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RABID

Throngs of Arctic Cat faithful and an equal number of lookie-lous pressed the stage at Hay Days 2016 to get a first look as the new iron was unveiled. Locations: Hay Days, North Branch, Minnesota Photographer: Pat Bourgeois

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BITE With enough thrust to callous hands in a single burn, the blistering speed is matched with equally adept cornering bite. Location: Madison Arm Loop, West Yellowstone, Montana Rider: Richard Kehoe Photographer: Pat Bourgeois

RED ROCKET

The venerable XCR returns to the Polaris fold for 2017 with the goods to pound the rough stuff. Rider: Dan “The Vet” Skallet Photographer: Pat Bourgeois

contents

58 FEATURES 34 58 46 76 SCENE IT

SKY ROCKETS

SWAPPERS

LONG, STRONG AND AIMING FOR THE TOP

TIME TRACKS

HEAT BLISTERS

1967 BOATEL SKI-BIRD

ON THE ASPHALT AND BEHIND THE SCENES

100 34

GEAR

COLUMNS 14

DRIFTS RICHARD KEHOE

WINGING IT WITH LEVI LEVI LAVALLEE

110

FLOAT BOWL PAT BOURGEOIS

DEPARTMENTS

16 28 44 54 88 90 94 98 108

INDUSTRY NEWS WORD SEARCH TAKE 5 SHOP HUSTLE SNAP DECISION TEARDOWN INDUSTRY 411 MUFF OF THE MONTH LAST GASP

VOLUME 7 NUMBER 2

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OSM is published five times a year by OSM Publishing Ltd. Office address and undelivered copies and change of address notice is: PO Box 716, Elk River, MN 55330. Telephone (888) 661-7469. Head office address is PO Box 551, 27083 Kennedy Road Willow Beach, ON L0E 1S0, Canada. Telephone 1-888-661-7469. Printed in Canada by LoweMartin Group, Dollco Division. • Copyright 2016 OSM Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. Subscription rates for magazine $19.00 per year, $29.00 for 2 years. $37.00 for 3 years.

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

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drifts drifts RICHARD KEHOE

WE’RE ALMOST THERE, LET THE SNOW FLY help keep the dust down. The damn dust gets into everything, and I can only imagine how companies selling clothing feel at these events. It really brings new meaning to the, “Everything must go”, sales pitch. The swaps we were at this year were good, although some of the things I saw for sale still puzzle me. It’s true that one person’s junk is another’s treasure... In this issues “Scene It” feature, we cover three of our favorite swaps and swappers. And it’s always entertaining to see what is found in the depths of a swap. Our next stop on the way to the snow Swap sales tactics are aggressive season is the Toronto International and can cut right to the bone! Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show, t’s a busy time of year for all of us this coming October 21-23, 2016. The Sledders. Field events and swaps have 29th Annual Show is going to be a pretty much come and gone for another powersports enthusiast’s fantasy. With year. The weather co-operated, although increased manufacturer displays; dealer we could have used a little more rain displays; tourism; vintage machines; leading up to some of these events, to racing; used parts and used sled

Two of the very best armchair racers

markets, everything has grown during the 29-year history of the Show. The entire outdoor area has moved inside Hall 4 of the International Centre. The elements will no longer be a factor for the Athletes or the Show Attendees. Heath Frisby, Cody Elkins and Keith Sayers will be headlining the Ultimax Freestyle show, and the Dayco 120 racers will be ready for the green flag to drop. New at the Show is the ATV and Side-by-Side pull. It’s going to be exciting as always, but this year there will be a little more with snowmobiles, ATVs and motocross bikes back flipping inside the building. Until next time, I’ll be in the shop testing some “shop motivation” for our next issue, and of course, doing some much needed pre-season armchair racing. I’m ready for the snow to fly! - Rich

for details visit www.motorcyclesupershow.ca 14

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

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VISIT TERRAINDOMINATION.COM FOR MORE OFFERS RESTRICTIONS: No monthly payments for five (5) months applies to new 2016 or older models purchased through 10/31/2016, on approved credit, and delivered by [10/31], 2016. Monthly payments are deferred for a total of 180 days. Contracts will be extended accordingly. Interest charges (if any) will not accrue during the first 150 days of the contract. After 150 days, interest (if any) starts to accrue and the purchaser will repay principal and interest (if any) monthly over the term of the contract, but not until 180 days after the contract date. Conditions apply. See a participating authorized dealer for full details, eligible models and other offers. Offers are subject to change, extension or cancellation without notice. Errors and omissions excepted. Snowmobile Ride Guarantee: For a customer to be eligible, the customer must have less than 300 miles (500 KM) on their snowmobile odometer as of 3/31/17. If a customer does not achieve 300 miles (500 KM) by 3/31/17, they can bring their snowmobile back to the dealership for verification of the odometer. Dealer will submit a request and proof of mileage for customer. Upon verification Polaris will add an additional 12 month extended limited factory warranty to the snowmobile. After the first year, the additional factory warranty offer is subject to a $50.00 deductible per visit. The mileage will need to be verified by a Polaris dealer and must follow the verification process. This must be completed between 4/1/17 – 5/15/17 to be eligible for the ride guarantee offer. Customer must live in the following provinces to be eligible: SK, MB, ON, QC, NL, NB, NS. The offer of “up to $1000 free G&A” is up to $1000 in free Polaris garments and accessories. It is redeemed at the dealership. Valid on select 2014 – 2016 Polaris snowmobiles. Amounts vary on model, see dealer for details. WARNING: Professional rider on a closed course. Polaris recommends that all snowmobile riders take a training course. Do not attempt maneuvers beyond your capability. Always wear a helmet and other safety apparel. Never drink and ride. ©2016 Polaris Industries Inc.

news

BLACK CAT SQUADRON In recent years, with more and more emphasis being put on the western market, the manufacturers have each adopted ambassador programs to varying degrees. Perhaps no one has a better organized group of deep snow pilots than Arctic Cat who brought their fearless foursome of mountain pro athletes to Hay Days and introduced the “Mountain Squadron”, along with plans for each rider to pilot a Speedwerx, hopped up Mountain Cat, outfitted with genuine Arctic Cat accessories of their liking. Pictured from left to right: Erik Nelson, Vice President and General Manager of Snowmobiles, Brett Turcotte, Cory Davis, Rob Kincaid, and David McClure. Cat also has plans in place to soon announce five additional grassroots backcountry riders to join these boys in the mountains this winter.

01 A NEW MOUNTAIN KING

Arctic Cat did more than unveil their new race weapons at Hay Days, they also expanded their deep snow mountain offerings with the announcement of the new M9000 King Cat. The Genesis, turbo powered long tracker incorporates many of the same attributes found on the 2017 Mountain Cat line and will spin a long 162-inch track with big bite 3-inch lugs.

NOVA SCOTIA AND NEW BRUNSWICK GET CONNECTED

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Another chunk of the Trans Canada Trails system came to fruition this past fall, when Nova Scotia and New Brunswick trails became connected via 45 kilometers of trail that were developed over the past three years. The linkage was once thought impossible, due to the deep and nearly impassable swamps in the area, but through concerted efforts and the use of a little known and unfinished trail, first developed in the 1880s to haul ships via rail from the Northumberland Strait to the Bay of Fundy, the trail is now reality. According to local enthusiasts the trail is a major feat and will help the area to promote safe and responsible recreation in those areas.

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onsnow

SNOW BIKE RACING ADDED TO WINTER X GAMES

We have been watching the slow decline in interest and coverage of snowmobiles at Winter X Games over the past few winters,, and coupled with tragic accidents, the end, at times looked near for snowmobiles at the made for television winter spectacle. So, we were pleasantly surprised to see motorized snow activities expanded for the January 27-29 Aspen, Colorado event, with the addition of Snow Bike racing. The snow bikes will join snocross, adaptive snocross, freestyle and best trick, giving the snowmobile industry the most events in the winter show.

YOUTHFUL RIPPER

The new Timberlsed ST 90 Ripper brings the latest snow craze of motorcycle conversion to smaller 110cc bikes, and adds more fuel to the Timbersled arsenal. The downsized kit will retail for $1,999 US ($2,499 CAN) and will fit 110 dirt bikes from Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Honda. No question the snow bike scene is arguably the hottest trend in the snowmobile industry, and if it can gain acceptance and pass legal hurdles beyond the western market, it has the potential to be a serious growth opportunity. Polaris purchased Timbersled a few years back, and more recently, Arctic Cat has announced their plans to deliver the SVX 450 snow vehicle this winter, one that Arctic Cat claims will meet all requirements to be licensed as a snowmobile. The Ripper was originally designed and developed by Holeshot Performance owner Aaron Burquest, and up to 50 units were manufactured and sold two winters back. Last winter, Burquest sold the design and patents to Timbersled and with more refinement, it will be available this winter at Timbersled dealers across the Snowbelt.

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news

ARCTIC CAT CUTS RIBBON ON FIRST STAGE OF ST. CLOUD EXPANSION Several members of Arctic Cat’s leadership team along with dignitaries from St. Cloud, Minnesota were on hand to officially open the remodeled space at the company’s St. Cloud facility. The existing structure was completely remodeled to be both more efficient in its operations, but to also offer more office space for future ATV engineers. Since opening in 2007, the space has served as the engine assembly plant for Arctic Cat designed and manufactured engines. In the near future, a nearby off-road test track will be constructed, followed by further building expansion as early as next spring.

Photos courtesy of ArcticInsider

06 07

SNOWMOBILE PARK PROPOSED IN MAINE The Northern Timber Cruisers ATV and Snowmobile Club is working with local land managers to see if portions of a former landfill could possibly be transformed into the state’s first motorized vehicle recreational park. The proposed 3,000 acre site sits between the communities of East Millinocket and Millinocket, and according to the club, it is far enough away from neighborhoods that noise from vehicles won’t be an issue. The idea is still in the very early stages, but if it does start making headway, it will be the first of its kind in the state and will compliment the state’s 6,500 miles of snowmobile trails.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

news

2017 RACE IRON ARRIVES The annual field gathering, better known as Hay Days, has traditionally become the launching point for the manufacturers to unveil their new race sleds and programs for the season to come, and this year was no different. Arctic Cat, Polaris, and Ski-Doo each pulled the black sheets off their new snocross and cross-country weapons, and talked about new athletes and programs, in t e national at o a tour tou for o each eac discipline. d sc p e hopes of garnering the most wins on the

POLARIS 600R Leading with the biggest visual news was Polaris, who after building a handful of Pro-Open race sleds last season wrapped in the AXYS plastic to ated mirror consumer sleds, did the expected by carrying that look and associated cer changes forward with a full race chassis build for 2017. The new 600R racer h touts 10-inch narrower bodywork in the key cockpit area, resulting in much improved racer ergonomics. Joining this change is a new intake system, th digital instrumentation, flatter steering post, and a new exhaust system with associated clutching that is said to give the racer improved performance, especially in the all-important area of holeshots.

ARCTIC CAT ZR 6000R While Polaris was touting a new look racer, Arctic Cat was busy during the off-season with a focus on what powers their duo of terrain sleds. Both the new 2017 ZR 6000R SX, (snocross) and ZR 6000R XC, (cross-country) will feature a fuel-injected 600 engine. The new engine is based off Arctic Cat’s successful 600 C-TEC and was co-developed by Speedwerx for enhanced performance on the track. The rules for cross-country were already in place to necessitate the use of consumer-based powertrains, but Arctic Cat is the first to push that technology forward into snocross. The snocross engine features Speedwerx ported cylinders for improved performance, along with a long list of performance and durability enhancements for the upcoming competition season. While the SX version will continue to feature the “older” bodywork of the ProCross chassis sled, the XC version will feature the new fit plastic introduced on the 2017 9000 series and limited edition Roger Skime ZR 6000 models. Both the 6000R SX and XC will look to help Arctic Cat defend their pro championships in both disciplines.

