Anyone snowmobile?

[MN-Mark]

Too cold to camp in Minneasota but that’s why we have winter toys. We just got 10-12 inches of snow not to far from us so we are getting the snowmobiles out for a test run tomorrow. In two weeks we will be going to northern MN, Rainy Lake area (the other side of the lake is Canada) for a few days of riding. Then a week after that another snowmobile trip. Can’t wait until camping season arrives but until then always hoping for more snow!

Any other snowmobilers in our GD family’s?

Mark

 

[bertschb]

We snowmobiled for years before we retired. Once we retired, we had no further use for them because we head south for the winter. So, we sold them. Kind of sad to do that but the reality is we won't be home during the winter any more.

 

[Rob&Vicki]

2011 Polaris RMK Pro 800 and a 2007 Polaris 700 Dragon.
That 800 pro is one of the funnest machines I have ever rode. I'm sure the new ones are even better. Need to go riding! Snow is getting deep now and we have a pretty good base, just need to get them out.

 

[Phansen404]

We snowmobile when there's enough snow. We usually have to trailer for a couple hours just to get rideable snow.

 

[FT4NOW]

Not a snow mobiler yet, but I love riding motorcycles and ATVs. We are moving to Idaho around summer time and am hoping to be able to get into snow mobiles out there.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[DougW9876]

Bought my first snowmobile when I was 16 years old, it was a John Deere 400. Whenever I lived where there was snow have had one until a couple of years ago. I was also one who did trail work and put up and took down the trail signs and was groomer operator for about 20 years. Over the years I rode mostly from the house but did take vacation trips to NY's Tug Hill, Wyomings Greene River area and to Heber UT. Arthritis in my back and hips finally made riding too painful so I gave up the snowmobiles. Now that I have retired we are snowbirding so not doing anything with them now.

 

[jasonl78]

Snowmobiling was one of my favorite things to do growing up! A good day was getting about 200 miles on. When I graduated from college I told myself I was going to be one of those guys/gals that bought a new sled every 2 years. I bought a. 2000 Polaris 600 RMK. Yes I wanted a "mountain " sled for riding trails here in MN. I took it out west twice. Sled ran like crap even though it had ACCS. It was a decent time but I realized that the mountains were no place for me. 2 years after I bought the RMK, I bought a Pro X 440 fan to have for a fun little trail sled. It was nothing but problems. Had many dealers work it fix it. It was such a finicky sled. I never bought another sled after that. I got rid of the Pro X but still have the RMK. MN winters have sucked here seemingly for the last few years. I only use the sled for pulling the kids around of heading out to the lake to ice fish. The DW doesn't care to ride and the kids are too young yet to go so I only manage about 20 miles a year. I always look at new ones every March but there's no way I'm spending $13k on something I drive 20 miles a year!

 

[Rob&Vicki]

Snowmobiling was one of my favorite things to do growing up! A good day was getting about 200 miles on. When I graduated from college I told myself I was going to be one of those guys/gals that bought a new sled every 2 years. I bought a. 2000 Polaris 600 RMK. Yes I wanted a "mountain " sled for riding trails here in MN. I took it out west twice. Sled ran like crap even though it had ACCS. It was a decent time but I realized that the mountains were no place for me. 2 years after I bought the RMK, I bought a Pro X 440 fan to have for a fun little trail sled. It was nothing but problems. Had many dealers work it fix it. It was such a finicky sled. I never bought another sled after that. I got rid of the Pro X but still have the RMK. MN winters have sucked here seemingly for the last few years. I only use the sled for pulling the kids around of heading out to the lake to ice fish. The DW doesn't care to ride and the kids are too young yet to go so I only manage about 20 miles a year. I always look at new ones every March but there's no way I'm spending $13k on something I drive 20 miles a year!

I had a 2000 700 RMK ACCS also, didn't work very well. I took it off and jetted it for the altitude, ran much better. But for you going from low altitude to high to ride would require changing jets all the time. Real pain. We also had a 340 fan that was finicky. Cold seized once and after that never ran right,even after rebuilding the motor. Best thing that ever happened was going to fuel injection on these sleds, no messing with jetting. Our usual day of riding is around 60 to 80 miles but most of that is off road in the boondocks and by that time our fuel is getting low, not to mention tired out!

 

[D2Reid]

Not true snow mobilers, we rent once in a while, not the same as owning.

 

[Oldsledz]

I have been snowmobiling most of my life. Now that I am nearing 60 I have found and built old Bombardier snow coaches and now I just warm the rig up, hang my coat on the coat hook and go for a ride.

 

[Chiefblueman]

View attachment 17285 I have been snowmobiling most of my life. Now that I am nearing 60 I have found and built old Bombardier snow coaches and now I just warm the rig up, hang my coat on the coat hook and go for a ride.

Now those are my kind of snow machine! The one with the porthole windows is so cool I want one just to have it. What powers coaches like this?

I've snowmobiled a couple times on borrowed sleds, lots of fun. We were racing back to the truck on a packed surface, had 'er set up in a nice slide around a corner at about 40 mph, about to pass my buddy when he brake checked me. I tapped the brake and crashed so hard it knocked the track off and destroyed the cowl. Had to drag it back to the truck. He brake checked me on purpose and it was his sled, so he let me off the hook. Sure was a fun day, though.

