‘22 Ruffian Mtn Lite: ride & review Part 2

Powder riding in the ditches. Way fun!

[@skippythetownie3123]

I'm really liking these, looks like a blast.

[@thatalaskaguy]

In unpacked snow they are super fun. I really enjoy carving on one, it feels awesome! I’ll have some new videos on it in the near future.

[@skippythetownie3123]

@@thatalaskaguy They look it. I'm looking for something to play around New England on and these look perfect. I'll look forward to more videos and thank you for sharing!!

[@dualsportapocalypse]

That thing goes!! Love it!

[@thatalaskaguy]

It’s really fun and I’m hoping for more snow to ride it some more. It’s raining again and shrinking down the snowpack. We got rain last week which made for a good base but made everything hard and icy.

[@nateross14]

Put a 136 track on that Ruffian with a 50+ hp engine, and it will blow away any current Top of the line snowbike. Ruffian is on the right track design wise. They just need to get more power, more float, and also some high bars so you can stand upright and not riding a pitbike cockpit.

[@thatalaskaguy]

Funny you mention that. I’ve been thinking lately if it had a longer or maybe just wider track and a 340 or 488 fan cooled Fuji twin out of an old Indy, the bike would be very powerful and low maintenance. I like the low maintenance part and simple, reliable engine designs.

[@nateross14]

@@thatalaskaguy Yeah, you're thinking right! I've been considering building a snowbike with one of the old Artic Cat fan cooled 440's from a Jag which I totally agree with you on that route.

[@MrWoodnnails]

@That Alaska Guy bought a couple of these this year. Cool vids. Sent you an email with some q's. Thanks.

[@thatalaskaguy]

Thanks for letting me know! I’m pretty bad about checking that email account.

[@nateross14]

I build my own snowbikes. If I had one of these Ruffians, the first thing I would do is relocate the foot pegs at least 4-6" higher, and also raise the handle bars with super tall risers to be able to stand fully upright, and not be hunched over. I'm 6'3". This will 1) Get your feet up out of the snow safe away from hitting stumps and rocks 2)make the bike even more manuverable and feel a lot lighter due to increasing the handle bar leverage with the higher height. The new handle bar postion will be much further away from the center of mass of the machine (the engine) and therefore will lean side to side much easier.

[@thatalaskaguy]

This is the first snowbike I’ve ever owned so I have nothing to compare it to besides a SnoHawk I test rode 20 years ago. I am noticing the downsides to the lower foot pegs and ride height in certain snow conditions but remember, this is a mini snow bike. Lack of clearance is the same issue for mini bikes and smaller dirt bikes so that’s just the nature of the machine. The guy who builds these is almost as tall as you and they’ve got a 600cc machine in the works with a 36” seat height that’d likely address the items you mentioned. I personally bought this model because it had a low seat height as I don’t just strictly ride in fluffy powder snow up in the mountains. I don’t have enough experience on snow bikes to really comment on what’s better or worse as far as design philosophy. I have been really impressed at how stable this bike has been on hard, icy trails or going down my plowed, ice covered subdivision road to get to the trails as I can ride right from my house. I’d love to see some photos of your snow bikes. You can message them to me on Instagram @thatalaskaguy. Thanks!

[@nateross14]

@@thatalaskaguy Cool, yeah I've been following Ruffian on Instagram and looking forward to see what they reveal next. They're on the right track for sure. Yes they're mini bikes, bit that doesn't mean they need to be cramped. I prefer the seat height as low as I can get it without my legs being bent too uncomfortably low. Raising Both the pegs and handle bars isn't a huge issue, fairly easy to do on any machine. It's not until after you experience riding a dirtbike or snowbike with the proper height bars that you realize the night and day difference! Most riders are "Sitdown" riders and hence used to low bars. Once you ride a bike or snow bike with really high bars and get used to it, you'll become a stand up rider most of the time, not hunched over and be blown away with the performance and confidence and comfort improvements. It makes you a completely different rider in the best ways imaginable. I'll shoot you an IG DM.

