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1966 COLT

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MY LINE

There is only one top of the hill, but a thousand ways to get there during the Hillcross Championships on the slopes of Mont Du Lac in Superior, Wisconsin Shooter: Aaron Belford

photo by Brett Moist

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FEATURES 30

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HONEY OF THE MONTH 1993 ARCTIC CAT ZR440

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TIME MACHINES 1971 ARCTIC CAT KING KAT

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ONE AND DONE IS THE VIPER S-TX THE EVERY MAN'S SLED?

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TO THE BOARDS WHEN BOARDERS AND SLEDDERS MEET

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FRESH BURN

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2015 POLARIS AXYS SWITCHBACK PRO-S

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SHOP HUSTLE SLYDOG HELL HOUND SKIS

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SHOOTER SHOWCASE OSM'S ANNUAL PHOTO EXTRAVAGANZA

108 PEAK SEASON BUYER'S GUIDE

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COLUMNS 18

DRIFTS - PUBLISHER NOTES RICHARD KEHOE

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WINGING IT WITH LEVI LEVI LAVALLEE

118 FLOATBOWL PAT BOURGEOIS

DEPARTMENTS 20

INDUSTRY NEWS

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WORD SEARCH

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ROOTS

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TALENT CHECK

114 5 MINUTES WITH… 116 INDUSTRY 411 120 OSM LISTINGS 122 LAST GASP

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s ’ r e buyguide ON EAS S K PEA

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VOLUME 29 NUMBER 5

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FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES CONTACT 1-888-661-7469 President & Publisher: Richard Kehoe Editorial Director: Pat Bourgeois Copy Editor: Rick Bloye Art Director: Darryl Aspin Production Manager: Tendra Crossman General Manager: Michael Blakoe Sr. Manager Sales & Marketing: Matt Clark Advertising Sales: 1-888-661-7469 Warren Geer, Brad Stokes Administrative / Sales Coordinator: Kelly Bambury Photographers: Todd Williams, Brett Moist, Aaron Belford, Gracey Dove, Joe Wiegele, Lissa Marsolek, Steve Hamilton, CJ Ramstad Archives, Jason MacDonald Contributing Writers: Levi LaVallee, Jason MacDonald, Matt Clark, Justin York, Tyler Swarm, Suzy Stenoff, Darren Desautels, Ross Antworth, Dale Cormican Subscriptions 1-888-661-7469 or info@osmmag.com 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 2014 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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CONFIDENCE TO STAY OUT LATER

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DRIFTS

PUBLISHER NOTES

RICHARD KEHOE

MY MORNING RIDE

ow that winter is in full swing and the big lake finally tightened up around the 15th of January, it’s made my commute to work that much better. Leaving my house in the early morning on my ride to work, I’ve started to see a few familiar faces around the lake. They’re probably high school kids getting to school, but whoever they are, they don’t seem to mind their commute.

I’m guessing that like me, a few of them

are taking in a short ride while on the way. Whatever they’re up to, it’s by far the best way to start the workday.

Venturing out around Simcoe, the rides from the office have been amazing. It took some convincing, but a few of the fellas agreed to leave their Muff pots and shepherd’s pie at home. You never know what to expect out there, and we didn’t run into many challenges along the way, other than being a little lean on snow in

Eco cars and E-TEC park close together in the OSM parking lot to give the pick-ups priority parking.

The muffpot wizards make light work of hopping the Indy over a fallen tree.

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one area for a few kilometers, the odd downed tree, and Darren (the muff pot wizard) only moved one small planet (rock) off the trail with his sled. Good thing he didn’t have his muff pot pie cooking, or we’d never hear the end of that hot mess under the hood.

On our ride, we weren’t turned around too badly due to the signage being a little “pre-season”, and we made it to where we wanted to be, but in a roundabout way. By luck, we ended up a little further south than we wanted to be, and stumbled onto a true find called the ‘Patti House Smokin’ Barbecue’. We carb’d up for the rest of the afternoon with everything from smoked chicken fajita quesadillas, pulled pork soft tacos, pulled pork sandwiches, to a mammoth burger. Drop by this stop if you’re ever in the Coboconk area.

Everything was so good, that I bought a tshirt as a reminder to hit it again!

So sit back, relax and enjoy the magazine, I hope you enjoy the Shooter Showcase Special Issue of OSM. Be sure to take it all in, take some photos and submit them to us at info@osmmag.com for our next issue of OSM, or if it’s that good, next year ’s Annual Shooter Showcase.

Feeling like you need a few more calories and carbs before heading back out on the trail? Smoked chicken is waiting for you at the Patti House.

IND US TR Y

NEWS

WINTER X 2015 GLIMMER AND FADE? Another round of ESPN’s Winter X Games was logged into the books this past January, and while the snowmobile portion of the event seemed to have lost some luster due to changes in the format and what appeared to be a lack of hype and interest within the snowmobile community, the event itself continued to grow. More than 115,000 fans took in the action in person at Aspen, Colorado, making it the biggest X Games to date. On the snowmobile side of things, Tucker Hibbert earned another victory in snocross, his eighthconsecutive medal. Joining him on the top box in other snowmobile competitions were Heath Frisby with the gold in Snowmobile Long Jump; Colten Moore winning in Speed & Style; Ryan Simons (pictured) marking his turf in the return of HillCross; and Garrett Goodwin earning gold in Adaptive Snocross.

RETURN OF THE WINNIPEG...NEXT YEAR At first it looked as if the return of the famed Winnipeg point-to-point 500mile cross country race would be shortened to a Winnipeg to Thief River Falls event, followed by two-days of local loops. But then as the end of January approached, and snow was still nowhere to be found across much of northern Minnesota, word came down that the race would be cancelled completely. There were several long faces in the OSM offices that day, as we are sure there were in cross-country racing households across much of the Snowbelt. Yet despite the set-back, USXC race chief and Winnipeg organizer Brian Nelson remained positive, looking ahead to next year, in hopes of making the event’s return even better.

MORE BAD NEWS FOR GLOBAL WARMING PUNDITS According to the so called “experts”, one of the biggest causes of global warming is the release of CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere from such things as our beloved automobiles, coal belching power plants, and yes…even our little snowmobiles. Turns out they were wrong. The latest release of data from NASA shows quite the opposite. After creating a computer animation program that would monitor CO2 output around the globe, the scientists had hoped to further prove their theories on global warming by showing places like the United States and Russia were sources to blame for our global warming woes. Instead, what they saw was places like the U.S. and other industrialized nations barely showed up. Instead, the data came back showing the primary sources of CO2 comes from below the equator from…get this…tropical rainforests. Whoops.

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Photos: Studio du Ruisseau, É. Marchand, M. Loiselle

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IND US TR Y

NEWS

RED BULL SNOW BOUNDARIES Think big...really big...that’s the idea behind the new and recently announced Red Bull Snow Boundaries race event slated for March 27-28, 2015 at Spirit Mountain Ski Resort in Duluth, Minnesota. Never known for doing anything half-ass, the Red Bull Events Crew is looking to host the largest and most challenging snowmobile race, period. The cross-country endurance event will feature a closed-loop course that will feature terrain elements from nearly every discipline of snowmobile racing...maybe more.

