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SNOWMOBILE NEWS OCTOBER 2012
www.slednews.com Polaris Founder David Johnson Still Rides Snowmobiles BY SCOTT A. SUMNER
NW Ontario Snowmobile News It was an absolute honour to sit down and have lunch with one of the three founders of the Polaris snowmobile, David Johnson. Mr. Johnson will turn 90 in February and is still an active snowmobile rider at his home in Roseau, Minnesota. “ We began working on the snowmobile in 1954. The name Polaris was there from the start as a partnership with Hetteen Hoist and Derrick in the site of the current liquor store in Roseau,” said David Johnson who had Alan and Edgar Hetteen as his partners in the business. “ We were the northern most manufacturing firm in the US at that time and made all types of machinery for farming and then started playing with snowmobiles. We were mainly interested in making something to play around with in the snow ourselves. We were lazy and didn’t want to walk too long.” smiled David Johnson.
Lisa, Rob Miller , of Polaris , Eleanor and David Johnson centre along with Lyle Grindy, of Roseau at the Polaris staff in the Polaris Experience Centre, Roseau, Minnesota
has been done well by Polaris.” At that time the small company had about 40 employees starting in 1948. “ In 1954 to 1955 we made a small snowmobile like those of today. Today at Polaris there are about 2000 employees. They are always trying to hire 200 more but they are hard to get. People don’t want to work anymore. We did not have any idea it would be this big when we started. Then it was the outdoors people wanting to get outside and ski, snow shoe or hunt and the snowmobile helped get them out in the winter,” said Johnson. “ At the beginning the sleds broke quite a bit. There is a lot of difference in making a snowmobile for your own use but when the public get on it you have to keep going and make it better and better which
The first person to buy a Polaris snowmobile was named Harley Jenson. He bought No 2 Polaris for $ 425. Jenson was from Northwest Angle. He cut wood out on the Lake of the Woods and had to walk 3 miles on the ice to get out there and 3 miles back so used the Polaris to eliminate the walk. The No 2 Polaris snowmobile is now on display( see picture front cover) at the Polaris Experience Centre next to the plant location in Roseau. The company started in an old dance hall with about 1000 square feet of space and right now there is 800,000 square feet in the plant. David Johnson was in the navy and sent $ 11 of his $ 20 pay each month back to partners Edgar Hetteen and Alan Hetteen to help run the business. He was in the business before he even got home from his service. It was struggle at first according to Johnson. You needed good backing and money. In those days the employees made 75c to $1 dollar per hour. The partners would sit down then and give them 25c cent more.
go 70, 80 or 90 MPH anymore. 50 MPH or so is what about I like. Last year crossing the lake going to our camp I tipped over a couple of times because we came back in a snowstorm. I couldn’t see beyond the windshield. I would not recommend anyone riding in a snow storm on a lake because you can’t see anything.” laughed David Johnson. Johnson and his company started in the ATV business in 1983 with what they called a Trail Tractor. Today the Polaris Company has two models of motorcycles and David Johnson enjoyed riding motorcycles in the past. “ In the beginning if there was something to do we did it so worked long hours and 6 days a week,”said Johnson whose health is good. “ I will continue to ride snowmobiles and ATV’s although we like snowmobiles better because it is cleaner with no mud. Our life has been good through all of our history.” The Johnsons live about 2 miles from the Polaris manufacturing facility and David still visits the plant about twice a week.
