T 5 THE WORLD’S LARGEST SNOWMOBILE SHOW! C O -2 TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV AND POWERSPORTS SHOW TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE 23
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MOD MANIA
come visit the fxr corporate booth at haydays for the reveal of our
fxr factory x race edition short track sled builds
onsnow CLICKED osmmag.com
White Plunge An overburden meadow of fresh creates an early January playground. Location: Wasatch Mountains Rider: Someone with Talent Photographer: Todd Williams
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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 30 • ISSUE 1
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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fuel-efficient ram 1500 With hard work. And smart work. The 2015 Ram EcoDiesel is more fuel-efficient than F-150 EcoBoost.* Thanks in part to innovations like an 8-speed automatic transmission and an available class-exclusive Active-Level Four-Corner Air Suspension with aero mode.1 The Active-Level Four-Corner Air Suspension automatically lowers the truck at highway speed, helping to maximize aerodynamics for enhanced handling and fuel efficiency. Just another reason why Ram has the highest customer loyalty of any full-size pickup.2 TM
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CLICKED
Numbed The frigid chill of mid January transforms fluid bodies of water into white sheets of speed. Location: Simcoe Lake, Ontario Rider: Rich Kehoe Photographer: Matt Clark
contents. SUMMER SCHOOL
64
44 MOD MANIA
FEATURES 44 20 60 30 64
MOD MANIA FIVE SLEDS AND ONE MAN’S PASSION TO BRING THE MOD BACK TO THE TRAIL
SCENE IT?
FUTURE TENSE
THE NORTH BAY SNOWMOBILE SPEED RUNS (NBSSR)
FROM THE MIND OF CHARLES BOMBARDIER
TIME MACHINES
SUMMER SCHOOL
YAMAHA SRX 440
WHAT WE LEARNED ABOUT THE 2016 SLEDS AFTER THE SNOW WAS GONE
82
PRESEASON BUYER’S GUIDE
30
TIME MACHINES
60 20
Scene It?
COLUMNS 12 DRIFTS
RICHARD KEHOE
28 WINGING IT WITH LEVI LEVI LAVALLEE
90 KELLY SHIRES BREAST CANCER SNOW RUN 100 FLOAT BOWL
PAT BOURGEOIS
102 LAST GASP
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FUTURE TENSE
DEPARTMENTS 14 INDUSTRY NEWS 18 WORD SEARCH 24 HONEY OF THE MONTH 26 TAKE 5 36 MUFF OF THE MONTH 38 ROOTS 40 FEEDBACK AND RANTS 42 LAWN ORNAMENTS 80 TEARDOWN 88 FIVE MINUTES WITH… 92 NBFSC REPORT 98 OSM LISTINGS
VOLUME 30 NUMBER 1
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OSM is published six times a year by OSM Publishing Ltd. Office address and undelivered copies and change of address notice is: PO Box 551, 27083 Kennedy Road, Willow Beach, ON L0E 1S0, Canada. Telephone (905) 722-6766. Printed in Canada by: Dollco, a divisions of Lowe-Martin Group • Copyright 2015 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 (includes Trail Map Atlas) $19.00 per year, $29.00 for 2 years. $37.00 for 3 years.
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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • Billet Wheels • Billet Wheels with replaceable rubber • Snowflap Savers
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• Offset and re-location axles • Big Wheel Kits • Billet grills and Snowflap plates
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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 30 • ISSUE 1
PO Box 551, 27083 Kennedy Road Willow Beach, ON L0E 1S0, Canada ph: 905-722-6766 fax: 905-722-6761 toll-free ph: 888-661-7469 toll-free fax: 888-680-7469 email: info@osmmag.com www.osmmag.com
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Richard Kehoe
DRIFTS
OSM HITS 30!
Y
ou can already smell the fresh Fall air, and the garage is now becoming more of a meeting place. We’re beginning to schedule our preseason sled events, which means only one thing; snowmobiling is right around the corner. My first job in the shop this fall is to find out if my new 120 sled is really as fast as claimed. If so, I might have to slow it down a little for my little guy. I know I’m more excited about the Briggs kit then my kids are, but I share the excitement with the guys in the shop for bar-to-bar 120 racing that we as
adults will be competing in under the lights in the office parking lot Tuesday nights this winter. Before the snow flies and 120 racing starts up, we will be getting our snowmobile addiction in by attending some events this fall such as; the grass drags and swap meets in Princeton, MN, the Excell Raceway in Bouckville, New York, and of course Haydays! There are many events that are worth checking out this fall, like the Ontario Watercross Circuit. And if you need products or accessories, or are looking to plan destination trips for this winter you should
visit the World’s Largest Snowmobile and ATV Show, The 28th Annual Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show this October 23-25 at the International Centre. OSM will be celebrating it’s 30th Birthday with a bang, so check out our booth for cool stuff and take a selfie with Pat! This makes Issue Volume 30, Number 1, and we’re thrilled to keep you on your toes and inform you of what’s new and improved on the shelves in the sled industry. We live and breath the sport, and I hope to see you out on the trails this season! J
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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MINNESOTA BANS SNOW BIKES FROM TRAILS In a move that is a bit puzzling, as the sport looks to gain new riders and state and provincial associations look to garner more members, we get word that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, (DNR) along with the Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association, (MnUSA) pushed through legislation last winter that effectively bans track and ski converted ATVs, side-bysides, and the increasingly popular snow bike conversions, from the 22,000 miles of trails in the state. While the move was likely done with safety in mind, by keeping larger vehicles such as side-by-sides off the often-narrow trails, the inclusion of snow bikes is a bit puzzling. With their popularity soaring (not to mention Minnesota based Polaris Industries’ recent purchase of leading snow bike conversion maker Timbersled, snow bikes seem to be a logical avenue to attract new and younger riders to the sport.
S
NEW
BAILEY MOTORSPORTS GARNERS TOP CSRA HONORS It was a great season for the Bailey Motorsports Team in Canadian Snowcross Racing Association (CSRA) competition. At the year-end awards banquet, the crew was named the 2015 CSRA Team of the Year, and to go with it, Bailey’s racers garnered six more awards including top honors in Sport Vet Class by Adam Goodale. Sturant Hunt grabbed a second in Pro Vet and Masters, Stale Eggen earned a third place trophy in Pro Open, and Ryan Hunt was given a third place year-end trophy as well in Sport 500. Congrats to Bailey Motorsports and all the teams on the CSRA tour.
RIDE FREE IN MAINE Can we get a golf clap for Maine State Representative Roland Martin and leaders of the state association for helping to push through legislation that allows registered Canadian sledders to ride in the “Vacationland” state without having to register their sleds there. Maine already allows riders from border states Vermont and New Hampshire to roam their trails for up to three consecutive days without a Maine registration. Now those same rules apply to snowmobilers from New Brunswick and Quebec. Kudos to the Maine Snowmobile Association for thinking big picture.
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
onsnow osmmag.com
S
NEW
ARCTIC CAT COUNTER SUES BRP
Behind the shiny glass doors at the corporate headquarters of all the big manufacturers, an expensive game of patent infringement volleyball is played daily in an effort to oneup the competition. Some of you will remember BRP (Ski-Doo) filed suit against Arctic Cat nearly four years ago, claiming Cat had infringed on six patents that BRP designed back in 2003. That suit centers around the position of the driver in relationship to the vehicle, and has been a behind-closed-doors mudslinging match since first being filed. Now, Arctic Cat has turned the tables, slapping BRP with their own patent infringement suit, this one dealing with off-throttle assisted steering technology in personal watercraft. Even though Arctic Cat is out of the PWC business, the suit claims BRP began to transition to the Arctic Cat technology after failing to execute their own system. Digging deeper into the details, it turns out Arctic Cat had originally shared the technology with BRP back in 1999, but they (BRP) said they weren’t interested, after getting a full demonstration of its capabilities from Arctic Cat. It was only recently that Arctic Cat learned BRP had in fact adopted it.
OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC PREDICT SNOW AND COLD As any good snowmobiler will tell you, “If you didn’t like last winter, just wait till this one.” Yes, we are the eternal optimists when it comes to winter, and if the Old Farmer’s Almanac has any say on this winter’s white delight, things are looking good. The word is super cold and a slew of snow for much of the country, even in places that usually don’t’ see too much of either.
ENVIRONMENTALIST COMPLAIN SOLAR FARM IS TOO GREEN For years, the Enviro-Greens have been screaming and complaining about our reliance on fossil fuels for energy generation. Yet, when Six Flags Great Adventure Park in Jackson, New Jersey announced plans to install a 90-acre solar farm to generate a significant amount of power for the popular amusement park, the environmental zealots didn’t like it. The creation of the solar farm, which requires significant space to generate the energy required, necessitated the cutting down of several trees to clear space for the solar panels. In total, about 19,000 trees would need to be removed, and according to studies done prior to the announced plan, the solar facility would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 24-times what the undisturbed forest would be capable of removing on its own. What’s more, the park also pledged to replant nearly 26,000 trees upon the projects completion.
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
Photos: Studio du Ruisseau, É. Marchand, M. Loiselle
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S
NEW
THE SHOW IS COMING! THE 28th ANNUAL TORONTO INTERNATIONAL SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW Is coming and it’s filling up fast! The usual aftermarket vendors are excited for its upcoming arrival, as are the multiple participating OEM’s like Polaris and Arctic Cat, and Tourism Boards like the Ontario Tourism Travel Pavilion. Don’t miss it OCT. 23rd through 25th at the International Centre. www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
WORD SEARCH
NEEDinSOME TIME ALONE IN YOUR THINKING HAVE THE THRONE GIVEit IT A Need some time alone your thinking room, haveROOM? a seat onA SEAT theONthrone andAND give aGO. go. < < < < "POLARIS < < < < < < < < < <(A-I)" <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< A C F Y I P C E N T U R I O N C C G L N A G I S T L U A S S A D ATX L U D C T P E N M R T I M C P H Apollo A Y T W O R B K Y X O G H Q O T Assault AXYS S W I B C H A R G E R U F M L E Centurion S S A L T U C E A S N T O S L L Charger Classic Touring I R F Q U I H I C E T T O A O E Cobra C F M B F Z C T O S S L M X Z C Colt Cross Country T A V U S G F N Z U E C O V D T Custom O N Y R T N U O C S S O R C K R Cutlass Dragon U J X L S J S R M B L B D R W A Electra R O A G F Y S F A Z D R X J M L Frontier FS I E L T S P Y L C R A A D B P Q FST N S A C R M X A W G E M I N I V Galaxy G S G T T X A C O H D I Q U K Z Gemini IQ L W Z B U N S N M T F Y S A P D Indy
POLARIS (A-I)
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
onsnow osmmag.com
SCENE IT? ON SN
THE NORTH BAY SNOWMOBILE SPEED RUNS (NBSSR)
ACCE
OW M
AGAZ
SS
INE
The crew of OSM made our way to Gravenhurst, Ontario, for the North Bay Snowmobile Speed Runs (NBSSR) in search of fast sleds and good times. Needless to say we found both!
That’s one fast Indy!
Here are a few snapshots of the action and results. The numbers on the clock are MPH’s boys, and those were done in 1320 feet. For complete details, results, and how to get in on the action, head over to the NBSSR website: www.nbssr.com.
Hoods Up Club. Just admiring the beauty of it all.
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This was all our camera could catch of the Cat.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
SCOTT LCG SNOW CROSS GOGGLE
C
M
J
CM
MJ
CJ
CMJ
N
ENHANCE YOUR PERSPECTIVE NO SHORTCUTS Stay out in the unexpected and prepare for any sort of ride with the simple and versatile SCOTT LCG Snow Cross goggle featuring interchangeable lenses. Sometimes, turning back isn’t an option but with the right gear you can keep on the throttle.
SCOTT-SPORTS.COM | MICASPORT.COM | IMPORTATIONSTHIBAULT.COM SCOTT-SPORTS.COM MICASPORT.COM IMPORTATIONSTHIBAULT.COM © SC O TT SPO R TS SA 2015 | Photo: arcticfi lmcrew.com © SCOTT SPORTS SA 2015 | Photo: arcticfilmcrew.com
onsnow osmmag.com
Dave Marshall of Hurricane Performance (second from the right) laid down a new record of 187.3 only to beat it on the next run time at 187.9. Boom!
Yup that is fast.
Michael Swartz has got one fast Apex! Oh you KNOW it’s fast.
Nothing to see here, just checking my emails.
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
onsnow osmmag.com
Honey of the month
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
Honey of the Month
1993 Polaris XLT
NAME: _________________________________________________________
Black and Purple COLOR: ________________________________________________________ 580cc; 3-cylinders, 38-inch ski stance; 7.75-inches of rear travel DIMENSIONS: ___________________________________________________ XLT - $5499; XLT SKS - $5,699; XLT Special - $5,799 MRSP: _________________________________________________________ Late winter of 1991, Roseau, Minnesota BIRTH DATE: ___________________________________________________ AMBITIONS: ____________________________________________________ To play the encore role to the Indy 500 and have a crank
survive beyond 5,000 miles. _______________________________________________________________
Xtra Lettuce & Tomato, Baby Triple, Twisted Triple NICKNAMES: ____________________________________________________ TURN-ONS: _____________________________________________________ A nice set of trailing arms. IF YOU WEREN’T HONEY OF THE MONTH, WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING?:
Looking dead sexy alongside a garage without a cover. _______________________________________________________________ Triple SLP pipes, 40mm Mikunis, and a Hot Seat clutch kit. ULTIMATE FANTASY:______________________________________________ in a row makes ‘em go…that was the mantra for Polaris during the late 1980s DARK SECRETS: Three _________________________________________________ and early 1990s. With the racing success of their Starfire triple engines and subsequent “shocking” consumer _______________________________________________________________ sleds such as the Indy 600 triple, which later would become the Indy 650 and then the fuel injected RXL, _______________________________________________________________ Polaris was known for big and bold, triple cylinder power. By 1991, Polaris was enjoying homerun type success _______________________________________________________________ with a collection of sleds that included the Indy Trail, Indy 400, Indy 500 and of course the triple 650. The _______________________________________________________________ Indy 500 had become an instant success, as it provided a trail performance sled with more gusto than the _______________________________________________________________
400, but with less weight than the 650. Almost as soon as the Indy 500 hit the snow, Polaris and Fuji began _______________________________________________________________ development on the XLT, a lightweight, monoblock triple cylinder that would offer the perfect stepping stone _______________________________________________________________ between the Indy 500 and the big 650, with a smooth running triple that Polaris faithful wanted, without _______________________________________________________________ the weight penalty. The success of the XLT was nothing short of “off the charts”. By 1995, Polaris was _______________________________________________________________ producing nearly 25,000 XLT models alone, and while we don’t have accurate counts to measure by, the XLT _______________________________________________________________ is most certainly one of the best selling snowmobiles of all time. The success of the triple prompted everyone _______________________________________________________________
else to follow suit with bigger and better three cylinder offerings of their own, but none of them experienced _______________________________________________________________
the success of the XLT. Even Polaris tried to recreate the XLT magic with the 100cc bigger Ultra, but it was _______________________________________________________________
plagued with problems. Ironically, Polaris introduced the big bore 700 twin not long after, putting the final nail _______________________________________________________________ in the triple cylinder coffin, and ending the three in a row decade of decadence and success. _______________________________________________________________ TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 30 • ISSUE 1
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“ACE”
Not only is the Ace deemed to have trump power in the classic 52-card deck, but it seems the singular name holds plenty of power in the world of powersports too. As we kick-off another season of OSM, here are five reasons why it’s always good to have an Ace in your deck.