SKI-DOO MXZX 600RS With the bridesmaid position on the ISOC national snocross scene firm in hand after taking the second, third, and fourth place positions in the national chase, Ski-Doo returns with subtle changes to their MXZx 600RS racer for the coming season. The biggest news is in the area of clutching where they will upgrade the drive system with their new pDrive clutch, which did make its racing debut last season in cross-country action. Joining the pDrive is an improved progressive coupling system in the rear suspension, and a refined slip gear in the drive system. Combined, Ski-Doo is hoping the 2017 600RS will deliver better holeshots and quicker acceleration…the two key attributes to snocross success on the often pass limited tracks on the national tour.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

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news

09 ENVIRONMENTALIST WANT THEIR CLEAN CAKE AND GOVERNMENT REVENUES TOO Turns out those carbon hating green groups who want to clean up the air are not on board with a new carbon tax initiative (#732) that is to be placed on the ballot in Washington State. While a similar carbon tax has been in place in British Columbia for eight years, and has shown to reduce emissions by 16 percent with no negative impacts on the economy, most environmental groups oppose the 732 initiative. The reason…the tax also includes tax cuts to offset the hike…in other words, the proposal is revenue neutral. That doesn’t sit well with green house chicken littles who want the carbon tax AND the revenue that goes with it, to further support their questionable clean-energy programs. Seems keeping the money flowing from big government is more important than clean air for many of these organizations.

10 THIS “TURKEY” HAS SKIS Want to at least look like you have the potential to send it big this winter? Then you’re in luck as the kids at C&A Skis announced the introduction of their latest signature ski, this one bearing the autograph and approved style of pro snowmobile athlete Brett Turcotte. A former snocross racer who posted an X Games silver medal in 2008, Turcotte has been a backcountry ambassador with Arctic Cat in recent years, and his new signature skis will feature an appropriate black and green inlay. You can snatch a set by asking for them from your local dealer, or get them direct from C&A at www.caproskis.com

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news BILLIONAIRE BROTHERS SAY NO SLEDDING IN OUR BACKYARD

We stumbled upon this interesting read from the Idaho Spokesman Review. It seems two Texas billionaire brothers, Farris and Dan Wilks, have been buying up huge tracts of western land over the summer, including 172,000 acres of private forestland in Idaho that was formerly owned by Boise Cascade for many decades. After making the purchase, the brothers halted all logging operations and shut down public access by terminating local leases to the roads and trails on the land that were popular amongst outdoor recreationalists, including snowmobilers. The land is intertwined with national forests and private land, and according to records obtained by The Oregonian, the former Boise owned land has exchanged hands many times, but access has remained constant…until now. The local economy has come to rely on the tourism activity and revenue generated by those trails. So far the Wilks brothers have promised to get loggers back to work, but snowmobile access to the trails this winter looks bleak.

IMAGE FROM GETTY IMAGES

GLOBAL WARMING ADVOCATES SAY SNOWMOBILING WILL SOON BE OVER

Snowmobiling in West Yellowstone has already been dramatically curtailed over the past 25 years, thanks in large part to over-bearing government regulations on snowmobile emissions. Now some of those same so called experts are making more stark predictions, saying snowmobiling in the West Yellowstone region will soon be a distant memory as the impacts of global warming will continue to erode away winter as we know it. Of course, these experts used a whopping 30-years worth of winter data to backup their conclusion, a mere blip on Mother Earth’s climate timeline. And to further illustrate their expertise on the sport, they warned how the lack of snow will have detrimental impacts to our “steel” tracks. Huh?!

SNOWMOBILE HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCES 2017 INDUCTEES The Snowmobile Hall of Fame in St. Germain Wisconsin will induct Burt Bassett, Bill Bickford, Pat Hauck, and John Hooper into the Hall this coming February in conjunction with the annual Ride with the Champs and other associated activities. To learn more about the inductees, the induction ceremony, and the 34th Annual Ride with the Champs event visit the Hall’s website at www. snowmobilehalloffame.com

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

(from left to right) Pat Hauck, Burt Bassett, John Hooper, Bill Bickford

news

ISOC ANNOUNCES 2017 SCHEDULE The International Series of Champions (ISOC) national snocross tour announced their 2017 tour and it includes two new stops along with returning favorites to make up the eight stop, 16-race schedule. New to the fold are stops in Winter Park, Colorado in mid-December and an end of season hold over in Dubuque, Iowa just months before the corn sprouts in early March. Here’s the complete 2016-17 schedule: November 25-27, Duluth, Minnesota December 16-17, Winter Park, Colorado January 6-7, Shakopee, Minnesota January 20-21, Deadwood, South Dakota February 3-4, Salamanca, New York February 23-24, Mount Pleasant, Michigan March 3-4, Dubuque, Iowa March 17-19, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

FREE SKI-DOO AVALANCHE AWARENESS SEMINARS RETURN

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Returning for a seventh year, Ski-Doo will host more than 40 free avalanche awareness seminars across the snowbelt, to help keep riders safe. New this year is the additional support for the seminars from Backcountry Access, (BCA) a respected manufacturer of avalanche safety gear. In Canada, Marshall Dempster, a professional member of the Canadian Avalanche Awareness Association, a professional forecaster, and ace backcountry guide, will lead seminars. In the United States, seminars will be led by Mike Duffy, a five year veteran of these seminars, who has more than 25 years of mountain riding and rescue experience, and is highly accredited in avalanche awareness and safety. Seminars are open to owners of any brand, and full listings of seminars and details on how to register can be found on the Ski-Doo website.

USXC ANNOUNCES 16 2017 SCHEDULE AND I-600 RACE ROUTE The king circuit of cross-country racing has released their new winter schedule and with it plans to once again host the return of the legendary point-to-point, multi-day race. With the failure of winter to return to Minnesota the past two seasons, forcing the cancellation of the much-anticipated race, USXC owner and operator Brian Nelson is nothing but determined and is hoping the third time is the charm. One interesting note is the race is now dubbed the Seven Clans Winnipeg to Willmar I-600, most likely due to the overall length of the four-day race. Here’s a complete run-down of the 2017 schedule: December 17-18, Gonvick, Minnesota January 7-8, Detroit Lakes, Minnesota January 14-15, Park Rapids, Minnesota January 21-22, Thief River Falls, Minnesota January 28, Grafton, North Dakota February 8-11, Winnipeg to Willmar I-600 February 25-26, Warroad, Minnesota March 4-5, Naytahwaush, Minnesota March 17-19, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Last year’s USXC Pro Champion Zach Herfindahl will look to repeat his winning ways in 2017. Photo courtesy of Arctic Insider

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

THE BIG TORONTO SHOW IS COMING

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If you attend just one snowmobile show this fall, there is little doubt which one it should beâ&#x20AC;¦the biggest one naturally. The International Snowmobile, ATV, and Powersports Show at the Toronto International Centre is without a doubt, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest indoor snowmobile show. Offering more than just the biggest and best vendors in the industry, the show also features freestyle shows, custom sled builds, used snowmobile and ATV sales, vintage sled displays, 120 races, and nearly every possible tourism destination and region you can imagine, so you can plan this winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trips. Mark your calendars for October 21-23, 2016, and buy your tickets early to avoid the lines. Want a $3.00 off coupon? Visit www. torontosnowmobileatvshow.com or email logan@osmmag.com to obtain a $3.00 off an Adult Admissions printable coupon for the show.

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WHO YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;LL FIND AT THE 29TH ANNUAL TORONTO INTERNATIONAL SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW

AMSOIL Boots Divas Snowgear Dyno Port Ford Gloves Goggles Hats HD Bright Heath Frisby Helmets Hipertech Hurricane Jackets Kimpex Klim Klotz Lucas Oil Motovan OFSC OSM Oval Racers Performance Stud Stars RAM RideForDad SnoBear Split Rail Skis Stickers StudBoy Suits TMR Customs Tourism Tricked Toys Watercross Wiseco Woodys Yuasa Battery

winging it LEVI LAVALLEE

A SPECIAL PLACE Mugging for the camera, hours before the Hay Days jump.

We made it! We made it through another summer, and the “Kick Off of Winter”, also known as Hay Days! As many have done, year after year, we too made the journey to the field that brings so much excitement, fun, and memories. My first snowmobile came from the Hay Days swap meet over 20 years ago, so Hay Days is special to me, because in many ways, that is where it all started. This year was a special year for the Sno-Baron’s Hay Days event as they celebrated their 50th Anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, we planned to do a long distance snowmobile jump, in excess of 200-feet. When the idea of doing a distance jump was first brought up, I thought we should be able to do a 20-foot jump no problem. I mean after all, I’ve jumped over 400-feet in the past, doing half that should be easy. However, after our first practice jump, I quickly learned that just because you’ve done something successfully before, doesn’t make it any easier, or remove the risks the second time around.

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Our first jump was set at a 100-foot gap and we thought we had a pretty good idea of how fast to hit the ramp to achieve a 130 to 150-foot jump. After our speed testing I took off, barreling down the run-in towards the ramp. As I drove

onto the ramp, the sled darted to the right, causing me to come off the ramp, angling to the right. In the air, I quickly made adjustments and leveled the sled, but I noticed two major concerns. First, I hit the ramp way too fast and was over shooting the landing. Second, I was going to miss the astro turf on the landing and come down in the dirt! As I came in for the landing I’m thinking, will the skis get stuck in the soft dirt and throw me over the bars? As the skis touched the ground, I slapped down in the dirt more than 20-feet from the center of the ramp. My face bounced off the handlebar pad; the Go Pro I had on the ski went rocketing through the air (never to be seen again); and my overly inflated confidence about this “little” 200-foot jump was suddenly as flat as my landing. Fortunately, the landing ramp was extra wide, so I was able to hang on to it, but had it been the landing ramp constructed at Hay Days, I would have landed on the side and ran into the fence next to it! Suddenly, this 200-foot jump went from “it’s only half as far as the jump you did before” to a “70mph, 200-foot and 40-feet up, one screw up and it could be disastrous.” In other words, everything needed to go perfectly. We did some more tweaks to the setSpeed testing prior to the jump. We had to build an additional “ramped” run in sections, just to be able to hit the speed that I needed to clear the 200-foot mark.

This is what was left of my wear bars after we did a bit too much asphalt running the first day!

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onsnow There’s no place like Hay Days, and for me it will always be a special place. I got my first sled at the Hay Days swap 20-years ago, and the rest as they say, is history.

up, and after a few more sketchy jumps, (although not nearly as bad as the first one) we started going in the right direction…literally. The jumps were going smoothly until the week before Hay Days. I was on my second jump of the day, and the goal was to jump further down the landing to get some data for speeds and distance. I backed up my starting point on the run and took off towards the ramp. Once in the air, I flew perfect, I was going further down the landing, but nothing to be alarmed about. I just needed to brace a little more for impact, knowing it would be a hard landing. I touched down, rode out of it smoothly, but it felt like I hit the inside of my ankle on something, which didn’t make sense because there isn’t anything to hit on the tunnel behind your ankle.

As I walked around, my ankle began to get tighter and tighter. I wasn’t able to push with my toes when I walked, so I definitely couldn’t use it to brace for a landing. After some Google research and some calls to my fellow Docs, we come to conclude I was having some Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction. Yeah, that’s a mouthful, but basically I

sprained my ankle on the inside of my foot, from landing hard without warming up properly. The injury cut my testing short by almost a week, which was less than ideal. Fortunately, we had our test notes and knew what speed we needed to achieve, so that gave us the confidence we needed as we prepared to set-up at Hay Days. Having the confidence

I couldn’t have done any of it without the hard work and dedication from my crew, who kept my sled running cool and my nerves in check.

