Sunday, February 1, 2015

1988 INDY 650 REDEFINES THE CONCEPT OF SPEED

FALL 1987 - For years it's been assumed that the Polaris Indy 600 was the fastest production snowmobile on the market, However, that was no longer the case when the Indy 650 was introduced.
The king of the Indys; and possibly the fastest production snowmobile in the world, is The Polaris Indy 650.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

NEW POLICIES FOR SNOWMOBILES IN NATIONAL FORESTS

   BOISE, IDAHO - February 27, 2015 - The U. S. Forest Service has issued a new policy requiring forest managers to limit where snowmobiles can go by specifically designating what areas are open, a move that could reduce the competition between skiers and machines.
   The new rules take effect February 27, 2015 and apply to all national forests in The U.S. The federal agency on Wednesday published the final federal register notice for the new rules.
   The change follows a 2013 federal court ruling in Boise that found the Forest Service incorrectly exempted snowmobiles from a 2005 Forest Service plan restricting wheeled cross country travel to designated routes.
   An Idaho-based backcountry skier group, Winter Wildlands Alliance, filed the lawsuit amid concerns that new and more powerful snowmobiles were chewing up remote and pristine powder previously reachable only by skiers.
   "You can't have both uses in the same area and allow for each user to get the experience they're looking for" said Mark Menlove, the group's executive director.  He said that besides carving up slopes, the machines are loud and emit exhaust.
   The new policy requires forests to publish over-snow vehicle maps using existing designations or maps to be worked out through a public process.
   Chad Sluder, president of The Sawtooth Snowmobile Club based in the central Idaho town of Bellevue, said his club of 75 members would take an active part in that process.
   "We don't want to lose any more ground, and if it comes to that we will fight it to the end," Sluder said.  "It's the ongoing battle between the skiers and the snowmobilers. "They don't want us there and we have every right to be there."
   The Forest Service estimates that nearly 4 million people use snowmobiles on National Forest land.  Advances in technology have made modern snowmobiles more powerful and lighter than previous generations.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

2015 YELLOWSTONE BED & SLED FEST

This Bed and Sled Fest was advertised in The Rapid City Journal, SD newspaper today, "January 25, 2015".
Here is what the small print said, if you can't read it on the ad.
Bed and Sled Fest Package Includes:
* 2 nights lodging
* Prime Rib dinner (or equivalent)
* Full breakfast each morning
* One day Snowcoach tour to Old Faithful                    OR, One day guided snowmobile tour in Yellowstone
National Park (snowmobile equipment provided)

Package price must be prepaid: Vacation dates subject to availability.  To book, call 800-221-1151 and mention offer code SYC2015.
Travel and offer valid until March 15, 2015.
Package price based on double occupancy.

Website: www.SeeYellowstone.com/SYC

Saturday, January 24, 2015

1975 SKI-DOO SS

The 1975 Ski-Doo SS - An Elan body with a gutsy T295 SS Rotax twin cylinder engine and a lightweight body.
Ski-Doo called it a "SUPER SLED"

Friday, January 23, 2015

1980 JOHN DEERE TRAILFIRE

When the 1980 Trailfire was first introduced, John Deere said "ignite it and find out how trail riding was meant to be".
With it's 339cc fan cooled Fireburst engine which John Deere positioned in a way that made the most out its lightweight materials, in addition to offering the lowest engine mount on the market. Trailfire's aluminum slide rail suspension is shock dampened; to adjust, move springs from one post to another which helped to keep its overall weight down to 418 pounds (wet)