SKI-DOO ACE
Making its debut in model year 2011, the then new four-stroke Rotax engine was dubbed the ACE 600. The three-letter acronym stood for Advanced Combustion Efficiency, and as the heady name implied, the new engine was all about doing more with less. The twin cylinder mill was incredibly quiet and incredibly fuel efficient, with a bold fuel claim of 29mpg and a range of 310 miles (500km). With 60-hp on tap, the engine was also capable of going on long runs with minimal maintenance. Ski-Doo later introduced a follow-up with a three cylinder 900 version in 2014 that produced 90-horsepower. We’re still hoping for a turbo version and we already have a name…the Ace of Spades.
POLARIS ACE 900
When Polaris went searching for a name to tag their singleseater Sportsman meets RZR creation in 2014, they found the perfect fit with the single suit moniker. Starting out “safe” with 325-cube power under the seat, the sit-down and drive buggy received a lukewarm reception from hardcore enthusiasts. Ahhh… but Polaris answered their call the following year with two 570 versions, including an SP version with premium goods. Yet, there were still those who truly wanted a “trump card” version. So with that, Polaris said, “Boom”, and for 2016 they’ve launched an ACE 900 SP with 60-ponies, power steering and lots of premium features. Looks like they are sweeping in the pot.
ARIEL ACE
The word ace has been used to name countless things, some mundane and boring, and others that stir the hormones deep inside a man’s body. Here’s an example of the later from the British motor company Ariel. The company is in their own words, “Very Britishness”, and while we are not sure what that means exactly, we’ll take a stab and say it has to translate to “badass”. How else can you describe the Ace motorcycle that features a milled and machined frame from a solid chunk of billet. That process alone takes 70-hours. Add in hand welding, hard anodizing and assembly, and you have a motorcycle that is truly a work of motorized art. The Ace performs too, powered by a Honda V4 1237cc engine producing 173-horsepower, and is capable of propelling the billet jewel in excess of 165mph.
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
ACE FREHLEY
Few bands are as iconic and as easily recognizable to both music junkies and average “Joes” than Kiss, and while most casual fans will think of Gene and Paul immediately as the anchor members of the group, (and the only two original members remaining) it was the spaceman Ace Frehley who most musicians will point to as having a major influence in their early rock and roll careers. Ace not only had a very distinctive playing style, but he also wrote or co-wrote many of the band’s biggest hits (although Ace never sang on many of them due to his lack of confidence in his own vocal ability, until he sang lead on the band’s hit Shock Me). There’s been plenty said and published on the history of the band, Ace and his troubles with drugs and alcohol, but the spaceman continues to press on (now clean and sober). He continues to produce albums, tour and take occasional jabs at his past bandmates, yet he remains the most important member of Kiss in the eyes of many fans.
ACE OF SPADES
When it comes to a deck of cards, the Ace of Spades is held in high regard and is of course, known as the “dead man’s hand” (Aces and eights) in regards to the poker hand Wild Bill Hickok was holding when he was shot dead in Deadwood in 1876. The Ace of Spades first became a prominent “ace” when King James of Scotland required added embellishments on the card by the printing house. In modern times it was none other than Lemmy and his band Motorhead that made the card a rock and roll fixture, with the bands most famous and popular song of the same name. A song littered with gambling and risk clichés, Lemmy’s growling lyrics and driving bass lines has made it a an iconic fixture in rock music. Perhaps more famous than the rhythmic chorus line is the equally recognizable and sing along bridge, with the lyrics “But that’s the way I like it baby, I don’t want to live forever.”
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 30 • ISSUE 1
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onsnow Headhsot by Todd Williams • www.toddwilliamsusa.com
osmmag.com
WINGING IT WITH LEVI LEVI LAVALLEE
A BALANCING ACT “We haven’t even left my house yet and you’re already going to sleep? Great, just fourteen more hours to go.”
T
he saying goes, “the older you get, the faster time goes by”. I remember hearing that phrase at my high school graduation and not thinking much of it. As I began to establish myself in snocross, I found myself doing anything and everything to advance through the ranks. It meant hanging out with friends less, having less random fun, and spending more time focusing on my program. The desire to succeed in racing forced me into a more structured lifestyle. I remember that time frame and the transition from being a carefree kid to being more responsible, and slowly but surely, becoming an adult. This resulted in more success, which fueled the fire to take on more training, more riding, more snowmobile disciplines, more, more, more. Eventually, this led me to the start of Team LaVallee. This is when I first began to see the years going by faster and faster. Team LaVallee was my entrance into business. As many business owners will say, it definitely becomes your new child. You nurture it, care for it, and do whatever it takes for it to succeed. But to do this, it consumes your time... A LOT OF YOUR TIME! But, like raising a child, you make that time available somehow, some way. For the typical business owner, this is the point where the hobbies and activities you used to do, start to take a backseat to the business
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because “you can’t make more time in a day”. This is where things began to get a little tricky for me. My “hobby” was also my job, so I had to figure out how to do both at the same time. I found myself doing emails as I was on the stationary bike at the gym, or I would conduct business calls between motos at the snocross track. Like a proud parent watching his child succeed, I watched Team LaVallee grow into a successful snowmobile team. This was a blessing and I wouldn’t
Paul Bunyan is a big fella.
My Winterruption
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Winterruption jumping over a tree… literally.
say a curse, but more a blessing and a reduction. Just like my racing career, as the team had more success, it not only fueled the ‘do more’ fire, it dumped a barrel of gas on it! I wanted to do anything and everything to help it succeed, and to do that, I reduced my on-sled time. From the first time I rode a snowmobile, I instantly fell in love with it. Since then, I have tried to surround myself with anything and everything that has to do with snowmobiling, so starting a snowmobile team was a natural step.... But as I got further and further into the business of the team, I realized that it was pulling me farther and farther away from my true passion of riding my snowmobile. I knew that I had to find a better balance to the constant work and no play. An interruption to the “boring Levi” needed to happen before I lost my mind... Enter Winterruption. Just what is Winterruption? Winterruption is reconnecting me with
Winterruption trip to Cooke City, Montana…Kyle and I debating on who should go first.
my passion – the same passion that has brought me so much joy and great moments in my life. My Winterruption brings me back to that place we have all been, but have lost in the business that is now everyday life. That place where your worries go away and you start to live again. My Winterruption is now. We will be traveling to some of the best riding spots across the country to document my journey back to fun! And like everything else I do, I’m going big! J
Morning session on glass.
Stay tuned this fall. -Levi
Found some fun stuff while filming for Winterrruption!
It’s not snowmobiling, but it sure is fun!
Winterruption… looking for lines in Cooke City, Montana.
I love these things; both on the wheels and on its side, when I let fun override common sense.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
Fun at home; what haven’t I jumped off this ramp?
ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 30 • ISSUE 1
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Time Ma ch ines
‘76
YAMAHA SRX 440
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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The First Liquid
E
ngine sizes and racing classes were whittled down, headed into the 1975-76 racing season. Like the 800cc class of today’s snocross, the 650cc class was deemed too dangerous and the 440cc class became the biggest class in oval racing. While some events still featured 650cc, racers would need a 440cc sled to compete for the title at important events such as the Eagle River World Championship. Three things drove race sled design, headed into the 1976 season - sound levels, liquid-cooling and build numbers. Manufacturers were obligated to build 500 of any machine intended for stock competition, or two-percent of the total build, whichever was more. Also, machines were limited to 78 dbA sound levels, a big drop from the previous 82 dbA. While not mandated, many felt that liquid-cooled engines were the best way to maintain power levels with the new sound restrictions, and most manufacturers jumped on board, including Yamaha.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Ti me Machines
1976 YAMAHA SRX 440
The 1976 440 SRX was Yamaha’s first liquid-cooled production snowmobile. It featured a 439cc engine, 40mm round slide carbs and pumped out about 100-horsepower at around 9,300RPM. Every part on the SRX was designed to help the sled go fast. An ultra-thin pipe, 2.5-gallon fuel tank, lightweight chassis and minimal bodywork ensured the sled would be as light as possible when it entered competition. While Yamaha had fielded formal race teams in previous years, in 1976 it announced that, while it would race, it would not be a part of the Sno Pro series.
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Ed Schubitzke, who jumped from brand to brand nearly every year, was announced as one of the team’s riders after Mercury told him it couldn’t hire him as a full-time member of the race team. Backing him up was Jim Adema, another rider who, so far, had spent his career battling the factories, from the little camper he drove to the races. It would be these two riders who would shape both Yamaha’s and the ice oval racing season, but in very different ways. At Ironwood, Yamaha was proving its worth, sweeping through the stock and mod-stock classes along with Mercury.
Racing started late on Sunday and the World Trophy Cup race didn’t start until late in the afternoon. Light was fading and it was snowing, but the riders voted to race anyway. Adema was trying for his third straight World Trophy Cup title and was following fellow Yamaha rider Dick Trickle, when Trickle’s sled slowed down due to engine trouble. Adema hit Trickle’s sled, came off his own sled and was thrown about 100-feet down the track. Jim scrambled to his feet, but was unable to get out of the way of the rush of oncoming sleds. Two other riders and their sleds hit him. Adema was rushed
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Ti me Machines
1976 YAMAHA SRX 440
to the hospital in Ashland and tragically, was pronounced dead a few hours later. Adema was the first professional fatality in snowmobile racing history. It marked a tremendous loss to the sport, both on the track and in the pits, where he was seen as one of the brightest minds. His sled preparation was meticulous and he had entertained numerous offers to work for different factories, but declined them in favor of racing on his own. His death affirmed the fears some had of snowmobile racing at the time…it was too fast and too dangerous. Shortly after, Sno Pro set hard and fast rules regarding safety and race conditions. A month later the Yamaha team found themselves at the Eagle River World Championship. Schubitzke was up against an all-star field of racers including the Arctic Cat rides of Larry Coltom; Bob Elsner; Dave Thompson; the Mercury sleds of Brad Hulings and Doug Hayes; Polaris rider Don Omdahl; privateer Lynn
Trapp and fellow Yamaha rider Trickle, who unknowingly had sustained a broken foot earlier in the week during qualifying. Despite the big names and factory backing, Schubitzke was the favorite and he set a track record on his SRX, besting the previous one by a whopping seven seconds. Such was the pace that snowmobile racing was progressing. Schubitzke didn’t disappoint, winning the title handily over Elsner and Thompson. Schubitzke continued his hot streak after Eagle River, winning the International Cup in Shawano,
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Wisconsin, three classes in St. Paul and four classes at the States Dominion in Thief River Falls, including the Arctic Challenge Cup. Schubitzke also won 440X in February at the World Series in St. Paul with his teammate Trickle coming in a close second. The SRX was perhaps the ultimate in Sno Pro production racing snowmobiles. The lightweight design and high-revving, powerful engine was the perfect blend when combined with skilled riders like Schubitzke, Adema and Trickle that together made the SRX 440 the sled to beat, wherever it raced. Subsequently, the SRX served as the basis for Yamaha’s forthcoming SSR racing model, which featured the company’s first independent front suspension snowmobile. The sled in these photos has an unknown past, and first crossed the path of On Snow Magazine when Editor Bourgeois and contributor Jason MacDonald found the sled as part of a six sled barn find, back in the summer of 2013. The SRX had a bad cylinder, but as luck would have it, a NOS cylinder and piston was found and the SRX lived again. The sled was later sold to vintage collectors Randy and Teresa Holland, who have continued to research and restore the sled to its former racing glory.
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MUFF
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of the month
Each issue, head chefs Steve Hannah (Fluffy) and Darren Desaultels (Desi) will share their favorite recipes and Muff Pot techniques, to help you create a trailside feast. Got a Muffpot recipe of your own you’d like to share with our Muff Masters? Email us at editor@osmmag.com
Two-Stroke Shepherd’s Pie
L
ast season Fluffy and I were guilty of cutting a few corners on our first cook-out rides. We had slipped down the difficulty level with our muff pot fillers and had been dining on rather easy, quick to prepare stuff. Don’t’ get me wrong, standard fare such as wings, ribs, perogies and pizza always taste good trail side, but it seems the lads in the group had spent last summer building their expectations for some truly “next level” Muff Pot cuisine. Ever since we raised the bar on Muff Pot cooking, we now get nothing but flack if the hood comes up and our riding pals aren’t impressed. All of a sudden those quick throw together snacks are no longer cutting it, and our stature as ‘Muff Masters’ was in jeopardy. Truth be told, it’s not really difficult to
come up with an idea for something that’s gonna taste pretty good out on the snow. I have always loved shepherd’s pie; not sure if it’s the tasty filling or the potato topping, but for me, this combo really works. Slather a little red sauce on the top and I’m all in. With Shepherd’s pie on the brain and my taste buds, I hit the internet to see if I could find a recipe that would work in the twostroke pot. I was pleased to find that the internet provides more recipes and options for this meal than I’ve had hot dinners. The only real issue is to find one that has ingredients that you like. I went for more of a garlic mashed topping, because I cannot say no to garlic mashed potatoes. Preparation is pretty easy, it’s all in one pan on the stove, but portions need to be adjusted to fill your muff pot. Originally when preparing this recipe, I was a little concerned about how dry the seasoned meat filling looked. Sure, here in the pan it looks plenty moist, but I was worried that the moisture would disappear as the meal simmered.
After you land on a recipe you like, a little stovetop preparation is in needed to brown the meat and sauté in the vegetables and seasonings.
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My moisture fears were quashed on our first gas stop of the day. As we pulled up to the pump and shut down the engines, the smell coming from our buggies as very, very pleasant. So much so that the gas station attendant even noted that our sleds were making him hungry. It did seem that there was more than the usual amount of aroma coming from under hood, so we checked it out. Yup… sure enough, we had some seepage. Turns out the meat had shed some moisture, and it was now leaking out the sides of the pot as it expanded; we had some seepage. It wasn’t much, and a quick cleanup had things back to normal under the hood. What it did tell me was that there was indeed ample moisture inside the pot, and with things heating up nicely, we best start looking for a place to eat soon. Now some of you may recognize this particular recipe had already cooked for one full tank of gas, not the more normal half tank that most meals require. This kind of meal fills every corner of the pot, and
The nice thing about Shepherd’s pie is that there are few rules to abide by. I’m a sucker for garlic mashed potatoes, so those had to go atop this particular pie.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Pie is served…after a heating the concoction with a full tank of gas, plus a refuel, the aroma under the hood was too good to ignore, and we pulled over to fill up our own tanks. requires a thorough heat soak to ensure everything is hot. A nice stretch of trail just outside of Mattawa, Ontario provided the perfect place to break out the spoons. For this particular meal, the only “extras” you’ll need to bring are disposable bowls, spoons, paper towels or napkins, and of course the prementioned red sauce (ketchup). Only Fluffy and I were on this particular ride and it was unfortunate that our critics had missed it…the meal was very, very good.