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winging it LEVI LAVALLEE

LEVI LAVALLEE No other snowmobile event packs ‘em in like Hay Days, and I’m grateful to all the fans who stuck around to watch me successfully clear 200-feet.

in knowing what speed you need to go to make the jump is great, but that confidence goes away quick when you have a tough time getting to that speed! We were 2 mph slow from our pre-event testing to our Hay Days speed test. About the only variables was a slight drop off the start at Hay Days, and there was a head wind. We did speed tests for two days, trying to figure out why we were down on speed. With four hours before the jump, we built a small “roll in” off the start, to help get more speed and that was what we needed. I did two speed tests; one was fast enough, and the other was real close. Once it was jump time, I really focused on getting a nice smooth start, to hopefully, get the fastest speed possible. 69.8 mph at the bottom of the ramp turned into 207’ of air before touching down! I was pumped!

After a successful touch down, I went up on the landing and I looked around at the thousands of people, and the spectacle of Hay Days behind them. I thought about how special Hay Days is to me, and how that snowmobile from the swap meet over twenty years ago changed my life. My snowmobiling passion that started from that sled, has taken me on this crazy adventure through some of the most amazing experiences that I will remember the rest of my life. As I stood looking out at the crowd after the jump, I knew this was another one of those experiences. Thank you Hay Days and thank you fans! Special thanks to Joe Wiegele at No Style Productions for the awesome photography.

The wind was whipping all day long on Saturday, and it was a gnarly crosswind to boot. We had to wait for it to subside just enough before launch.

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Seventy-five feet down, 125 more to go.

The “Foam Pit Crew”, from left to right Muttin, Burgs, me, Cade and Rambo.

No better feeling than setting a goal and nailing it.

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There’s an allure to a snowmobile swap meet that you just can’t quite put a finger on. Perhaps it’s the potential of a good deal, a rare find, or an early morning spent with your riding buds as you wait for the clock to strike noon and crack a cold one. No matter the reason, the snowmobile swap meet is the place to be as you get ready for another riding season, and the crew at OSM has been knee deep in wet grass and honing our verbal chops on the art of the barter at several outings this fall. Here’s a swap recap for this issue’s Scene It.

SWAP 1 Princeton Outlaw Grass Drags

A well-versed seller in the swap is always ready to sell. Ironically, just about everything will fit “what you got”.

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A clean shaven Sasquatch…surely it runs on spray.

At the mother lode of vintage swap meets in Princeton, Minnesota; you could put a shirt on your back that declared your affinity for your favorite forgotten brand.

PPERS E

“I bagged that one there with nothing more than a stick and pocket knife.”

This seller took a firm stance on the price of his “near mint” tin cab Ski-Doo.

‘NUFF SAID

Preparing for an expedition to the Arctic Circle? This guy has the goods you need. Might want to bring along a good mechanic.

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SWAPPERS

1 Princeton Outlaw Grass Drags

Perhaps the best swap-hauling cart we’ve seen. This tiller-powered contraption will get your goods back to your car, and lay down a good garden bed in one easy pass.

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At Princeton, the old iron literally came out of the woodwork, or was it the other way around?

Wall art or cheap protection?…you decide.

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1 Princeton Outlaw Grass Drags

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Presentation is everything when looking to unload your tree-line trash.

Possibly the fastest Homelite snowmobile ever built.

We had to drag editor Bourgeois away kicking and screaming after he spied this Hellstar Corporation Jetstar, complete with a wall-art hood. Check out the coil-over front suspension. Hellstar sleds were built in Wahoo, Nebraska…no we didn’t make that up.

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Collectible dealer signs are a hot item in recent years and this swapper knew what he had with his near triple digit asking price for this patina’d two-sided metal sign.

Aside from old sleds and parts, the swap is A wonderful place to find home fabricated rat sleds.

Y R A N O I T U L EVO

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SWAPPERS

2 Hay Days Grass Drags a

Hay Days was bursting with people for the 50th celebration. We had to wade through the crowds to get deep into the bowels of the swap to find the good stuff.

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Our fearless publisher Rich was eager to hear the old Indy 400 purr, and with a little help from Captain America Camouflage, it did.

Boys from Iowa know about swap presentation and proper salesmanship…who doesn’t need a Rupp?

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We brought out the “Vet”, former terrain racing champ Dan Skallet (and his son Logan on the jump seat) to help us filter out the trash FROM the treasures.

The “Vet” said he could have this Colt running in less than a day… now that’s talent kids.

Kitty Cat score at Hay Days. Turns out these boys bought three of them in a package deal. Now that’s a fine example of the art of the barter.

Abandoned…yup, you read that right. Want to score a really good deal? Cruise the swap after the throngs leave and you’ll be surprised what is left behind.

Don’t mind that seat moss, this Rupp is clearly a show winner and worth a second look.

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That’ll buff out…fo shure.

Have a Coke and tire.

Our own Mike Blakoe took in the Barrie Flea Market at the Burl’s Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte, Ontario. He tried to score this Kendall sign, but came to the swap short on cash, and thereby showing his swapper rookie stripes. Editor Bourgeois was not amused, as he had a spot on the shop wall already set aside for the snowmobilia wall art.

A fine collection of gently used lids on display, with plenty of Canadian pride.

Clearly race ready…just add gas.

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DROP DOWN SEAT

take 5

Grass Most snowmobilers would consider grass a nasty four-letter word, but in keeping with our always optimistic outlook and desire to ride, no matter the season, here’s our take on grass for this issue’s Take Five.

GRASS CATS

In 1971 Arctic Cat acquired General Leisure Products, located in Omaha, Nebraska. The company was building lawn mowers and soon after the purchase, the Arctic Cat nameplate was adhered to a freshly painted, purple mower. The company even introduced a rotary Wankel powered version, but the grass cutting venture was short lived and Arctic Cat mower production ceased in 1974.

TURF TIGER

The Turf Tiger model from Arctic Cat was manufactured in 1972, and was available in three different engine configurations. Developed to deliver improved grass drag performance, the “Turf” has become a very collectible model. According to the Boss Cat website, a total of only 200 Turf Tigers were produced, with fewer than that still in existence.

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NATIONAL GRASSLANDS

The United States Forest Service manages a host of public lands, and included are vast chucks of National Grasslands and National Forests. Both serve up some of the best snowmobile destinations anywhere…and will continue to do so if we can keep them open for motorized recreational use.

GRASS CONVERSIONS

GRASS DRAGS

While grass drags may no longer hold the same level of manufacturer race support they once did, big time events like Hay Days, Epping, and vintage drag venues like Princeton, continue to keep the dirt whipped sport at the forefront of fall sledder activities.

90 Piece Kit

In 2017 alone, there are 34 sled models that take a 90 stud pattern.

What is it about snowmobiles that makes us want to drive them no matter the season or terrain? We race them on grass, on water, on asphalt, and of course on snow. Since the early days of the sport, manufacturers to shade-tree mechanics have looked for ways to extend the season, any way possible.

Today, life is all about convenience. Our 90 piece kit offers just that.

For 1.25" lug two-ply tracks:

GDPK-1325-90S

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For 1.25" lug single-ply tracks:

GMPK-1325-90

Includes 90: Short Big Nuts, 5/16” Round Grand Digger® support plates, and 1.325” Grand Master® studs

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time tracks

‘67

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Boatel Ski-Bird

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he snowmobile boom didn’t take off until the final years of the 1960s, so finding a pre-1968 snowmobile is typically a difficult task. Finding

something like a Boatel? That doesn’t happen every day. So when Barry Hoffman got the chance to scoop up a complete 1967 Boatel Ski-Bird he jumped on it. Actually, Barry’s wife found the sled. “My wife has insomnia so she spends a lot of time on the computer, and she’s always looking for old Boatels,” Hoffman said.

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‘67 Boatel Ski-Bird

Before you try to figure that out, you should know that Barry and his wife both worked at Boatel, and so did their parents. “My dad worked at Boatel and my uncle drove truck, so he would inventory parts. I was just a kid then, but

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I’d help out counting nuts and bolts and driving the forklift around,” Hoffman said. “My wife’s mom and dad worked there too, so we’re really a Boatel family. My first full time job was at Boatel, then I quit and they asked me back, so I worked

there for anotherr two years before I moved on.” While working for a snowmobile manufacturer certainly helped Hoffman’s early interest in snowmobiles, growing up in Mora, Minnesota, the heart of snowmobile country, only fueled his passion for sleds even more. “I grew up poor. All my schoolmates had indoor plumbing, but we were living like we were a generation behind. We couldn’t afford a snowmobile, so my brother and I always envied people with snowmobiles. We could identify a sled just by the track it made in the snow.” The Boatel story begins in 1952, when a guy named John Howes started working on an all-season vehicle. Howes made a lot of progress, even filing patents for some of his designs such as a track and octagonal drive system, but he never was able to get to full-scale manufacturing. Enter Abe Matthews. Matthews was in the steel business in Hibbing, smack dab in the middle of Minnesota’s Iron Range. Business was slowing for him in the early 1960s, so, to offset his declining business, he bought Howe’s designs and started building snowmobiles. Matthews called his sleds Trailmaker, and he built 300 for the 1962-63 season, then upped production to 500 for the next season. In 1963-64, Trailmaker comprised 10-percent of the total snowmobile market.

time tracks

‘67 Boatel Ski-Bird

While Matthews was building Trailmakers in Hibbing, Elmer Klapmaier and his son Jim had built a successful business building houseboats and pontoon bridges for the military in Isle,

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Minnesota. Their company, Boatel, was dynamic, and it built steel and fiberglass hull crafts as well as shallow draft crafts that could be beached – perfect for use on inland waters. When Matthew’s steel

business began to recover and he was looking to unload Trailmaker, Boatel was there to scoop it up. Boatel embraced the snowmobile business, manufacturing the majority of the components for its snowmobiles, and only outsourcing engines. In their first year of production for the 1966 season, Boatel built Bulldogs, which were mostly a continuation of what Trailmaker had built. But, being experienced in fiberglass molding and manufacturing, Boatel made fiberglass bodywork to cover the rear-mounted engine and drive system, giving the Bulldog a unique look to its Trailmaker predecessor. For the next season, Boatel debuted the Ski-Bird, a new, modern-looking, front engine snowmobile. The clean-sheet sled design featured a number of modern features. Maybe the most unique was Boatel’s use of an ABS resin material called Cycolac in the construction of its hoods that was tougher, more heat resistant and flame retardant than regular fiberglass resin. Leaf springs and steel skis up front, combined with a rubber track and rubber-mounted bogey wheels out back to provide what some magazines of the time called a more comfortable ride than other brands, and one that typically handled better. Boatel wasn’t afraid to show off the sled’s speed either. During the Ski-Bird’s inaugural season, the sled won its share of races including the Eagle River International Snowmobile Marathon cross-country race, and it finished 1-2-3 in the Antigo International Snowmobile Meet crosscountry race. To further prove their toughness, every Boatel entered in the St. Paul Winter Carnival Winnipeg to St. Paul finished, which was a victory in itself considering the grueling nature of that event. The Ski-Bird put Boatel solidly on the snowmobile map, if only for a short time. Boatel built sleds until 1972, when it produced the unique and expensive Grand Prix. When Boatel sold off its snowmobile business, Hoffman’s father and uncle were there to pick up some of the pieces – literally. “My Dad worked there back in the 1970s, and when they went out of