[@thatalaskaguy]

@@nateross14 when I spoke with Derek before buying mine he said the ergos were the same as a Honda CRF150F. I can see where a tall guy would feel cramped. But I also feel way more confident being able to touch the ground and from the videos I’ve seen, getting on and off a dirt bike conversion snowbike in deep snow looks really awkward. For me, being lower to the ground makes me feel way more confident and in control when riding down hard, set up trails to get to fresh snow or when side hilling across a slope.

[@portnuefflyer]

I ordered the electric version last week. I also have a Sur Ron electric dirt bike, and think this will be similar: by the time the battery gets low, I'll be ready to quit anyway. I have mountain riding right out my front door here in Idaho, and have been riding a fat ebike with a front ski the last couple years, winter riding is a blast, the changing conditions make it challenging.

[@thatalaskaguy]

Right on! 😀👍 I’ll be really curious to hear how your experience goes with it. I considered it last spring but wasn’t totally sure if I’d like snow biking so I went with the less expensive gas model. I’m super excited about the wide spread electrification of powersports machines. My Onewheel was an eye opener to how maintenance free an electric vehicle could be. I’ve since bought two electric mini-bikes that have been fun to ride around. I love how quiet and low maintenance they are. I’ve been following Taiga’s electric snowmachine development but they don’t have any dealers in Alaska and I’d need to ride one first. It’s current range would work perfect for what I’d use it for. But I want to watch some real world reviews from regular guys that own them.

[@portnuefflyer]

@@thatalaskaguy Derek has used really top notch e components in the thing, and it will have lots of power just judging from the specs, and comparing them to what people are getting out of tracked Sur Rons with lesser power. I will be doing some videos of it in the mountains, a friend is a video pro so they will be a step above!

[@thatalaskaguy]

@@portnuefflyer that sounds awesome! Looking forward to watching your rides. 😀

[@samueldysart]

There are probably a bunch of gocart mods for that engine.

[@thatalaskaguy]

That’s what Derek at Ruffian told me. The ignition box it comes with can be changed by plugging in different wires and the chassis uses many common pit bike parts.

[@samueldysart]

Any new videos of it in deeper snow?

[@thatalaskaguy]

@@samueldysart sorry, not yet. I’ve not been doing much filming as we’ve not had many sunny days. We have received quite a bit of snow so I’ve have to do a lot of driveway clearing and shoveling.

[@Sergethedrummer]

Cool toy!

[@thatalaskaguy]

Yes! 👍 Once I got into deeper snow it totally lived up to my expectations.😀

[@ephenj]

What did they do cut the back off the daytona pit bike motor and get rid of the transmission and put a CVT on it? curious how it works. The transmissions in those Daytona engines were a weak link with not dampening or cogs in the sprockets to take up some hit's. Seen entire gears shredded on a pit bike can only imagine with a track. Would love to see a video of the technical stuff on it like carb set up cvt, etc. I would never go electric it makes zero sense especially on snow eats so much power you prolly ride like 10 mins and need a charge.

[@thatalaskaguy]

I’m not at all familiar with the differences in the pit bike motors. I remember Derek telling me it’s his own thing with the CVT. I’m waiting for my oil cooler to arrive so I can ride it again. The carb set up is really simple but snowdust can create icing problems. I’ve not hooked up the oil type carb heater. I don’t know how the electric versions do? I went with gas since it was cheaper and I didn’t want to deal with eventually having to replace the battery. The electric versions look to be a lot cleaner set up though.

[@justinfranks2103]

Watch out for that wind lol! That thing looks like fun. What’s the top speed roughly? Can you have someone else video you riding just to see how you fit on it? It looks small. Love the video keep it up!

