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More trouble in snowmobile land
- Thread starter TK4
- Start date
Did we even have a real winter last year? IIRC we had a few very cold / snowy days.
But overall...I remember it quite mildly. I think I used the snowblower maybe 1-2 times...if that.
But overall...I remember it quite mildly. I think I used the snowblower maybe 1-2 times...if that.
Lots of rain last winter.
The guys around me that have sleds were used to driving north for better snow but last year went to wawa and there was still mud. I think most of the sleds have been sold. Those that had two sleds went to one. About half the people with one sled sold and don't plan on getting another.
If this fall is any indication...there won't be a winter this year and motorcycling will be possible in Dec/Jan/Feb for a handful of brave souls (not me).
Forecast says La Nina and lots of snow. Who knows. The people that sold sleds bought dirtbikes or four wheelers. They are shocked at how much cheaper the wheeled vehicles are to buy and how much cheaper they are to operate.
Malks
Well-known member
No real winter last year, at least here in Southwestern Ontario. Our hill didn't open until January and then closed early. We missed both the Christmas and March Breaks, our busiest times. The problem was with the amount of rain we had. Just as the snowmakers were able to get six or seven runs covered and groomed, the rain came and made a mess of it and they had to start over. There are five runs at our hill that have not been open for the last two seasons because of this. The resort invested in an additional two super polecats which make more snow at higher temps, so we are hoping to make enough snow to cover the entire hill this season.
The snowmobile industry relies on natural snow and is more dependant on it. The local snowmobile club has been around placing their trail signs, so they are hoping for a better season. Our local Bombardier dealer seems to be selling plenty of sleds, but they are also the Suzuki, Honda and Stihl dealer, so they are diversified.
Some forecasts are predicting a return of winter this season. I hope they are right.
I've fallen for that line more than once.
Sledding doesn't have to be expensive. I have a 1980 Kawasaki 440 Invader. Paid $1500 for it about 10 years ago. Sure it's vintage and won't run with the real big dogs but my buddy also has old Kawis so no problem. It's been ridiculously reliable. We've actually had guys do U turns and race ahead of us to get photos.
My fastest crash ever was on a 540. Drifting it along a windy icy road and went around too far and dug the skiis into the bank. Ejector button pressed. Not sure on actual speed but given how far I slid and how far sled flew it was triple digits.
With the old leaf spring suspension on my sled it can get a little hairy at speed.
Get on the pipe and the front end starts to floats, the tracks breaking loose and the sound of two big velocity stacks sucking air all comes together for a wild ride.
Honestly punching it on this old sled is more exhilarating than any bike I've had.
Get on the pipe and the front end starts to floats, the tracks breaking loose and the sound of two big velocity stacks sucking air all comes together for a wild ride.
Honestly punching it on this old sled is more exhilarating than any bike I've had.
Haha. The fastest I ever went on the 540 is when it died and my buddy was towing me home in the dark. It felt all kinds of sketchy and I considered getting off but it would have been a long dark walk home. I survived the ride home and asked buddy wtf. Track speed on the towing sled was 160 and he was fiddling with the choke to keep egt under control. That explains why my sled felt so shady.
Our lake in the Kawarthas is on one of the main trails and on a weekend not uncommon to see a 100+ sleds a day. Last winter nothing, the lake never froze properly and the online map showed most trails in the area closed for much of the season.
Must be pretty discouraging for people with a couple of sleds, a trailer and all the gear to have spent tens of thousands or dollars getting set up and not being able to use your toy. I did hear that people very heading much further north to find any snow at all.
Must be pretty discouraging for people with a couple of sleds, a trailer and all the gear to have spent tens of thousands or dollars getting set up and not being able to use your toy. I did hear that people very heading much further north to find any snow at all.
It would be interesting to poll the sledding crowd to see their position these days on climate change???
There’s always going to be down years whether it’s weather or your schedule. I’ve been out on the dirtbike less than 5 times this season. Weather was great, I just had other plans. I rode the sleds more than that in the couple weeks the trails were open last winter.
If the trails aren’t looking good by mid-January this year we’ll likely sell the sleds and try another toy for a few years.
If the trails aren’t looking good by mid-January this year we’ll likely sell the sleds and try another toy for a few years.
I now just borrow a friends sled , sold mine some years back when the season was already non existent down here in Southern Ontario . We may get two weekends in around Parry Sound district which makes his trail permits pretty pricey .
Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
I remember going from leaf springs to pogo sticks in the 80 what a miracle actual suspension was.
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TK4
Well-known member
I remember almost losing a finger changing the carbides on a Yamaha SRX600.
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