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on the side of the road. “I ran into a Grand Prix first. I saw it alongside the road and of course I spent too much on it. It was a little toasty, not too much left of it. A little while later, my wife was online and saw a Grand Prix on K-Bid, so I thought, ‘You know what? Maybe I should buy that.’ Again, I paid too much, but at least it was in better shape. I restored that sled.” It was one of Debbie’s many late night browsing sessions that turned up the SkiBird. “She came across this Ski-Bird down in Raymond, Minnesota. She said, ‘They only want $100 for it and it ran, so I went down and got it. It wasn’t in very good shape, but nothing was dented up and there was no rust or anything.” While a little rough, Hoffman said the Ski-Bird was more or less complete, which made his restoration a little easier. “I do my own work. Lots of hand sanding and that sort of thing went into it. I had to track down a belt guard and some suspension parts, but nothing major. There’s a guy up by Park Rapids who bought out a Boatel warehouse. I got some stuff from him, but he’s pretty well sold out now. People are going crazy for Boatel. I was just at a swap meet and a guy had a Boatel in really the snowmobile business he started hoarding parts. The first snowmobile in our family was a Boatel Grand Prix. He bought a sled right at the tail end. My uncle wanted one too, so they bought the frame and the engine and put his together basically with extra parts. My Dad also got all the banners they would display at snowmobile shows. They just threw those in the garbage. He hoarded a bunch of suspension parts too, in case he needed them. We still have them, they’re all out in a storage shed.” Hoffman kicked off his growing collection with a Grand Prix he spotted ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

time tracks

bad shape and he actually sold it. There was nothing left of this thing. People are buying anything Boatel right now.” With any 1960s snowmobiles there are challenges when it comes to restoring them. Boatels used a unique track design, and that is one of the bottlenecks when it comes to getting them back in trail shape. “The tracks are a little unique on these sleds,” said Hoffman. “My track is useable. There are people who would love to have my track, let’s put it that way. They’re hard to come by, and at one point I found a guy who had some brand new ones, but he had them laying on a shelf so they were folded over and

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he had some stuff stacked on top of them. They cracked right in half where they were folded. If he would have laid them on their sides they’d still be good. He had a bunch of them and they were beautiful.” Hoffman’s Boatel collection continues to grow, and with his wife scouring online ads and auction sites, they have found some real gems. “At one point my wife got real crazy and she bought some Bulldogs. The Bulldog was sort of a leftover design from Trailmaker with a rear engine, rubber tires for bogey wheels, culvert material for skis - which the Ski-Bird had pretty much the same thing - and they either

had an 8HP Kohlerr or a 13HP Hirth. I got one with the Hirth engine engine.”” Hoffman’s Ski-Bird was awarded OSM Magazine’s Time Tracks Show Favorite at the Waconia Ride-In in Waconia, Minnesota, this past January 2016. “I certainly didn’t expect that,” said Hoffman. “I don’t drive it around too much, mostly just to move it around so people can see it run. I love what is going on with vintage snowmobiles these days. It’s bringing back the sleds that gave me a passion for the sport, and that’s why I love the swap meets and events.” “Some of us Boatel people still get together regularly,” Hoffman said. “We’re a family.” Thanks to people like the Hoffmans, the Boatel name keeps making its unique tracks in the snows of central Minnesota.

shop hustle

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SCOTT LCG Goggles C

Change is constant when it comes to snowmobile technology, be it with sleds or the gear we wear. Take helmets for example. The evolu on of the helmet and associated eye protec on has been an ongoing progression, from no helmets, to open face buckets, to full-face, and most recently moto-style. For racers both of yesterday and today, the benefits of the moto-type helmet and goggles is well known. Some staﬀers here at OSM have been stretching straps over helmets for more than 30-years, and while styles have changed and technology has vastly improved, the virtues of goggles have remained rela vely the same…less fogging, greater vision, and the ability to change nts to adapt to available light.

Features and style aside, the best aspect of the LCG goggle is the lens optics. We’ve always loved the clarity and toughness of Scott goggles and the LCG follows in those footsteps with ample peripheral vision and a fog-free, distortionfree view that in our opinion is unmatched.

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The Scott LCG goggle system comes with a second lens (usually in clear, but we’ve found some retail outlets oﬀering a second tinted lens instead), with a compact, semi-rigid case. The case is small enough to fit an inside jacket pocket and swapping out the lens with the interchange system is simple and hassle free, even in cold weather.

In recent years the goggle market has exploded with high profile brands that are big on style, but at mes fall short when it comes to func on and performance. For us, goggles are one of those key pieces of gear where we don’t stray too far from what works. While a flashy new style may match your lid perfectly, if it comes up short in the performance end of the spectrum, the remainder of your riding day can be cursed with poor vision, fogging, and even frostbite. We can’t tell you how many mes we’ve tried what looks to be a “hot-new” goggle, only to have it demoted to the bo om of our gear pack a er only one ride. Of all the brands on the market oﬀering goggles for sledders, Sco has been one of those reliable constants. While they may not always be the trendiest, with workhorse frames such as their Hustle and 89Si models, they are proven performers with excellent fit, outstanding op cs, and backed by parts and support to keep your favorite frames in service for several seasons to come. For these reasons, we were a bit hesitant to give Sco ’s latest winter focused goggle a fair shake. The new Sco LCG Snow Cross goggle doesn’t look anything like the versions in our trusted gear collec on. The over-the-top mounted lens system and bold

and varied frame, strap, and lens choices were, as the kids say, hip. But we found out last winter, the new look is simply the icing on the cake. A er a season of riding in a host of condi ons, we can confidently say the new Sco LCG goggles could very well be the best snowmobile goggle we’ve ever worn. The big caveat with the Sco LCG system is the interchangeable lens system. Sure, other goggles oﬀer changeable lenses, but few allow you to do so with such ease. A patent pending system features a slider on the right hand side of the lens frame that when ac vated, releases the lens with no muss or fuss. The spherical shape of the lens delivers one of the widest fields of view we’ve experienced, and in true Sco fashion, the op cs are incredible… no warping, distor on, or inconsistent coloring. Plus, the lenses are tough as nails. Our original pair has logged over 2,500 miles, and have only exhibited a few minor scratches. Another key feature of the Sco LCG is the Sco Fit System, at the bo om of the frame adjuster, allowing you to custom fit the frame and nose to your face by choosing one of four posions. A special key included with the goggle fits into an adjuster, and with a simple turn, the overall radius of the frame changes. The feature combines with oversized, triple layer face foam to eliminate leaks, thereby sealing out the cold and those first s nging hints of frostbite. When you purchase the LCG system, it comes complete with two sets of their Op view, double-lenses. Each also features NoFog treatment as well as 100% protec on from UV rays. The extra lens is clear and comes in a slim, yet durable lens case that is compact enough to stow on the sled, or inside your jacket pocket. As with most modern goggles, the LCG serves up ample ven ng to keep you cool on warm rides, yet doesn’t create a cold blast or the poten al for icing when riding on sub-zero days. In fact, we didn’t find the need to duct-tape certain vents to reduce incoming snow dust, as we have with other frames. At a suggested retail price of $199.95 (US), they might not be the most aﬀordable, but when you factor in the addi onal lens with case, high quality build, stunning op cs, and proven Sco performance, we deem it well worth the added expense. To learn more about the LCG system and to find a dealer near you point your interweb towards www.sco -sports.com.

The small slider located on the right-hand side of the LCG frame is the trigger that releases the lens. Once locked in place, we never experienced a situation where the lens would become loose, even in Sunday afternoon whooped-out terrain.

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Visit our website or call to find a dealer near you. tritontrailers.com 800-232-3780 ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

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hings keep growing in the deep snow segment…literally. With technology and power coming together to create the most formidable mountain sleds the industry has ever seen, consistent snowfall in western regions con nues to push the deep snow segment to the forefront. What used to be an a erthought some 20-years ago is now leading the technology charge as manufacturers put their money and their engineering resources where sales have remained consistently strong season to season. For those reasons it comes as no surprise the latest 2017 mountain oﬀerings have become the hero sleds for each manufacturer - serving up the latest in

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deep snow ap tude and technology. In this mix are those select sleds that push the envelope even further. They are long…really long, and aim to take riders to places higher on the slopes and through near bo omless powder like never before. With tracks stretching to a whopping 174-inches in length, new track technology aimed specifically for those “deep-pow” days, and con nual weight savings, these are the sleds that will undoubtedly chart the course for mountain sled technology in subsequent model years. With that we cut loose our young gun wrecking crew, a trio of talented gents who

“

grew up in the deep stuﬀ near Sand Point, Idaho. No strangers to the annual spring new model photo and ride evalua ons, Tyler, Jake, and Jordan have been making tracks with the OSM crew for the past several years. They ride like mountain goats, have an appe te akin to hot dog ea ng king Joey Chestnut, and dress like Aus n Powers. A er a full day in the deep with the latest and longest mountain buggies, here are their thoughts on what’s strong, long, and wrong with this winter’s newest deep snow iron.

They ride like mountain goats... and dress like Austin Powers

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the Wrecking Crew

TRAVERS | JORDAN HAMMACK | TYLER SWARM Hey we can hold our own on the mountain, but why send a few old men out do what some hotshot young bucks can do be er. Tyler Swarm, Jordan Hammack, and Jacob Travers were born and raised where the snow falls by the foot. What some might consider a “don’t drop down there” tree filled ravine, is li le more than a Sunday a ernoon burn for these boys. We first hooked up with Tyler when he was wrangling sleds for the Next Level Riding Clinic under the tutelage of Dan Adams, and not longg a er we invited his two equally adept riding buds for a week of run and nd gun fun each spring. Combined they comprise what we consider the he most formidable trio of deep snow jockeys on either side of the big Rocky Mountain range. When they throw down in the deep, we listen ten and you should too. JACOB

“

When they throw down in the deep... we listen

ARCTIC CAT M8000 000 MOUNTAIN CAT 162 The return of the Mountain untain Cat nameplate in 2017 marks significant improvementss to the top of the line M-Series sled.. With a lowered drivesha that incorporates ates a new 8-tooth drive sprocket, the track to snow ow approach angle has been reduced for claimed quicker li out ut of deep snow and improved handling. The addi onal driver to tunnel clearance has also allowed Cat to stuﬀ a tall 3-inch lug Power Claw track under the Mountain series in both 153 and 162-inch lengths. Other new features include ude revised running boards, which are narrower by an inch for improved side-hilling;; revised side panel plas c allows a further forward foot posi on of 2-inches; and d a total weight reduc on of nearly 7-pounds.

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POLARIS 800 PRO-RMK 174 Many deep snow ffanaধ the M d ধcs already l d consider id th Polaris RMK in the AXYS chassis to be the most formidable mountain sled on snow. Because of this few, including us, expected much in terms of newness for the 2017 model year…we were wrong. Instead Polaris dropped another bomb on the deep snow segment with their spring order only PRO-RMK 174 Limited Ediধon. Featuring a new Series 7 track with 3-inch lugs specifically designed for deep powder

snow, the new RMK is longer than any other RMK to date. the scales 442-pounds, d t Tipping Ti i th l att jjustt a claimed l i d 442 d the RMK engineering crew did some subtle tweaks in the relaধonship between the rear suspension and the chassis to retain the ideal balance this chassis has been known to exude. The big 174 also opts for a tradiধonal chaincase instead of the open concept QuickDrive cogged belt system found on other RMK models.

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“

Yamaha could be holding the trump card in the mountains

YAMAHA SIDEWINDER MTX 162 It’s no secret that the biggest obstacle holding g Yamaha back in the deep snow category has been weight. While the smooth and torque laden power of their Genesis four-stroke mills has been well received on the trail, the weight penalty associated with these motors has remained a sধcking point with would be mountain n customers. Yet if more power is the answer to everything, then Yamaha could very well be holding the trump card for mountain success in 2017. Packing a claimed 180-horespower punch h (and much more if third party dyno reports are true), the new Sidewinder MTX is poised to blaze a trail up steep slopes like no other Yamaha before it. Featuring a 162-inch Power Claw track with 3-inch lugs for added liđ, the stance can be narrowed to just 36-inches and will glide on new skis that are wider and tout an extremely deep keel for even more flotaধon and d improved deep snow handling.