The expected course will consist of 20-miles of trails, 6-miles of hill climbs, 4-miles of ice and a host of other obstacles including water skips; log crossings; rock chutes; bridge crossings; tire piles and near vertical climbs. Event organizers are looking to attract as many as 400 participants, and with a total prize package valued in excess of $100,000, they might just do it. What’s more, the event is absolutely free for fans, and if it mirrors other Red Bull events we’ve attended, it’s sure to be a party. Visit HYPERLINK "http://www.redbull.com" www.redbull.com and search for Snow Boundaries to learn more.

MINNESOTA ORPHANS SET TO MEET Editor Bourgeois just returned from the 25th anniversary celebration of all things old and snowmobile related, also known as the Waconia Ride In. This year’s event featured the Minnesota iconic brands of Polaris and Arctic Cat, and it was a big one. Already dubbed the world’s largest vintage snowmobiling event, this past January’s event did not disappoint. After we stopped Bourgeois’ babbling and incessant drooling, we discovered that next year’s event, tagged for January 29-31, will be a doozy as well, as the 26th annual Ride In will recognize the “other” Minnesota brands who didn’t make it. Those include Muscaro; Brut; Husky; Viking; Larson; Scorpion; Sno-Craft; Ski-Bird; Ridge Runner; Wildcat; Sno Coupe and Yukon King. Mark your calendars now and we’ll see you there.

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MINNESOTA DNR NARROWLY DEFINES A SNOWMOBILE We got word early this winter that the proud snowmobiling state of Minnesota and their Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has narrowed their definition as to what they would consider a snowmobile. According to an article from the Forum News Service, the Minnesota DNR no longer considers conversion kits for ATVs, motorcycles, or any other aftermarket snowmobile type kit to be considered a snowmobile, and therefore are no longer allowed on the state’s 22,000 miles of trails. While we can understand the intent of the law, (would you want to meet a tracked RZR face to face on a narrow trail?) the scope of the law seems a bit broad and perhaps too limiting. Let’s face it, the tastes of today’s younger sledders is far different, and if letting them ride a conversion motorcycle such as those from our pals at Timbersled or miniconversion SnoRipper (pictured) from Holeshot, is what it takes to keep them engaged in the sport…we say let em ride.

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IND US TR Y

NEWS

WE’RE GOING TO THE SOO As this issue goes to press, the OSM crew is getting ready to head to Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan to attend the International 500, more commonly referred to as the Soo-500. This time we will be going to the historic endurance ice oval race as more than just fans, but specifically we will be following young gun Bobby Menne of Virginia, Minnesota. Menne is an up and coming racer in the national USXC cross-country tour, and he is looking to make his mark at the Soo as well. The Menne crew was putting the finishing touches on their well prepped Polaris as we penned this update, and they sent us this photo before loading the trailer. She’s a looker eh?! Look for a full story on Menne’s Soo journey next season in the pages of OSM.

NEW 2016 SNOWMOBILE TOUR ANNOUNCED As we hit the midway point of the season, the first inklings of the new 2016 models have started to hit our radar. With these new sleds comes the Manufacturer’s Sneak Peek Tour, where you can see the latest iron from Polaris, Ski-Doo and Yamaha in the flesh, and talk to factory representatives to the get the inside scoop on what makes them tick.

This year’s tour dates have just been announced and you can find one near you and make plans to attend by visiting www.snowsneakpeek.com" www.snowsneakpeek.com

128-INCH IRON DOGGER This past January, the kids at SkiDoo gave us an inside look at their latest limited build snowmobile, designed for competition in the grueling half-race, half-survival competition known as the Iron Dog. The MXZ based snowmobile is aptly named the Iron Dog, and comes to market in both 600E-TEC and 800R engine options. Aside from a few specific chassis reinforcements typically found on race specific sleds, and suspension calibrations tuned for the rigors of cross-country racing, the one surprising difference with the Iron Dog sled is the use of a 128-inch r-Motion suspension, instead of the traditional “short-track” skid we’ve come to expect in the MXZ configuration. Could this signal an end to the nimble, short track trail sleds from Ski-Doo? Time will tell.

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RIDE IN STYLE WINNER Divas SnowGear and Yamaha announced the winner of Ride in Style Sled Giveaway contest! Lucky Stephanie Francis of Almont MI has just become very popular among her sledder friends. After doing a lucky snow dance and rolling around in 4 leaf clovers Stephanie became the winner of a brand new 2015 Yamaha Viper STX snowmobile courtesy of Divas SnowGear (DSG) and Yamaha Motor Corporation. Divas SnowGear coordinated The Ride in Style giveaway in partnership with Yamaha Motor Corporation, Kicker Livin’ Loud and yours truly, OSM Magazine. Congratulations Stephanie!!!

For complete details and the list of 1st-4th place prize winners headover to www.osmmag.com

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IND US TR Y

WE HAVE SOME WINNERS!

NEWS

FOUR INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME The Snowmobile Hall of Fame in St. Germain, Wisconsin announced the induction of four more members of the snowmobiling community.

They include Bob Enns, cross-country and ice oval stand-out racer; Herb Howe, winner of the inaugural Winnipeg to St. Paul I-500 crosscountry race; Mark Zelich, television personality who for more than 20years covered snowmobile racing and snowmobiling in general in Wisconsin; and Pat Mach, (posthumously) former racer and founder of the United States Cross-Country Circuit (USCC). This year’s induction ceremony will be held February 7, 2015 after the annual Ride With the Champs event held that same day. Congratulations to all inductees.

Congratulations to Rob Clark of Bracebridge, Ontario and Steve Dubbs from Maple Grove, Minnesota for being 500 bucks richer by entering the “WinWith-Choko� contest. Both Rob and Steve received a $500.00 spending spree on, Choko gear, from their local dealer by simply taking 32.4 seconds to fill out a free ballot on www.osmmag.com. Boom like that, the lads are living large and sporting some new gear. Stay tuned, as this contest was a huge hit, and probably going to happen again!

TM

WORDSEARCH: BOOTS Need some time alone in your thinking room, have a seat on the throne and give it a go.

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WINGING IT WITH LEVI LEVI LAVALLEE

PROUD PARENT was awesome, but he wasn’t able to get himself on that top box. . .that changed at Canterbury Park.

Kyle went flag-to-flag for his first ProOpen win! Most people don’t realize how much goes into getting a win against the best in the world. I can tell you first hand that you make sacrifices that others aren’t willing to and it is mentally and physically demanding like no other. But when you finally get to stand at the top of the podium, holding that first place trophy, as the fans scream your name and the pictures flash, you instantly fall in love with the amazing feeling you get, and that motivates you to get right back to doing the work that got you there, no matter how brutal it can be. Kyle is starting to figure it all out and he is committed to doing whatever it takes to get to his goal. He is a bright kid that is motivated to get to the top, and I think this first win is just the beginning of many great things to come.

Well, I have to be going, and get back to practicing for X Games. With four disciplines on my X Games “to do list”, I have my hands full, so hopefully it will work out. Wish me luck!

Liv already has great freestyle technique!

very year as we lead into X Games, things seem to get more and more crazy. The lack of snow this year has made it even more so. Because of this, we had to do some heavy-duty snow making this year to get my compound up and running. We blew snow for several days and I realized right away that it would be way better if the generator that powered the snow guns ran on air, water, or high fives! Unfortunately, it is very partial to diesel fuel and diesel costs a lot more than air, water, or high-fives . . . like a lot more! I blew Red Bull out my nose when I read the diesel bill! Ha ha! But I now have a ton of snow and we all know that snow and fun go hand-in-hand!