Rob Miller is a snowmobile-manufacturing engineer for Polaris and on the trail Committee of the Roseau County Trailblazers that has 180 members. “ We have the largest club in the state of Minnesota and about 350 miles of trail to look after. We have a large ditch trail and a large bush trail so have a pretty good variety and connect to the other clubs in the area. You can cross the border into Canada just north of Roseau. We have a lot of Polaris riders and many travelling riders. We have two groomers. The trail permit is $45 for three years here in Minnesota.” said Rob Miller Lyle Grindy is the Director of Promotions for the City of Roseau which has a population of 2600 people. Major employer, Polaris employs over 2000 here. “ We have some employees that live in Thief River Falls and commute everyday 140 miles 12 months of the year. A few years ago the city was under water and Polaris made every effort to not flood with dykes etc. Roseau is a hockey town with three sheets of ice. In the trails system in the state of Minnesota there are more groomed trails than 4 lane highways. This is an outdoor community. www.roseau.com and www.goroseau.com
To this day David and his wife Eleanor Johnson ride snowmobiles especially to their camp some 70 miles away. This year the couple will get a 2013 Polaris Switchback 600 and 2013 Polaris Widetrack. “ We can go to our camp there and back and ride some 200 miles. We have Nexus and a remote area border-crossing pass so can go into Canada. I still love the sport,” smiled David Johnson who can put over 2000 miles on in a season. The Johnsons have 4 children and two of their youngest sons have worked at Polaris. “ I am waiting for the snow to come this year. We only made one trip to our camp at Northwest Angle last year because the snow conditions were so bad.” “ I think the snowmobiles of today are very good and don’t break down. I don’t SNOWMOBILE NEWS OCTOBER 2012
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Highway of Snow Greenstone Loop Poker Rally February 4, 2012 marked the 5th annual Greenstone Loop Poker Rally and once again it was a great success. The poker rally is put on by the Nakina
Sno Club and connects the A 109 trail between Nakina, Longlac and Geraldton. 200 km of some best groomed trails in Northern Ontario. This year 88 sleds participated in the rally with riders from
Left to right Gord Linfield, President Marathon Sno- Kickers and District 16 S.T.O.P Dennis Burns CCSO Office - Exec. Dir. Gaby Boulanger, President, Nakina Snow Club, District 16 Governor Norn Lavoie, District 16 S.T.O.P across the north and beyond, Hearst, Timmins, Marathon, Thunder Bay, Wisconsin were some of the visitors’. Riders from Geraldton and Nakina would do the loop counter clockwise and riders from Longlac did the loop clockwise. All riders met at the Nakina Community complex where a super and prize were awarded. We also had the pleasure of having Dennis Burns of the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organization and Gord Linfield and Norm Lavoie, Snowmobile Trail Officer Patrol (S.T.O.P.) on hand. Even the Mayor of Greenstone, Ronald
Beaulieu was out for a ride. We always have snow! And many organized tours flock to Greenstone to ride our trails every year. Many volunteer hours are put in to host an even of this kind, Special thanks to Gaby and Dorene Boulanger for keeping the event going and fun. Buy where your ride. For more information on what Greenstone has to offer visit our web site at www.snowmobiling.greenstone.ca
Cardo Systems Launches New Upgraded scala rider G4™ PowerSet for Snowmobiles system. Cardo Systems, Inc., the world’s market leader in wireless Bluetooth communications for motorcycle helmet headsets, announced today the availability of its new updated scala rider® G4 PowerSet for Snowmobiles for communicating with other snowmobilers while on the move. Having introduced Bluetooth® sled-to-sled communication via small and light headsets that easily clamp to snowmobile helmets, Cardo is introducing significant new features and upgrades for the new season to enhance the great clarity and range offered by the scala rider® communication systems. Cardo’s scala rider® communication systems come with ultra-thin microphones especially designed to fit snowmobile helmets comfortably. Users can enjoy easy communication with their group via the hands-free wireless communication
usage. In addition to the gain control, users can also move the VOX sensitivity levels
Software Version 3.1 introduces multiple new features for riders including a clickto-link feature enabling calls between the rider and any other snowmobile G4 PowerSet user within the product’s range. The scala rider® G4 PowerSet for Snowmobiles now features parallel connectivity to a MP3 device and mobile phone devices, giving users additional freedom to place phone calls or listen to music while riding. Other great features in addition to the intercom include streaming wireless music from your smartphone, talking on your Bluetooth phone and listening to GPS directions. For users who prefer to listen to the radio while riding, the new Version 3.1 includes Automatic Radio Tuning that will help capture available signals, even in remote terrain. Users can now press one button to set up to six station presets, and use a new station scanning feature for safer hands-free operation. The new scala rider® headset also offers added versatility. The Version 3.1 software upgrade includes an innovative microphone feature that gives users the ability to adjust the gain of the microphone to switch between snowmobile and motorcycle
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PowerSet within range, allowing groups of riders an additional layer of meeting up and security. The several audio-related upgrades enhancements allow connectivity to other devices, and increased control over the audio quality of conversations and the radio. The product is the right choice for snowmobilers who demand a wireless communication solution that is comfortable and intuitive to use and enhances the enjoyment and security of riders.” The scala rider® G4 PowerSet for Snowmobiles is available through select distributors, retail outlets, specialty snowmobile shops, and directly from the Cardo Systems web site at www.cardosystems.com.
to match their need. Adjustments can be made either through the PC software or the device’s own Voice Configuration Menu. “This upgrade marks a significant enhancement for our industry-leading scala rider® G4 PowerSet for Snowmobiles,” said Abraham Glezerman, CEO of Cardo Systems, Inc. “With our new click-to-link, users can now talk to any other G4
SNOWMOBILE NEWS FEBRUARY 2012
Current users of the scala rider G4 PowerSet for Snowmobiles can download the free Version 3.1 software upgrade at www.cardosystems.com.