[@thatalaskaguy]

Thanks! It’s good to hear when guys enjoy a video.😀 I’m not sure on the top speed but could check it with my phone. It’s not terribly fast, it reminds me of the Ski-Doo 300 Freestyle I used to have or a Tundra 2. Once we get more snow I’ll make another video showing it being ridden. Before I ordered it I asked the company about the size as I was concerned about that as well. They said the seat to bars is the same as a Honda CRF 150f and the clutch and gearing have been tuned for deep snow. They’ve got some videos of it being ridden on Facebook and the guy riding it is 6’ tall. In a future video I’ll park it next to a regular snowmachine to provide proper scale. It’s not tiny, but it is much lower than a dirt bike converted into a snowbike. That was a really big factor to me as I didn’t want to be as far off the ground like a dirt bike conversion. I always wondered how they remounted them in deep snow and found some videos of guys who fell off and it looked like a total pain in the ass. I plan on using this machine for mostly riding in the woods and tight terrain areas so being low will be of greater benefit (I think) for weaving through trees and under branches. I’m thinking being lower to the ground will make it easier to carve up side hills. This spring when I had it up on the pass, climbing hills felt very natural to me but was a different style of riding compared to a regular snowmachine.

[@justinfranks2103]

@@thatalaskaguy Definitely looks fun and I agree with you about the snow bikes. Looking forward to future videos stay safe think snow!

[@thatalaskaguy]

@@justinfranks2103 thanks! I’m hoping to be out riding it again soon as we’ve got snow in the forecast for this week. 😀

[@brycebott4457]

Right on! I’ve been on the fence about buying one the past couple of years and watched them since their inception. It looks like they’ve got it dialed in pretty well. My question is how does it do going uphill? Uphill in loose powder? Would you feel confident on a deeper powder day? Thanks! I’d love to chat with you about it on the phone or email if you have the time.

[@thatalaskaguy]

I’m actually not sure how it’ll do climbing uphill in loose powder? I’ve not yet had the snow conditions to try that unfortunately. Last May when I first got it I rode at the Pass (2,700’+) and it was able to side hill up steep climbs pretty well in set up, wet spring snow. The snow was rotten in places so the machine was wide open a lot but got around okay. I had fun riding it as it was a whole new experience. We got a ton of rain after I made this video so I’ve only got around 4” of snow covered with a sheet of ice. I’ve not ridden it for a few weeks now as the conditions aren’t fun. I did ride it in heavy, wet powder snow, after I made this video and the snow was so dense it kept trying to sweep my feet off the pegs. But it was only around 12” deep so not a great test either. I’m really curious to see how it’ll do in deep, unpacked snow. It’s limited on power so my expectations are quite conservative. Basically I’m expecting it to be a bit better in deep, unpacked snow than the Ski-Doo Freestyle 300 I used to have since powerwise they are kinda similar. I’m expecting it to be able to snake its way up hills better than the freestyle just because it’s more nimble and can ride a sidehill 1000 times better. My email is [e-mail] Thanks!

[@nateross14]

I'm experienced with this type of utility snowbike and built something similar. The current lineup of Ruffians are not really deep powder machines so to speak. Yes they will do ok of flat deepish powder, but they don't have the track length for float nor engine HP for any serious uphill deep powder. That being said, you can sidehill up deep powder if theres room to execute switch back turns. If you're used to riding snowmobiles, you'll be hugely dissapointed with the power and hill climbing capability. If you want something to tool around on this will be a fun little utility rig, but spendy for what it is at over $8k. I believe Ruffian is working on a 450cc or 600cc version which will have at least 50+ HP. Hopefully, they'll move up to a 136" track. Out East these super short tracks are fine, but for anyone wanting to ride powder out West or Up North, these little 190cc should have a 136 " track on them. My homebuilt snowbike has a Honda 13hp, 200cc engine and pushes the 136 track just fine so their more powerful engine can easily handle it and you really need the additional float, even it makes the machine a little slower. I'd contact Ruffian and ask them about a higher HP and longer 136 track option.