Sometimes you have to look past the cost and think about the potential for fun and

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make a judgment from that.

It has been fun getting my freestyle tricks back, since I wasn’t able to do any freestyle last year. Hopefully all goes well, and we can be ready for X Games in Speed and Style as well as the other three events I plan to participate in. By the time you read this, you should know how I did.

In between practice sessions for X Games, we had the International Series of Champions (ISOC) National Snocross race at Canterbury in Shakopee, Minnesota, and this time it was no normal race weekend for Team LaVallee. Kyle Pallin has been a part of our team for the past couple of years, and he has steadily progressed during that time. He started getting pro podiums last season, which

No snow? Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands.

Much like Dalton in the movie "Roadhouse", I hear this all the time!

I couldn't wait after seeing a little snow!

This is what we all work so hard for.

I laughed when I saw this guy’s shirt at the races.

Teaching Jake Scott Fox Shox video shoot.

Video shoot with Polaris.

Jason Zucker from the Minnesota Wild stopped by our booth at Canterbury Park.

Marking my territory.

The 108 compound looks pretty sick for not having any snow!

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Honey of the month

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Honey of the Month

NAME: _________________________________________________________ COLOR:Black, ________________________________________________________ Green and Checkered Flags...naturally BIRTH DATE: ___________________________________________________ First public appearance, Haydays - September 13, 1992 PLACE OF BIRTH: _______________________________________________ AMBITIONS: ____________________________________________________ TURN-ONS: _____________________________________________________ TURN-OFFS: ____________________________________________________

I’m Gonna ______________________________________ Be (500-Miles) by The Proclaimers FAVORITE SONGS/MUSICIANS: and the Theme from Rocky _______________________________________________________________ FAVORITE FOOD: ________________________________________________ Raw Eggs, Indy Taillights, and Zucchini NICKNAMES: ____________________________________________________ DARK SECRETS: _________________________________________________ One would never know it by its track record of success during the ZR’s inaugural _______________________________________________________________ season of competition, but the 1993 ZR 440 was fast-tracked to market by Arctic Cat’s race _______________________________________________________________ development squadron. An unfortunate encounter with a stump on the final day of the I-500 by Kirk _______________________________________________________________ Hibbert aboard the now much maligned Prowler Special set the wheels in motion to “rush” the ZR _______________________________________________________________ project.

In fact, racers who had applied with Team Arctic to compete during the 1992-93 season, _______________________________________________________________ completed paperwork that led them to believe they would be racing a reworked Prowler. But by _______________________________________________________________ September, the rumors and speculation of a “new” sled was confirmed when the ZR was unveiled _______________________________________________________________ during the Haydays grass drags. Up until the ZR era, most believed an A-arm front suspension would be _______________________________________________________________ too heavy and to expensive to ever really become the future of snowmobile designs, and the competing _______________________________________________________________ manufacturers continued to toy with trailing arm designs for another 10-years until succumbing to the _______________________________________________________________ vi rtues of the double wishbone suspension. During that 10-year span, Arctic Cat, and the ZR _______________________________________________________________ specifically, enjoyed incredible success on the race track and the trail - considered by many to be the _______________________________________________________________ best handling sleds on the market. The limited build 1993 ZR 440 along with the also limited build ZR _______________________________________________________________ 580 enjoyed sweeping success in that first year of competition, winning virtually every major race _______________________________________________________________ including the I-500 with Kirk Hibbert at the helm. The sled marked a major turning point not only for _______________________________________________________________ Arctic Cat, but as hindsight clearly shows, in the future design of snowmobile suspensions as well. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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TM aicm e hines

‘71

Arctic Cat King Kat

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THE PURSUIT OF MORE BY 1970, snowmobile racing was becoming a high stakes game. As sled sales continued to grow, new manufacturers seemed to pop up almost daily, each looking to grab a share of the growing pie. No matter the color, style, or inventiveness of a particular sled, everyone was looking for effective ways to give their brand an edge on the competition. With racing, that edge was cut and dried. You were either a winner or you weren’t. In 1969, Arctic Cat had won two of the biggest races in snowmobiling – the Winnipeg to St. Paul and the Eagle River World Championship – as well as the coveted Kawartha Cup, a combination cross-country/oval points race.

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1971 Arctic Cat King Kat

Headed into the 1970 season, all of the top manufacturers had their sights set on Arctic Cat. The company was one of the fastest growing in the industry. In 1969, they had floated 175,000 common shares of Arctic Enterprises common stock, which sold for $37 per share, netting $6million. No small peanuts in 1969. Arctic Cat executives such as Bob Bromley, Edgar Hetteen, Bill Ness and Lowell Swenson believed that racing was important on two levels: First it was a proving ground for not only existing machines, but perhaps more importantly, on future designs. Second, it generated tremendous amounts of publicity and consumer interest. On top of this, Arctic Cat had a record year of growth in 1970.

Sales were up 113-percent, and the

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company had a 13-percent market share in North America. That same year, there were 52 brands of snowmobiles, so for one brand to corner that much of a market saturated with so many consumer choices, put Arctic Cat near (or perhaps at) the top of the heap.

When it came to racing, Arctic Cat had many advantages beyond the support of management. Their machines had an aluminum chassis, (with steel bulkhead) and were the only ones with slide rail rear suspension. In 1970, Arctic Cat introduced the small, lightweight Puma chassis, which was designed and built with racing in mind. Of the 54,168 snowmobiles Arctic Cat produced in 1970, roughly 1,937 of them were Puma and Puma EXT models that were built to

go racing. The next year, Arctic Cat made the Puma a full consumer model, and branched the EXT name off as a separate racing model.

TM aicm e hines

1971 Arctic Cat King Kat

The development of the EXT racing platform for 1971, was a blending of lighter components, new suspension technologies, clutching improvements and of course…more power. During this time, power was often equated to more, as in more engine led to more power, and Arctic Cat took the “more is more” approach to the extreme.

After a summer season of testing that resulted in losing one of the first EXT race prototypes on the slopes of Mt. Hood, Oregon, (see sidebar – Ed.) Arctic Cat revealed a fleet of potent, race ready sleds for the 1971 season. These sleds represented the EXT Special series, and part of this mix of race ready sleds was the mighty King Kat. The “King” was built with one of three massive engine options – a Hirth 793 triple, a JLO 650 triple, or the impressive Kawasaki 800 fourcylinder (featured here).

To accommodate these massive engines that were literally shoehorned into the EXT chassis, the “Kings” were

fitted with widened Puma hoods. More than any other sled in the EXT lineup, the King Kat embodied Arctic Cat’s view on racing as a vehicle for machine development and publicity.

The King Kat featured here is equipped with the 800cc Kawasaki four-cylinder, the first use of a four-cylinder in any snowmobile. It marked a new partnership between Arctic Cat and Kawasaki that would ultimately simplify parts cataloguing for both the manufacturer and dealers. Of the 415 King Kats produced in 1971, 124 of them came with the four-cylinder Kawasaki engine. This King Kat is owned by Rich Peterson and resides at the Zed Shed in New Richmond, Wisconsin.