Even the groomer operator stopped to investigate the aroma and could not believe we were eating steaming hot food from under our hoods on a cold winter day. Upon returning to our hotel later in the day, the rest of the “loogans” that arrived were more than a little impressed with our latest Muff Pot creation. That should shut them up…at least for a few days, and the “re-heaters” name was retracted. I’m not sure how many times I’ve cooked this kind of meal and learned this lesson
before…but here it is again for both of us. Those click-lock tops on squeezable containers have NEVER been tested in the rear compartments of snowmobiles. I have an uncanny ability to find the roughest sections of any trail, and by the next time I checked, the rear tunnel bag on the Assault looked like a crime scene inside. The housekeeping staff at the hotel was probably on alert after inspecting my room. I used some nice white hand towels to clean up the mess, and fortunately, the smell of ketchup staved off a call to the North Bay CSI team. A good tip is use a large size zip lock bag… in fact bring a few for all future rides. Seal these types of bottles inside the bag and prop or support the bag with soft-goods, like spare gloves or a base layer inside the storage compartment. Another good tip is to keep the level of filler in the muff pot a little less than the absolute capacity of the pot. This might help out with the overflow situation we encountered, but it won’t make for such a pleasant gas stop aroma…your call.
Till next time…Keep Muffin’
e r o t S y o My T SKI-DOO OPEN HOUSE NOVEMBER 27-28-29
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 30 • ISSUE 1
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For
most of us, our love for this sport can be traced back to childhood memories. From riding in front of mom or dad, enjoying a semi-charred hotdog around a bonfire, or being pulled in a sled behind the family snowmobile. It’s those early “roots” that has infected us with a passion for snowmobiling that is still with many of us today. For Rick Bell, his passion for snowmobiling started very early with the family’s 1967 Ski-Doo. Rick was recently reminded of those early snowmobiling memories when he spotted this photo hanging on the wall of his sister’s house, along with other early family photos. “The picture is of my mother, me on the back and my sister in the Ski-Boose,” Rick tells us. “Our ’67 Ski-Doo Olympic didn’t’ go very fast, but we didn’t care. My sister and I were warm under our ‘buffalo’ blanket, and I have nothing but good memories of those early days of snowmobiling with family and friends.” Do you have an early snowmobiling “roots” memory and photo you’d like to share with us? We’d love to see it and share it with the OSM family. Email us at editor@osmmag.com
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FEEDBACK & RANTS When you tend to do things a bit differently, people notice. The crew here at OSM likes to do things our own way. If you want cookie cutter, predictable snowmobile articles and videos, there are plenty of them to go around…just not here. Despite our different approach of simply having fun and being not just good, but good enough, some of you continue to read our rag and are coherent enough to let us know about it. Can it get any better? Doubt it. Hey OSM, I just picked up your latest issue on the newsstand. When I discovered your publication, I stopped buying others. I enjoyed the vintage articles and the action photos. That being said...in this latest issue I found some things that are bit confusing to me, such as recommending changing tracks to one with LESS traction so you can drift through the corners on trails. I have run into such jackasses doing this on the trails while out with my family and to recommend such unsafe acts is irresponsible. Next, I have never heard of anyone using the term “buggy” in reference to a snowmobile. I have found it in the majority of your articles in this issue. I went out to the garage and looked at the snowmobiles out there and buggy was the last and silliest word that came to mind. Trying to coin a new term for my sled? Lastly, I found it hard to believe that in the first issue of the season, you couldn’t find a few more things that your readers might find interesting, so you covered five pages with your opinions on what seems to be obscure beers, which most are probably only marketed in your region .I look forward to the next issue of “On Snow Buggies and Beers”. I hope it’s an improvement.
OSM, Thought you guys might like to see that OSM came with me to Beijing. After walking all day, I needed to rest and couldn’t think of a better way to spend the time while resting my legs. The locals didn’t know what a buggy was, but I think sleds in China will now be catching on. I brought it with me to the Great Wall of China, but forgot to get a picture there. That would have been way better. Oh well, maybe next time. Ryan Dear Ryan Thanks for sending us the six-pack of Asian beer… stuff taste like paint thinner mixed with tofu. Don’t worry about sledding in China, the Chinese snow-mo buggy invasion is coming, our well-informed tandem of Goodwood and Beerstein confirmed it. – Editor
OSM, My dog (Doug the Pug) and I enjoy your magazine. Here’s a picture of Doug wanting to open it up and browse the new snowmobiles. Hope you enjoy, Ryan Knox
Sincerely, W. Mack, Bored and Picky on a Saturday Morning Dear Bored and Picky You bring up some good points, but after chugging twenty of the cheapest and most disgusting beers we could find for that issue, the hangover likely clouded our judgment. Next time send some beer and we will put your ideas atop our list. – Editor
Dear Doug and Ryan Holy cow, we didn’t even know we could write in Pug. – Editor
Dear Editor, I just read your story titled “Tear Down” featuring Goodwood and Beerstein in your latest issue of OSM. I really like this mag and its writing. I would consider it one of the best sledding mags in the biz. But when I read this story about two beer swillin’ Redneck SledHeads and their adventures, I thought to myself, Hmmm... this reads an awful lot like the stories of Hammer and LumberHead posted on arcticinsider.com. Just sayin’. Regards Average Joe Sledder Dear Average Joe Who the hell names their kids Hammer and LumberHead? Sounds like a case of teenage acne if you ask me. For the record, Goodwood and Beerstein have been sledding and drinking beer way before Nixon was in office; that’s Pre-SR (slide rail). Now, if we do some simple math…this year marks the 30th anniversary for OSM, and that’s way before Al Gore invented the interweb. Just sayin’ – Above Average Editor
Got a complaint, a rant, whatever? Drop us a line at editor@osmmag.com 40
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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LAWN ORNAMENTS
osmmag.com
W
ith summer in the rearview mirror and the first hints of fall nipping at the tips of those Aspen leaves, our favorite colors have started to rear their heads. Yes it’s lawn ornament season, and along with OSM staffers trolling the backroads in search of slumbering, rotting, or simply forgotten metal, several loyal readers have been ornament hunting as well. Because nothing speaks “I’m a snowmobiler” better than a not so fresh buggy lying in the weeds or lurking alongside the garage, here is this season’s first installment of the bold and not so beautiful.
true” this “ fully s u s d ace er sen resting pe ith a s i a H e w elow ent Bill mplet ornam b lawn consin, co d mulch n s a i t W a e . in s rpot vation flowe ack preser r for t
The old V peering a -Max was caug h cross t he stree t Dave New t m this pho an, who tells by u t doorway o was taken fro s m the of a bar his ridin g buddie that him and s frequ sleds. R ent on u pulled u mor has it the p last w rider in in for a bump an ter, went d has ye return. t to
Ski-skins, Sno-Stuff can… yup she’s a mod. rio parked his John Laverdure from Newcastle Onta it upon his find ld cou he SS440 where he knew pit. fire the atop age… cott the to return trip castle. New in Two-stroke s’mores are all the rage
The neatly wrapped blue tarp tells us that this is a clean, one owner Indy Sport that’s always been babied. Todd Jacobsen snapped this pic somewhere in the jungles of northern Illinois.
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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ing s dur f d r a c final trio o their run, this e and g n i w dra ker oung After inter’s po to the l early the d l last wders retire since. C val racer, n i e r e r t s n ar me o Ca ’t bee r is a for st handleb n e v a e h a d i f r go ra Pante upon the d e . bas ion posit
Proper summer storage tip number 63: Always elevate the track to avoid the ravages of Mother Nature.
Snowmobile sex-ed, this is where baby Kitty Kats come from. slope; Always park your sleds on the downhill ta. Dako th Sou of Hills captured in the Black
Early indications point to Arctic Cat being the first to market with long travel suspension.
Proof positive that good things come in threes. The sign on the trike said it ran when last pedaled.
Seen a few lawn ornaments in your neck of the woods? Share them with us. Every issue, one lucky submission will receive a swag bag from the OSM closet of forgotten goodies. Congrats to Dave Newman for being this issue’s winner. Send photos to editor@osmmag.com with Lawn Ornaments in the subject lawn. Happy hunting!
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Five Sleds and One Man’s Passion to Bring the Mod Back to the Trail
if
you talk for very long with Milt Reimer, owner and founder of FXR Racing, the conversation inevitably turns to racing. Milt’s passion for going fast can be traced back to his childhood where he spent much of his time riding dirt bikes and snowmobiles at his parent’s home near Rosenort, Manitoba. Conversations about snowmobiling during those early days inevitably leads to stories of Milt riding the frozen waterways of the Morris River or Tobacco Creek.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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MOD MANIA Riding up and down those frozen stretches of twisted ice countless times, eventually led Milt to try his hand at cross-country racing. Back then snocross took a backseat to cross country, which was experiencing its second go around at popularity. The International Series of Champions (ISOC) was the premiere terrain circuit in the United States, while the CanAm Cross Country series was the hot ticket in Canada. Milt raced in both and quickly developed an appetite for going even faster. “There’s nothing like the feeling of just railing a corner at speed,” Milt said with eyes beaming and his fingers nervously twitching as if he were once again navigating a series of course markers. “I grew up riding frozen rivers, they were so much fun…many of those races had the same kind of terrain.” Milt’s passion for racing and riding led him to purchasing the dealership where he worked and raced motocross for. From there, the idea for FXR Racing was born. The company is now arguably the largest outerwear and casual wear business in the sport. Fueled by Milt’s ‘always on the gas’ drive, and the use of racing as a primary marketing tool, FXR has been an absolute juggernaut, with no signs of letting up any time soon. Now armed with the wherewithal to pursue other projects, Milt set his focus on rekindling those all out river rides from his racing days. “I love all kinds of snowmobiling, from mountain riding to boondocking to trails, but for me there’s a thrill that comes with mod trail sleds that you don’t get anywhere else.” While the industry has become incessantly focused on the western market, where mod-sleds are not just coveted, but for a long time required to reach riding areas that stock sleds simply couldn’t go, mod trail builds have nearly disappeared. During the 1990s, when snowmobiling was experiencing a resurgence and huge growth, mod trail sleds and the aftermarket builders who fueled the trend were immensely popular. Milt is determined to bring back that mod sled passion. “Today’s sleds are amazing…I mean they are so much better than the sleds we rode and raced back then,” Milt said. “But so is the technology and capabilities of the aftermarket. I see all these trick mountain sleds and I want to implement that technology and power into trail sleds. To me there is nothing better than blasting a berm or hammering a whooped out trail.” With that mindset, Milt along with many of the best aftermarket companies in the industry, created five trail beasts, each with a distinct personality and each built for the ultimate thrill ride on whooped out Midwest trails, unplowed logging roads and drifted river bottoms. “These sleds are just in the first stages,” Milt pointed out. “Getting out and riding these sleds, tuning them, trying new ideas and riding with others who can appreciate not just riding fast, but building these sleds are all part of it.” Milt and his FXR Racing crew have already created custom wraps, along with matching performance clothing and helmets for each of the fives sleds profiled here. Going forward, new suspension components and accessories are being planned, along with ride days with some of the sport’s fastest thumbs and most talented engineering minds from the past and present. From former snocross and cross-country champions, to some of today’s most savvy tuners and engine builders, Milt has a huge vision, not just for these sleds but for the future of mod trail sleds in general. “It’s about having fun…going fast…tuning…trying new ideas…riding with friends,” Milt continued, with hint of child like excitement in his voice. “Sleds like this just ramp up the entire experience.”
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Ontario Bush Bustin’
In late March the OSM crew caught up with Milt and members of the FXR team to spend time with the FXR mod sleds. With snow disappearing fast across much of the Snowbelt, we journeyed far north to Ontario bush country for two days of octane and adrenaline debauchery. We’re not sure if it was the experience of squeezing the throttle of 200-plus horsepower trail sleds; pounding crater sized moguls in the forgiving spring snow; of simply hanging with fast friends and talking about the sleds, the ride, and possible future mod sled builds, but the experience rekindled our love for the power and performance these sleds deliver and confirmed Milt’s vision for a modified future.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Project X Ski-Doo 800 XRS The first generation FXR Trail Mod sleds carry a similar theme, no matter the brand; subtle chassis and ergonomic enhancements, with a larger dose of suspension modifications and performance upgrades. The Project X XRS started with a visit to Straightline Performance, who over the years has become known as one of the premiere Ski-Doo performance shops in the industry. To give the already stout 800 Rotax more oomph, the Straightline crew outfitted the motor with their complete exhaust package that includes Y-pipe, pipe and muffler which bumped up the output 10-11 horsepower, while shaving 14-pounds. Joining the free breathing exhaust was a Straightline clutch kit to better harness the power, and a chassis brace tying the clutch tower to the front frame for improved rigidity and consistent clutch performance. Other engine mods include a Boyesen reed cage system and a Doo Doctor temperature resistor, which overrides the built-in temperature timing safety retard, giving you prolonged, full-advance power output before the retarded timing takes over. Suspension, as it is with all of these sleds, was the main area of focus with the XRS. While it’s safe to say the Ski-Doo XRS is already one of the best handling sleds in the industry, the idea behind any mod sled is to make it better. To try to get there, FXR called upon Z-Broz Racing. The Zollinger brothers have built a reputation for performance through their racing success in the Rocky Mountain snowmobile hill climb circuit. The success and lessons learned while amassing six world king titles and nineteen world titles is one of the key formulas behind their suspension and shock components. The Project X XRS features Z-Broz ARS FX A-arms and EXIT shocks with dual rate springs and compression dampening control. Joining the system is a Trac-Link adjustable limiter strap from Between the Lines Designs. Control is dished out courtesy of C&A XT Skis, with 10-inches of carbide. All that front-end bite is required once you take a gander at the track where you’ll find 1.325” Woody’s 40mm Grand Master studs, placed in a 4-2-4-2 pattern in the center belt only. Rounding out the XRS are Flex-Tec hand guards with aluminum mounts from ROX Speed FX, StompGrip pads and of course, custom graphics from FXR.
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PROJECT PLAYERS STRAIGHTLINE PERFORMANCE C&A SKIS Z-BROZ RACING EXIT SHOCKS WOODY’S DOODOCTOR STOMPGRIP ROX SPEED FX BOYESEN
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Project X XRS was one of the mildest builds of the bunch, but the added punch of the Straightline Performance pipe was clearly noticeable, even in the spring snow conditions where traction was at times, hard to come by.
You can make out the arc of the lower arms of the Z-Broz front suspension in this image which provides greater ground clearance. The extended arms serve up greater travel and more stability.
