snowmobiles

[LHF2019]

Stock 800 or 1000 sled? With perfect grip the sled might win the 100 yrd dash, but after that it should be all bike. Big engine drag sleds are a whole different thing though, those are quick!

I can't remember. This would have been at least 15 years ago. I just remember we talked about it since I rode my bike year around. Sounded like a fun challenge.

 

[airbiscuit]

Our one & only snowmobile we had in my childhood back in CT in the '60s was a 1964 Larson my father bought/traded for. It had an 18 hp 2 stroke. It was tough to get it going good with me and my friend Jim on back if the snow was deep. I used to pull him around the pastures on his snow skis until he snagged a looped piece of barbed wire one time and face-planted badly. During warmer weather I jury-rigged some lawn mower wheels in place of the skis and we rode around the field out back some but it wasn't comfortable and the wheels didn't last long either.

My cousin had a Larson. Great looking machine, but unreliable.

 

[mulitweed]

View attachment 2152928
In the "I'm going to fix it someday" category... This was the last new sled which my father bought, a 1973 Panther 400. He gave it to me about 25 years ago. I ran it until it started running poorly, plus the track was tired and you don't just go out and buy a 126x17" track.
I have the old leopard skin seat as well as a new windshield stored in my shed.

would be a nice one to restore

 

[Jstpssng]

would be a nice one to restore

It really won't take much, every so often I go out to it and pull the starter rope to make sure it still turns over. I am no mechanic and parked it because I couldn't figure out what was going on. I now realize the condenser was getting weak. I need to get it under cover so that it stops deteriorating... working on a building this weekend. At this point all suspension bearings probably need to be replaced but the biggest problem will be finding something for a track.
And maybe ditch that Walbro carb for a Mikuni.

 

[Beaver Cove Deere]

Everybody made snowsleds back in the '70s. Evinrude, Johnson, Mercury, all got into the game. Plus there were hundreds of smaller companies which either failed or merged with somebody else. Now there are only two remaining; Polaris and Bombardier.

The John Deere was liquid cooled if I remember correctly.

Liquid Fire I recall. Friends had a couple of 440’s.
My 2000 Mach 1 triple triple and my 2020 850

 

[Beaver Cove Deere]

Whats considered vintage these days? The newest sled I had was a 2001 SRX 700, wish I hadn't sold it, that thing was FAST! I grew up riding late 70's and early 80's Yamahas though. Started with an Artic Cat Kitty Cat when I was like 5 then a Yamaha Sno-Scoot then a Yamaha Bravo 250 in my teens. Doubt I will ever get back into sleds though, they are just way too expensive now days.

My very not stock 98 SRX was hands down the best and fastest (135 mph) sled I ever owned. I should have kept it.

 

[mulitweed]

It really won't take much, every so often I go out to it and pull the starter rope to make sure it still turns over. I am no mechanic and parked it because I couldn't figure out what was going on. I now realize the condenser was getting weak. I need to get it under cover so that it stops deteriorating... working on a building this weekend. At this point all suspension bearings probably need to be replaced but the biggest problem will be finding something for a track.
And maybe ditch that Walbro carb for a Mikuni.

vintage sled site is good for info, lots of parts for sale there too

 

[Hay Dude]

I just want a used sled that runs good. Not worried about winning races or high performance. Snow around here is pretty rare, so when it hits, you have to be ready to roll, not wrenching.
Well-used sleds are typically problems. Mine would run great in the garage, then when the snow fell, it would need something, even if the fuel was non ethanol and fresh.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

Only rode a snowmobile once outside of Breckenridge,CO on a tour. WHAT A HOOT!! Sadly most of my adult life took me in the opposite direction of the snow. But I can easily see how fun it would be to spend a day out on the trails with good buddies, using the sled to haul firewood out of the bush, taking it out to the ice shack for a day of fishing. Seems like for most of you though this climate change has not been kind to the sport. Seems like a frivolous thing to store all year for one or two good rips a season.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Only rode a snowmobile once outside of Breckenridge,CO on a tour. WHAT A HOOT!! Sadly most of my adult life took me in the opposite direction of the snow. But I can easily see how fun it would be to spend a day out on the trails with good buddies, using the sled to haul firewood out of the bush, taking it out to the ice shack for a day of fishing. Seems like for most of you though this climate change has not been kind to the sport. Seems like a frivolous thing to store all year for one or two good rips a season.

yes they are, for my area because of the swamp, creek and rivers we are limited to where or how far we can go on a quad, the combination of winter and snowmobile open the horizon up for use.