SNOWMOBILE ENERGY CONSUMPTION

For those who think that snowmobiling wastes energy! Snowmobiles used only 0.125 percent of all the gasoline consumption in 1978.

TUCKER SNO-CAT GROOMER

If you've ridden many groomed trails, undoubtedly you've encountered a large tracked vehicle pulling or pushing some type of groomer, leaving behind an 8 to 24 foot wide groomed trail.
   Tucker Sno-Cat is such a machine. Tucker manufacturers four models which are promoted for snowmobile trail use:  The smaller 1300 series, 1600 series and the 1642ME (mid engine). Special features such as four track feel and forged footing give groomers such as this from Tucker, increased efficiency.

THE START OF THE 1976 RACING SEASON

1973-74 BOMBARDIER LOSS

Press Release - June 1974 - Valcourt, Quebec - In the annual report released to shareholders, Bombardier was expected to report a loss of approximately $7 million for the fiscal year ending January 31, 1974.  That would compare with a profit of approximately $550,000.00 for the previous year.

1980 YAMAHA SRX

1972 MOTO-JET

1982 SKI-DOO 9500 BLIZZARD

1982 JOHN DEERE TRAILFIRE LX

The 1982 John Deere Trailfire and Trailfire LX were designed for people who didn't particularly like to feel the trail, as a matter of fact, there were both almost perfectly balanced, with their weight evenly distributed from the front to the rear, so you could skip over bumps, instead of hitting them head on.
John Deere advertised that before you buy a snowmobile, weigh the competition.

EUROPEAN UTILITY SLEDS

December 1987 - New utility snowmobiles from Arctic Cat and Ski-Doo had a distinctive foreign flavor. The Arctic Cat Lapp Jag is a utility sled that is produced in Thief River Falls, MN, for sale in Scandinavian countries.  It has a 340cc fan cooled twin cylinder engine and a 15 inch track.  To be used for reindeer-herding Lapps in Norway, Sweden and Finland.
   Ski-Doo's two workhorse sleds, The Nordik 50 and Nordik 60, will be produced in Finland for sale in North America.  The Nordik's were distinctive with their extra large tracks.  The Nordik 60 covers more ground than any other snowmobile and has a 496.7cc Rotax twin cylinder engine.

THE TRACKS OF A YAMAHA SS440

MICHIGAN NO. 1 IN SNOWMOBILE REGISTRATIONS

October 1983 - Annandale, VA - Michigan continues to lead all states in snowmobile registrations, with nearly as many machines as the next two states - Minnesota and Wisconsin - put together.
   Michigan snowmobilers had 386,391 registered machines in 1982, according to a North American 'Snowmobile Registration Survey.
   The survey, taken by the International Snowmobile Industry Association, listed 1,415,031 registered machines in 30 North American states, and an additional 558,084 in the provinces of Canada.
   The numbers compiled do not reflect the unregistered snowmobiles currently in use throughout the snowbelt.
   In describing the total population of snowmobiles in use, ISA will use the estimates of 2,000,000 in the US, and 700,000 snowmobiles in Canada.

OMC CARB TO CUT FUEL USE

February 1974 - Milwaukee - Outboard Marine Corporation has developed a new carburetor expected to effect dramatic fuel consumption reductions and has announced that it will offer its engineering and design specification records on the carburetor to any other snowmobile manufacturer.
  The carburetor, called the Fuelmiser, is expected to reduce fuel consumption by up to 58% in comparison to the same snowmobile engine equipped with a standard carburetor.
   The Fuelmiser's accelerator pump injects a small, carefully metered amount of gasoline into the air stream in the carburetor each time the throttle lever is depressed. Thus fuel enrichment occurs only as the engine accelerates from idle to a higher speed, rather continually even at idle , as with standard carburetors

1979 SNOWMOBILE SALES JUMPS 46%

October 1979 - The International Snowmobile Association (ISIA) reported that 1979 snowmobile sales of the 1979 model snowmobiles jumped 46% higher than the sales 1978 models.
   Total retail sales of all new snowmobiles, including earlier year models from inventory, climbed 18% above the levels of the previous year. Sales increase was most vigorous in the U.S. where a 24% increase was noted, ISIA reported. New retail sales in Canada were about the same as the previous year.
   Snowmobile production for the past year climbed nearly 47% to a total of 268,000 units.