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>>> SKI-DOO SUMMIT X 850 165 16 While Ski-Doo does oﬀer a Summ Summit with greater length, no ques on the eyes of the indus industry are focused on the all-new Summit X in the fo fourth genera on REV pla orm. With 850cc of second-genera on eTEC sec power under the cowl and a drama cally narrowed chassis with an extreme op open-concept cockpit, the newest Summit looks to be the trump card SkiDoo riders ha have been looking for. All the newness of the GEN4 pla orm are found here p along with the latest deep snow features Ski-Doo has introduced the past few years includth ing the tMo on rear suspension and FlexEdge track. The track how however has been updated and features a 3.5-inch pitch that oﬀers be er trac on, greater strength, and serves up an overall weight reduc on of a whopping 10-pounds. In total the new Sum Summit X 850 is claimed to p the scales at just under 440-pounds, pu ng it on par with its arch nemesis, the RMK. ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

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Dramatically narrowed chassis and extreme open cockpit 66

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Tyler Swarm >>> SKI-DOO The Skidoo is without a doubt my favorite mountain sled in the 2017 fleet. I grew up disliking the REV and REV XP’s tree riding characteris cs, in my opinion they were too unpredictable. The snowmobile design team at BRP did more than a superb job crea ng this new chassis. With the rider being 100% in control, I instantly felt right at home side-hilling across steep ravines and bouncing oﬀ creek banks! The power of the new 850 combined with the long and wide track makes for even bigger smiles on the deepest and steepest of days! My only complaint is Skidoo didn’t let me take this sled home a er I fell in love with it! >>> POLARIS I’m not sure where to begin with the compliments for this machine! In 2011, I was convinced Polaris had built a snowmobile that could not be dras cally improved upon. With the release of the AXYS mountain chassis, I was quickly proven wrong. Surprisingly the AXYS with a 174” track is more maneuverable than a previous model year Pro RMK with a 163” track. Just when you think you’re going to be stuck in that awkward creek bo om, pin it and let her buck! This lightweight long tracked mountain beast will claw her way out of situa ons you would normally be buried up to your plums. On the deep days, you’ll be the one breaking trail and riding circles around your buddies! Polaris just keeps knocking it out of the park.

“

...you normally would be buried up to your plums!

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

>>> YAMAHA In the past I had begun to wonder why Yamaha con nuously manufactured 4-stroke mountain snowmobiles only to fight an uphill ba le for a compe ve posi on against proven lightweight 2-stroke machines. “Back in the day” the thumpers were generally used as trail sleds or highly modified, high horsepower chute climbers due to their ridiculously awesome reliability. Yet, they never stood a chance compe ng in ght, technical, and slow oﬀ-camber terrain. A er ge ng some seat me on the Sidewinder MTX, I finally understand the direcon Yamaha wants to take the four-stroke game. While I’m strictly a tree rider, I would definitely be more than happy riding a stock turbo Sidewinder full me. Despite the ridiculous power, the chassis feels balanced, and the combina on of the SRV-M front suspension and new mountain skis makes it far more maneuverable than I ever would have expected. In fact, unlike other Yamaha mountain sleds I’ve sampled in the past, I was doing the riding…not the other way around. >>> ARCTIC CAT This sled definitely deserves the bold Mountain Cat s cker across the hood. Once I started bombing the dark tree li ered ravines, I even felt cat-like as this big M feline crept through he darkness with pinpoint agility. Trac on is way good, and no ma er how steep the sidehill I felt glued to the mountainside. Of all the sleds in this grouping, the Mountain Cat felt the most comfortable to hit booters and huck edges. I guess cats actually do always land on their feet. Personally, I found the Mountain Cat was the most predictable sled. Like a welltrained house cat, this big ki y obeys your every command!

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...it will take you darn near anywhere you point it.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

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MARLON USA CALL TOLL FREE: 1-866-930-9411 TACOMA WA. USA

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

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JAKE Travers >>> POLARIS If you’re looking to compensate for what you might be lacking elsewhere, you may want to consider the Polaris 174. This sled is impressive when in ac on, but may feel like a bit of a hassle when not. No ques on, the long PRO-RMK will take you darn near anywhere you point it…and I mean anywhere. I found myself in situa ons where I would normally get stuck, but with the RMK I would simple thro le down and the sled would find a way to “tractor” its way out it. Boon-docking the trees also impressed me. Despite the length, the sled maneuvered though the ght stuﬀ way be er than my ini al expecta ons led me to believe. There were moments where it seemed to be a bit more diﬃcult to hold a sidehill line than say a shorter sled. But that shortcoming vanishes when you realize you can turn it up the hill at a moments no ce and charge up chutes most sleds would dare not tread. Just don’t get caught behind it… she throws one helluva roost. >>> SKI-DOO When I first squeezed the thro le of the new Rotax 850 there was just one thought going through my head…holy shit. With all that track and the quick hit of the new motor, the newest Summit stood to a en on quicker than a guard at Buckingham Palace. With that the smile on my face never wavered, the thing is a rocket and the forward thrust is there the minute you tap the thro le. The narrowed chassis, much improved ergonomics, and the reduced weight all come together to make this Summit a muchimproved deep snow handler over previous versions. While I found it had a tendency to trench in certain situa ons, when it does hook up you be er hold on. Even with this shortcoming, the new Summit X would get the nod as my favorite deep snow sled for 2017.

“

...you better eat a bowl of Wheaties™... maybe two

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

>>> ARCTIC CAT I’ll admit, I’ve never been much of a Cat man, but this sled changed all that. As we le the parking lot I wasn’t thrilled at the thought of my turn aboard the Mountain Cat. Yet a er only a few minutes in the saddle my opinion made an abrupt 180. The sled was absolutely insane and was without ques on the most fun to ride. Holding a sidehill through the trees was executed with more comfort and more ease than any other. Engine performance had a few hiccups, but we chalked that up to these sleds being early builds and being treated like rentals by other media wanks. When it was all said and done, I not only found myself liking the Arc c Cat, but I would rank it a close second behind the Ski-Doo when spending my own cash. >>> YAMAHA This thing is a monster…and I don’t mean in size. Sure the Yamaha MTX is certainly heavier than the other sleds in the mix, and if you’re heading out for a day in the trees you be er eat a bowl of Whea es™…maybe two. In the right hands this sled can be a legit deep snow weapon, but unless you’ve got conceal and carry know how, you might end up ge ng unsuspec ngly pistol whipped. For certain, since the rela onship with Arc c Cat was formed, Yamaha has made tremendous strides with their deep snow sleds and this year is no diﬀerent. The Sidewinder’s ridiculous power overcomes the weight penalty and I was surprised at how fun it could be. S ll the Sidewinder MTX is not the sled for me. I like to ride the dark confines of the trees, but if shoo ng the slope is more your style this is your sled. Just pull the trigger and hang on.

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...I felt glued to the mountainside. ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

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Jordan Hammack >>> POLARIS Tired of geষng stuck? Do people laugh when you pull into the parking lot with your Subaru towing your 1997 RMK 136? Does your wife seem to be spending a liħle less ধme at home and a liħle more ধme “out with the girls?” Does a long day of riding make you feel weak and like less of a man? Well, once again Polaris has the answer with the new for 2017 AXYS based PRO-RMK 800 174. This extension to your manhood will have you struষng around the locker room with your towel over your shoulder. The reduced drag of the AXYS chassis teamed up with the addiধonal flotaধon and tracধon of the ultra-long 174-inch track makes it virtually impossible to get stuck. Even our (ahem) wiser and much older boss men at OSM were reaching those powder stashes like young bucks experiencingh their first rut. Though this machine is fairly easy to maneuver you’re sধll dealing with a 174inch track making it a liħle less flickable.

“

...the 74-inch track makes it virtually impossible to get stuck. 74

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>>> SKI-DOO I have always been parধal to Polaris ever since I bombed powder with the first Dragon RMK. That sled just felt right in my hands and it boosted your confidence no maħer your riding skill. Then this new Ski-Doo Summit comes along. Suddenly I felt like a young kid, who’s dad got a new job forcing the family to move to a new neighborhood. You don’t want to go, but when you find out your new next-door neighbor’s daughter is a hoষe…suddenly your hormonal flooded brain is giddy with the idea. That’s how you feel when you throw a leg over the new Summit 850. This girl’s new chassis puts you so far over the skis the sled almost feels like an extension of your own body. With a 165-ponies under the hood propelling a mere 441-pounds with a long-lugger track outback, you soon find yourself doing tail standers like a seasoned vet. The new Summit answers your inputs instantly, whether its more thrust from your thumb or a do-see-doe around that next tree well. Yup, the new girl next door is slimmer, lighter, likes a good ধme on the slopes, and is all around beħer ধme than your old neighborhood sweetheart…score!

>>> ARCTIC CAT The new Mountain Cat is certainly not for the meek, and I don’t mean that in a criধcal way either. The Cat was more than competent as I guided it through the trees and it held a line well with plenty of “on-demand” power on call when I needed an added burst to avoid unsuspecধng stumps. In past experiences I felt the 800 Suzuki had a hiccup in its delivery just ađer engagement, you know that point in the powerband you’re into plenty when boon-docking. That is now gone (improved clutching perhaps) and because of this the sled delivered greater confidence in those situaধons when you need to make a split second decision. Not the lightest sled out of the box, the Cat boys have made great strides with the latest version, and if they conধnue to loose more pounds it will only get beħer.

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onsnow >>> YAMAHA Yeah okay, we know she’s not a featherweight but damn she sure is a lot of fun. Just like your high-school class reunion, the MTX is the girl you someধmes had your eye on but just weren’t sure how you’d feel the morning ađer. Well I took the plunge and I can honestly say it was a hell of a ride. In some ways I wish I were more of a man so I could throw her around a liħle more, but you soon forget the weight penalty when you experience the violent power this sled makes. It was surprisingly well balanced and dare I say nimble. It might not be the best choice for full day of ধght boon-docking, but when the trees give way to open meadows and steep, powder filled chutes, the MTX delivers with a burst unlike any other.

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and

On the Asphalt Behind the Scenes

Glenn Hall and His Thundercat Scorches the Tarmac with an

8.8Second Run ON ONSNOW SNOWMAGAZINE MAGAZINE••VOL VOL31 7 • ISSUE 2

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enthusiasts, we know modern performance snowmobiles are fast…some are damn fast. Yet for those outside the fold of our beloved snow rockets, they o en view our winter weapons of passion as li le more than quirky contrap ons with skis. Now, we already knew the all-new Thundercat from Arc c Cat was fast…frankly it’s quite possibly the fastest produc on snowmobile we’ve ever thrown a leg over. With independent dyno tests pu ng the output of the turbo charged Yamaha Genesis motor in excess of 210-horsepower, it is without ques on the most powerful produc on snowmobile ever built. To prove it, the whiz kids at Arc c Cat

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

invited a handful of some of the fastest sports cars in the Minneapolis area to an impromptu throw-down of sorts. A call went out to organizers of the Crown Rally, a point-to-point, underground rally featuring 100 of the most exo c and fastest cars in the Midwest. “A race,” Crown Rally cofounder Jus n Brouwer said with ques oning enthusiasm, “…when and where…we’ll be there!” The wheels were set in mo on, and soon six shiny sports cars with sweeping lines and throaty exhaust notes were making their way to Brainerd Interna onal Raceway, Minnesota’s premiere racing facility. Known as BIR to the locals, the famed facility is home to NHRA Na onal drag racing, Superbike road course ac on, and weekly

grassroots events including a muscle car shootout and street car showdown. While the grudge match was more for fun and the making of a few social media videos for Arc c Cat, there was one face in the crowd who barely cracked a smile. Pilo ng the asphalt converted stock Thundercat was legendary go fast Cat racer Glenn Hall, and from the moment he donned his all black leather racing suit, the objec ve was clear… beat the pants oﬀ these kids. He did just that. Our bud and Marke ng Communica ons Manager Kale Wainer invited On Snow Magazine along for the ride. From the moment Glenn lit up the track of his Thundercat in the water box, and the wispy curls of smoldering rubber dri ed pass the star ng

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“

the objective was clear... beat the pants off these kids

2017 Thundercat Ford GT40 Nissan GT-R C7 Corvette Audi S4

8.8 seconds @ 1433MPH 11.2 seconds @ 1455MPH 11.2 seconds @ 1233MPH 12.5 seconds @ 1155MPH 12.8 seconds @ 1088MPH

line tree, we knew it was nearly over before the first car rolled into o staging. With a best pass of 8.8-seconds in the quarter mile at a top op speed of 142 miles-per-hour, the T-Cat reigned supreme. It was a great day of of smoky burnouts, ধme slips, and laughter…and for those lucky ucky enough to be riding a 9000 series Arcধc Cat or the equally impressive sive Yamaha SideSidewinder this season, an even beħer winter.