EXIT shocks from Z-Broz feature dual stage springs with a custom tuned cross over, along with both compression and rebound dampening controls.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Project Axys Polaris 800 Pro-X800 XRS The Pro-X was developed and calibrated by Polaris to be a big mogul crusher out of the box, making the task of improving upon an already stellar big bump design, all the more difficult. But before the FXR Mod Squad tackled the suspension, they once again called their buddy Jason Houle at Straightline Performance to give the already quick revving Liberty 800 HO a bit more snort. To get there, Jason provided a complete exhaust system from Y-pipe to muffler. In total, the system pumped up horsepower by 8-9 ponies, while shedding a whopping 19-pounds from an already lightweight sled design. Joining the easy exit plumbing was a complete clutch kit with adjustable flyweights. This was all that was required to give the already blazing fast AXYS Pro-X the added pull Milt was looking for on the exit of each corner. The suspension proved to a bit more of a challenge for the boys at Z-Broz. This go around the ARS FX A-arms had to be custom built, giving the Pro-X an ultra wide 45-inch stance (stock is 42.5-inches). Since the goal was to not just pound moguls, but rail the corners as well, the addition of a custom fabricated sway bar was also in order. The stock shocks and springs were retained for this particular build, save the front track shock where a 150 lb. straight rate spring from Eibach was put into duty. Ensuring the front would bite with precision, a set of white TX Race skis from C&A were mounted to the spindles. Joining them were Stud Boy 9-inch carbides affixed to custom shaped keels. The use of Stud Boy traction was also employed out back where 192 - 1.875-inch studs with plastic Pro Lite backers were installed in a four per lug pattern. Yes, it hooks up like a top fuel dragster. Capping off the suspension tweaks was the addition of the quick adjust Trac-Link limiter strap from Between the Lines Designs. The crew from ROX Speed FX was called upon to supply black FlexTec hand guards, as well as their Pivoting Bar Riser. Completing the look was black matte Ultimate Bumper from Polaris, StompGrip traction for the tunnel and fuel tank, an ISR race approved tethered kill switch and in our opinion, the most tasteful FXR graphic wrap of any of the five mod sleds.
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PROJECT PLAYERS STRAIGHTLINE PERFORMANCE Z-BROZ RACING STUD BOY C&A SKIS ROX SPEED FX STOMPGRIP BETWEEN THE LINES DESIGNS EIBACH SPRINGS HEADINGLY SPORTS SHOP
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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The crew from StompGrip entered the snowmobile market through the racing ranks, but there is no denying the added benefits of the tank and tunnel traction mats when riding in an aggressive forward stance.
JUST 50 MINS NORTH OF TORONTO
HWY 48, Pefferlaw, Lake Simcoe 705-437-1122 • quinnsmarina.com
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SKI-DOO OPEN HOUSE NOVEMBER 27-28-29 ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 30 • ISSUE 1
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While known primarily for its big bump capabilities, the wider front stance, stiffer sway bar, and the addition of C&A skis, transformed the Project AXYS Pro-X into a corner carver as well.
The rear suspension was left virtually untouched, save for the addition of a straight rate front arm spring from Eibach. The change gave the Pro-X a more pronounced attack angle when hammering big rollers.
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All five sleds featured the oversized, soft-sided Flex-Tech hand guards from ROX Speed FX, along one of their aluminum riser blocks. If you ride in roost or cold weather and still like the looks of a “shorty” windshield, these guards are the ticket.
The graphics on the Pro-X featured a split appearance, with a monotone look on one side and bold red on black on the other. This was by far our favorite scheme.
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Polaris recommends that all snowmobile riders take a training course. Do not attempt
Polaris recommends snowmobile riders a training course. Do not attempt maneuvers beyond that yourall capability. Always weartake a helmet and other safety apparel. maneuvers beyond your capability. Always wear a helmet and other safety apparel. Never drink and ride. ©2015 Polaris Industries Inc. Never drink and ride. ©2014 Polaris Industries Inc.
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S HUR BAT ST
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PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE
CENTRE CENTRE TERRAIN DOMINATION
TerrainDomination.com TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Project AC Arctic Cat 800 RR When it came time to build the FXR Mod Cat, horsepower became a driving design factor. That’s not to say the stock 800 motor from Cat is down on power, but when the call went out for more power and the kids from Speedwerx picked up the phone, it was a safe bet that there would be some big, naturally aspirated ponies lurking under the black and green cowl. Dubbed the Stage 2 Exterminator Kit, the 178-horsepower set-up gets the big numbers with no head or porting modifications; doesn’t spool up the motor beyond the stock rpm, (8100 to 8300) and runs on premium pump gas. The kit features a complete single pipe exhaust system; Hypershift clutch kit; high flow cold air intake; Boyesen Rad Valves; Dyno Jet Power Commander controller and a Speedwerx off-set timing key. According to Jeremy Houle at Speedwerx, the kit is not just for drag racing. “The trail and ditch characteristics of the kit are like no other,” Jeremy said. “It has instant response and spot-on backshift all day.” According to Speedwerx, the kit delivers a 7-8 sled length gain over stock and a 5-6mph gain in 1,000 feet. The same package has won several aftermarket awards for both performance and value. Joining all the Speedwerx goods under the hood is a D&D Quick Shift Assist shim for the secondary clutch from 2Kool Performance. The shim is designed to help deliver smoother up-shift and reduce spring binding on back-shift. For suspension duties, the boys at Z-Broz were once again called into action with their custom, 45-inch wide front-end kit. Already outfitted with top shelf FOX FLOAT EVOL RC shocks, there was little need to alter anything else. The stock skis were replaced with white TX Race skis from C&A, with 9-inches of Woody’s carbides fastened to a custom shaved and shaped keel. Making sure all that Speedwerx power gets to the ground, the crew from Woody’s was put in charge of traction, selecting 165 of their 1.325-inch Trigger studs to get the job done. The pattern features 135 studs in the center band, with the remainder in the outer track bands at every third pitch. Finishing touches included Flex-Tec hand guards and an adjustable aluminum bar riser from ROX Speed FX, a StompGrip tunnel and seat traction kit, and the adjustable Trac-Link limiter strap from Between the Lines Designs.
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PROJECT PLAYERS SPEEDWERX Z-BROZ RACING C&A SKIS ROX SPEED FX STOMPGRIP WOODY’S BETWEEN THE LINES DESIGNS BOYESEN
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While we were unable to find any hardpack groomed trails during our late season ride, the Project AC RR was dubbed the best handler of the group in these particular conditions. This is not to say the others won’t get there. Keep in mind all of these sleds are works in progress and like many mod builds, tuning and improving is all part of the process.
All sleds were studded and the Cat featured 165 Woody’s Trigger studs to make sure the newfound Speedwerx power made it to the ground.
The Cat was clearly the beast of the normally aspirated sleds in this group. The Speedwerx Exterminator 2 kit was flawless both days, and while we had to search out premium fuel on one occasion, power was instant with no gurgles or hiccups. Aside from the Z-Broz ARS FX A-arms, little was changed to the front suspension of the Cat, including the FOX FLOAT EVOL RC shocks and their vast range of tuning capabilities.
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Project MC-X Yamaha Viper The thinking at FXR when building this collection of sleds last winter was if one turbo Yamaha is good, two must be better. Following a similar build pattern as the Project MPI build, Milt and company looked to other performance players in the turbo world to power up this particular Genesis motor. Who they found was MC-Xpress, a British Columbia based company that has been tuning and boosting turbo applications in snowmobiles, motorcycles and sideby-sides for nearly fifteen years. Their “supreme of the extreme” motto was just what the FXR mod crew was looking for, as they purchased a complete kit capable of nearly 280-horsepower at 14 pounds of boost. From there the sled was again turned over to Allen Ulmer for the install and tuning, along with clutch machining and his accompanying kit. Chassis and suspension duties were next on the list, and this time the turbo beast would get the goods from Z-Broz and their extended stance ARS FX A-arms, widening the ski stance to 45-inches. The stock FOX shock system remained while the Trac-Link quick adjust limiter strap enhancement from Between the Lines Designs was mounted to the rear suspension. A call was put into Yamaha and the glossy accessory catalog was tapped for a color matched Lightweight front bumper, quick adjust rear coupler blocks, and FOX shock guards to complete the look. Steering bite was improved with custom shaped TX race skis from C&A, along with Stud Boy Shaper bards with a whopping 10-inches of carbide. To balance out the front-end bite, 210 Stud Boy studs in the 1.875-inch length were secured to the track, along with white, Super-Lite Pro series plastic backers. Final ergonomic improvements were left for ROX Speed FX and their FlexTech hand guards and adjustable aluminum riser block. StompGrip provided additional rider traction with a grip kit for the tunnel and seat, and Yamaha was once again brought in for a mid-height windshield. Then, before the photo shoot, Arctic FX designed and installed the custom graphics kit to add some visual appeal, along with a shout out to all of the participating aftermarket shops.
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PROJECT PLAYERS MC-X TURBO ULMER RACING C&A SKIS Z-BROZ RACING STUD BOY STOMPGRIP BETWEEN THE LINES DESIGNS ROX SPEED FX GENUINE YAMAHA TECHNOLOGY
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
The slightly taller windshield, stock looking front suspension, and blue and white graphic scheme gave the Project MC-X Viper a more “stock” look. One squeeze of the throttle said otherwise.
The Quick Adjust Coupler block system from Yamaha was employed in the rear suspension, allowing us to make quick and effective changes to the moment of coupling, in an attempt to control the ski lift created by the MC-X turbo-fed beast. Both turbo applications required the good stuff when it came to fuel, but the more limiting factor came from heat build-up while riding in the extremely warm spring snow conditions. This summer, the FXR crew along with help from MC-X, MPI and Ulmer Racing, are working on incorporating a Polaris front mounted heat exchanger as used in the Pro-Ride chassis, to deliver additional cooling on both turbo-fed monsters. A modified Skinz front bumper will be used to support the exchanger.
While not as radical looking as the Skinz front suspension, the more ‘stock in design’ Z-Broz system delivered predictable handling traits that proved to be easier to tune for conditions.
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Editor’s Mod Follow Up During the summer months, the crew at FXR along with several of the aftermarket partners revisited all five mod sleds, and put plans in motion for additional modifications and improvements for the coming season. It started with a second XRS sled featuring a custom Skinz front-end kit with a 47-inch stance, Skinz front and rear bumpers and custom seat. The sled will also feature a standout from the crowd, white and orange graphic scheme. The Project AXYS Polaris underwent front suspension surgery, courtesy of Skinz and will also feature a 47-inch stance, Skinz front bumper and an all-new graphics package with accenting red powder-coat suspension components. The Arctic Cat sled will also receive a Skinz 47-inch wide front-end kit along with Skinz bumpers, Pro-Tube running boards and custom seat. The black plastic will be replaced with white, along with new custom graphics. Finally, as alluded to previously, both Yamaha mods will be custom fitted with a modified Skinz front bumper that will house a Polaris Pro-Ride front heat exchanger, in an attempt to provide additional cooling for both turbo boosted engines. Both sleds will then be delivered to the FOX Minnesota headquarters for a few days of custom shock calibrations. You can see all five sleds in person this fall at select shows including Haydays.
At the conclusion of two days of riding, tuning and photography, the best dressed OSM and FXR crew snapped one final picture before loading up and calling the 2015 snow season officially over.
Sweaty and happy, from left to right – former cross country champ and OSM rider Dan Skallet, OSM regulars Rich Kehoe and Matt Clark, and FXR Owner and mod sled maven Milt Reimer.
Our FXR hosts for the weekend, Corey Parent, Milt Reimer, Matt Hamm and Cam Zimmerman.
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Upon our arrival at FXR headquarters in Winnipeg, the entire mod lineup was ready for action in the parking lot.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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FUTURE TENSE
Charles Bombardier
If
the name sounds familiar, you’re right…yes this is the Bombardier of the same name. Born in 1974 in Valcourt Quebec, Charles is the grandson of Joseph-Armand Bombardier, founder of Bombardier and inventor of one of the first snowmobiles. With a degree in mechanical engineering, Charles returned to Bombardier after graduation and managed three key projects for the company during his time there. They included the first Traxter ATV featuring a step-through design; the second generation Elite snowmobile with side-by-side seating; and most recently he was tasked with developing the Can-Am Spyder Roadster. In 2008 Bombardier founded a private Research and Development Center, and developed electric urban transporters and electric ATV prototypes. Soon after, Charles began to focus more and more of his efforts on further pursuing his design career. With a passion for innovation, Charles is deeply involved within the design community and acts as an expert and a consultant to support inventors, companies, and basically anyone interested in new applications for mechanical engineering. His website www.charlesbombardier.com promotes open innovation, and along with a team of designers they are constantly dreaming, innovating, and creating new concepts and publishing them for all to see. As Charles puts it, “Our mission is to inspire kids, students, inventors and tinkerers to improve existing modes of transportation, and imagine what the future holds for us. We share our concepts with the world so they can grow faster, evolve and become a reality one day.” Editors Note: Our goal with Future Tense is to do the same. While some of these ideas may never lead to future technology, at the very least they will inspire all of us to consider the possibilities of “what if”. So, go ahead and let your mind wander, and if you have an idea you’d like to see fleshed out from the minds of Charles and his staff, drop us a line at editor@osmmag.com. We hope to showcase your ideas in future issues…dream on.
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From the mind of Charles Bombardier and his team of “dreamers”, this season we take a look at the ‘not so out of this world’ future of snowmobiles. From the probable to the seemingly impossible, could these ideas end up on a future trail near you?
Maximum Lean Sliding Kneeling Pads With today’s taller center of gravity vehicles, carving corners requires more lean and rider involvement than it did when sleds hugged the snowpack. To gain more lean and exert more inside ski pressure, these sliding kneepads allows riders to really “get into the corners”. Slide them back in for casual trail runs or straight line blasts; extend them for a spirited romp with your buddies down a twisted, wooded trail.
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FUTURE TENSE Always on the Gas Track Slip Detector Think of it as traction control for the tracked world of snowmobiles. Just like stability control activates automatically in your car to eliminate unwanted wheel slip on icy roads, a similar system could do the same for sleds. Add in a dash mounted switch to turn the system off when desired, and you have the best of both worlds.
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R E M M SU HOOL SC
016 2 E TH T U NE O O B G S DA A E W N EW AR OW E N THE N L G S N E I D D E W H ROUN E AMS, AN T T R U S A E TR ER T RBOL ED ON DIA S WH E L I E F P P M Y Y H E H DL SA E TING OODED T UBTE D K O R E D A “ALL” N L SL RFUL THE M HAS F HA S U W ES LE T ONDE T W U BY NO OWMOBIL O D IA R. AN SN E MED W GRE AT HIS WINTE N O 2016 TH A N UT HO G TO BE T MORE SHED ABO GOIN E U R G A D S AN SLED W E N THE
YUP
, they tend to do that sort of hype every year, even when they completely miss the mark. Of course you never hear about that. Now don’t get us wrong, there are plenty of good and even a few great ones in the mix for 2016. In fact, there are even a few we’d consider purchasing with our very own, hard earned cash. Just like the other media fish-wraps, we get a chance to learn about, photograph and ride the new sleds, well in advance of most. During this week long event we get to ask lots of questions, rack on plenty of miles and perhaps most importantly, we do a lot more listening and reading between the lines. It’s a great event and plenty of useful information is gleaned during this time. Surprisingly, we continue to learn more during the dog days of summer - after we’ve had time to reflect and perhaps more importantly, the manufacturers give us greater insight on the changes and refinements they’ve made prior to production. Here’s what we’ve learned.