[@thatalaskaguy]

@@nateross14 for what I plan to use the bike for its really perfect for my application. There are guys in town that have had dirt bike conversions for years and they’ve never interested me. As for price, everything is expensive and I liked this was a purpose built snowbike and not a conversion. Ruffian’s customer service is fricking excellent. They do have a 600cc snowbike in the works. For my use just putting around in the woods and hills I’m very content with it. I had a good understanding of its limitations before I bought it and Ruffian was totally honest and upfront about the power and capabilities. It’s a unique machine that addresses a market niche that no one has even thought of before. It’s really fun to ride and I have been enjoying it.

[@_fredoo.m]

Hey, quick question. You did a video with a blue Yamaha Wolverine 350 about 2 years ago, could you please tell me what year it is?? I’m asking because I’m looking into buying one.

[@thatalaskaguy]

Mine is an ‘03 model. The 350 model was made from ‘95-‘05 and then they came out with the 450 in ‘06-‘10. The 350 is very light for a 4x4 quad at 485lbs dry. I hope you are able to get one. 👍

[@Dennis-rr4ye]

Think you could ride 2 up if you had to? And how much are you loving it ?

[@thatalaskaguy]

You could ride it 2-up if you needed to haul someone out of gentle terrain with packed snow. But if the snow was deep or big hills I don’t see that working out. It’s similar to a Ski-Doo tundra powerwise. I’ve only ridden it once since this video as it started raining and our snowpack shrunk way down, got crusty and everything else got icy. I’m hoping to ride it over this Thanksgiving break if we get the snow they have forecasted. The little bit I’ve been able to ride it I do really like it in the right snow conditions.

[@melgraeve5484]

Is there a dealer in Iowa?

[@thatalaskaguy]

Ruffian sells them direct from New Hampshire. Give them a call and talk with Derek. He’s the owner and can get you squared away.

[@suchasreallife]

Are they not doing the kits anymore so you can put a bigger motor in it ?

[@thatalaskaguy]

Mine is the 190 motor with the 212cc big bore kit. The way the chassis is built different types of engines could be installed using another flat motor mount plate. I’m not aware of any other motor options available from Ruffian though.

[@mudjerry]

dude u wanna sell it let me know, i live in kenai

[@thatalaskaguy]

Why not just order a new one? Derek’s been offering free shipping to Anchorage on these.

[@mudjerry]

@@thatalaskaguy o dang thats crazy! figured it would cost to ship. do u like the sit down style position? looks a little cramped, i usually stand a good amount on my snowmachine i was just curious. i really think they are onto something here the the cvt no shift bike. a little more power and upright position might be nice, what ya think?

[@thatalaskaguy]

@@mudjerry I do like that I can sit down and ride it like a dirt bike. I really like that the seat height is low and I can easily touch the ground. They made the ergos to be the same as a Honda CRF150 dirt bike. A tall guy with long limbs will likely feel cramped as it isn’t a full size machine. But, for what I bought it for, primarily riding around the woods and areas next to my house it’s been fine. You’ll want to talk with Derek at Ruffian about this model and what he’s working on. He’s got a new, full size snowbike in development but it also costs a lot more. The CVT, small size and low weight are the primary reasons I bought it. But, you have to be aware of the power. A 340 Indy Lite will smoke this Ruffian. It’s closer in power to a 300 Ski-doo Freestyle or a Tundra. But, because it doesn’t directly compare to a sled in handling or nimbleness, the 24hp isn’t too bad. You find yourself riding this in areas that aren’t fun on a sled but fun on this. I did a new video riding around with a Freestyle 300 that gives a better idea of the differences.

[@mudjerry]

@@thatalaskaguy good info man keep it up this is my new fav channel lol i do alot of ride in fishing here on the kenai and i think i could make my life a little easier with one of these

[@thatalaskaguy]

@@mudjerryThanks! The Ruffian is pretty nimble in the woods and fun to ride in tight areas. If where you’re wanting to go allows you to weave through tight trees or has a lot of side hills, those conditions are way easier to ride on this than a regular snowmachine. I continue to be blown away by how easy it is to sidehill!