Professional Arcࢼc Cat drag racer Glenn Hall

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

Glenn was more than willing to give participants a look under the cowl of the Thundercat, which was primarily a stock machine.

JUSTIN BROUWER is one of the co-founders of the Crown Rally, a point-to-point event that features 100 mostly exo c cars. While it’s not a race, it’s not unusual for par cipants to get heavyfooted as they follow an undisclosed route to various checkpoints. At the close of each day, par cipants are put up at luxury hotels and are treated to a night of fine food and raucous entertainment. This summer marked the third year of the rally, and a generous por on of the money raised is donated to a diﬀerent partner charity each year. To learn more visit www.crownrally.com 80

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According to Glenn, there’s no lack of power with the Thundercat. The key to a good run comes down to clutching and tracࣅon. A quick burnout in the water box helped the T-Cat “hook-up” at the line.

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“

A race? When and where... we’ll be there!

Arcࢼc Cat’s film crew tested the “acࢼng” skills of the Crown Rally crew… let’s just say they make be er drivers.

The all-wheel drive GT-R had a disࢼnct advantage at the line, launching with aplomb and nary a hint of wheel spin. n.

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“

This is my real job...

snowmobile drag racer

Glenn Hall

The 2017 Thundercat was a stocker when it came to power, but was sspecially pecially equipped with asphalt specific goods including track, rear ssuspension, uspension, and Pro-Line roller skis.

For the past 13-plus years, Glenn Hall from Gordon, Wisconsin is regarded as one of the fastest snowmobile drag racers anywhere, and most certainly one of the best, if not the best straight-line racer for Arc c Cat. A er years of “learning the ropes” on what it takes to go fast and be compe ve since his first grass drag race in 1992, Glenn caught the eye of then Arc c Cat drag race coordinator Al Shimpa in 2000 and was accepted into the Cat race program the following year. Not long a er, along with the help of Dale and Dan Roes of D&D Powersports, Glenn was winning big, nabbing his first big win in 2002 at the ISR World Series of Ice, and followed with a win at Days the following year. Since that me, Hay Day H ll has Hall h only go en faster, and his enviable combina on of engineering know how, tuning smarts, aand driving savvy have made him a force to be reckoned with every me he comes line, or one of the many sleds that he is to the lin responsible for is cu ng the green. Despite a responsi horrific ccrash at Hay Days in 2012, where Hall’s veered oﬀ course and crashed through sled veer the fence at over 130mph, Glenn’s passion for and drag racing has never waned. A er speed an working for D&D for 11-years, Glenn struck his own last January while con nuing to out on h closely with D&D, as well as Hypersports work clo in Arlingt Arlington, Wisconsin. While he drives less, he con nue nues to work at a feverish pace, building, tuning, aand watching over a bevy of race sleds responsible for like a mother hen. And he’s resp when he does get behind the bars, the speed and quic quickness is undisputed. Glenn has won back-toback-to-back tles at Brainerd, home to the biggest b ggest aasphalt race in the sport. It was there he posted a world record me in Division 3 with an 8.138.13-second run at a whopping 159.8 MPH.

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The cars rolled into Brainerd Internaࢼonal Raceway early, and some “hard running” in route to the track had some parࢼcipants looking to cool their exoࢼc rides before lining up against Hall at the tree.

Even with a special compound “slick” type track, tracࢼon is hard to find when you stab the thro le and wick up the boost. Hall says it’s like riding on marbles unࢼl the sled eventually hooks up about a third of the way down the track.

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onsnow A er facing oﬀ against all six compe tors it was the Ford GT40 that proved to be the most formidable compe on. With a best run of 11.2-seconds at a 145mph, the angry Ford simply didn’t have the accelera on to keep up with the big Cat.

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In the end, everyone had a great ࢼme and as expected Glenn and his Thundercat came out victorious. It was back to the speed shop for the Crown Rally boys.

“

The Thundercat drag video damn near broke the internet.

We’d like to give a special thanks to the crew at Arcࢼc Cat for the invite; to the Crown Rally drivers for bringing their beauࢼful cars out for a day of thrashing at the track; and for Glenn Hall for laying down some blistering ࢼmes. Winter can’t get here soon enough. ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

snap decision

Chris Wolf Vice President of Polaris Snowmobiles It’s always refreshing to come across a person high up on the totem pole at one of the manufacturers that is a true sled head. While we’ve known Chris for some time, having started at Polaris in 2002 as a District Sales Manager and working his way up the food chain to his most recent position as Vice President of snowmobiles, thus when we posed Chris with the query for this issue, he wasted no time to make a snap decision.

NE RIDE O

RACE ON E

2002 PO POLARIS XCR 800

For sheer pin back your ears speed, it would be hard to beat a race-prepped XCR 800 in a drag race.

SEL LO NE

1974 MERCURY SNO-TWISTER 400

This was the first year for the Sno-Twister and it caught the competition off guard and gave them a thrashing. I’m thinking a nice one would fetch a few bucks with the right collector.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

1978 POLARIS RXL 440 IFS RACER

One of the coolest and most dominant race sleds ever from the era of the Midnight Blue Express race team. Every time I see one I want to jump on and squeeze the throttle. It would be even better if I could ride it on the Derby track!

COLLECT ONE

197 POLARIS 1975 STARFIRE 650

I’ve always loved the looks of that sled, and they sound incredible. It would make great addition to any Polaris guy’s collection!

3.00

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BY GOODWOOD AND BEERSTEIN

who?

...

IS GOODWOOD AND BEERSTEIN

SWAPPER FUMES AND HEIRLOOMS

Native to the windswept fields and ditches, swamps and thickets, and deep forests of the northwoods, Goodwood and Beerstein are salt-ofthe-earth, down-home country boys who’ll just as soon drink all your cold ones or steal your girlfriend.

TearDown Fan Mail?

They work hard and play harder, spending every spare moment scaring up game, hooking big ones and, of course, making things faster. Especially snowmobiles. They share their stories here each month because they said not everything in snowmobiling starts and ends with a flat brim hat (actually it’s because they lost a bet, but they don’t like people to know they lose so we can’t say that).

Dear Goodwood and Beerstein, I read your article in the first issue of OSM regarding the Swapper. Do you think we should take a page from the Donald Trump lunatic rants and build a wall around the swap meets? Thank you, A Concerned Citizen. Here’s the deal Concerned Citizen – we don’t like gettin’ to talking about politics because the way we see it, if you wrestle with the pigs you’re gonna get full of their crap. And when it comes to pigs, well, that’s about the worst thing about them. But, since you bring it up, we need to make swap meets great again. Now, you gotta respect a guy wantin’ to make a buck or three, and heck – me and Beerstein, we’ve been tempted to throw a chainsaw or an old truck bumper onto the swap trailer a few times ourselfs. I mean, there’s a been a few times we’ve bought a gem at a swap that had nothin’ to do with sleds, so maybe there’s someone out there who wants our old junk. Now here’s the deal, some of these meets are trying to take things to this next level place. Now we ain’t never been there and according to Beer, the place doesn’t exist. But anyway here’s the problem with bigger and better…it can be purrty dang cool when you’re there, especially the better part. But sure as there’s a tomorrow, you gotta deal with the bigger the next morning too. Think about it. Dem purrty girls at the big shot OSM booth was there to create a distraction

-Goodwood

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

you see…that way me and Beer can hit the swap undetected.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 21-23, 2016 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

IF YOU MISSED US AT AND HAY DAYS, YOU WERE LOOKING IN THE WRONG PLACE.

Dear Wood and Beer, I have a dilemma that I hope you can help with. I’m a 40-year-old male that just can’t decide what type of hat I’m supposed to wear. I mean, I grew up on sleds, and currently I own a 2013 Polaris Assault with a pretty sick custom wrap. I listen to all types of music. There’s some county on my iPod, but also I got a sick playlist which includes The Hip, Foo’s, and Trews. I’ve even been known to blast some Steel Panther sometimes (you guys should check them out, pretty cool stuff). I don’t run bar risers and my truck has stock rims and tires. So knowing all this, am I supposed to wear a flat “snap back” brim hat, or a curled brim trucker hat? Dang it, I just don’t know. Thanks for any insight you have #WhatHatToWear OK, so, me and Goodwood read through this a few times and we’re guessin’ this is what it sounds like when your wife is venting her pie hole about something that happened at her wine tasting party. Not sure what your deal…matter of fact I’m not even sure what to call you buddy, cuz you didn’t sign your name. Anyway, we caught that you’re 40 and you ride sleds, so that’s good. But the rest of what you said makes us want to smack the metrosexual out of you. -Beerstein Please Don’t Go Digital! Dear Goodwood and Beerstein, if you have any pull with the big wigs at OSM, can you make sure they don’t stop printing the magazine. There seems to be trend in the magazine biz to go all digital and stop printing magazines. Here is the first problem; I spent too much money on my sled to even be able to afford one of those tablet things everyone is raving

about. I’m actually so broke that I don’t have a subscription to OSM. I literally have to steal my buddy’s copy when he’s not looking. So if you go digital, I am going to have to start stealing tablets and I am pretty sure that might be a criminal offense. Maybe you guys could do me a solid and hook me up with a free subscription? (Address removed for privacy) Thanks One Broke Ass Dude Beerstein’s old man always used to say, “Never trust technology.” I tell you what, them’s words to live by and that’s why we ain’t never owned no fuel-injected snowmobile. What if that buggy breaks down when you’re half a day into boondockin’ the swamp? Yeah, you ain’t goin’ nowhere fast, buddy. Here’s the other thing – once you’re at Beerstein’s cabin you’re about an hour into nowhere, and there ain’t no digital typewriter that’s worth squat thereabouts. Now, I usually don’t like to preach, I leave that to the boys up at the Legion, but when Beerstein gets himself all worked up tryin’ to find that last tenth of a second or beer sweat of speed from his drag sled, I always tell him, “Stick with what works.” From what I hear, those slick city folk who publish OSM are pretty dang smart, and they’re not gonna mess with a good thing. And those digital pub guys? We look at ‘em like Beerstein’s old duck dog – she’ll chase that tennis ball anywhere you throw it, but eventually everyone gets bored watching her jump off the dock and wanders away. I’ll put a good word in for up on the free sub as long as you buy us a pitcher of barley and froth at the drags someday. -Goodwood Dear Goodwood and Beerstein,

Last year I got myself a 2016 XF High County Limited. You know the one they offered in all black. The thing looks sick brah’s. Then for my birthday my girlfriend thought she was doing a great thing and bought me a sled wrap package. The problem is I don’t want to hurt her feelings, but why the heck would a guy want to wrap a sled that is already the sickest looking thing I’ve ever seen? She has already paid for it; I’m just not sure what to do. Help me please. Thanks Back in Black Whooo…now there’s a pickle eh bud. I tell you what, them boys who did up that Back in Black tune is one of our favorite tapes to play in the shop, and we sure do like the looks of those High Country buggies. Heck I think ol’ Good Wooder is bout ready to paint his big knocker diesel Dodge them same colors. Now I want to help you real bad, but you didn’t include pictures of this chick so it’s tough to make a call.