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ER M M SU HOOL SC
YAMAHA
Once Yamaha joined up with Arctic Cat, it seemed future development of new technology from across the pond had gone into hibernation. Oh yeah, we did get the Performance Damper, but unless you have a very savvy level of ride awareness, many may not notice the high-tech benefits. However, this year Yamaha did come with some new tech – throttle-by-wire, a new rear suspension, and new air-shock technology from FOX. Good stuff for sure, but of course we all want more. As we see it, Yamaha has two directions it can go. One – develop a truly lightweight four-stroke engine for snowmobile applications, one where the weight penalty between equal sleds is roughly 25-pounds, (it’s currently 100-pounds) or swallow their four-stroke pride and utilize the CTEC-2 engine technology from Arctic Cat and get back in the game. The Arctic Cat partnership has made the brand viable again; now it’s time to play a bigger card. But of course, all that speculation and wishing is just us thinking out loud over a few cold ones. When it comes to the 2016 fleet, we had a chance to hang with the kids from Yamaha in late June, and we learned some additional insights into their 2016 fleet.
TUNER SKIS It was up in the air during the spring if Yamaha would have yet another version of their twin keel Tuner ski on members of the 2016 fleet. Well, the ski is a go and the aptly named Tuner 3 will be found on several models. Aside from being slightly lighter, (.25 pounds per ski) there are no performance gains, only cosmetic, thanks to interchangeable, colored ski loops.
YCCT THROTTLE After getting the download from Yamaha brass on this technology, it turns there’s more to this stuff than simple partial power operation. In fact, there is a lot going on here, as in heady computer programming stuff. Long story short, the Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle is a true multi-dimensional system, constantly measuring air temperature, atmospheric pressure, crank position, engine temp, engine speed and throttle position. All three modes, be it Sport, Touring or Entry feature an ever-changing power delivery map for optimum performance. It’s the kind of stuff that could represent just the tip of the iceberg for future tech such as traction control, anti-lock braking, and vehicle pitch dynamics. All things by the way, that Yamaha already seamlessly employs on their high-performance road racing motorcycles. Boom…can you see the future?
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ER M M SU HOOL SC
SINGLE SHOT SUSPENSION We got more insight on the new rear suspension found on select “pure” Yamaha models. Aside from the suspension being more traditional in design and significantly lighter (by as much as 10-pounds) than the older mono shock skid, the new SingleShot also delivers more consistent track tensioning, features traditional limiter straps, which according to Yamaha is the place to go for weight transfer tweaks, and allows for the design of longer skidframe applications.
Finally, we mentioned this in the spring issue but it bears a call out again. The Viper R-TX SE with those new Quick Switch 3 shocks (that’s the name given to them from FOX), was the sled that left us smiling most from the Yamaha stable. It’s ideally balanced, well calibrated and looks bitchin’.
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POLARIS Things have been awfully quiet over at Polaris during the summer months, at least in terms of the snowmobile division. The company as a whole is busy building killer offroad vehicles, buffing the paint of their second year Indian motorcycles, and slinging pavement with the futuristic looking SlingShot. To think how far this company has come over the past fifteen years is mind numbing. Polaris is no longer a small, northern Minnesota snowmobile company, but arguably the world’s leading powersports manufacturer… Honda be damned. Of course, they haven’t been holding back when it comes to snowmobiles. Last year it was the Rush and Switchback models that were treated to next generation AXYS chassis makeovers, and this winter it’s the RMK. It remains to be seen if the original Pro-Ride chassis and suspension design of the 2010 Rush will be viewed as a historical game changer, but it most certainly has made everyone else (read: the competition) sit-up and take notice.
RUSH PRO-X If you are a regular follower of our rants, you’ll know we weren’t too kind to the big bump calibrations of the Pro-X early on. Our first experiences showed us a sled that was tippy, unstable, and a bit unpredictable in the corners. We wrote it off as a bump only sled, built for the flat brim crowd, looking to pound ditches after school. So we were taken aback this spring when we sampled the sled again and found it to be way different. Turns out the Pro-X underwent some major calibration tweaks last summer, prior to 2015 production, and then was tweaked again before the 2016 offering. The result is a big bump sled that can now hone corners too…(swallowing sound of our pride) guess we were wrong.
PRO-XC REAR SUSPENSION We’re still hoping Polaris will offer a rebound control option for one of their outside the tunnel Pro-XC suspended models. But until they do, we have to give the calibration team props for dramatically transforming the ride qualities of this suspension from earlier iterations. While the AXYS Rush might still take a back seat to the Ski-Doo MXZ in terms of shear precision on a twisted trail, no other sled will put a bigger smile on your face when hammering a mogul littered trail or bombing a wind whipped ditchline.
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AXYS RMK
While we don’t proclaim to be the world’s best mountain riders, we can say the AXYS RMK is yet again, another ridiculous step forward. Ever since Polaris set their sights on regaining the mountain market, starting with the 2007 RAW RMK, they have continued to develop some of the best mountain sleds in the industry, and the AXYS RMK is no different. The new sled is lighter, (at an advertised 408-pounds) more maneuverable, and now with the new Liberty 800HO engine delivers more, right-now power. Oh, it also looks damn sexy too. Yup, the new RMK is good, dare we even say almost too good for average Joes? There used to be a time when a mountain sled was little more than a longer track and narrower ski-stance. Just about anyone could throw a leg over one, and start exploring the backcountry. But the RMK has almost single handily changed how you ride a mountain sled. While the initial learning curve might be a bit steeper than those sleds of old, once you do adapt to the new techniques, the AXYS RMK will make you look like a hero, and take you places you’ve never been before. No cape required.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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ER M M SU HOOL SC ARCTIC CAT
For us performance guys, at first glance there doesn’t appear to be much to get excited about in the Cat camp for 2016. Much of the “new” takes place in the utility/touring segment, where they have introduced a new engine, new suspension, a new ski, a new three speed transmission and a new ProUte chassis. That’s a lot of new for clubbing seals and the emerging, albeit volatile Russian market. The other big focus of “newness” is in the mountain camp, where a new spindle; a new Arctic Mountain Suspension; (AMS) new vertical steering post; new Float-Action rear suspension; a new ProClimb 7 ski and new PowerClaw 3-inch track have combined to dramatically enhance the M-Series mountain line-up for 2016.
We were able to spend a week with a 2016 ZR 8000 Limited in late spring, (thanks to Country Corners Cat) blasting the trails of New Brunswick and Quebec. The new TEAM drive and driven gave the big 800 twin new life, in that it provided smoother overall vehicle performance, more consistent up-shift and back-shift, and dare we say, made the sled faster too. It’s hard to explain, but the improvements in clutching resulted in a sled that simply felt more complete.
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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TEAM CLUTCHING
Closer to home, the new TEAM Rapid Response drive and driven system, found on virtually all Cat models for 2016, offers up a lot more than you may think. We won’t go into a deep dive here, we’ll save that for a future issue, but aside from lighter weight and dramatically improved durability of both the clutches and drive belt, we found the new CVT transmission also changed the overall demeanor of the sled.
ARCTIC MOUNTAIN SUSPENSION
There’s a lot of “newness” within the M-Series for 2016, but the key change that is getting all the attention is the new narrowed and sculpted front suspension. The shorter A-arms and S-shaped spindle looks dramatically different, and is designed to reduce weight, increase vehicle lean angles, and reduce vehicle drag in the snow when “laying” the sled over in the powder. Our resident deep snow mountain expert Tyler Swarm, who has ridden with and worked with many of the top mountain riders in the sport including guys from 509 and Dan Adams of Next Level Riding Clinics, spent a good chunk of time on the new design M-Series buggies, and was all-pumped-up on the new front end. In fact, Tyler along with the rest of our deep snow kids, found the new M Cats to be some of the most predictable sleds they sampled, saying tip-in was consistent and controlled, and holding a line was far easier when compared to the previous design.
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ER M M SU HOOL SC
SKI-DOO
Don’t look now, but those crazy kids from Valcourt have come up with yet another “why didn’t I think of that” bit of technology with the Pilot TS ski. While we won’t name names, we know of at least one engineer at a competing brand who muttered under their breath those very words. No matter how you look at it, the Ski-Doo crew has a way of either answering the bell when one-upped by someone else, or simply coming to the table with a new bit of technology we never asked for. Take for example the rMotion suspension. If you read between the lines, it was in many ways a direct response to the Polaris Pro-Ride suspension, and claims of a true rising-rate suspension design. While in our opinion, neither was first to market with such a design, the rMotion answered the call, delivering equal to, or significantly better ride and handling. Over on the side of the mountain, the Summit series was ironically, another answer to Polaris once again. The introduction of tMotion and Flexedge technology helped the Summit series regain a grip on the western market. While we don’t have exact numbers, it’s safe to say that the battle for the lead in the west continues to be a dogfight between these two brands.
SUMMITS Speaking of the deep snow market, the impact of the AXYS RMK won’t be known until after the upcoming season, but as of last year, we can say one thing for certain; Summits are hot. In talking with dealers and riding buddies in various western locales, the invasion of more yellow on the hills has been very evident. The reasons for this are three fold. One is the technology mentioned above; second can be linked to durability issues with some competitive models; and third is the acceptance of the “Titan”.
T3 Dubbed the Titan by insiders, the T3 package has proven to be better than what many first anticipated. To be more specific, it’s the popularity of the huge 163 and 174-inch Summit models that have taken many by surprise. In what appears to be an oversized mountain sled with a wider than industry standard track, (16-inches) the big T3’s are everywhere. Even we can attest that the bigger footprint and high flotation delivered by the T3 makes riding in the deep snow easier, especially for those of us less skilled or lazier than others.
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PILOT TS Lets just get this out of the way; this is not a gimmick ski. Hey, we were skeptical at first, but after having a chance to sample this ski on a Renegade on some late spring trails, we are sold. With rock hard trails in the morning, and spring soft in the afternoon, a few turns of the knob was all it took to dramatically alter steering effort and bite. The benefits go beyond the obvious too. We suspect the system will garner longer carbide life; can be dialed back for loading into a trailer or driving across a shop floor; and allows you to adjust steering effort for other drivers, such as your wife or kids who want a lighter feel. Plus, the replacement cost is much less than we first anticipated and we’re sure the aftermarket will have their own replacement blades ready for market, come late fall. TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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ER M M SU HOOL SC SNOW BIKES
With the recent purchase of Timbersled by Polaris we thought is would be important to touch briefly on the Snow Bike market. In our opinion three key factors are at play.
1. GROWTH
Like it or not, the snow bike market is growing. A combination of increased awareness, improved technology, the addition of new players coming into the market, and the acceptance of these vehicles by early adopter riders has all led to the growth of the segment. Even the aftermarket is getting in on the action. The folks at Raptor Performance have just introduced an all new take on the single front ski for these conversions, opting instead for a dual-ski design that greatly improves the on-trail characteristics of a snow bike, an area where, until now has been a shortcoming for all snow bike designs.
I FRO NT ID TO WIN S K ES IS SA O R X2 T T P A R O N W B IK D LIN G S TH E R O H F A IL A N S IO N KIT E O N -TR V O R S U S PE N P . IL IM FF-TRA TICA LLY ATIO N O D RA MA ES FLOT S A E R A N D IN C
2. MONEY Traditional sled prices are bordering on the ridiculous, especially for the high-end snow rockets that guys like us covet. If you already own a dirt bike, like many of us do, the purchase of a snow bike conversion kit makes a lot of sense. This is especially true for younger riders, who simply don’t have the wherewithal to buy a new sled, or may not want to drive their father’s Oldsmobile.
3. YOUTH The purchase of Timbersled by Polaris and the introduction of other pint sized conversions, such as the Sno Ripper by Holeshot, which is built upon the Kawasaki KLX 110, tells us this is a market that is and will appeal to younger and possibly new riders.
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No matter your opinion on snow bikes and their place in snowmobiling, they are clearly here to stay and gaining momentum.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Polaris recommends snowmobile riders a training course. Do not attempt maneuvers beyond that yourall capability. Always weartake a helmet and other safety apparel. maneuvers beyond your capability. Always wear a helmet and other safety apparel. Never drink and ride. ©2015 Polaris Industries Inc. Never drink and ride. ©2014 Polaris Industries Inc.
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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’ FOR OP IT I N A E SH W H N T E BE UND RE WE EFO ARO B R E G T N WI N E LO SI NC AD E E R ES HE H T TE D OF TAR TES A NY S S I LGA CI E N A T E P AG IN’ U CY MM FAN DRU R I E R TH S OVE RI N K EE D F F CO
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BY GOODWOOD AND BEERSTEIN
T
he other morning the needle on the old Sno-Jet thermometer in the tree outside the shop window dipped right down to 48° Fahrenheit. It’s early August here at the shop, so you can imagine how happy me an’ Beerstein were to feel a little coolness in the air. I mean, it was downright fall-like. We about knocked each other over, trying to get into the shop to fire up a sled and celebrate. Unfortunately, nothing we had was running, so we had to fire up Beerstein’s old weed whip filled with Wynn’s pre-mix, to fill the shop with two-stroke smoke. Most people look forward to summer, but around here, summer is just a whole lot of waitin’ for winter. That might sound familiar ‘cuz some OEM used it on some ads and whatnot a few years back. Well, let me tell you, we’ve been waitin’ for winter around the shop here since long before any of these 80
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ad agencies started drummin’ up tailgates over their fancy coffee drinks. I believe they call these people “hipsters”, and they ain’t got nothin’ to do with snowmobiling. Anyways, a few years back, me and Beerstein decided to make the best of summer. We set up a whole racing calendar with some water skippin’ and grass draggin’. We don’t like to brag, but if there’s one thing I can say about me and Beerstein is we get lucky sometimes tunin’ sleds, and we’ve been known to get pointed at around the races as the “fast guys.” But those are the good times when we get pointed at. Other times is because we done some crashin’ or Beerstein got out of hand with the pounders, but that’s another story. This one year, we had a fast sled. Now, any old racer will tell you there’s fast sleds and sleds that ain’t fast. No one can explain this. Was that fast sled built on a Wednes-
day or Thursday? Was the slow sled built on a Monday or Friday? No one knows. If you’re an old racer, what you do know is if you get a fast one, well, you best not crash that buggy. If you get a slow one? Might as well put that thing in the want ads in the back of the tradin’ papers, ‘cuz ain’t nothin’ you can do to make it beat that fast one. Beerstein calls them sleds ‘flat beer’. Now this fast sled, she responded to pretty much anything we did to her. I mean we could do no wrong settin’ up this ride. Beerstein, he was beside himself with this thing and he just couldn’t wait to hit the grass drags come early fall. First race, we got that thing on the warm-up stand out on the line, and that triple was just a singin’ its song. You never heard a happier sled. That sled shut down everyone. The tech guys were scratchin’ their heads trying to figure out what we’d done to make it so fast.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
“Goodwood,” they’d say, “We know you guys are cheatin’, we just ain’t figured out how yet.” They never did, either, ‘cuz that was the one year we didn’t have to cheat…ummm…errr…innovate our way to get next to the trophy gal. Here’s a lesson for all you young kids out there, lookin’ to get into racin’. If you start winnin’ a lot, I can guarantee there will be a whole mess of folks looking for ways to make it stop. Our sled was fast, but ‘ol Beerstein, he’s got reactions like a nervous cat that’s been drinkin’ those energy sodas all the kids are chuggin’ these days, so the whole combo was pretty tough to beat. Besides, there are not a lot of people that like us in the first place, and pretty much everyone was not likin’ us winnin’. “You’re killing the class,” they said. Me and Beerstein, we just figured everyone else was too slow is all. The following year we show up to the first race and the race director, he comes up to us right away and says, “We got some new rules you guys. You better read ‘em.” Turns out, with these new rules, every time someone won a race they got weight added to their sleds. Now, this wasn’t much of a big deal for me and Beerstein, since we had such a fast sled, but for the other guys, well, they got some weight added and they were done. After the first race, the race director came back up to us and said, “You guys argue with me about every call I make. Ain’t you guys mad about them new rules?” Well old Beerstein, he looked at me, then he looked at the race director and said, “Seems to me like you’re trying to make these races like my kids soccer games.” The race director furrowed his brow and looked as confused as my old coonhound that time he finally did catch my neighbor’s cat. At this point, Beerstein put his arm around the guys shoulder. Now you gotta remember, Beerstein has never been friends with any race director, so this was pretty out of character for him. Then Beerstein says, “Those soccer kids, people are always afraid of having a few of them feel like they’re losers. They say they need confidence building. So, when they play soccer they give all the kids a trophy; win, lose or whatever. Seems to me like that’s what you’re tryin’ to do with this here race circuit and these new rules of yours.” We won one last championship with that sled and hung ‘er up. You know what? They changed those rules back right after that. Seems they accomplished their goal of making sure other guys got to stand next to the trophy girl too. We never did go back to grass draggin’. J
THAT HIBBERT KID He’s always winning and getting picture snapped with the trophy girls. Reckon the guy wins more than Beerstein ever did with that old grass dragger.
