These Kits Used to Turn Snowmobiles Into ATVs, And We Should Bring Them Back

Everyone wants a do-it-all machine, but few are as single-use as a snowmobile. Well, back in the day, these ATV conversion kits would allow your sled to go anywhere, any time, no matter if there was snow or not.

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By: Jonathon Klein

May 8, at 9:27am ET

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Snowmobiles are hellaciously good fun. And in recent years, they've become some of the most capable machines on the planet, able to tackle whatever the deep backcountry powder can throw at them. But in today's economy, where every dollar is stretched that much thinner, a one-hit-wonder, even one as dope as a snowmobile, isn't always the best investment of our hard-earned money.

Why am I saying this? Because once the snow is gone, your snowmobile is stranded, sitting in your garage or shed, collecting dust, and waiting for the first big snowstorm of the year to hit...6 months from now.

But once upon a time, there was a way to stretch the use of your snowmobile. There was a way to extend its use case. There was a way to hear its awesome two-stroke high-pitched scream well into the spring and summer riding seasons. And it all came as a kit that you could use yourself in the comfort of your own garage.

It was called the Wunder Wheels trike kit, and it swapped your snowmobile into a three-wheeled ATV once all the snow was melted. And you know what? It's time to bring these back.

Dug up by our friends over at The Drive, the Wunder Wheels kit was basically a three-wheeled frame that hooked up right to your snowmobile. All you had to do was drop the rear track and the front skis and, with a few nuts and bolts swapped over, have yourself a trike ATV that you could use when the snow receded.

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According to the site, "Wunder Wheels was the product of Forward Ideas Limited, a Canadian company founded in 1968 by Andry Balazs. According to a period newspaper article posted in the Facebook group, Balazs wanted to hire an inventor to make something cool. The inventor was Brit Donald Sessions, and what he came up with was a steel frame that could slide under a snowmobile, with steering gear for two front wheels and a drive sprocket for the single rear wheel."

Honestly, it makes sense that the Canadians would be behind this, as they're some pretty practical people, but they also use their snowmobiles far more than anyone else, given where they live.

And while many will point to the fact that today's modern ATVs have made these conversions obsolete, I'll point out that no one can afford anything these days, and having one machine that you can swap between summer and winter fun makes for a far more palatable proposition. Imagine if you could pick up a new Ski-Doo or Polaris and a conversion kit like the one above with today's machines? Imagine turbo two-stroke ATVs!

Polaris. Ski-Doo. Call me. I have a dope business plan.