-Beerstein Dear Goodwood and Beerstein, Guys, I was just got back from Hay Days and I was hoping to run into you at the OSM booth. The young guy working there said he didn’t even know who you two guys were, and all he could do was mumble a few words and then go back to looking at the young girls working there. Do you guys live in the area? I’d love to ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

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TearDown BY GOODWOOD AND BEERSTEIN

stop by your shop sometime and share a cold one. Thanks, Looking for Good Beer Me and Beerstein weren’t going to respond to this one cuz we thought we’d get in trouble and heck, we kinda like writin’ this here column. But yeah, see here’s the trouble with being a half-ass celebrity an all. Some of those magazine fanboys, well, we’re not even sure they ride snowmobiles. See, they show up to Hay Days lookin’ for freebies like hoodies and flat brim hats. City kids if ya ask me. Me and Beerstein, we steer clear of that whole deal. Now, we’re not sayin’ Hay Days is a complete waste of time. Not even close. In fact, Beerstein, he found himself a PSI triple with billet domes and coated pipes this year for pretty much a steal. This guy sellin’ this stuff was about a two-four deep into the suds when ol’ Beer spotted it. Said he was done with this triple-triple crap and swore it was never coming back. We’re here to tell ya, three in a row make ‘em go. You know anything about balancing triple cranks? If you so, stop by sometime. Oh, and no one gets in the shop without making a fridge donation. -Goodwood Dear Goodwood and Beerstein, I was reading the last issue about swappers and it seems you guys have it pretty well figured out. I went to Hay Days without my wife knowing, but she found out where I was at because my buddy Steve let the cat out of the bag. Anyway, I figured I would try to get her a gift of something while I was in the swap to help smooth things over when I got home. I found some of those smelly candles there and bought a few different flavors but it didn’t do much good. Now I’ve been sleeping in the shop for the past week, any suggestions on how to make it up to her? By the way, I love the mag! Brent, Fertile, Minnesota Fertile Minnesota eh?! We spent a week there one night when our truck broke down. Sleepin’ in the shop huh. So, what’s the problem? -Beerstein

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Dear Goodwood and Beerstein, I’ve got a pretty simple question that I think you can help me out with. For some background I ride hard, and stand up most of the time. I own a 2004 Firecat and the thing hauls the mail. I currently have a 10-inch riser on it but I think it’s still too low. How much riser do you guys ride with and would you go higher? I’m 6’-4” and wear a size 14 boot.

GUYS LIKE THIS ARE GONNA MAKE SWAP MEETS GREAT AGAIN…NO WALLS NEEDED.

Thanks, C.D. Oconomowoc, Wisconsin You know what they say about a guy with big boots? Yup…they got even bigger feet…most likely don’t smell none too nice either. Here’s a story for ya - way back when, some dude used to show up at the Muni and talk smack all the time. Guy would say how fast he was and how fast his Ultra was. Even had matching pink and teal leathers. Now, thing is, no one ever saw this guy ride. I mean, he was always there, chuggin’ beers, and his sled was always out front, but no one ever saw him on it. So, me and Beerstein, we like a good spirited

LIKE I ALWAYS SAY…THOSE OLD DRAG SLEDS OF BEERSTEIN’S ARE DAMN FAST.

ride from time to time, so we invited this guy to ride at Beerstein’s cabin thinkin’ hey, this guy can set the pace, maybe run interference for those unsuspecting beaver mounds, and give us a run. So we get there late Friday, chug some cold ones, and next morning fire up the sleds. We hit some twisties on the way to some of the main trails, then jump out onto our secret Walleye lake and squeeze down hard. Just when the belt’s getting’ high up on the primary sheaves, me and Beerstein look over at each other, look back, and see ‘ol Ultra guy suckin’ snow dust. That was pretty much the story of the day. So, we figured there was a reason this guy was never on his sled. We never said nothin’ to the guys at the Muni and he didn’t either. And I’m here to tell ya, ain’t no bar riser woulda helped him. -Goodwood

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industry 411

Skinz offers three different types of running boards for riders of every caliber. These Burandt running boards for the Polaris AXYS chassis have been a top seller, as are bumpers and front protection components.

Skinz From startup mountain bike company, to one of the biggest aftermarket performance and protection hardware designers and manufacturers in the snowmobile industry, the family owned and operated Skinz has become a household name for snowmobilers around the globe. Located in the small town of Paynesville, Minnesota, we caught up with owner Jeff Hawksworth to get the inside 411 on the latest happenings and product offerings for the coming season.

What was the impetus for starting the company? Skinz is a family business that was started in 1996 in Phoenix, Arizona. We were big into mountain biking at the time, and we were a small company supplying a few bike products to distributors. In 2003, we moved back to Minnesota to work in a snowmobile related business with my wife’s family. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out as planned, and we found ourselves in a dire situation. Instead of throwing in the towel, we did the unthinkable and pushed Skinz into the snowmobile industry, and as they say, the rest is history. Obviously, there’s a lot more to the story, but the company had to go through some very difficult times before experiencing a level of business success. Chalk it up to stubbornness, never quitting, and an unwavering love for this sport. What is your best selling/most popular product or service? That’s always a hard one. We manufacture all of our products in house, and every year the products we offer and what’s hot is a bit different from the last. Frankly, all of our products are strong sellers, but if I had to name a couple they would be our running boards, bumpers, and seat kits.

Skinz products not only offer superior performance and protection, they deliver a level of fit, finish, and style that is unrivaled in the industry, as this A-arm and spindle kit illustrates.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

What makes your stuff better or different from other similar products in the industry? A few things definitely set us apart from others. One is dedication to building every item right in our facility. It doesn’t matter what product it is, if it comes from Skinz, it is built buy us in either our Minnesota or Phoenix location. We create, design, and build every single component. Another special thing we do is cultivate great relationships with our riders. Many companies sponsor riders, but our deals are different. We work with guys like Dan Adams, Chris Burandt, Bret Rasmussen, and Cole Wilford; they are great people and we work together with them to refine, test, and ensure products not only perform, but also deliver an extreme level of quality. They are key in

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onsnow helping us offer great ideas and great products for our customers. How do you test your products? We test them on snow in real life situations, but in addition to this we have multiple relationships with pro riders, industry people, and some of our best customers that all participate in the development and testing of the products. We cast a big net when it comes to testing, and we’ve built our process over several years to ensure we can deliver the highest quality products. Of course, the other key component to this is our ability to manufacture everything. This way we control the quality, and we are able to make running changes and not loose valuable time. This means we can make improvements without having to sell out huge quantities of inventory that might not be the best it can be, all without adding additional costs to the product. It’s a huge benefit for both our customers and us. What’s the best way to purchase your products/services? Much of our focus is delivering products to distributors and the dealer network so customers can purchase Skinz products from their local dealer or performance shop. We have distributors all over the world...wherever there is snow you can

The Helium line of lightweight hoods have been extremely popular with backcountry riders, looking to shed weight, increase airflow and cooling, and totally transform the look of their sled.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

industry 411

From snocross racers to backcountry freaks, Skinz seats have been widely recognized as one of the best lightweight and ride enhancing versions anywhere. Just like everything else at Skinz, these seats are manufactured entirely in-house.

Skinz

find Skinz. We do sell some items online, but only to support those products not supplied by distributors or dealers. Our focus is on building the best products possible, and that’s where we put our energy versus developing sales strategies and supporting an in-house retail business. Do you offer any type of warranty or guarantee? Absolutely...all of our products come with a quality and workmanship guarantee. We hold ourselves to a higher level of quality because we manufacture all of our products. Sure we make mistakes from time to time, but our number of warranty returns is extremely low. What new Skinz product or service has you most excited and why? I would have to say the Helium Black project hood for Arctic Cat and Helium Access hood for the Polaris AXYS are both exciting. These were large projects that required a lot of time, energy, and investment and you hope they meet expectations. Thus far they are being very well received. We have a few others I’m pretty proud of, like the AirFlex Ball Joint hand guards and our new AMT line of bumpers for the new Ski-Doo 850. Tell us something about the company that you wish more people knew. Every year we run backorders due to extremely high demand. In some ways it’s a good problem to have, but no matter how big our buildings get, or how much equipment we add,

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

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onsnow it continues. Our first priority is quality, we stake our reputation on it, and if that means it takes a little longer to produce a particular product, that’s what we do. Obviously, we attempt to get customers their product as quickly as possible, often times working long hours, seven days a week. Having the best is worth the wait. What is something you are sure to find inside Skinz headquarters bathroom? No frills at Skinz...toilet paper, soap, and paper towels. Get the job done and get back to work. Where is your or your employee’s favorite place to ride? We bounce around, depending upon what we are working on. We do a lot of riding in Colorado and in the Alpine, Wyoming areas. When it snows in Minnesota, we tend to log a lot of miles night riding. What’s next for the company? Good question, we wonder the same thing every year. To be honest, we come up with so many new product ideas each year that we always have to cut the list off, so we can focus on building the best ones. Right now we are focusing on new items for the GEN-4 Ski-Doo. We also have some other crazy surprises in the works that I can’t talk about. When you see it, you will know it! In 10 words or less tell me why someone should do business with Skinz? We live it!

Seat magic happens here, transforming foam and material into a lightweight and ergonomically enhancing component on your snow buggy.

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onsnow

MUFF

of the month

Steve Hannah (Fluffy) and Darren Desautels (Desi) are both avid snowmobilers and eaters! Throughout the season, they will be sharing their favorite recipes and Muff Pot techniques to help you create a trailside feast for you and your bud, or even your entire group. Maybe you are already a Muffpot maven? If so, Fluffy and Desi would love to hear about what you’ve been cooking. Email them at mom@osmmag.com

Old FaithfulBack Bacon and Onions In this installment of Muﬀ of the Month, we’re going back to basics. This can’t miss dish is sure to sa sfy and is easy to make. Now, Old Faithful to our friends south of the Canadian border means steaming hot water gushing from old Mother Earth, but for us, it means back bacon. Okay, we know there might be some confusion on the

en re bacon, back bacon, Canadian bacon, and peameal bacon between borders. No ma er what you call it, we know it’s pork, and for certain it’s a smoky goodness too delectable to ignore. Late last winter, we were making our last blast of the season and we decided to go old school and make trailside back bacon sandwiches. This is one of our “go to” trail side snacks, and it’s always a favorite. The recipe is fairly simple. We start by baking up a back bacon roast the night before. You’ll want to make sure you get the outside crispy and caramelized. Next, carve it into slices of your desired thickness for sandwiches on the trail. Wrap the carved slices in parchment paper and it’s

ready for the Muffpot. Now bacon alone would be good nuff for most rookie pot cooks, but to put this one over the top, you’ll want to add sautéed’ onions. Slice the onions and slow cook them in a frying pan with a li le of your favorite beer and Worcestershire sauce. The key here is the sweat the onions, so don’t fry them. To top it off, we recommend placing the finished goodness on top of a ciaba a bun, they are a li le bit firmer and are perfect for holding the hot goodness, once heated properly with your Braapp oven. Then, pack some slice spicy Havar cheese to put it over the top. Of course, condiments are up to you, but a er a few “exploding incidents” last winter, we tend to leave those items behind for safety’s sake.

Ingredients Back bacon roast One sliced onion Dash of your favorite beer Dash of Worcestershire sauce Ciaba a buns Sliced spicy Havar cheese

Sautéed onions in beer and an oven cooked back bacon roast make this recipe simple, yet ridiculously delicious.

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If you are a regular reader of the “Muﬀ”, you’ll recall that last winter we built a “mega” pot, and it works great. There’s lots of room inside for both the back bacon and onions. If you’re cooking with a tradi onal sized pot, you may want to break it up into two smaller batches and designate two sleds as the “ovens”. On this par cular trip, our sled head buddy “Old Ran” from Buﬀalo, made the trip up to the Great White North to put some miles on his new buggy. Our crew was a li le smaller on this Sunday than typical. Seems a few of our regulars came down

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onsnow The new “mega” pot we built last season was the perfect cooker for this robust and plen ful meal.

A well-placed hip check scored Brandon the last sandwich of the day…well played. with a bad case of the “bumps”. The trails from the day before were whooped out, and the boys got a li le too much trail jiggling! We headed to our favorite spot near Bancro , Ontario called the “Maze”. We found the last of the snow and ripped it out. This area is awesome; always groomed, lots of trail op ons, and very li le traﬃc. In all honesty, I shouldn’t be talking about it, since it seems to be a secret loca on. As is usually the case, this trailside lunch was just perfect. The sun was shining and the temp was just above freezing. Jackets were oﬀ and the onions were flying. Our buddy Brandon Meddick did a hip check and

scored the last sandwich. It’s funny to watch people pull over on the trail to check on us since we have the hoods up. Soon they bust out a smile and we’re the ones laughing as we assemble another piping hot sandwich from the engine compartment. There’s nothing quite like the last ride of the season, especially when you’re paying homage to the holy grail of trailside sandwiches. As our buddy “Ran” says, “It’s not about the miles, it’s the smiles,” and of course a Muﬀpot filled with Old Faithful.