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1
We know a ton of riders that remove the windshield from their buggy for manymany reasons. If you are one of those riders, then you should have a serious look at the NXT LVL Windshield Pak. Designed to located directly over the existing OEM windshield holes, this pack is made from a durable structural fabric that wont break or bend. The Pak is also available in a vented design that ingeniously has been designed to work directly with the heat vents on the cowling to keep warm and/or dry and what ever you may want to stash away. Who doesn’t love that feeling of putting on a warm pair of dry goggles half way through the day? Pure joy. For complete details and fitment for your sled head over to your local Gamma Powersport dealer: www.gammapowersports.com
2 82
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BUYER’S GUIDE
IT WONT BE LONG NOW... BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THE SNOW WILL FALL. THE SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, AND THE CREW AT OSM HAVE BEEN HARDAT-WORK COMPILING, DISCUSSING, RESEARCHING, AND INVESTIGATING WHAT’S NEW IN THE PARTS AND ACCESSORY MARKET. WE’VE BEEN TALKING WITH INDUSTRY FOLK, SHAKING THE BUSHES TO GET THE LOWDOWN ON THE NEW AND COOL STUFF WE THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT. TO FOLLOW ARE SOME PRODUCTS THAT WILL FOR SURE GET YOU EXCITED ABOUT WHAT IS COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE FOR THIS SLEDDING SEASON. – ENJOY.
+
Scott is one of the leaders when it comes to winter goggles. They were the first to introduce the adjustable FIX system, which allows the rider to adjust the frame to fit different face shapes. Leave it to Scott to tackle another problem; having to pack multiple goggles for a day out on the trail or mountain. Any serious rider knows that the only reason you need to switch goggles during the day is due to a lens issue like the lighting has changed, you got a face full of snow or you fogged up the first pair. Introducing the LCG (Lens Change Goggle) from Scott. This engineering masterpiece allows the rider to swap the lens at the push of a button. That’s right, you read that correctly, simply depress the button on the side of the frame, and the lens removes itself ready to accept the other lens that came with the goggle. We know right now you going through all the benefits of only carrying an extra lens as opposed to an entire set of goggles. The LCG comes with two different lenses, a really cool hard carrying case, and of course, features the FIT system we already told you about. Yup, we will wait as you go check out www.scott-sports.com for complete details.
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Blade Carbon Helmet
New from FXR this year is the seriously cool looking Black/Hi-Vis color-style in the Blade Carbon Helmet. For those of you that know of the Blade Carbon you can stop reading and just enjoy the photo. For those that don’t know about the Blade Carbon; FXR released a 100% with features that include; a Hi-Flow visor born from the race track that reduces lift and protects from roost, 10 intake vents and 4 exhaust ports, super-strong billet aluminum visor screws (yes strong but cool factor way high as well) and a front chin bar that easily integrates a Breath Box or Anti-Fog mask system. Want to know more about this bucket protector head over to: www.fxrracing.com
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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The Monosuit is becoming very popular, and the Maverick from FXR is a suit that not only has a really cool look, but also has some serious features. Shown here in the new “bad-ass” Charcoal/Grey/ Orange and White color-style, FXR has thrown the kitchen sink at the Maverick when it comes to features. Things like; 2-way front zipper, lining pocket with goggle wipe chamois, inner adjustable (and removable) suspenders, removable hood, Tether D-Ring, Scotchlite™ reflective inserts and a hidden pocket key on the left sleeve. There are a lot of benefits when it comes to wearing a monosuit, so if you are considering making the switch, then take a serious look at the Maverick from FXR. ‘Nuff said. Check out www.fxrracing.com for the complete lineup. TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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We caught wind, just as we were going to press, that our friends at C&A Pro have just dropped yet another new ski in to the marketplace. Introducing the all-new XCS (aka the Xtreme Cross Ski), which answers the call for a snowmobile ski that will work on the faster and lighter sleds being offered. C&A put some serious testing into this bad-boy and created a ski that provides ample off-trail flotation, at the same time as, laying down a solid footing while on-trail. The design of the outboard keel helps alleviate darting and the newly developed traction scoops (found on both sides of center keel) aids in keeping the XCS planted firmly when you hot into the corner. So all in all the designers at C%A Pro have created a ski that is proficient in “ground-and-pound” situations as well as those occasional trips “off-trail” when you want to show your buddies how good you can handle the deep pow-brah. For complete details and where to get your hand on a set head over to: www.caproskis.com
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BUYER’S GUIDE
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XSC Ski >>>>>>
Switch Goggle
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Here is a new goggle from Triple 9 Optics that needs to be put on the “I-want-that” list. With large spherical lenses, these goggles actually help increase the vision range and extends the peripheral view. This makes it easier for you to spot your buddy trying to sneak up and pass you on the inside. The newly designed vent foam also helps the goggle breath, but at the same time, stop as much cold air from seeping in. We all know that is a fine-line balance between cold face and foggy goggles. The goggles also include an oversize nose beak and a silicone lined strap. To get your hands on the newest goggle from Triple 9 check in at your local Gamma Powersports Dealer: www.gammapowersports.com
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Dual Pressure System >>>>>> Fox FLOAT Shocks This system from Hygear definitely falls under the “What is Cool” category. Developed specifically for the FOX FLOAT and FOX FLOAT 2 air shocks, the Dual Pressure System literally changes the way your air shocks work. After the simple install of the system, which includes all billet aluminum mounting clamps and air fittings, your shocks will now have reservoirs that have two charging valves so ride height and bottoming can be adjusted independently. The additional air volume allows you to run higher pressure for better handling, stability and reduced body roll and you don’t have to sacrifice the bottoming resistance or ride quality. Yup, you have to admit, this is pretty cool.For complete info and even a short video on how this works head over to: www.hygearsuspension.com
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Cold Cross Race Replica Jacket and Pant
BiteHarder Stud Sharpener
Seriously, what sledder deep down inside doesn’t dream about being a racer. You know we all do it. Every corner, hit, or pass you do on trail gives you that notion that you too have what it takes to be an outstanding racer. The FXR Cold Cross Race Replica brings you one step close to your dream. The jacket is made from a wind and waterproof trilaminate material that has a 4-way stretch shell that will keep up with your sweet moves out on the trail. The pants are constructed of a durable polyester shell that feature reinforced instep and hems, accordion stretch gussets with an overall race cut design. So not only are you going to look like a racer, you are going to be able to move like a racer. Check out www.fxrracing.com for the complete lineup.
While you are sitting around the shop looking for stuff to do before the snow falls, may we suggest you take that wasted time and put your idle hands to good use. One of the newest products to be released from our friends at BiteHarder is a tool designed to sharpen your studs, without the need of removing them from your track. The tool uses the same proven diamond coating found on their famous carbide sharpening tool, and was developed to give more life to your existing studs. The BiteHarder Stud Sharpener operates best with tools that turn at a min of 10,000 RPM. (So guys your cordless drill will not cut it – you are going to need to a pneumatic style grinder) This bad boy is going to put a tip on your studs that is seriously sharp resulting in giving you the hole-shot advantage when your buddy rolls up beside and gives you that look…oh you know the look. For complete info check out: www.biteharder.com
THE REASON WE ARE NAMED DYNOPORT IS:
Dyno = Dynamometer and Port = Porting Mad Scientist Rich Daly
Pipes were an offshoot of our porting, and the pipe business became Giant
Mad Scientist Rich knows pipes and porting - so why would you let anyone else grind your cylinder? - Pipes - Y’s - Big Core Barker - Trail Silencers - Clutch Kits
Photo: Kayla Donley - Dead Center Photography
WWW.DYNOPORT.COM
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315-252-2113
CAT POLARIS SKI-DOO
613-489-5297
jawsperformance.com
Pipes Silencers
Arctic Cat Polaris Ski-Doo Yamaha
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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NXT LVL Tunnel Bag
Here is a tunnel bag that can morph into a storage device for whatever day you are heading out for. The Paks were developed with a modular-type design allowing you to choose whether to pack for a quick rip to the clubhouse, or an extended full pull to the cabin in the woods. The Pak universally attaches to the tunnel with supplied buckles and adhesive Velcro making it a breeze to remove. A nice added “attention to detail” is the heavy duty D-Rings that allows additional larger items to be toted along with the use of bungee cords. For complete details head over to your local Gamma Powersport dealer: www.gammapowersports.com
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Rp-R1 One Version
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BOOK YOUR OUTDOOR KITCHEN TODAY
outdoor kitchens • pizza ovens outdoor fireplaces • bbqs
X Cross Boot The X Cross is FXRs’ number one selling boot and new for this season the designers have introduced a serious, solid fuchsia color. The X Cross is a crossover boot that has been designed with enough support and warmth for the serious trail rider, but at the same time, is flexible enough to be used as an everyday boot. Throw in the fact that it is comes in pinkon-pink and gentleman you now have that perfect “I love you” gift when it comes time to explain the week long trip you are currently planning with your buddies. Check out www. fxrracing.com for the complete lineup.
To Book An Appointment Call
905-841-3100 W W W. O U T D O O R L U X U R Y. C O M Outdoor Luxury-HLApr14.indd 1
14-03-24 10:24 AM
Every pilot needs a Navigator™ - Woody’s® Navigator™ Ski Protector is exactly that, an accessory that will protect your Pilot ski from wear. While protecting your ski it will also help reduce darting. The Navigator™ works with any single Pilot runner in the market that has a host bar up to 1/2 inch.
* Patent Pending
Contact your local dealer and order Woody’s Navigator™ today! International Engineering & Mfg., Inc. • 6054 N. Meridian Rd. • Hope, MI 48628 • 989-689-4911 Email: woodys@wiem.com • www.WoodysTraction.com • © IEM 2015. All rights reserved. TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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Greg Williamson Chief Marketing Officer Arctic Cat
As we kick off a new season, we thought it would be only fitting to feature some new blood in our first ‘Five Minutes With’ interview. This past spring, Arctic Cat announced the hiring of Greg Williamson for the newly formed position of Chief Marketing Officer. Greg came to Cat with an arsenal of experience, including his role as chief marketing officer at Spectrum Brands Home Improvement and an MBA from the University of Texas. We let Greg get acclimated to his new digs in Plymouth before we tapped him for five minutes to get his insight on his vision for Arctic Cat. Your position is a new one with the Arctic Cat. In fact, there has been a lot of changes and restructuring going on within the company. What can customers expect to see from the company in terms of changes in the near and long term future? There’s a lot of hard work to do to fully optimize the performance of our business and to improve Arctic Cat’s position in the marketplace. The team will focus on three main tenants of the business; product innovation, dealer development, and marketing. Specifically, we will continue to leverage our fifty plus years of leading edge product development to continue to improve our quality, performance and overall rider satisfaction. Relative to our dealer base, we need to continue to work towards building strong relationships that are rooted in transparency and trust and a greater sense of partnership. Lastly, we have an iconic brand with an extremely passionate user base. We need to build on these assets to form more comprehensive marketing plans that really focus on driving awareness, product usage, and ultimately, increased sales. Obviously snowmobiles represent the roots of the company, but now off-road vehicles have a much larger growth potential, along with potential future business opportunities. What role do you see snowmobiles in, as part of the makeup of the company going forward? Snowmobiles are, and always will be at the heart of our company. Our successful legacy and share position in the category gives us a wealth of knowledge that we hopefully can translate and transfer over to the dirt business. Our success in developing high performing products that meet or exceed our users’ expectations in the snow business, serves as a great blueprint on how we need to approach our dirt business.
This is a great question and a big challenge. First and foremost, we can’t take our eye off of the product equation. The most important part of the formula for retaining current, and attracting new customers is developing world class, innovative products that deliver a great riding experience. Success in this part of our strategy really comes down to the skill, passion and capabilities of our team. What’s been most impressive for me in the first few months with our company is the level of knowledge of our team, and the outright passion they have for the products and for the company. Nearly everyone I’ve worked with here is an avid user of our products. There is no substitute for that type of experience. I also feel it’s what will keep us grounded and connected to our image as the company that is a little irreverent and a bit rogue. That image is tied more to our people and our products rather than the size of our sales. Arctic Cat has long played “in the shadows” of Polaris, despite at one time being extremely similar companies in location, culture, and products. Polaris has now become what many would view as a global leader in powersports. Does Arctic Cat want similar success and if so, what will it take to get there? Polaris has done a tremendous job over the last several years in elevating their performance, and obviously growing the breadth of offering, and overall size and scale. Whenever you have such a strong competitor, it is worthwhile to study their actions to see what can be learned. With that said, our main focus is on growing Arctic Cat into the best company that it can be. We want to be known as the leader in new product innovation, for having the strongest and most productive dealer relationships, and for having a brand that knowledgeable and performance driven users prefer. If we do those things well, I’m confident that we will reach new levels of success. You come to Arctic Cat with a strong arsenal of experience and education in strategic marketing. Snowmobiling is a passion driven sport, have you been infected by the “snowmobiling bug” yet? More than anything, I have been infected by the Arctic Cat bug. As I’ve mentioned, the level of passion and commitment of our team to our brand, our products, and our company is infectious and I’m thrilled to be a part of it. The fact that we are in the business of manufacturing and marketing products that are meant to be fun and provide a great user experience is an added bonus.
Arctic Cat customers are some of the most fiercely brand loyal customers there are in powersports. That strong allegiance can be both a blessing in retaining your current customers, and a challenge when it comes to attracting new ones. How do your foresee balancing the brand identity between those who want to see the company remain somewhat small and slightly irreverent, and still attract new customers to the Arctic Cat fold?