LOST ON MT. HOOD As mentioned in the King Kat feature article, one of the first 1971 EXT prototype snowmobiles was lost during testing on Mt. Hood in Oregon. It was June of 1970, and Arctic Cat was deep into the development of the EXT program for the upcoming season. With no snow to be found in Minnesota during the heat of summer, the engineering team traveled to Mt. Hood in order to test on the glacial snow that resided there year-round.

During testing, the team would wake early each day and test until it got too warm, then pack the EXT in until the following day. On one particular morning, Arctic Cat engineer Roger Skime awoke extra early and fired up the EXT to set out on a test ride up the slope. With a studded track, Roger had the urge to see just how far he could climb.

Turns out he made it right to the top, but once there he realized he was in trouble.

The climb was so steep and the packed snow conditions so icy, he had no safe way down. As he tried to descend he realized nothing was slowing him down and, seeing he was heading for a deep crevasse, he bailed off. The machine was lost as it tumbled into the crevasse and Skime nearly followed in behind it. Despite an injury to his knee, Roger spent the next two-hours sliding himself down the slope and back to the lodge. The sled was never recovered.

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his issue’s “Roots” comes from Kale Wainer, Media Relations “guru” at Arctic Cat. Make no mistake, Kale is a snowmobile enthusiast to the core, and his love for the sport goes far beyond the new iron he gets to be around on a daily basis. Proof positive is this photo Kale sent our way recently, along with some of his personal early memories of those first rides, first snowmobiles, and the lasting impressions they made.

I believe the sled in the photo is a 1967 Alouette. The picture was taken around 1981, at which time I was about 6 or 7 years old. That would make my Dad, who is in the picture with me, about 36 or 37. That sled started my love affair with snowmobiles.

I remember my dad and uncle would take me with to go find parts for that sled and my uncle’s ’69 Panther in the late Fall, so they could get them ready for another season. I loved the leopard print seat on that Panther. It always captured my imagination…and still does. That Panther looked so mean in black.

My Dad would work on that Alouette for what seemed like an entire day, just so he could take me on a 30-minute ride (before it broke down again). Finding parts back then was an adventure. It was a trip to some guy’s barn that worked on small engines, it was nothing like the dealerships of today (at least that is how I remember it, growing up in Northwestern Wisconsin).

This photo is a classic…how many kid’s scarves got sucked into the carb intakes on those old sleds?! I remember the Alouette being crazy loud, and to be honest, it scared the crap out of me, but I always enjoyed the ride and the tracks that it left behind in the yard. Still, to this day, when I see snowmobile tracks in a yard or ditch as I drive down the highway, I think about those early rides and how lucky that person is who laid down those tracks now.

The Alouette ended up in the local landfill about 5-years after this photo was taken, but the engine was yanked beforehand and it’s still in my possession.

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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Towing A Downed Sled So you’re just driving your sled along doing 80-kilometers an hour, and all of a sudden you just hear nothing but “ARRGGHHCCHHKKKHH!” And just like that you’ve got a downed sled. Can you believe it? Well ya better, and you better know how to get yourself out of that mess, or you’ll be spending the night in the bush. Bottom line is, when you’ve got a downed sled, the only way to get that thing out of there is for you and your buddy to tow it back to civilization. As with anything, when comes to towing sleds, there’s a right way and a wrong way. How do you know the right way? You read OSM’s Talent Check, that’s how.

FREE WHEELIN’ Before you tow a sled, you have to take the drive belt off. Now, maybe that thing’s already “off” and that’s why you need to tow it. Shoulda brought that spare belt chief.

Anyway, your sled won’t roll or won’t roll easily with the belt on it.

Oh…and by the way, if you don’t know how to get your belt off, (and back on) you shouldn’t be out there in the first place. Truth hurts pal.

This simple method is one of our faves, especially when you have limited resources and a rough and twisty trail to navigate back to camp. Get the downed sled as close and tight to the bumper as possible, and put the “lucky”, broke-down chump on the back of yours or another ride and rally on.

HOOK ‘EM TOGETHER We see a lot of snowmobilers trying to tow their busted sleds like a car, with a long tow strap and the downed sled trailing 20-feet behind.

This is all wrong. That downed sled is darting in the tow sleds ski ruts, it’s tough to keep the tow strap tight, and any sort of obstacles like hills and stop signs make it a miserable affair. Here at OSM, we always tell people you don’t even need a tow strap to tow a sled. All you need is a little rope, (an extra pull cord for the sled will do) or what we carry is an old ratchet strap with no hooks on it (just the strapping). Get the sleds together, front to back, and tie the ski loop of the downed sled to the bumper of the tow sled. Now the tow sled is in complete control of the downed sled. With this method, you can even tow a sled that might have busted front suspension or busted drive chain.

Another tow-‘er-back option is to secure the ski tips together with chunk of random branch and tow the downed sled from one, both, or if the branch is strong enough, from the tree bark itself.

CRUISE IT HOME

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Obviously, with a sled hooked to your bumper, you need to ride differently, but towing that sled goes a heck of a lot easier than you might think. Maybe the worst part of this whole deal is that the guy on the downed sled freezes his butt off.

Better than a long walk back to camp eh?

If the sled is down…like really down…just leave it and head for home. Things will look better after an evening of hydration.

LEVI LAVALLEE DISTANCE WORLD RECORD HOLDER FOR SNOWMOBILE JUMPING

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PAT B O U RG E OIS

Is This the Only Snowmobile You’ll Ever Need?

B

lack, bitchin’ and beautiful; those were the thoughts busting our frontal lobe when we got our first look at the latest crossover sled from

Yamaha last spring. With the crossover market continuing to grow, (or should we say get more confusing?) the number of models and combinations that are now deemed crossover has gone gonzo… frankly to the point of overkill.

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1 done Let’s face it, some of these latest crossover combinations are little more than splitting hairs… a two inch longer track here…a different lug pattern there…whatever happened to just getting on a sled and ripping it? After all, how many new sleds can Joe average six-pack and his Krispy Crème family truly afford at nearly 13 smackers a pop…did I hear one?

So with that said, wouldn’t it be sweet to find a sled that just did it all?

Maybe it’s not the master of a particular domain, but rather is pretty damn good at a lot of stuff. So when our eyes got past the sexy black lace encasing the new Viper… we wondered aloud if this was our girl?

There’s really no secret to the S-TX, other than a combination of coveted dimensions and performance goodness wrapped up in a package with lots of standard stuff that delivers more function than form. There’s a big window, gas shocks, fuel sipping engine with big torque power, standard rear mounted storage rack and a modular pocket bumper that can accept an assortment of Yamaha accessories, including a quick attached two-up seat.

The foundation of the S-TX is the standard Yamaha crossover platform, with the stretched Dual Shock SR 141 rear suspension, wrapped by the slightly more aggressive Cobra track with 1.352” lugs. Power comes from the familiar and happy Genesis 1049cc High-Performance 4-stroke engine, and clutching is courtesy of the smooth ways of Yamaha’s YVXC drive and driven.

The longer skidframe is of the uncoupled variety, which is a bit of a headscratcher, given that most S-TX buggies will spend the majority of their winters honing groomed trails. The rear suspension is good, but not great, especially when rocking big trail chatter or with a passenger on board.

