Timbersled is a great brand, and we are proud of the product advancements we have brought to the snow bike market. Since acquiring Timbersled in 2015, Polaris has invested millions of dollars in product engineering, design, technology, and efforts to bring the sport of snow biking to the next level of popularity. However, the market has struggled over the last several years, and we no longer see a long-term path for growth within this niche snow bike kit market.
“As we looked at the future of Polaris’ snow business, we are investing our resources in accelerating our core business of dedicated snowmobile products. We have been in the snowmobile business for more than 70 years. While the last several years have been tough for the industry, we believe in the long-term future of snowmobiling and are excited about the strong product innovation we have in the pipeline.”
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Confusing market. First it was meant for on trail and race track riding, then it moved to mountain riding. logically financially it makes sense to have a bike and use it year round but it does not handle like a bike on dirt on snow. Too bad but never saw any in my area riding.
Lol I would 2 ger rid of. As for arctic cat they were just copy cats never wasted a cent on 1. Can’t even make own engine copied all suspension and looks from ski doo and Polaris .yet arctic people are anal like apple and say everyone copied them. Steve Jobs dead u apple tards.
I read that as ‘not enough profit in Timbersled’. Seems like Polaris would take any profit they can get with the power sports industry in the dire situation it is in. There are a few in our area, but not many. Sleds are $20K and you can ride them 3-4 months a year. Don’t know the price of a bike and a kit but probably close to $20K, but you can ride all year. Seems like there is a huge market there. Very strange announcement. Maybe due to tariffs? If so bring the production back to the USA.
They are built designed and manufactured in sandpoint Idaho. Glad to see the blind ignorance is still be disguised as patriotism in America. Your country is in trillions of dollars of debt. So you can’t afford to build infrastructure for the plants needed. Plus the auto pack of north America has been in place since the 60’s you think your president can change that. The guy filed for bankruptcy like 3 times. & then became a felon to get it back. All facts not hate. I love my informed/ educated southern neighbors 😄
There made in the US
Look! Polaris bought up a company and drilled it to the ground.
You tried to force stocking orders, he raised the retail drastically, you came out with a timber sled oil for a dirt bike and you guys don’t even make dirt bikes. At the end of the day a motocross bikes price tag 10k… And is riding. Sno guys were the only ones that wants to spend 20k and rip up a top end. Polaris is a garbage company.
And it hike and dirt hike setup to run a timber sled are two different things. You need a big engine and you need many modifications to turn the bike bike into a sled…bikes don’t like to be covered in snow ice slush and big snowmobile tracks don’t do well with shifting gears… so without a cvt clutch the big tracks struggle… squeeze in clutch the track likes to bog and come to a stop… shift gears, now you are starting a jig track in snow from a dead stop in 3rd gear… it just doesn’t work out well. I live in Sandpoint Idaho which is the spawn point of timber sled… plenty of them around here but at the end of the day with no cvt they were not snow machines.
Polaris needs to bring back machines people can afford and not finance toys with 7 year loans only be outdated two seasons later… 1000cc and turbos I mean who can afford a 20k sled or rzr? It’s silly. They are their own worst enemy. I was a Polaris stock owner but sold a couple years back… focus Polaris, focus
I’ve never ridden a snow bike/ Timbersled, but I do have a set of tracks for our Honda Rubicon 550 with foot shift.
It is a capable work setup, and with the auto clutch, shifts are less critical than a dirt bike- But it is still painfully obvious why real snow machines use a CVT. With so much traction and little rolling momentum, you have to shift perfectly, or gear changes can be very harsh.
The freezing slush problem is also no joke. Ice breaks plastics and rubber parts.
Another major issue is that switching tracks and wheels every season is an ordeal. Even for a competent home mechanic, it gets old quickly.
These Timbersled setups are also the 80% the cost of a basic snowmobile… and you still have this clunky track mechanism that you have to store all summer long. It doesn’t make any practical or financial sense unless you have a very specific reason to ride a snow bike.
I just built a snow bike with the ’25 Timbersled RIOT 3 Pro with a tuned ’24 KTM 500, and I have no regrets, especially now knowing that I most likely have the last year made. I love snowmobiling, but after riding a snow bike Timbersled, there is nothing quite like it. Polaris had a great thing going here and the market for these is growing fast. I believe the intellectual property Polaris owns and know-how from their people are quite valuable, and I sincerely hope that an investor hops in, buys that part of the Polaris business, and keeps this going.
Good points Harrison. If I could somehow let you take my Snow bike Timbersled out for a day, if you love motorcycles, you may just think it’s the most fun you’ve had on anything with a motor. You’re correct that changing from tracks to wheels and back is a pain. I opted to keep mine permanently as a snow bike. As for cost, I paid full price for the Timbersled, but took advantage of the KTM deals associated with their bankruptcy, so I got over $5k off MSRP, so it made sense to me. It would cost me another $8k to get the RMK 9R or 850 boost. Cheers and happy adventuring to you!
There’s no comparison between a snowbike and a snowmobile….kind of like comparing Tennis to Badminton! Anyone that has never ridden a snowbike shouldn’t comment about anything snowbike because unless you have ridden one and is not over 250lbs while riding, you have zero idea what it’s like. A snowmobile 100% cannot go where a snowbike can go and ANYONE that has the stability to walk can ride one.
I have a 2020 riot 120 Timbersled kit on my YZ 450. I trail ride dirt bikes and used to snowmobile but ride a Timbersled now. It is easily the most fun thing I’ve ever done. Plus nobody wants to pay $20k for a sled. Polaris price gouged themselves out of the market, idiots. You can get a used riot kit for $3k now and on a bike you already own it’s a no brainer. If anything Polaris needs to develop a fuel injected, turbo 500 two stroke to slap in these bikes and they would sell out in a hurry. I snow bikes a yz 250 2 stroke for 2 years and loved it. Two strokes and snow go together.
I never rode one, but I have to admit videos I have seen of them in the deep snow it sure looked like fun and I was very impressed with their capabilities. Rarely do I see one here in flatlander country. I may be way off base but are they even legal on MN trails??
Why is Polaris eliminating products that are very reliable like TimberSled and Victory bikes but keeping products that have many issues and recalls like sleds and SxS?