Why would we hate you? At least here in the NW we have SEASONS. I can't afford a snowmobile but would if I could; I'm with Speedy, I will be tearing down my bike to clean, grease and tighten everything and freshen her up--new plastic, some new goodies like steel lines and new brakes. Plus I might try to buy a new snowboard this year. My old one is a 139--I was much shorter and short snowboards were way "in" back when I bought it new.
I saw my first snowmobile in action last weekend at Little Sahara. Thats right, a snowmobile at the sand dunes. I can't imagine that being good for it but it was fast. Every time I saw it parked the hood was off. I imagine to help it cool down. I know next to nothing about them. What kind of horsepower and how fast do they go. It's been a while since I read the test on Doug Henry's sled in an MX mag. That was a funny article, a bunch of Cali-MXer's testing a snow mobile.
I was working in MN once, and the fellas I was working with asked me what type of snowmobile was popular in my area. :think:
I had to honestly admit that I knew nobody that owned a snowmobile, nor had I ever been up close to one in my life.
They found that to be quite odd.
They also found it quite funny that I didn't know what the little flags on all of the fire hydrants were for either. :)
I live just below the snow line...it might snow 2 ft. or it may not snow all winter where we live.
I'd sure like to give one of those beasts a try sometime though.
the coolest thing about a sled, Jaybird, is that the drive belt requires minimal lubrication (although you could if you really wanted I suppose) and the only chain is enclosed in a chain case, so the lube is sealed in. Unless you try to play "submarine" (been there done that)
Snowmobiles range in power...there likes bikes...xr compared to a yzf etc. Yamaha makes an RX-1, snowmobile, which is an engine from a YZF R1 (street bike) and produces about 142 hp stock. You can put a turbocharger on it and that will bring it up to about 175 hp. Put dual turbos and get it around 300 hp.
I ride snowmobiles/snowmachines usually from October through May. This year we still don't have any snow and temps are in the 40's. Great thing about snowmachines? I don't have to wash my toy for half the year!
Jaybird, go ahead and lube that belt . . . see what happens!
Motometal, do you guys race watercross? That's pretty funny . . . got a friend who swears he can outrun a jet ski and another who pulled a wakeboarder behind his.
And I'm not real convinced about the RX-1--yeah, the hp numbers are high, but it also weighs a ton. Don't see many around here where we have MOUNTAINS to climb. The guys around here run 925s and 1085s, some with nitrous, some with turbos.
While all my good snowmobile friends are Polaris addicts if I were to buy one it would be one of those new Ski-Doo Revs--those look way cool! Just a trail/SX sled though, doesn't look like much of a mountain machine. No good way to put a long track on it.
Those new REV's are neat and all that, but you better wear your MX boots and some VERY good knee pads. The backside of the body will beat your shins and knees to a bloody pulp in a short amount of time. I took a demo ride, in the grass no less, and came back with bruised shins. I'd hate to see what a full day of ditch banging would do to me. :eek:
My friends dad owns a sled shop and builds big-bore kits for snowmobiles and just finished a 1400cc thundercat. I thought his thundercat was fast before he started. He also has a arctic cat 600 that is now an 800. And i have my beast of a sled Grand-Touring 580
LOL...Firecracker, I've never even been close to one of those belts! I'd be trying to fit it up to a conveyor system if I ever did come across one.
"Chains...ah sed Chains" [Foghorn Leghorn voice off]
:)
Can you sit on your couch and not fall off? :p There's not that much too it, don't try to put your foot down! Otherwise, the leaning and such will come to you naturally. After all, dirt bikers can ride anything!!!! :)
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