Up front, the now familiar big and tall spindle design of the SRV suspension is mated to coil-over high-pressure gas shocks. They’re not the sexy, flashy shocks that your buddies are sporting on their new snow rocket, but they work…nuff said.

Heart of a Yamaha Now we all know that the SR-Viper series is an Arctic Cat chassis at heart, but there are some key differences that do in fact, make it a Yamaha. While we were skeptical at first, after a season on snow with the first graduates of the Yamaha/Arctic Cat partnership, we can honestly say we feel a difference.

For starters, Yamaha clutching has a factor of “smooth” you don’t find on the green versions. Engagement slips in low and smooth versus the more typical Arctic Cat aggressiveness. While the Cat may win the holeshot battle, the YVXC system will likely result in longer belt life and a more enjoyable ride, especially when trail cruising. In fact, we find the Yamaha system just a bit smoother across the entire operating range, with smoother shifting, and perhaps slightly more responsive backshift. This is not to say Arctic’s clutching is worse, it’s just different, and in a snowmobile designed to rack on lots of trail miles, we’re giving the nod to the tuning fork, belt grabber.

While we believe much of the ride calibrations for joint effort sleds are fairly common, no matter the color or badge, the SR-Viper, and for the sake of this discussion the S-TX, does have a different state of ride tuning. Again, the difference is subtle but discernable. The S-TX leans a tad towards the comfort side of the scale, sacrificing an aggressive edge. One of the key differences here are the skis. The S-TX comes equipped with Yamaha’s Tuner 2, a dual keel ski that allows you to “tune” the ride by swapping out various carbide lengths on the inside or outside keel. Unlike the offset dual carbide, single keel design found on Arctic Cat models, the Tuner offers less darting and a slightly less steering effort. Both are precise, and you can obviously make chassis adjustments to match your riding style, giving the front more bite, less push, and confidence for initial turn in.

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Standard coil-over, aluminum bodied gas shocks handle bump duties at the front. While many trail riders feel they need the added bling, adjustments and costs of premium dampers, these gas-charged tubes are more than enough for most.

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THE GENESIS MOTOR RIPS LIKE CORN THROUGH A GOOSE. The layout of the SR-Viper S-TX is big, with bars that are slightly too broad and a cockpit that feels at home for riders over 6-foot. While the S-TX is dubbed a “do-it-all” sled, it remains confused over its true intention as it sports a center grab handle for off-trail running, but is void of the much coveted heated seat.

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All About Smooth The ride and handling of the S-TX is calm and predictable, especially at slow to medium trail speeds (the pace this sled and intended rider will likely experience). However, if you want to push it hot down the trail with your buddies, keeping it smooth is the name of the game. In other words, you can’t ride the S-TX (or frankly most other Yamaha models) with a run and gun style. Come in hot, jam the brake, and power out of the corner at full dope…negative ghost rider. You’ll be fighting the big Viper through the entire corner.

With the S-TX, you need to think slow to go fast. Enter the corner with speed with the throttle off. Set-up for your apex and gently tap the brake to set the track, with just a hint of trailing brake. Initiate the turn and plant the outer Tuner into a solid line. Ease on the throttle and as you exit the apex, squeeze the ponies from the Genesis and set your sights on the next corner.

No sudden handlebar jerks, no track lock-up, and no heavy throttle thumb…keeping it smooth will keep it fast.

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IT'S HARD TO SCREW UP BLACK…IT JUST LOOKS GOOD While the front suspension lacks the super sex appeal of clickers or air shocks with external EVOL chambers, we continue to be impressed with how forgiving the ride quality is. What’s more, the SRV front is way predictable, especially in unforgiving chop and mid-corner craters that can unsettle a sled with unpredictable ski lift. Trust your line and stay steady throttle and the front suspension delivers as good as any, especially for mid-speed on trail duties as this sled was intended.

Out back, the uncoupled rear suspension comes up a bit short in our book. We’d personally like to see the entire skid tuned for more on-trail bump compliance versus off-trail exploring. A combination of an un-coupled rail, and rear arm FOX FLOAT 2 shock results in unexpected harsh bottoming in big chop, along with the occasional “unload” on the backside of square edge craters.

Out of the box, the S-TX is somewhat confused in that regard, with on-trail calibrations up front and off-trail to the rear. Such is often the case in the “crossover” category, where engineers and product planners are often at odds as to where the sled will truly be ridden. While the S-TX certainly can be taken off-trail, and we intend to give it a good run in the bush later this winter during our annual Throw Down ride report, we believe this is a 90-percenter trail sled.

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The S-TX is also available in a red and black color combination that includes white powder coated tunnel and suspension components.

The modular rear bumper touts “pockets” that accept several available accessory options. The standard rear rack plugs into this bumper, and several soft-side luggage options can be fastened to the rack for large capacity, one-up touring.

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and

1 done After we log some additional miles this season, we will be transforming the suspension of our S-TX with a custom set of Axis shocks from Hygear Suspension, along with their rear drop link-linkage kit. Watch for a full report in the fall of 2015.

Demanding More Despite the suspension shortcomings, we can’t help but like the big black (also available in red) Viper. As prices of sleds continue to escalate, the ability of “one” sled to be adept in a wide variety of snow conditions, both on-trail and off, should rank high on many buyers’ wish lists. What’s more, with MSRP tags exceeding well past the $10K mark, (no matter the color of your currency) long term quality and dependability should play a bigger and bigger role in the purchase decision process.

With a Genesis four-stroke engine and YVXC clutching under cowl, Yamaha already has a leg up on the competition in this developing battlefield. What’s more, it appears the Yamaha/Cat

The Cobra track offers decent off-trail traction, but is barely discernable over a RipSaw II track in most snow conditions.

Personally, we’d prefer the improved on-trail characteristics of the 1.25” RipSaw, which has slightly less side-bite and thus, improved cornering performance over the Cobra.

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GOING FAST ON A VIPER IS ALL ABOUT SMOOTH relationship has dramatically improved initial build quality of snowmobiles emerging from the Thief River Falls factory.

Sure, there’s plenty other sleds on the market that are sexier, offer more in terms of pure performance, suspension capabilities, or specialize in areas of pure-off-trail, two-up touring or aggressive trail riding. But money talks, and in these days of seemingly unpredictable winters and rising costs, the S-TX is a smart buy for every

The SR 141 is a traditional drop-link design suspension with an uncoupled rear-arm, and features a conjoined rear wheel-set for reduced weight, a FOX FLOAT 2 rear shock, and an aluminum bodied, high-pressure gas front arm shock.

Anywhere you want to go!

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t o

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S to ry a n d P h o to s b y V e r n o n D e c k

As

professional snowboarders we get paid to go

out in the backcountry, to film and make images for our sponsors and magazines.

Sounds like a great job right? Well damn straight bud, it is!

Not only do we get to go rip-it in the backcountry, we do so

all over the world, searching the globe for the best mountains and the deepest snow. While the search for the perfect run is never-ending, how we access these remote backcountry runs has changed. When we visit New Zealand or Alaska for example, we use helicopters. In Japan we have to “hoof-it” using snowshoes. In Europe it’s a combination of snowshoes and splitboards. Back home in

ABOUT

the US and Canada, we use snowmobiles.