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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CELEBRATING 17 YEARS!
It is hard to believe that it has been 17 years since the concept for the annual Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run was born. A passion for powersports and a mission to help those diagnosed with breast cancer have been the driving forces behind the charity. So many things have happened over the past 17 years, it’s hard to keep track of all of the changes. Our main fundraising event, an all-women snowmobiling event, has been bolstered by an annual ATV ride (Trax4bc.com) aimed at both male and female riders. We’ve also shared in the success of an annual golf tournament; Fore the Love of Pink. On top of these annual, organized events, we continue to benefit from the generosity and dedication of supporters that raise funds via garage sales and bake sales to pancake breakfasts and smash-up car derbies. We are a diverse group! Both the ATV and golf event are open to male and female participants, while the Snowmobile event caters to the female riders only (in accordance with Kelly’s Dream and vision). Losing Kelly in October, 2004 hit the group hard but also helped the team to regroup and forge forward to help keep Kelly’s dream and legacy alive. Her dream of helping
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to provide financial aid across Canada to those affected by the disease has been made possible by those who support our events and by the most amazing Corporate Sponsors that whole-heartedly support our cause in both words and actions. The Charity and the Snow Run event were co-founded by good friends Kelly Shires and Suzy Stenoff 17 years ago. When Kelly was diagnosed with breast cancer, she immediately knew she wanted her focus to be on others in the same situation. She knew and experienced personally everything from the initial diagnoses, the physical, emotional, mental and financial aspects of the battle against the disease. In realizing each, she quickly recognized the lack of available resources in the financial component. Most of those going through treatment are too ill to work and many do not qualify for any type of government assistance. This is at the very time that they need to focus on their health and recovery. Public and private health plans do not cover all expenses related to going through a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. This is where Kelly knew a difference could be made. The Kelly Shires Foundation provides financial assistance to
breast cancer patients across Canada with items that are not covered by public or private medical plans. To learn more about the event, apply for assistance or to make a donation, please visit www.breastcancersnowrun.org. We are not funded by the government, so we rely on the generosity of our donors, if you cannot make it to one of our events and would like to support the cause, we would welcome any donations through our secure on-line donation forum at www.kellyshiresfoundation. org. For more information on the charity visit www.kellyshiresfoundation.org. Now that you know what we do and why, we want to share with you the exciting details of our upcoming 17th Annual Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run! During the weekend of February 5, 6 & 7, 2016 the Muskoka trails will once again be painted pink for our fun-filled event. Each February for the past 17 years, this very special weekend event has taken place in a snowy paradise that taps into the most wonderful snowmobile trail system. Once again this year, the venue will be at Hidden Valley Resort in Huntsville with the entire resort being dedicated exclusively to those taking part in this extraordinary gathering of extraordinary people. Over the years, it’s very possible that you may have heard of this charity and the annual Snow Run event. If you have every considered participating in this event, we strongly encourage you to register and be part of something that you will touch and enrich your life in a way that you probably can’t imagine. The inspiration behind this all-women snowmobile event is a snowmobile experience that will take hold of your love for snowmobiling as well as being able to do some good for somebody else. Although the theme of “Women helping Women” speaks volumes, there are many men that support this event (as volunteers) and help make it the success that it is. This event and charity is volunteer-driven.
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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The dedication of the volunteer organizing committee ensures that this is not your run-ofthe-mill group ride or event. The event kicks off on the Friday afternoon allowing ladies the time to get themselves settled in at the resort, meet the registration team while picking up their fundraising incentive gifts (complete with a fabulous goody bag) and shop at the pink market. Early on Friday evening the Meet’n’Greet really kick-starts the festivities. Hosted by Carey Moran from KICX FM, the Meet’n’Greet is a great opportunity to meet with other riders, catch up with old friends from previous rides and just relax and have fun. The Friday Meet’n’Greet is inclusive with dinner, games, prizes and laughter! Saturday morning (after enjoying a wonderful buffet breakfast) is all about the ride. When a participant registers for the event, they choose which team to ride with based on their riding ability. Teams are further broken down into smaller groups to ensure maximum enjoyment for all. The beauty of this design is that there is a team for everyone, whether it is your first time riding or if you prefer a more adventurous and sporty approach to trail riding. While everyone is enjoying the morning and preparing for the amazing ride, a secret panel of judges are covertly making notes and taking pictures of the snowmobiles which have been decorated for the decorated sled contest. Each team then departs on its designated route after opening ceremonies. The opening ceremony is a celebration, which is hard to capture in words. In short, you need to experience it in person. Teams will meet up at the designated lunch location nestled on the trails. Each team then departs from the lunch destination to arrive back late afternoon at Hidden Valley Resort where they are treated to hot chocolate and treats before they hit the showers and get ready for the evening ahead. The festivities kick off in the evening with cocktails, a scrumptious plated dinner, speeches, awards and an amazing silent auction. We have a very special guest speaker and emcee lined up for this year’s event. For those who are not quite ready to call it a night, we invite you to join us as we dance the night away, supported by a professional DJ that will keep the good vibes from the day going well into the night. Sunday morning participants are treated to a buffet breakfast before they leave for their
journey home, full of new memories along with the knowledge that they have made a difference in the life of someone battling breast cancer. It is a feeling that words cannot fully capture. For more information or to register please visit us at www.breastcancersnowrun.org We would like to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who participates in our events and to the amazing volunteers that put their heart into all they do. Profound appreciation to all our sponsors, including platinum level sponsors – BRP Inc., Choko Design, Factory Recreation (Ski-Doo dealer in Midland), FXR, Royal Distributing, and The Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV and Powersports Show (a full list of sponsors can be found on the charity website). We have organized our charity so that everyone can get involved, from participating to fundraising, volunteering or simply supporting the companies that champion the charity!
We would like to congratulate two of our amazing sponsors on their special anniversaries. The team at OSM celebrates their 30th year Anniversary and the team at Royal Distributing is celebrating their 25th Anniversary! Thank you for your support and we wish you the utmost success for many more years to come. Finally, we would like to announce an upcoming event taking place at Hidden Valley Resort the weekend of October 16 & 17, 2015. The Dirty Divas Madness weekend complete with ATV’ing, paintball, beer & wine tasting, oh and a live performance from THE TREWS ACOUSTIC! Please check back to our website or facebook page for the official announcement & details, and of course be sure you come and visit us at our booth at the Toronto Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show at the International Centre – October 23 - 25! Follow the pink carpet to our booth; we can’t wait to see you!
Kelly Shires Breast Cancer Snow Run
DONATION FORM
VISA
MASTERCARD
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
AMEX
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The New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs La Fédération des Clubs de Motoneige du Nouveau-Brunswick
Mt. Carleton-Christmas Mountains Grooming Hub Announced In 2016, the winter tourism season has begun with a major change to New Brunswick’s trails. Over 300 additional kilometers of new trail grooming and 1000’s of acres of off-trail riding areas has been added within and around Mt. Carleton Park including the very close by Christmas Mountains; long known for consistent snow and cold weather from November till April, every winter, in New Brunswick. Snowmobile trails, allowing visitors and residents to access Mt. Carleton Park has been a vision for many since the first Trail Groomer left Bathurst, decades ago to groom one single trail to Mt. Carleton Provincial wilderness Park. Beginning now, plans are underway to set up a full time trail grooming hub from the centre of one of eastern morth America’s most consistent snowbelts; Mt. Carleton-Christmas Mountains, beginning operations in December, 2015. More information will be released as we progress however the opportunities for another 300 kilometers of new groomed trails and access to thousands of acres of off-trail riding on almost 100% Crown Lands is going to be amazing. This region – every winter – has snow beginning in November, staying in December and always with riding till late April and sometimes into May. There is no global warming here! The NBFSC, represented by Past President, Sandy Young, were pleased to attend the official announcement with our partners from Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), Tourism, heritage and Culture (THC) and the Town of St. Quentin earlier this summer; July 27, 2015 – Saint-Quentin, N.B. – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency The New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (NBFSC), a volunteer organization that manages a yearround provincial office based in Woodstock, will be able to make improvements to the trail infrastructure in Mount Carleton Provincial Park in collaboration with the Town of Saint-Quentin, thanks to investments from the federal and provincial governments. The Honorable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and Member of Parliament for Madawaska-Restigouche, and the Honourable Bill Fraser, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, today joined Her Worship Nicole Somers, Mayor of Saint-Quentin (TBC), and Sandy Young, Past President of the NBFSC to make the funding announcement. The project involves building trail bridges and shelters, clearing trails, adding signage, establishing new trail loops, acquiring two new trail groomers and adding a trail groomer storage shed. The benefits of this project will be felt by many communities along the Northern Odyssey snowmobile routes as the addition of more multiple day trail loops will increase the number of visitor overnight stays. It is expected that these improvements will help extend the snowmobile tourism season in the Northern Odyssey Region by four to six weeks.
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The Government of Canada, through ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund, is contributing $723,708 towards the project while the Province of New Brunswick is providing funding of $770,000. The Town of SaintQuentin is contributing an additional $265,000 and the NBFSC is investing $75,000.
Quick Facts: • With a population of over 2,000, the Town of SaintQuentin is the Atlantic Maple Capital and a gateway to the Appalachian Mountains, New Brunswick’s highest peak – Mount Carleton – and the Restigouche River. • NBFSC, incorporated in 1982, is comprised of 51 community-based, volunteer-run, member clubs that maintain a network of snowmobile trails across the province. • NBFSC sells more than 12,000 permits granting users access to approximately 8,000 kilometers of its maintained snowmobile trails. • The Northern Odyssey Region, with the highest snowfall in the Maritimes, consists of a network of over a thousand kilometers of trails that wind through Campbellton, Bathurst, Miramichi and Edmundston. • Studies conducted by the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture indicate that the expected increase in snowmobiling spending could generate more than $300,000 per year in additional provincial tax revenue while creating 51 direct and indirect jobs if the season is extended by four weeks. Quotes: “The NBFSC is honored, excited and tremendously grateful to everyone who is a contributing partner in this project. The Mount Carleton - Christmas Mountains Grooming Hub announcement is a significant step forward for us, the Town of Saint-Quentin and the communities and cities in the province that support winter tourism – with snowmobile tourism impacts being the only quantifiable measured sector.” - Sandy Young, NBFSC Past President, on behalf of Brad Mann, NBFSC President
www.nbfsc.com
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 25-27, 2013 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
Annonce du carrefour de surfaçage pour le Mont Carleton et les Monts Christmas une aide financière de 723 708 $ pour ce projet et la province du Nouveau Brunswick fournit un financement de 710 000 $. La Ville de Saint Quentin fournit une aide financière de 265 000 $ et la FCMNB investit 75 000 $.
En 2016, la saison du tourisme d’hiver a commencé avec un gros changement pour les sentiers du Nouveau-Brunswick. Au delà de 300 kilomètres de nouveaux sentiers surfacés et 1000 acres de zones de promenades hors-sentiers ont été ajoutés dans le Parc et autour du Mont Carleton, y compris dans la région adjacente des Monts Christmas ; bien connues pour la neige et la température constantes, de novembre jusqu’en avril, à chaque hiver, au NouveauBrunswick. Des sentiers de motoneige permettant aux visiteurs et résidents d’accéder au Parc du Mont Carleton, cela a été une vision pour bien des gens depuis que la première surfaceuse de sentier est partie de Bathurst, plusieurs décennies passées, pour surfacer un seul sentier vers la zone sauvage du Parc provincial du Mont Carleton. Commençant dès maintement, des plans sont en cours pour mettre sur pied un centre de surfaçage de sentiers à temps plein à partir du centre de l’une des ceintures de neige des plus constantes de l’Est de l’Amérique du Nord, c’est à dire le Mont Carleton et les Monts Christmas, et les opérations commenceraient en décembre 2015. Plus d’information sera disponible à mesure que l’on avance ; cependant, les opportunités pour 300 kilomètres additionnels de nouveaux sentiers surfacés et l’accès à des milliers d’acres de promenade hors-sentiers, presque à 100 % sur des terres publiques (Couronne), cela va être formidable. À chaque hiver, cette région commence à recevoir de la neige en novembre, qui reste en décembre, et toujours avec la possibilité de se promener jusqu’en fin d’avril, parfois même en mai. Pas de réchauffement climatique dans ce coin-là ! La FCMNB, représentée par Sandy Young, l’ancien président, fut heureuse de participer à l’annonce officielle de concert avec nos partenaires de l’Agence de promotion économique du Canada atlantique (APÉCA), le ministère de Tourisme, Patrimoine et Culture (TPC), et la ville de St-Quentin plus tôt cet été;
Le 28 juillet 2015 - Saint-Quentin (N. B.) – Agence de promotion économique du Canada atlantique La Fédération des Clubs de Motoneige du Nouveau Brunswick (FCMNB) sera en mesure d’apporter des améliorations à l’infrastructure des pistes du parc provincial du Mont Carleton en collaboration avec la Ville de Saint Quentin grâce à des investissements des gouvernements fédéral et provincial. L’honorable Bernard Valcourt, ministre des Affaires autochtones et Développement du Nord Canada et député de la circonscription de Madawaska-Restigouche, et l’honorable Bill Fraser, ministre du Tourisme, du Patrimoine et de la Culture, se sont joints aujourd’hui à madame Nicole Somers, mairesse de Saint-Quentin, et à Sandy Young, ancien président de la FCMNB, de la part du président Brad Mann, pour annoncer l’octroi d’une aide financière. Le projet implique l’amélioration des sentiers et de l’infrastructure nécessaire pour établir un centre d’entreposage de l’équipement de surfaçage dans le parc provincial du mont Carleton. Les éléments du projet comprennent : la construction de ponts et d’abris sur les sentiers, le nettoyage des sentiers, l’ajout de signalisation, l’établissement de nouvelles boucles sur les sentiers, l’acquisition de deux nouvelles surfaceuses et l’ajout d’une remise pour cet équipement. Beaucoup de collectivités de la région couverte par les sentiers de la grande Odyssée dans le nord du Nouveau-Brunswick tireront profit des avantages de ce projet, car l’ajout de boucles de plusieurs jours permettra d’augmenter le nombre de séjours d’une nuitée. On prévoit que ces améliorations permettront de prolonger de quatre à six semaines la saison touristique associée à la motoneige dans la région couverte par les sentiers de la grande Odyssée dans le nord du Nouveau-Brunswick, entraînant ainsi une hausse de revenus et la création d’emplois. Grâce au Fonds des collectivités innovatrices de l’APECA, le gouvernement du Canada accorde
Faits en bref : • La Ville de Saint Quentin (population de plus de 2 000 habitants) a été proclamée la capitale de l’érable de l’Atlantique et constitue une porte d’entrée vers les Appalaches, le plus haut sommet du Nouveau Brunswick, le Mont Carleton, et la rivière Restigouche. • La FCMNB, constituée en société en 1982, compte 51 clubs membres communautaires exploités par des bénévoles qui assurent l’entretien d’un réseau de pistes de motoneige dans l’ensemble de la province. • La FCMNB vend plus de 12 000 permis par année qui donnent aux utilisateurs l’accès à environ 8 000 kilomètres de ses pistes de motoneige entretenues. • La région couverte par les pistes de motoneige de la grande Odyssée dans le nord du Nouveau-Brunswick, la plus enneigée des Maritimes, comprend un réseau de plus d’un millier de kilomètres qui longe les villes de Campbellton, de Bathurst, de Miramichi et d’Edmundston. « La FCMNB est honorée, enthousiaste et extrêmement reconnaissante à l’égard de tous les partenaires qui contribuent à ce projet. L’annonce du centre d’entreposage de l’équipement de surfaçage dans les monts Noël (Christmas Mountains) au sud du Mont Carleton constitue un pas en avant important pour nous, pour la Ville de Saint Quentin ainsi que pour les collectivités et les villes de la province qui appuient le tourisme hivernal. » - Sandy Young, ancien président de la FCMNB, au nom de Brad Mann, président de la FCMNB
www.nbfsc.com
La motoneige est le Tourisme d’hiver du Nouveau-Brunswick…
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 25-27, 2013 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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The New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs La Fédération des Clubs de Motoneige du Nouveau-Brunswick
President’s Report…
At the New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Club’s Annual General Meeting in May 2015, Mr. Brad Mann became the NBFSC’s 11th elected President. Brad has had a busy summer already meeting with many stakeholders in the Provincial Government and even Federal Government prior to the calling of the Federal election. In Brad’s words here is his background and passion for snowmobiling; “ I started young, riding on the snowmobile with my dad at the age of eight years old. After a few years, I was attracted to the sport and decided to learn to ride by myself. I have been riding snowmobiles since I was 12 years old, and also started snowmobile racing in ovals at this age. That beginning was 43 years ago now, so as
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you can imagine, it is a big part of my life and snowmobiling always has been. My first snowmobile was a 12 horsepower Ski-Doo Olympic; I have a lot of fond memories of that old machine! So far in my life, I have ridden snowmobiles over 20,000 miles and raced snowmobiles for over 5000 miles. All of those miles were put on right here in my beautiful home province of New Brunswick and in my opinion, we have the best of everything a snowmobiler could want right here in our back yard. I have been involved with the NBFSC for over 15 years now. I was President of the Restigouche Snowmobile Club for seven years, then elected to the Provincial Board for five years. Most recently I have been Vice president of the NBFSC for the last three years. It was my honour and privilege to be voted President of the NBFSC in May of 2015 and I look forward to serving our membership in that capacity in the upcoming years. My work history and experience is mostly in the automotive industry. I began to work at the age of 15 for Canadian Tire. From there, I worked for Ford for 2 years, and then spent 15 years on the road selling APM Auto Parts. I spent two years selling cars at a GM dealership, and then went into business for myself with a used car dealership and garage for seven years. I then worked for Irving selling advertising for one year, and now I am back in the automotive field, managing the Auto Centre at Canadian Tire for the last five years. I have also had a business renting snowmobiles for the past 10 years. For personal fun, I raced snowmobiles for over 30 years until I got involved with the snowmobile club and started spending a lot of my time on club activities I also raced cars for 30 years and now I broadcast races both with racetimeradio. com and on Sirius 167. I have had 7 championships in race cars, four championships in pro-stock class and 3 more championships in sportsman class. I have also enjoyed spending time playing senior hockey as a goaltender for 22 years, scoring a goal and was MVP of the league in 1996, my last year, at age 42. Altogether, I have been in the automotive and snowmobile business for over 40 years. I love people and working with the public. I have a daughter, Taylor, and I have never been married.”
