Snowmobiles??

B06Tang

B06Tang

Cafe Racer
We just got finished to a part of the world that snows HEAVILY! I guess I am trying to make lemonade with the lemons I am stuck with but I am thinking about adopting by looking into some snowmobiles but I know very little about them...I have ridden one quite a few years ago and that about wraps up my experience with them. Any snowmobilers in here? Any suggestion/advice willing to share on what to look for/not to look for? I'm just looking to take my little boy out with me and have some fun...I'm not looking to get hardcore with this but want something good so that we turn this into an every season type of thing. Thanks for the help.
 
ivar

ivar

TT Racer
I live in the arctic,our snowmobile season is longer than biking season. So I got several sleds, all Polaris, 5-12 years old. They're much like the Bonnie, carbed,simple to maintain and work on, and parts readily available.
The newer stuff from all manufacturers are pretty much all EFI, and much harder to work on as everything is jammed together and hard to get at.

So I'd recommernd something like a 2005 Polaris classic touring, a 2up with a carbed 600 2-stroke, liquid cooled and about 115HP

There's also fan cooled 500-550 machines, but these are 55-60hp and IMO not quite as reliable as they once were - back in the 80-90's these machines was pretty much stone axe reliable engine-wise

What to ultimately choose would depend on how much you want to spend, how much of your own work you want to do , and what yosu got for dealers in your area.
 
B06Tang

B06Tang

Cafe Racer
Thanks for the response Ivar. I will be returning to NY when I leave out of here and will most likely go the used route. I have heard Polaris make really nice sleds and will probably hunt around for something like that. It's funny, that is pretty much what I did with my Bonnie a couple of years ago...hunted around and got a carb'd bike so I can work on her myself.

I would be surprised if there was a dealership problem where I am from in NY but who knows...it has been quite a few years since I have been back. Thanks for the input though...I appreciate it.
 
ivar

ivar

TT Racer
check out my fav sledding site, www.hardcoresledder.com , a great forum for learning about sleds. Also classifieds etc.

here's my main sled for the last 8 years, a 02 Polaris XC800, with some mods here&there. Its due for retirement now, as the chassis is starting to fall apart.
DSC_0198.JPG
 
B06Tang

B06Tang

Cafe Racer
Very cool! I am tired of being grumpy during the winter and will definitely be getting a sled. I need to hold off for a little while longer though as I'm military stationed overseas and this isn't an option but I am definitely getting one when I return home. Do you use heated gear when you go sledding? I have EXO heated gloves and vest that are fantastic products...I rode year round when I was in England no matter what the temperature was because of my EXO equipment. I'm thinking I can use that as well on the sled right? Thanks for the link...I have that puppy stored in my bookmarks :D
 
ivar

ivar

TT Racer
only 280 watts of output on those older sleds. Newer sleds with EFI have double that.

heated grips is standard on all sleds, I'm not aware of any around here that uses heated gloves etc. But heated visors is used by some. It can get seriously cold up here in the far north, so good gear is mantatory. Got mostly Reima/Scott stuff + a Klim jacket.

Before I moved up here, I lived on the coast - the winters were just rain/sleet/ice - and some storms in between for good measure. Here I'm now, people looks forward to winter - because of the snowmobiles allowing us to get out and enjoy the nature.

http://www.youtube.com/user/torgeirp#p/u/12/L9mQtfAtOgU
 
B06Tang

B06Tang

Cafe Racer
Holy shit dude...I don't think I will want to go sledding with the polar bears!:lol: Very cool video though...I could see where this would be a blast to do and make me look forward to the white stuff coming rather than dreading it.
 
B06Tang

B06Tang

Cafe Racer
Hey KoF, how is the sledding back in NY? I will be returning to the Hudson Valley when I am all done in a couple of years and that is where I am looking to do this. I know growing up there were great places to go but I haven't been back in almost 19 years now.
 
K

KingOfFleece

Street Tracker
It's good-you'll need a trailer to chase the snow. Stay away from any popular riding area on the weekends. Tues-Wed-Thurs are best.
 
K

KingOfFleece

Street Tracker
Some. I own the SplitWeight(tm) brand and concept-we do plenty of design and testing for RUO. WWW.kingoffleece.com if you wanna see.
BTW-the thong is a GREAT gift-free install with every purchase!

We also put other RUO products thru the "testing mill" and report back to the owner on all of our findings. The base layers (I have no connection to that product line) is REALLY good stuff. Some of mine is 5 seasons old and still in great shape.
 
B06Tang

B06Tang

Cafe Racer
Hey KoF...I checked out your website and will be putting in an order; looks like some really good stuff and will be great for the cold weather of northern Japan!
 
jhillier71

jhillier71

Street Tracker
I grew up riding Ski-doos (the original), Arctic Cats and Yamaha's. Friends of mine run a company called ArcticKingdom.com. Those guys will ride mostly Polaris (it seems). I've always been partial to Ski-doo. My father and brother favour thier Arctic Cats but to each their own.


There are many, many flavours of sleds-like bikes. Figure out what you will be doing (deep powder in the mountains, 2-up touring, racing, etc., etc...) and talk to a dealer or two, or three.
 
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