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Vernon was born in Motueka, New Zealand and has spent much of his adult life in Switzerland. A high school dropout at age 16, Vernon gravitated to the vagabond lifestyle early as he backpacked around Australia for nearly three years. During that time, he picked up his first camera and managed to wrangle a job with a Formula 1 race team. After that he moved to Switzerland and was exposed to snowboarding in 1997. Not long after, he landed a job as staff photographer at Volcom, a lifestyle/outerwear clothing company that utilizes music; art; film; skateboarding; surfing and snowboarding as brand pedestals. Vernon has now been with Volcom for ten years, and has had the opportunity to photograph some of the most talented and interesting individuals. He hasn’t had an apartment for the past year, instead choosing to live out of his 35-foot sail boat, currently moored in Australia. If he’s not shooting , you’ll find him slowly sailing his way around the world.

VE R N ON

DECK

“Sledding is pretty much the coolest thing I get to do every winter. For most pro snowboarders it’s just transport, but for me its much more. I love the speed, the smell, the danger, and the possibility to explore what’s over the next ridge.”

–Vernon Deck

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Snowmobiles allow us to get out and away from the crowded ski resorts.

They take us deep into the backcountry, carry our heavy filing equipment, and are a hell of a lot of fun. Some snowboard pros can barely tolerate these snowmobiles, cursing the early morning exhaust plumes, and frown upon the noise and sweet smell of spent exhaust…they simply don’t like them. But there are others…myself included, who not only accept snowmobiles, but look forward to these backcountry trips. In fact, don’t tell anyone, but I prefer a powder turn on a sled, to one on a snowboard. Coming from a motocross racing background as a teen, sledding is now my octane replacement. The shrill of the engine as it grooves in its powerband is uncomplicated, raw and addictive.

The amount of terrain we can access in a day aboard a snowmobile constantly amazes me; and there is always the impulse to see what lies beyond the next ridge. When snowshoes are strapped to our feet, we often never know, but with a snowmobile we can nearly always find out for ourselves. Of course, just like any extreme sport, motor or no motor, the risks are real, and the chances of someone getting hurt are always present. It’s then that we realize just how remote some of our ride and photo locations truly are; and it’s also then that we really appreciate the capabilities of a snowmobile to get us back to civilization and proper care.

Unfortunately, there are times when tension can develop between snowboarders and backcountry sledders; both groups are essentially looking for the same thing…untouched powder, downhill bombs, and steep faces to launch. For most of us though, we don’t let it bother us. When I look through a snowmobiler’s eyes, I would want to do the same thing and high mark the hell out of a perfect face.

We all just want to have fun.

With that, I asked the folks at OSM if they’d like to share a day on the slopes with us, and they happily obliged. Think snow and I’ll see you in the backcountry.

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Someone is excited to go shredding in the backcountry…on the way to the trailhead in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

At the end of the day, we are out there to snowboard and shoot photos for our sponsors. But who can resist doing a quick hack in front of your buddies when the snow is fresh and deep? Curtis digs on in, just for fun.

I mounted a Go-Pro on the ski of pro snowboarder Bjorn Lienes’ Yamaha, and told him to go shred some turns. Turned out nice!

Parked next to the Snake River in Wyoming, we unload early and do a quick beacon check before the steep climb up from the valley floor.

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Gearing up at the trailhead, it might be early with grey skies and snowing, but the excitement level is high and smiles are on everyone’s faces. Bryan Iguchi has done this hundreds of times before, but his stoked level is still over 100.

Everyone has their own checklist in their head. Have I packed everything…lunch; spare goggles and gloves; beacon turned on; camera and spare batteries; extra layer of clothing; avi-gear? Then there's the sled stuff that was done on the way to the trailhead; fuel, oil, and spare belt. It’s all checked off, so let’s go!

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This was our shuttle route for a line the guys were snowboarding around the corner. It was a bit of a detour, but doubling up the steep stuff is sometimes not worth the hassle - better to take the long way ‘round.

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This location is a fair ways back on the Rutherford Glacier in British Columbia, Canada. We were actually socked in most of the day, and had nearly decided to call it quits when the sun started to poke though. We made a track to the top and got Jake in position, and by then the weather had shown its good side so he sent it. We got a couple of real good clips and photos logged before the clouds rolled back in and we were forced to tiptoe back down the glacier in full retreat mode.

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This shot came out of boredom! We'd been stationed in Permberton, British Columbia for three weeks, and finally decided to pack it in, as it had warmed up and we had a long drive back to Salt Lake City. On an endless stretch of open road, I suggested Markus ride the sled for a bit while I shot some pictures while perched on the roof of the pickup.

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FRESH BURN

2015 POLARIS AXYS SWITCHBACK PRO-S

THE TURN RETURNS no secret that most of us here at OSM have no love lost for the now out-to-pasture Polaris ProRide chassis. While the sled had amazing moments of greatness, namely in massive whoops while on the gas, the sled had more shortcomings than gains, compared to more conventional chassis and suspension combinations. Truthfully, we were a bit surprised to learn last year that Polaris invested in a second generation, “out-side-the-tunnel” snowmobile. In fact, we had figured the Roseau crew would have invested more in the

It’s

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stunning and traditional Indy chassis. We were wrong.

The new AXYS however came to the table with full disclosure, (finally) as Polaris engineers outlined the objectives of the new chassis and modified suspension, at the same time pointing from behind open palms at areas where they hoped to improve upon the Pro-Ride design.

Aside from all that is new with the AXYS, and there is plenty, (the majority of which is a homerun) the focus for us (as it was for Polaris as well) was in two key areas; turning and broad shouldered ride compliance. The Pro-Ride proved

One thing that hasn’t changed with the new AXYS is how familiar you will become with the rear shock preload and compression settings. The suspension still requires to you to chase trail conditions, with ongoing adjustments throughout the day’s ride, in an effort to find compliance.

to be a wrestling match when attempting to hone a twisted trail with precision. Excessive inside ski lift and the need to be incredibly active within the cockpit, often positioned the ProRide as a fourth place ride when it came to on-trail handling.

What’s more, despite the big shock, forward thinking rear suspension design, finding the suspension’s sweet spot was a constant chase. As trail conditions changed, the need to change the settings on the rear suspension followed. As for us personally, we never could find that “sweet spot”, save for those massive holes, where you could hammer the gas and literally float through like superman.

While the new AXYS looks way similar to the Pro-Ride…it isn’t and it also doesn’t ride like the Pro-Ride (thankfully). The biggest thing you’ll notice with the new AXYS (in both Switchback and Rush lengths) is that the sled stays flat and hones corners with far less effort than before. Despite riding on early season trails that had yet to “set-up”, the AXYS felt incredibly predictable…dare we say intuitive. Steering effort is smooth and easy, and the chassis holds a line with precision.

Come in hot, set the track with a tap of the brake, and pick your line…the AXYS holds it. All that’s left is to pour on the go juice and set up for the next turn. Objective accomplished!

As for finding the “sweet spot” with the revised rear suspension, the verdict is still out. With limited snow conditions at this writing, we still have limited time aboard the AXYS, with about 500-miles logged to this point. However, in

Soon paper maps will be considered vintage. We logged more than 300 miles without ever opening a fold. The new Polaris Interactive Digital Display is legit, and there is so much more potential with this system that it’s scary.

