custom 1979 yamaha HL500 NLO snow utility bike

the custom 1979 yamaha ‘HL500’ snowbike by husky restorations is made for gliding through arctic landscapes, snow-covered cities and military operations. commisioned by luxury eyewear company, northern lights optic, it essentially fuses the snowmobile with a motorcycle to create a nimble, versatile personal snow vehicle.

before: yamaha HL 500 motorcycle
image © husky restorations

when orion anthony, founder of northern lights optic – a company that focusses on designs directly influenced from the classic days of mountaineering – decided he wanted to commission the snow utility vehicle, the first call he made was to rob phillips of husky restorations: a man with a reputation for building literally anything on two wheels. orion has chosen something more timeless for the snow bike’s aesthetic, with the classic combination of black and silver.

after: yamaha HL500 NLO snow utility bike
image © alex strohl

anthony settled on the classic yamaha ‘XT500 engine’, a single cylinder, air-cooled engine that has won both the 1977 500 cc motocross world championship, the paris–dakar rally. the engine is now fitted with a megacycle CAM and heavy duty valve springs to slightly boost the horsepower. for handling additional loads caused by riding in deep snow, a new pair of tough 43 mm YZ forks have been fitted. the fuel tank and seat are donated from a 1976 yamaha ‘YZ125’, with a few modifications required to fit the custom timbersled track and ski kit – assisted by route 99 motorsports.    image © alex strohl

image © husky restorations

image © alex strohl