BRAINERD - MINNESOTA'S SNOWMOBILE CAPITOL

BRAINERD, MINNESOTA
Advertisement - Mid 1970's
*Over 350 miles of groomed marked trails - All a full 8 feet wide.
*Over 600 lakes in the area.. for ice fishing or flat out running.
*Over 1000 rooms in 50 resorts and motels catering to a great bunch of snowmobilers

1977 KAWASAKI SNOJET

December 1976 - No sled is that light, not even ours, as stated by Kawasaki.
Must be another one of those Kawasaki SnoJet rumors.
Ever since word first got out that Kawasaki bought SnoJet, stories have been spreading.
*Stories about our speed.
*Stories about our stamina.
*Stories about our feather like handling. - Now, it's true that Kawasaki bought SnoJet, and made 61 changes.

THE 1986 SKI-DOO LINE-UP

THE VISION OF SNOWMOBILES SIXTY YEARS AGO

While the approach to riding two-up was appealing, the potential for large wheels was greatly reduced by the demand for long travel and hence for smaller suspension components. It was a wonder how the dreamers behind the design expected the thing to turn.

1976 MOTO-SKI SONIC

THIS IS WHAT MOTO-SKI SAID ABOUT THE 1976 SONIC - The Sonic 250 and 340.  Race it on the oval, right out of the crate. (The Sonic placed 1-2 in total points last season in USSA - Central Division Stock II.)
   Let it loose in open country. (Built for speed and endurance, it'll leave just about everything behind.)
   What you see is what you get.  A hot stock, powered by Bombardier's own Rotax engine.  A sled that's ready for race when you are.

ADVANTAGES OF TORQUE AXIS ARMS

September 1988 - The question is, "What Level of Performance Increase Can One Expect From Them", and also,  What negative effect might they have?
   The most significant advantage of a torque arm are improved belt life and better acceleration.  Because the engine is mounted on rubber bushings that reduce vibration to the frame, it is possible for it to shift during acceleration.  When this happens the clutch can come misaligned and speed up belt wear. With a torque arm in place, the amount of engine movement is regulated by the tension on the torque arm.  Generally top-end performance will not change unless a machine was way out of alignment before installing the torque arm.
   One danger with torque arms is over-tightening .  If the cushioning affect is taken out of the motor mounts, all of the vibration will be transferred to the chassis and this result in a cracked frame.  A properly adjusted torque arm should allow the engine to move up or down, but not twist.  There shoould be no tension of the arm while the machine is sitting still.

HALVORSON DROPS RACE TEAM

Duluth, Minnesota - November 1971: Halvorson, Inc., Ski-Doo snowmobile distributor based in Duluth, has announced the termination of its snowmobile racing team beginning with the 1971-72 season to allow a greater effort to be placed at the dealer level in racing.
   The distributor of Ski-Doo snowmobiles in the states of Minnesota, Iowa, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois and the upper Peninsula of Michigan also said it would maintain its racing research and development center to help dealers establish racing programs for the season ahead.

SNOWMOBILING IN OREGON

From Lake-Of-The-Woods north to Hoodoo/Ray Benson Snow Park, you'll discover some of the finest snowmobiling locations in The West, including the southern Cascade Mountains, Crescent Lake, Royce Mountain, Paulina Lake, East Lake, Diamond Lake, Crater Lake, Three Creeks Lake and Mount Bachelor.
   Eastern Oregon also offers some superb snowmobiling near Tailgate and Bates, and in the Wallowa Whitman National Forest east of LaGrand, Oregon.  Oregon offers an excellent grooming program to provide great trail riding. There are hundreds of miles of groomed and marked trails throughout these snowmobile areas

THE 1974 POLARIS

In 1974, Polaris claimed that, "If you own a 1974 Polaris, you own more than a quality snowmobile. You own an image."
1974 Polaris has the look and the feel of performance.  Its models are lower and with a wider stance and is reminiscent of the famous Polaris TX.and is heritage of quality and performance which Polaris claimed is a factor as important as any in setting Polaris above and apart from all others.