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those miles we can say the new ride is better, but in our opinion it still lacks the broad shoulders and ride compliance in virtually any condition that it needs, in order to compete with the class leading Ski-Doo REV-XS chassis.

Out biggest complaint to this point is the inability of the ProRide to deliver compliance in big chatter AND in large bumps, without adjustment. What’s more, when you do begin to gain compliance in large craters, the attitude of the sled is impacted, as the extra preload required, pushes the nose downward upon deceleration, thereby upsetting those smooth handling traits we just raved about. We have some ideas as to what might be going on here, and we are exploring those options with some upgraded shock technology, with greater adjustments including the ability to control rebound, an area we think is definitely needed with the Pro-Ride design.

Of course there is plenty more about the new AXYS that we absolutely love…the engine is a ripper and from our impromptu tests…it’s damn fast! The fit and finish is way better, the LED headlight is blinding, and the new set of accessories available from Polaris keeps getting better, meaning we can no longer throw rocks about the lack of storage options with the unusual design.

Oh yeah, and then there is that amazing digital gauge, available on 60th Anniversary Editions. If you haven’t sampled one yet…don’t. Because once you do, you will want one. This is automotive technology, and the integrated GPS and Bluetooth communication is the stuff that will have tire kickers pulling the trigger on a Polaris over other brands. The gauge package and associated Rider-X website and smart phone application has Polaris positioned to lead in this emerging technology for years to come. Mark our words…all sleds will have this technology in 10-years, it’s that good.

The last unknown with the AXYS for us at this early point in the season comes down to the same question many past 800 owners are also asking…is the new 800 engine durable? This is something we won’t know until enthusiasts log a season, maybe two. Polaris needs this engine to be a homerun, especially with all indications pointing towards the new motor expanding to the RMK platform for 2016. Past 800 owners obviously want more power, but more than anything else they want an engine that can take a flogging and live to tell about it.

Only time will tell.

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Polaris finally updated the left-hand control block with the new AXYS platform. It’s a big improvement, but the compact layout creates some fumbling for those with big hands, and the lack of backlighting turns it into a guessing game during night rides.

>

RAVES

INTUITIVE AND SMOOTH HANDLING WITH NO ACROBATICS REQUIRED. POLARIS INTERACTIVE DIGITAL DISPLAY IS THE FUTURE. WICKED FAST ACCELERATION… WHISPER QUIET INTAKE.

>

FLAMES

FINDING THE REAR SUSPENSION SWEET SPOT IS STILL A PUZZLE.

LONG-TERM 800-ENGINE QUALITY REMAINS A QUESTION MARK. NEW LEFT-HAND CONTROL BLOCK SORELY NEEDS BACKLIGHTING.

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SHOP HUSTLE

Insight and Opinions on Our Latest Shop Escapades

We went for the swirl pattern in black and white for our Polaris Assault. The online ski-builder application at the Slydog website allows you to build and view your new skis before you ever place an order. Cool stuff.

Slydog Hell Hound Skis he crew from Slydog got us hooked up last season with their latest ski technology, dubbed the Hell Hound. If it sounds badass, that’s because the kids at Slydog have positioned this runner as the surest footed, aggressive, powder hungry and still trail friendly, tough as nails ski they offer. Heady stuff eh? Thus we grabbed us a fresh six-pack of cold ones and hit the shop for an hour of hustle, in preparation for a three-day spring ride in the backcountry swamps of Editor Bourgeois’ old stomping grounds where as he puts it…”trees are traction and stopping is for quitters.”

Surprisingly, there’s a lot of technology that has been molded into this new design from Slydog. At first glance, the ski looks big and beefy, the topside is relatively smooth and is available in a multitude of colors and patterns. In fact, you can customize your Hell Hound skis on their website, where their “Ski Builder” allows you to choose a graphic pattern, up to two color choices, skull heads to prove you ride standing up, (only available on certain models) and your ski model (8” Powder Hound, 7” Powder Hound, 6” Trail or the Hell Hound).

The bottom side is where the good stuff happens, and it starts with what Slydog calls an intake scoop at the front of the ski. This decreasing channel that runs on

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The versatile, but off-trail focused Polaris Assault 800 was our test buggy for the Slydog Hell Hound skis last winter. We will be fitting these same skis onto our AXYS Switchback this season, as we explore the backcountry in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan later this month.

905-775-1717 HWY 11

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HU BAT PERFORMANCE

TERRAIN DOMINATION DOMINATION TerrainDomination.com T e errainDomination.com

Dalton Clutch Components Arctic Cat Ski-Doo Polaris Yamaha • Helixes- thousands of angles available

• Quick adjust flyweights • New, even larger assortment of clutch springs for all brands • TRA pins & components

Check out our website!

Dalton daltonindustries.com Dalton Products-Made in Nor th America ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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The stock Polaris ski with wearbar came in at 6-pounds on the money; the Hell Hound was at 10-pounds exactly – that’s a 4-pound disadvantage with the stout design of the Hell Hound.

Both skis were weighed with wear bar in place and spindle fastener.

both sides of the keel, is said to “pull” snow into this channel, and as it narrows, it then compresses the snow against the reverse angle keel to create a swimming effect, thereby creating lift on powder snow.

The reverse angle keel which runs the entire length of the ski, is said to force the ski to create its own footprint on packed snow conditions. This shape is used to minimize darting, and at the same time maximize control in these same conditions. All these unique angles and channels are machined into an extra thick platform that is incredibly rigid, and subsequently should prove to be tree stump tough.

Our spring snow conditions were not ideal for testing the floatation and powder capabilities of the Hell Hounds, (we hope to experience those conditions this winter) but the packed snow on-trail and heavy, wet off-trail snow did give us a good feel for the expected manners in those conditions. Increased steering effort was immediately noticeable, even with a rather average host wearbar and carbide insert. While the oversized keel delivered extremely positive bite, never giving us any doubt as we charged hot into corners, all the spinach in the world could not have helped us muscle the Polaris Assault host vehicle for the day.

Even on early morning hardpack, where only the host bar was in contact with the snow, the full length, flat design of the keel forced the entire length of the wearbar to work the snow, thereby requiring additional effort. No question, the skis were extremely precise because of this, but the trade-off is more than what we would consider acceptable.

Off-trail, in the shade of the trees, the Hell Hounds delivered far better results, as we noticed immediate lift and acute response to subtle steering inputs, without

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unexpected results. This was the case even in spring sugar powder that is often bottomless and crystallized.

Here, the Hell Hounds felt at home, yet that admirable trait was gone as we broke out of the shade and back into the soft spring snow, where the heavy effort and tractor like demeanor returned.

In short, the Hell Hounds look kick ass and impress in sugar snow conditions, which would lead us to believe you will experience equally good results in dry powder snow conditions. Yet, a weight penalty of 8-pounds of sprung weight and less than hoped for on-trail results makes the Hell Hound a better, one-dimensional ski, best suited for off-trail only applications.

The benefit of the large, reverse cut keel is immediately noticeable in off-trail powder snow conditions. However, the massive keel and flat bottom design delivers heavier than expected, or necessary, steering effort on trail.