Prince Fluﬀy in his new “Purple Rain” suit and Old Faithful sandwich.

Till next time Keep Muffin’

A nice ciaba a bun provides a solid base, and a few slices of spicy Havar cheese adds some creamy deliciousness to the mix.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 7 • ISSUE 2

gear It won’t be long until we are pulling the covcks ers off our sleds. We’ll be making tracks down the trails in no time. We have uncovque ered some pretty cool new and unique ow items in this Gear Guide that we know ming will get you excited about the upcoming ew season. Join us in welcoming the new 2017 snow season and enjoy some of g the new items we have found along the way.

Vertical Pro Jacket

Hey Ladies, here is a jacket that you may want to have a serious look at. The Vertical Pro from FXR features a durable polyester shell with removable liner that creates a jacket that is both waterproof and breathable. The liner is 100% seamsealed which adds to the waterproofing of the jacket, and liner was developed with 200g of Thermal Flex insulation making this one warm jacket when the shell and liner are worn together. The FXR designers also threw a ton of small things like; heavy duty zippers, reflective patches, dry vents, and those really ingenious lycra cuff extensions completely changes the way the jacket keeps you warm. For complete details and sizes head over to www.fxrracing.com

Boyesen X Wing Fellers – here’s an easy do-it-yourself mod that will give your carbureted buggie increased air speed and density. You might be asking yourself why do I need that – and the simple answer is increased horsepower. The more technical answer is: The Power X-Wing increases air speed (velocity) at all throttle settings. It does this by streamlining incoming air and works to better prepare the TURBULENT air for entry into the carburetor. Simply stated, increasing air speed and density are the two most important aspects of gaining performance in your intake system. For complete details head over to www.boyesen.com

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Boost Battalion Helmet

With 20 years of experience in engineering performance equipment, the designers over at FXR have created the all new Boost Battalion Helmet. Developed for both Snow and Dirt the Battalion features a lightweight polymer alloy shell, a dual density EPS liner and an adjustable high air-flow visor. Also on the FXR Battalion you will find a raised rubber nose guard, quick release buckle and a fully adjustable and removable breath box. Head over to www.fxrracing.com for complete details.

Navigator Ski Protector Polaris owners rejoice. The popular Navigator™ Ski Protector, from our friends at Woody’s, is now available for the Polaris Pro Steer Ski. If have not heard it, the Navigator is an accessory that protects your ski from wear, and also helps in reducing darting. Kinda a win/win here. Head over to Woodystraction.com to see what other skis the Navigator is available on.

MULTI-PURPOSE TIE DOWN ANCHOR SYSTEM

29.5" 29.5" 13.5" 8.25"

PRO

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7.5"

Twisted Spring Kit Here is an easy way to improve your ride. One of the common problems with adjusting your springs preload is that it ultimately affects ride height, which in-turn, can affect handling. The Twisted Spring Kit from Hygear is the solution to allow you to adjust ride quality without affecting ride height. After the easy install the Twisted Spring kit will reduce bottoming over large bumps but still offers up a plush ride over the small bumps. That to us sounds like a win/ win. For complete details head over to www.hygearsuspension.com

15"

#1 SNOWMOBILE / ATV TRAILER ACCESSORIES

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gear

6 MD04 Helmet

Meridian Glove M N Nothing is more of a day changer than a good pair of gloves. New from Arctiva is the Meridian Snowmobile Glove. Constructed from 70% leather on A tthe outer shell, the designers really put on their thinking caps when it came tto the Meridian. The leather, wraps perpendicular to the finger, as does tthe insulation inside, meeting up on the backside of the finger. This unique design feature results in less bunching, a greater pre-bend and relief from d tthat annoying stitch on the inside of the finger. The designers even threw a built-in b hand warmer pocket making the Meridian the perfect glove for those blistering b cold days. For complete details head over to www.arctiva.com

New from GMAX this year is the MD04 full-face modular helmet. Spun from the very popular GM44 helmet, the MD04 is sporting a redesigned jaw shape and brand-new shell for the 2017 season. The GMAX designers created the ultimate flip up jaw/breath guard system which attaches the breath box directly to the jaw. So when you flip it up, the breath box is out of the way. GMAX also made the chin bar push button activator much easier to use even with gloves on. If you are a full-face modular rider, then you should have a serious look at the new MD04. For complete detail head over to www.g-max.com

Helmet Light At OSM we always say, “safety never takes a holiday”. The Lead Dog helmet light is an ingenious product that adds an element of safety directly to your helmet in both nighttime and daytime riding. The powerful halogen bulb illuminates the trail wherever you are looking. Unlike just relying on the lights on the sled, which are static to the direction you are going, the helmet light, for example, will actually shine light through the corner at night because that is where you are looking not exactly where the sled is pointed. The install is a breeze and attaches to the existing light system on almost any sled. For complete details click on over to www.helmetlight.com

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Core Goggle New for this year from FXR is the Core Goggle. The outrigger frame found on the core goggle is a perfect fit to the FXR helmet (shocking we know) and features a pre-curved polycarbonate lens an anti-scratch coating. The core also feature extra large contoured foam to add to the perfect fit and comfort on this goggle. Head over to www. fxrracing.com for details.

MADE IN CANADA

BEST STUD BACKER ON THE PLANET…PERIOD ALL IN ONE DESIGN BILLET AIRCRAFT GRADE ALUMINUM ADDED TRACTION LIGHTWEIGHT DESIGN EASY AND RAPID INSTALLATION EASY AND RAPID INSTALLATION WITH THE ASSEMBLY TOOL

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gear

Crossbar Protector Here is a great new innovation from the guys at Superclamp that, to us, just makes complete sense. The New Crossbar protector is designed to mount over the 1 inch ramp crossbars on solid, double and tri-fold loading ramps. It helps to prevent stud damage to the center portion of the ramp. Easy to install, the Crossbar protector also adds some needed traction if your track isn’t studded. Available in 7.5” long pieces and comes in either 2 pcs, 10pcs or 24pcs kits with all the hardware needed for install. Head over to www.superclamp.net for complete details.

Schaeffer Synthetic Oil Everyone knows that oil is the lifeline of the engine. Whether you’re out on a trail or in a crosscountry snow race, your buggie needs high performance oil that’s ready to hold up to the extreme beating engines take. Schaeffer’s Supreme 9000™ Full Synthetic Racing Oil 2-Cycle keeps hard carbon deposits from forming, so you can enjoy a smooth but powerful throttle. This ashless oil burns clean, and reduces smoke emissions and prevents exhaust port blocking. For complete details head over to www.schaefferoil.com

CAT, AXYS & E-TEC PERFORMANCE! - Pipes - Y’s - Big Core Barker - Trail Silencers - Clutch Kits TEAM ARCTIC RIDER RICH DALY WINNING AGAIN!

Photo: IMAGE PRO RACING

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Let the MAD SCIENTIST Rich Daly help you get the most performance out of your Cat, Polaris or Ski-Doo this Winter, Call Today!

315-255-3665

613-489-5297

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Pipes Silencers

Arctic Cat Polaris Ski-Doo Yamaha

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Performance Stud Stars

AIR POWER PERFORMANCE AIR INTAKE SYSTEMS

With its easy and fast installation process, the Performance Stud Star system takes your traction to the next level. The system is an all-in-one, nut and washer, that incorporates a unique starburst base that replaces the old style nut and washer. The stud backer is made from billet aluminum, which by design, increases traction and provides greater support to your studs by eliminating the critical flex points of your stud. So if you are looking to extend the life of both your studs and your track while adding some more traction, then Performance Stud stars should be on your, ‘I need that’ accessory list this season. For complete details head over to www.performancestudstars.com

BITEHARDER Carbide Grinder

We have featured the carbide sharpener tool in a previous issues, but now the folks over at Biteharder have developed a 12 Volt Grinder tool that was made specifically to use the sharpender. This bad boy is a powerful, lightweight tool that is ergonomically designed to use be directly on the trail if needed and is small enough to carry on your sled. The high torque motor connects to your sled using universal “trickle charger” type connections. You simply attached the quick release to your battery and make the connector easily accessible, then store the grinder and extra long cord in your sled. When you need a little more edge, simply tip the sled on the side, get out the grinder and tool, and in no time your carbides will have that extra BITE like they were new. Almost like having a sharpening stone in your hockey bag, just way better. For complete details head over to www.biteharder.com

THE BOYESEN ADVANTAGE. HAND-CRAFTED FOR YOU. CUSTOM REED PETALS BUILT TO YOUR SPEC CARBON ROTARY VALVES COMPLETE INTAKE PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS INTAKE REPLACEMENT PARTS AND KITS REPLACEMENT REED PETALS PERFORMANCE REED PETALS

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last gasp

Martin Barkey MBRP

In this issue’s Last Gasp, we tracked down fast man Martin Barkey, founder and headman at MBRP Performance Exhaust in Huntsville, Ontario. What started out in a small, one-car garage in the town of Burks Falls, where Martin and his wife Ginger started building B&B exhaust mufflers for snowmobiles, has evolved 20-years later into one of the biggest names in performance exhaust anywhere. Today the company employs more than 100 people and has more than 3,000 part numbers in process to supply 7 different exhaust markets including snowmobiles, ATVs, sideby-sides, trucks, cars, jeeps and motorsports racing applications. On top of having an incredible team at MBRP, Martin’s drive and pure obsession for performance has been one of the primary forces driving MBRP to the forefront of the aftermarket industry.

Last snowmobile you owned? It was a 2015 Ski-Doo, but that new 850 looks intriguing. Last snowmobile you crashed? Oh man it’s been a while thankfully. I believe that would be a Ski-Doo 9500 Blizzard. They were fast sleds, but you could outdrive those leaf spring skis pretty quick. Last place you dined out to eat? Kelsey’s…it’s a neighborhood bar and grill chain that makes for a great place to go after work. Last band you listened to on your iPod? U2 Last time you went over 100mph? Easy…this morning on my way to get coffee. Last time you were injured? While I’m sure you were hoping to hear about some exciting high-speed crash, the actual last time I injured myself was at the gym. I messed up my shoulder a little, and had to back off for a bit.

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Last person you hugged? My wife Ginger.

Last thing you read? Certainly nothing fun…it was a new products report for my company.

Last time you got pulled over by the man? Ironically it was on my way to the Road America racetrack in Wisconsin to go racing. I talked my way out of that one!

Last thing you raced? My KTM X-BOW GT4. It was a race across North America in the Pirelli World Challenge Series.

Last near death experience? Years ago I pulled a wheelie on a motorcycle at about 100mph. The worst thing was that it wasn’t intentional.

Last time you laughed so hard you nearly wet your pants? It was most likely at the racetrack with members of my team.

Last great idea you had? I have great ideas all the time…others may not think so, but in my own mind they all rock!

Last celebrity you met? I’m not a celebrity guy. I may have met one, but I wouldn’t know it.

Last television show you watched? Last night…it was some cooking show. It was my wife’s idea. One word… boring, ha ha!

Last project you worked on that you were truly excited about? Designing and building our Jeep JK project named The Rattle Trap.

Lasting snowmobile memory? Last season my buddies Anthony Mantella and Mark Wilkins spent an entire week ripping the trails in Quebec.

Last thing your mother always told you? I can always remember when I was a young boy my mother saying, “You have to do your chores before you can play.”

Last person who truly inspired you? No question, my Mom and Dad. I’m always learning from them.

Last words of advice? Work hard…play hard…be honest, and try to brighten someone’s day, everyday.

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