1978 RUPP SNOWMOBILES

In 1978, "Rupp's final Year", they manufactured only two lines of snowmobiles - The Nitro 440 and The Sport 295.
The two models are basically the same as their 1977 lineup, except some decal changes.  In 1978 Rupp built approximately 1500 snowmobiles

CLIMBING MOUNT ROSE

Mount Rose is located just east of the north end of Lake Tahoe.  The elevation is between 8,000 and 10,000 feet with an average of eight feet of snow in the higher elevations.
   There is about twenty square miles of great riding in the Mount Rose area.  So gambling isn't the only thing to do in the area.
  From the first appearance, the slopes of Mount Rose looks like it easily could be climbed, but the deep snow makes it difficult to power up the mountainside to the microwave towers perched near the summit, but the open sidehill allows riders to cut a trail across the slope.
   On first attempt, the riders work hard to reach the narrow trail halfway up the slope that leads to the towers. But reaching the trail proves to be much easier than holding the trail.
   At first, trying to make it thru the freshly fallen powder to the micrwave towers was just for fun-A stab at the slope to see if it's possible, but the snow is to deep and the slope to steep. Still, the snowmobilers persist.  Each attempt nets them about ten more yards, as each rider follows in the previous trail, cutting into the slope and packing a lane, still several hundred yards away from the top, but eventually, when the snow sets up they will conquer the hill.
   You can't go everywhere you want...especially when it snows.  You have to wait until the freash snow sets up, and then you can go about anywhere...until it snows again.

MASSEY SALES TRIPLE

November 1974 - Des Moines Iowa - Spokesmen for Massey-Ferguson reported that the company's Ski Whiz snowmobile sales so far this season are more than triple of those in 1973/74, and add that prospects are "excellent" for a record year in 1974/75.
   "We may not sustain this rate of increase throughout the winter months." said the vice president of marketing, "but with heavier than average snow fall and below average temperatures predicted for snowmobiling areas this winter, we're hopeful of doubling our snowmobile sales this season compared to last.".

THE 1980 YAMAHA SS440

All new for Yamaha for their 1980 Snowmobile lineup was the SS440.
   The SS440 had a new fan cooled 440cc engine which was mounted lower in the frame, resulting in a snowmobile that had remarkable handling and control.  To top it of, the SS440 is 15 pounds lighter than the 440 Exciter.  It had many features which the Exciter does not have.
   Yamaha claimed, "when you go out to make fresh tracks in the snow, make them with the freshest snowmobile on snow."

1974 CHAPARRAL SSX

The 1974 Chaparral SSX got a new liquid cooled Xenoah engine in 1974 and Chaparral claimed that it runs cool all day long, reduced the chances of piston seizure, smoother, more consistent power output and virtually eliminated the possibility of vapor lock. The SSX was available with either a 340cc or 440cc.  Chaparral claimed the 340 put out 40HP and the 440 50HP

1976/77 POLARIS COLTS AND THE PRICES

A Polaris ad with the features and prices of their 1976 and1977 Polaris Colt sleds

Polaris Star Engines
Torque Balanced Drive System
Polaris Slide Rail Suspension
Polaris Hydraulic Disk Brakes

Polaris Advertised: Squeeze the throttle and away you go.
The Polaris Colt will give you a run for your money 
 

THE BEGINNING OF SNOCROSS RACING

AFTER YEARS OF WAITING IN THE WINGS, THE SNOWMOBILE RACING EVENT KNOWN AS SNOCROSS HAS BURST ON THE SCENE WITH MUSCLES, ICE AND FIRE.
The first seeds of snocross were planted in 1976, when Sno Pro drivers returned from Scandinavia with reports of a different kind of snowmobile racing being practiced there.
   Based on motocross, the summertime event for motorcycle consisting of a mile or two of rough, bumpy terrain full of hills, jumps, sand and stones, snocross is a natural extension of the sport for Scandinavians.  Snowmobiles there are called "scooters" and most Europeans regard sleds as motorcycles for snow.
   The American drivers saw upwards of twenty Scandinavian sledders at a time racing on motocross style tracks carved out on the deep Arctic Circle snow.  It was fast, popular with both drivers and fans alike and although no one could report seeing anyone hurt racing snocross, it looked scary.

MOTO-SKI'S VACATION CONTEST

Valcourt, Quebec - As winners in Moto-Ski's  "Winter Dream Safari" contest, 10 couples received a free snowmobile vacation in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, during the first week of February, 1975.  The contest ran from October 15 to November 30, 1974 for consumers who registered at participating Moto-Ski dealers.
   Winners were flown to Reno, Nevada then driven to Lake Tahoe for the six day vacation, which included guided safaris through the mountains.