Superior Dirt Riders Event Exciting BY SCOTT A. SUMNER
NW Ontario Snowmobile News The sport of motocross is a popular one with such big names as James Stewart, Chad Reed and Ryan Dungey making millions of dollars competing in the AMA Supercross series. It was fun for me to attend the local SDR race held just past Kakabeka in August at the KB mx track
“ I have an injury to my knee right now, a torn ACL and will have surgery in September. I like dirt bikes the best of many sports I have played. My goal is to get as good as possible.” Brady Love, age 16 is from Kenora, Ontario and also an avid motocross rider.
The competition is young in the sport and two local riders have been riding dirt bikes
Duluth, which was my biggest, win of my career. It is probably somewhat of a record to win both at the same weekend at a national event in the US. I had just turned 30 at that time,” smiles Earl Reimer. “ They changed the age from 30 to 35 for veteran when they did that I turned 40 and it became harder after that. I had won the Pro Vet class for 4 seasons before that but it has been harder to win since then. Since they have changed the age to 30 I have won two races and I used to win most of the races.”
Scrap Iron” for much of his race career. “ Tom Rager and Bill Rader were in charge of the race shop when I started there at Ski Doo. At one of the Duluth races I crashed in practice and busted the hood on my sled and the visor on my helmet. Bill was right there and asked if I was ok. I said I better do that jump again or it will bother me all day so I tried it again and made it. Ever since then he has been calling me scrap iron because of some wrestler he knew called Scrap Iron. He called me that for three or four years until Greg Creamer who was the announcer at the Nationals heard it. Once he head it got blasted on the loudspeaker every weekend and it became my nick name I guess.” laughs Reimer.
Brady Love
Kenny Mandryk & Matthew Drazecki almost their entire life. Kenny Mandryk, age 15 has been riding for 12 years and is a regular competitor in the series and beyond. “ I rode my first dirt bike when I was 3 and love the adrenaline rush, speed and jumps,” said Kenny Mandryk. “ When I was younger coming up I used to crash almost every race but not as often now. My favourite rider was Jeremy McGrath. The sport is hard on the body. and you work out each day to keep in shape.” Kenny does about 20 races each year. Matthew Drazecki, age 15 has been racing for 9 years locally as well as in the AMA District 2 series and in Southern Ontario doing about 25 races each years.” We were racing guys from Texas at the beginning of the summer. Our parents help us to do this. It is about $500 to $1000 per weekend to race in the US,” said Matthew Drazecki.
In the Pro Am class he came third in the moto with Earl Reimer first and Bob LeBlanc second. Brady started riding motocross at age 7 but motocross is summer training for Snocross, which is what he is going for the most. He races in Manitoba and regional ISOC series each winter. “ This year I will be riding a 2013 Polaris 600 IQ race sled. We got a little sponsorship from Polaris. In the regional circuit I’ll probably be doing Pro Lite. In national I’ll do Sport,” said Brady Love. “ Last year our circuit had troubles with only 2 races but I got top 3. In the states I am top 5 riders. We may also try Southern Ontario and the CSRA.” Anyone who has followed the sport of snocross is familiar with Earl Reimer. Earl, age 44,has been racing motocross for 29 seasons. “ I started snocross in 1995 when I was 27 and made a living at it for 10 years. I rode for Ski Doo and Arctic Cat mostly and then 1 year on Polaris. In 2003 I won Pro Open and Pro veteran races at
Earl Reimer with his son and daughter Last year at Duluth Earl finished 5th but had a broken fibula in his leg, which wasn’t diagnosed until 2 weeks later. This year he would like to do the National Vet series and some local races in Manitoba. In 1997 Earl won the Semi Pro National championships in 440 and 600 classes and in 1998 won some regional pro championships in the US but never a National championship. “ I did win a national title when there was a small indoor series that went from the Pontiac Silver dome to the Toronto Sky dome and a few others,” notes Earl Reimer. “ People say it is pretty amazing to do this sport when you are 44 and racing a 16 year old but I can’t quit, I’ll get old. In the last 29 years I’ve probably burned about 15 billion calories and would be a fat old man if I wasn’t still doing it.” Earl Reimer has had the nickname “
SNOWMOBILE NEWS OCTOBER 2012
The snocross racing is getting bigger all the time over the years Earl Reimer has been racing. “ The guys a re making some pretty good money out there. There is way more money in the pits now with all the haulers, but about the same amount of spectators about 25 to 30,000 at the races. There is more TV but we don’t get to see it in Canada, “ notes Earl. “ I have a hauler at home but don’t use it because it is very expensive to run. You need sponsors to do that. You really have to sell your team to sponsors and that was never really my forte. I just rode and if somebody wanted me to ride for them I’d deal with them but I wasn’t the guy to go hunting sponsors. I’m basically a racer.”
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