Snowmobiling is New Brunswick’s Winter Tourism…
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 25-27, 2013 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
Rapport du Président… Lors de l’Assemblée générale annuelle de la Fédération des clubs de motoneige du Nouveau-Brunswick, en mai 2015, M. Brad Mann devint le 11ième président élu de la FCMNB. Brad a eu un été occupé, ayant déjà rencontré plusieurs intervenants du gouvernement provincial, et même du gouvernement fédéral, avant que l’élection fédérale soit déclenchée. Dans les mots de Brad, on y trouve la base et la passion pour la motoneige : « J’ai commencé jeune, me promenant sur la motoneige avec mon papa à l’âge de huit ans. Après quelques années, j’ai été attiré au sport et j’ai décidé d’apprendre à conduire par moi-même. Je conduis des motoneiges depuis l’âge de 12 ans et j’ai également commencé à faire des courses en motoneige sur circuit oval à cet âge là. Il y a maintenant 43 ans depuis ces débuts, alors vous pouvez vous imaginer que c’est une longue partie de ma vie, et la motoneige l’a toujours été. Ma première motoneige fut une Ski-Doo Olympic, de 12 chevaux ; j’ai beaucoup de bons souvenirs de cette vieille machine ! Jusqu’à présent dans ma vie, j’ai conduit des motoneiges sur plus de 20 000 milles et j’ai fais des courses en motoneiges sur plus de 5 000 milles. Tous ces milles furent voyagés juste ici, dans ma belle province natale du Nouveau-Brunswick et, selon moi, nous avons le meilleur de tout ce qu’un motoneigiste pourrait vouloir, ici-même dans notre arrière-cour. Je suis impliqué avec la FCMNB depuis plus de 15 ans déjà. Je fus président du club de motoneige Restigouche pendant sept ans, ensuite élu sur le Bureau de direction provincial pendant cinq ans. Plus récemment, j’ai été vice-président de la FCMNB durant les trois dernières années. Ce fut mon honneur et privilège d’être élu président de la FCMNB en mai 2015 et j’ai hâte de desservir nos membres en cette capacité au cours des prochaines années.
Mes antécédents professionnels et mon expérience relèvent surtout de l’industrie automobile. J’ai commencé à travailler à l’âge de 15 ans pour Canadian Tire. Après cela, j’ai travaillé pour Ford pendant 2 ans et ensuite 15 ans sur la route à vendre des pièces automobiles APM. J’ai passé deux ans à vendre des autos pour un concessionnaire GM ; je suis ensuite allé en affaire par moi-même comme concessionnaire de véhicules usagés, avec un garage, pendant sept ans. J’ai ensuite travaillé pour Irving à vendre de la publicité pendant un an, et je suis maintenant de retour dans le domaine automobile, en tant que gérant du Auto Centre chez Canadian Tire durant les cinq dernières années. J’ai également un commerce de location de motoneiges depuis 10 ans. Pour mon amusement personnel, j’ai participé aux courses de motoneiges pendant plus de 30 ans, jusqu’à ce que je me suis impliqué avec le club de motoneige et j’ai commencé à consacrer beaucoup de temps aux activités du club. J’ai également fais des courses d’automobiles pendant 30 ans et maintenant je suis annonceur de courses sur racetimeradio.com et sur Sirius 167. J’ai gagné 7 championats dans les courses automobiles, quatre championats dans la catégorie pro-stock, ainsi que 3 autres championats dans la catégorie sportif. J’ai aussi bien aimé de passer du temps à jouer du hockey senior comme gardien de but pendant 22 ans, marquant un but et fut nommé joueur par excellence de la ligue en 1996, ma dernière année, à l’âge de 42 ans. En tout et partout, j’ai été dans l’industrie de l’automobile et de la motoneige depuis plus de 40 ans. J’aime les gens et travailler avec le public. J’ai une fille, Taylor, et je n’ai jamais été marié. »
www.nbfsc.com
La motoneige est le Tourisme d’hiver du Nouveau-Brunswick…
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 25-27, 2013 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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ON SNOW MAGAZINE • VOL 30 • ISSUE 1
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Pat Bourgeois
FLOAT BOWL
Mountains vs. Trails
No matter the terrain, riding with friends is the ultimate snowmobiling experience.
T
he images of stretched chassis sleds carving uncharted paths up the sides of mountains and through vast stretches of endless powder are virtually everywhere these days. Heck we print several of them right here on the pages of OSM. They are incredible and the riding is even better. What’s more, everyone has eagerly jumped aboard the mountain sled bandwagon in an effort to make bank or simply look cool. The deep snow, off-trail market has been one of the hottest segments in the sport over the past ten years. The reasons are many: inconsistent snow in other parts of the snowbelt; dramatically improved sleds that have the ability to go places we once only dreamed of; and a mindset by many snowmobilers that riding off-trail is “where it’s at”.
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Maybe it is. For sure the feeling and thrill of riding in seemingly endless powder, or looking out over a neverending series of powder bowls from a mountaintop is amazing. Mountain riding is an entirely different animal if you grew up riding the trails of the Midwest and Eastern areas of the Snowbelt. There’s a feeling of freedom and exploration that you don’t quite get when riding trails. It’s also not the only holy grail of snowmobiling. Late last winter a good friend had just returned from a weeklong trip to Colorado. It was one of several trips he makes to western destinations in search of deep snow, steep slopes, and huge bowls of powder. The snow was great and he spent much of the time riding with his son and a group of “hot shoe”
riders. By all accounts it was another fantastic trip, but near the end he said he came to a shocking realization; he “misses trail riding.” Now, before you start pointing fingers and thinking he simply doesn’t have the talent to ride in the mountains or worse yet, is “too old”, let me paint a clear picture. He’s a former cross-country and snocross racer, one helluva a talented rider, and he loves building powerful mod sleds. No, he wasn’t in over his head. What he was “missing” is the thrill of running hard with buddies; charging fast down a nasty, mogul littered trail; railing the corners of a twisted and tightly wooded, ungroomed single track; picking the best lines and showing a buddy a ski tip in the corner; or hammering down a wind whipped ditchline and navigating unknown terrain at speed. While the deep snow “in crowd” may say trails are boring, I’m in agreement with my friend; I love trail riding too. Ironically, most lifelong mountain riders hate trails. They view them as a necessary evil to get from the parking lot to the “good stuff”. Most are ungroomed and rough as hell, and while mountain riders loathe them, I love them and often find them to be my favorite part of the ride. Snowmobiling by its very nature is a sport of adventure, of freedom, and of thrill seeking. It’s also about friends and family, and sharing the experience with them. Truth is, I love all kinds of snowmobiling, from an afternoon ride with my family, to boon docking in the mountains, to a 3-mile ride on vintage iron. Yet if I’m given the choice, I love to ride trails. So which is better, mountains or trails? Frankly, there’s room for both, and a whole lot more…let’s just call it snowmobiling. J
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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LAST GASP
Wendy Gavinski Divas • www.DivasSnowGear.com
The woman behind the sport’s only women’s exclusive snowmobile gear company, Wendy Gavinski is driven to succeed, no matter the odds. A native of Wisconsin, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater and is a lifetime snowmobiler. Frustrated by the lack of gear for women with only what she calls “frumpy” and “unattractive” options, she started Divas Snow Gear in 2010 to offer women riders a clear choice in riding gear. With sizes from XS to 5XL, Divas now features technical riding gear; gloves; casuals; helmets; goggles; bags; base layers; wrap kits and more. We caught up with Wendy at Diva’s headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin for her Last Gasp take on snowmobiling, cupcakes and the Empire State Building. Last snowmobile you crashed? Oh boy…I’ve crashed nearly every sled I’ve ever owned. It’s not that I’m a horrible driver; (at least I hope not) it’s just that we’re in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and tree stumps are everywhere. I’m of the opinion that if you don’t do some damage to your sled, you’re not riding hard enough. Last food you questioned putting in your mouth? A cupcake. I’m not a huge fan of sweets and I always question whether it’s worth wasting the calories. If I’m going to eat junk, I’d prefer something salty! Last band you saw live? My husband (Travis) and I visited Elkhart Lake (Wisconsin) earlier this summer for my birthday and we stopped by a bar to watch a cover band called “Strawberry Jam.” Everyone could sing, and they even had a table of groupies whooping it up in the front row. Turns out the groupies were their parents, because most of the band members were under 21. Last time you went over 100mph? To be honest, I don’t really have a need for speed, other than for testing it out on the trails. I’m more interested in getting myself lost in the backcountry, getting stuck, and then figuring out how to get myself back out. I get a big feeling of accomplishment doing things myself and not asking for help. Last person you hugged? I hugged my six-year-old son when he came in and woke me up this morning. I still cannot figure out how to get that kid to sleepin past 6:00 A.M. Last time you got pulled over by the man? Well, I did get pulled over by an officer while running recently. Where I park to go run, the local police often park and set up a speed trap. I was going on a run when they were there recently. I got out of my truck, stretched, turned on my headphones and put
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my key fob in my pocket. I’m about forty-five minutes into my run, with about a mile or two to go, when I notice a cop slowly creeping up alongside me. He asks me if that is my Yukon in the parking lot and I proudly claim it! Turns out I left it running! In an effort to spare me additional embarrassment, he also kindly reminded me my license plate is up for renewal at the end of the month. Last near death experience? It was 2013, when a group of us went on a privately guided snowmobile trip to Whistler, British Columbia. The first night I noticed a lot of people walking around with crutches and casts on from various ski or snowboard accidents. Needless to say, I felt a little intimidated to be there with so many professional riders who were far more qualified. On one particular ride, we decided to take a trip to the top of the Pemberton Ice Cap. I was hesitant to go, but I did anyway, and it was one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever done. I won’t go into details, but let’s just say I ended up falling off my sled, the sled screamed down the mountain on its own, and I narrowly missed falling into a huge crevice that was thirty feet wide and you couldn’t see the bottom. I decided from that point on, I would leave the extreme riding to the experts. This trip was certainly the motivation I needed to start the women’s backcountry riding clinics! Not only for myself to learn, but also for other women like me who want to build the skills needed to safely and confidently ride in the backcountry. We are lucky to have a team of professional riders, headed by Stephanie Schwartz, as our DSG backcountry clinicians! Last great idea you had that made you think…hell yeah? We have so many great ideas, but having the time to do them is always the challenge. Our team is very small and there’s only so much we can take on. We aren’t necessarily looking to do a lot, but rather want to do it right.
Lasting snowmobile memory. Riding with my father and my sister in the fields of my family’s dairy farm in southwest Wisconsin. I feel so good knowing that by doing what we do at DSG, we inspire more women to get out and ride with their friends and families. Last time you were inspired? It’s really a daily occurrence; I’m constantly inspired by the little things…the people in my life…and nature. I love the outdoors and I try to use the natural beauty of the outdoors in our designs. Last time you traveled abroad? My husband earned an incentive work trip to Italy a few years ago. We went to Venice, Rome, Florence, and Sardinia. Venice was my absolute favorite...no cars, no bikes, and no balls allowed! The food was amazing, and I will never forget the taste of that authentic Italian pizza…. yum! Last celebrity you met? We had the pleasure to meet Damond John from Shark Tank last year. My husband and I met with him at his office in NYC, regarding some future opportunities. As we walked up to the address they gave us, we unknowingly looked up to see that his office was located in the Empire State Building! I can’t tell you how cool it was to walk into that building for a meeting. Last project you worked on that you were truly excited about? Can’t talk about it now, but I’m working on a very exciting project to be launched next fall…stay tuned! Last thing your mother always told you? “Be careful” My mother is very safety conscious, not too mention a worrywart. Last words of advice? Never give up on your dreams, no matter how big, small or silly they seem. I think my business is proof that if you have your mind set on something, you can achieve anything you want!
TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 23-25, 2015 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com
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