Derek Hine of Palo Alto, California, applies for a patent for his "Kit for converting a conventional motorcycle into snowmobile."
From Brunswick, Maine to Duluth, Minnesota to Malmo, Sweden, bikers have been searching for a way to make a beer run in February when the old lady (or old man, to be fair) has the truck while outside a foot of snow has covered the path to the closest liquor store. Search no more! Grab some wrenches and a bottle opener!
Mr. Hine's conversion kit is quick and easy. Attaches to any conventional motorcycle frame and power plant from your neighbor's 50cc Honda Cub to your 110" Harley shovelhead.
''The conversion kit includes a drive track assembly and steering ski unit attachable to the conventional frame and forks of a motorcycle from which the wheels have been removed. The drive track assembly includes a rigid tubular steel frame on which are suitably journaled two sets of drive track sprockets adapted to engage a pair of continuous twin tracks.
A drive mechanism is secured to the track frame and operatively engages one set of sprockets with primary source of power to effectively drive the endless tracks over the surface of the snow. A bike frame mounting beam is mounted on the track frame for controlled pivotal movement about a generally longitudinally extending lean axis inclined to intercept the surface of the snow ahead of the track assembly. Torsion bar means are provided associated with the mounting beam to resiliently control leaning movement of the motor frame in relation to the track frame. Means are also provided in one aspect of the torsion bar means to adjust the effective length of the torsion bar to increase or decrease the force required to be applied to lean the motor frame in relation to the track assembly. Increased stability and maneuverability of the snowmobile is provided by arranging the ski unit in relation to the fork structure so that the steering axis intersects the lean axis at the surface of the snow on which the snowmobile is to operate."
Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). www.nabd.org.uk
