Honda Pilot Gets Radical 140 HP Upgrade with 800cc Snowmobile Engine Swap

Before side-by-sides from Polaris, Can-Am, and Kawasaki dominated with sports car-level horsepower, Honda introduced the Pilot—a single-seater all-terrain buggy that blended the thrill of a go-kart with off-road capability. Originally equipped with a 397cc two-stroke engine, these machines became legends among off-road enthusiasts.

Now, one of these iconic rigs has undergone a radical transformation. Owner Corey Kruse of CK Powersports in Lincoln, Nebraska, has swapped the original engine for an 800cc powerplant sourced from a Skidoo snowmobile. This isn’t Kruse’s first Skidoo-powered Pilot—he previously built a 670cc version that caught the attention of comedian and car enthusiast Dax Shepard, who commissioned a custom build of his own.

Kruse shared the story behind the project in a recent conversation:

“I actually just posted a compilation video, where it was kind of wet out and I was drifting through the parking lot at the shop, and then there was another video of it popping a wheelie on the pavement.”

“Build me one.”

Work on the project began around October 2025, and after approximately seven months—largely due to parts availability delays—the machine is now fully operational. The niche nature of snowmobile-swapped Honda Pilots means sourcing parts is challenging, as Kruse explained:

“It had the snowmobile pipe on it that was just welded horribly, and then it had, like, a Flowmaster muffler welded to the tip of it.”

Kruse overhauled the exhaust system, replaced the gas tank, radiator, and exhaust pipe, and used a kit from Farr Off-Road to ensure proper fitment. Despite doubling the displacement from the original 397cc to 800cc, the engine is only about 20 pounds heavier than stock. With the larger fuel tank and radiator, Kruse estimates the total weight of the Pilot at around 700 pounds—a featherweight for the 140 horsepower it now produces. For context, the original two-stroke Pilot made roughly 40 HP.

The increased power demanded upgrades to handle the performance. While the article mentions “long-travel” suspension improvements, further details were not provided in the original source.