 

[Oldsledz]

From left to right, 1940 Bombardier B-7 (7 passenger) with the original flat head Ford V-8 and 3 speed on the column, 1949 Bombardier B-12 (was 12 passenger but I made it into a truck) Late model 300 Ford 6 cyl and automatic trans, 1948 Bombardier B-12 (12 passenger) with the original flat head 6 Chrysler and 3 speed on the column, 1973 Bombardier R-18 (18 passenger) with original Chrysler 318 V-8 and 3 speed on the column.

 

[Chiefblueman]

From left to right, 1940 Bombardier B-7 (7 passenger) with the original flat head Ford V-8 and 3 speed on the column, 1949 Bombardier B-12 (was 12 passenger but I made it into a truck) Late model 300 Ford 6 cyl and automatic trans, 1948 Bombardier B-12 (12 passenger) with the original flat head 6 Chrysler and 3 speed on the column, 1973 Bombardier R-18 (18 passenger) with original Chrysler 318 V-8 and 3 speed on the column.

I have hands on experience with the Ford and Chrysler flatheads, especially the Ford. Here's a pic of one I built.

Aw Geez, sorry about the upside down pic.

Might be worth a trip to Maine just to see about a ride!

 

[Oldsledz]

Nice flat head. They sound so good. Here is the flat head in the 1940 Bombardier

 

[MN-Mark]

I'v ridden in some of those old Bombers ice fishing on Lake of the Woods. Not nearly as nice as yours though.

This is from Lake Kabetogama a few years back.

 

[Canyonlight]

View attachment 17285 I have been snowmobiling most of my life. Now that I am nearing 60 I have found and built old Bombardier snow coaches and now I just warm the rig up, hang my coat on the coat hook and go for a ride.

That is one very cool picture......very nice !

Dan

 

[Cate&Rob]

View attachment 17285 I have been snowmobiling most of my life. Now that I am nearing 60 I have found and built old Bombardier snow coaches and now I just warm the rig up, hang my coat on the coat hook and go for a ride.

Oldsledz - Those are amazing! Their original powertrains are even more amazing!!

Thanks for sharing.
Rob

 

[Chiefblueman]

Nice flat head. They sound so good. Here is the flat head in the 1940 BombardierView attachment 17289View attachment 17290

Oldsledz, that's beautiful!

 

[Canyonlight]

Too cold to camp in Minneasota but that’s why we have winter toys. We just got 10-12 inches of snow not to far from us so we are getting the snowmobiles out for a test run tomorrow. In two weeks we will be going to northern MN, Rainy Lake area (the other side of the lake is Canada) for a few days of riding. Then a week after that another snowmobile trip. Can’t wait until camping season arrives but until then always hoping for more snow!

Any other snowmobilers in our GD family’s?

Mark

Mark - at the outset, I apologize for sharing my history (don't currently own and ride) but this thread has "old' memories for me as I used to both ride and race. Here are some vintage moments.

My brother and I started riding on family friends Arctic Cat Puma and Panther back in he late 60s. Recall riding a rancher friend's Polaris TX in the late 60s too. Also rode other friends mustard sleds over a year and my brother's Panther in my first oval race at age 14 as I recall. I bought my first AC El Tigre 400 the next year as a Sophomore in HS to race in a Cross Country event and in other local and regional oval events. Did quite well.

Got more serious buying a Yamaha GPX 338 and then 2 SRX 340s over 3 seasons to race the circuit in USSA oval ice races in the plains and Midwest Division and in a local cross country event. All three sleds won and placed in the top 3 in many local, regional, and circuit events over 4 years. The SRXs in particular were stout racing sleds and we did very well !

Notable top events back the day were the Dayco Holiday Spectacular, Alexandria, MN; International Falls, MN; St Paul. MN Fairgrounds, and then invited to Eagle River, WI for the World Championships. In my best year at Eagle River, after winning my heat, quarter and semi events, was leading the final on lap 3 and pulling away when my clutch blew up going into the corner at about 80 MPH. Yup that was interesting. Still a great year finishing in the top 10 in points out of several hundred racers in the Midwest Division. The early to mid 70s and early to mid 80s were incredible for serious amateur, professional, and factory oval ice racing.

Got serious with work and girlfriend (now wife) Carol after college. Sold last SRX and racing Yamaha YZ motorcycle to buy baby room stuff.

Road sleds a few times over next several years the last time being about two decades ago in the Black Hills trail system and meadows. Going to do it again next month but now with our daughter and SIL riding sleds rather than riding double with mom and dad. Looking forward to it !

Dan

 

[MN-Mark]

Wow Dan, sounds like you were really into it at one time. I bought a couple sleds when my boys were young. They would always get their homework done right after school so we could ride when I got home from work. Seems like we always had more snow then. We would ride to a hamburger place, eat, and ride home. About a 50 mile round trip and they would be back home in bed by 10. Did this a couple times a week for most of the winter a lot of years. The boys are out on their own now but I still ride locally as much as possible when there is snow. Looks like this winter might be another bust around the Twin Cities though.

I have never snowmobiled in the Back Hills but would love to do it sometime. I have ridden some of the trails in a SxS and could stop thinking how much fun they would be on a sled.

Mark