LISSA MARSOLEK

JOE WIEGELE STEVE HAMILTON

TODD WILLIAMS

AARON BELFORD BRETT MOIST

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GRACEY DOVE

JOE WIEGELE No Style Productions St. Paul, Minnesota nostyleproductions.com

ABOUT THE SHOOTERS

AARON BELFORD Minneapolis, Minnesota aaronbelford.com

Born on the frozen tundra of central Minnesota, I spent my youth on one adventure or another, trying out every imaginable sport I could find, and making some up along the way. This led me to my ultimate adventure, joining the Marines. In the beginning of 2004, I began my transformation and assimilation into one of the sickest fighting forces in the world. Then after 8 years, 6 months and 22 days of living in one desert or another, and after the wars were over, I started a new adventure as a photographer. As a lifelong athlete and adrenaline junky, I adapted well to all sports and excelled especially at shooting. Whether it was a rifle or a camera, I rarely missed my target. My focus is on action adventure sports and lifestyles, to produce dynamic, breathtaking imagery that envelops you and sucks you into the action. I shoot what I love and love what I do. I live the action that I capture and enjoy every second of it.

LISSA MARSOLEK Menomonie, Wisconsin sourceimagery.com

Michigan native Lissa Marsolek is a freelance photographer based out of Menomonie, Wisconsin. Lissa is the staff photographer for the ISOC National Snocross Series, team photographer for Christian Brothers Racing, and a contributing photographer for magazines such as RacerX Magazine and On Snow Magazine.

When not traveling and capturing action sports, Lissa operates a 1250 sq. ft. commercial studio with a 32 ft. infinity wall. Her broad range of work includes, but is not limited to portrait, fashion, custom motorcycles, classic cars and action sports. A former pro snocross racer, Lissa turned that passion into a profession as an action sports photographer. Aside from her skills behind the lens, Lissa still finds the time to be a wife, mother of three, and seek out adventure, adrenalin and the great outdoors...always with a camera in hand.

BRETT MOIST Chicago, Illinois brettmoistphotography.com

I spend my time covering many different forms of Sports and Motor Sports. I have worked with numerous clients such as LAT Photographic, Toyota, and Richmond Int'l Raceway, just to name a few. I have had photographs featured in numerous publications including RACER Magazine, Speedway Illustrated, and On Snow Magazine. One of my biggest accomplishments was taking home 1st place in the Race Action category in the 2013 National Motorsports Press Association's Photo Awards. (Editor’s Note) Brett approached OSM during our initial year of publication in the United States, and we set him loose with photo credentials and an all-access pass into the wild, fast, and often times dangerous world of professional snocross. The images he sent back blew us away, as he not only captures the action with tack sharp results, but at the same time, the raw emotion that racers possess, but often keep bottled up inside before the green flag drops.

I've been shooting photo and video for as long as I can remember with my Dad's old film cameras and a Hi8 Handycam that I received as Christmas gift as a kid. I started semi-professional shooting of photo and video in 2003, with a Canon GL2 and Canon D60. No.Style Productions was established in 2005, on a random weeknight out in downtown Minneapolis, over many adult beverages and conversation over what me and my friends thought was lacking in our scene at that time. It's now been a full time profession since 2010. I try to specialize in motorsports...if it has a motor or makes noise with gas, I point my lens at it and shoot. Races, action sports, and live event coverage...that’s my gig, but I don’t do weddings!

STEVE HAMILTON Bessemer, Michigan wfofoto.zenfolio.com

Steve Hamilton is an action sport and lifestyle photographer, originally based out of Waunakee, Wisconsin, but recently relocated to Bessemer, Michigan. Hamilton covered the WSA, WPSA, and ISOC snowmobile series from 2004-2012 and before that, ATV racing events from Wisconsin to Texas. Photographing life as a Midwestern snowmobiler and hunter as of late, Hamilton brings the locally brewed trail-rider perspective to the masses through @WFOfoto. Hamilton photographs the life of the actual, real world snowmobiler - the fish fry hopping, public trail riding enthusiast that’s just working to do a tail stand and dodge all the trees.

TODD WILLIAMS Los Angeles, California toddwilliams.com

Todd Williams is an editorial and commercial photographer who was born and raised in central Minnesota. Todd moved to New York City in 1995, where he worked under the tutelage of respected photographers like Gregory Heisler, Howard Schatz and Kenneth Willardt. Over the past 15 years, he has developed a unique camera perspective that is crisp and adventurous. Avid OSM readers will recognize Todd’s name and his work, as he has been our shooter of choice on many of our location shoots. Like many action sport photographers, Todd is a passionate enthusiast as well, and as we can attest...one hell of a rider. Todd often finds the angle, the mood, and moment that others simply don’t see, and his irreverent free spirit is the perfect fit for OSM’s don’t give a damn, let’s just have fun lifestyle. His images range the spectrum from serious, in-your-face product portrayal, to doing the things and capturing the images where others don’t dare or think to tread.

GRACEY DOVE Vancouver, British Columbia underexposed.tv

Gracey Dove is a Shuswap woman from the Canim Lake Indian Band. She moved to the beautiful city of Vancouver to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an actress. She is a graduate from Vancouver Film School andis currently auditioning regularly in the film industry. When she is not working on a script, Gracey loves the great outdoors and photography, whether it’s ripping down the slopes, or climbing a rock face! This year has brought big opportunities, working with the "UnderEXPOSED" team on APTN. Gracey has been the host of 13 new episodes, including everything from snowboarding and skateboarding to surfing! This new show has combined her love for TV and photography all in one. Along with plenty of fun has come challenges that she never expected, pushing her to grow physically, mentally and emotionally. One of Gracey’s assignments this season was to follow Canadian Snowcross Racing Association Pro racer Dylan Hall, on his quest for a yearend championship. Her small sampling of photos found here offer just a taste of her unique and different perspective of this ‘in your face’ sport.

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GROUND ZERO

Before the rising spring sun warms the slopes of Mont Du Lac, racers prepare at ground zero atop the frozen dirt as they plan their ascension to the top.

Shooter: Aaron Belford

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PERFECT SOLDIERS

Every chase for a championship starts with preparation well before the first hints of winter sweep across the planes of the Midwest. Inside the Carlson Motorsports race shop, a stable of Polaris race sleds are readied for the season of battles ahead.

Shooter: Aaron Belford

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HONED PRECISION In the fast paced world of professional snocross racing, attention to detail can spell the difference between standing on the box, or waiting for another day.

Shooter: Aaron Belford

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VIEWPOINT

The time between ramp and landing is little more than mere seconds, but what occurs between those two touch points with Mother Earth is where energy, power, and grace combine.

Shooter: Brett Moist

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DISCONNECT

Often times the weakest link occurs where flesh and blood meet fuel and steel.

Shooter: Brett Moist

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SPARKLE AND STAND

Each year, the national snocross season ends on the undulating slopes of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and no other driver has basked in the fireworks of a year-end championship more often than Tucker Hibbert.

Shooter: Brett Moist

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WATCHFUL EYE The potential for injury in snocross is real, and perhaps nobody is more familiar to these risks than the men and women who are there first when tragedy strikes.

Shooter: Gracey Dove

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LEVEL COMPLETE The track at times can be a battlefield for competitors, but as the final lap concludes, the sportsmanship and appreciation for the fight that just occurred can be just as meaningful.

Shooter: Gracey Dove

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GIRDWOOD ANTI-GRAVITY Freestyle athlete Joe Parsons not only defies gravity, but often times can turn what appears to be surreal into reality.

Shooter: Joe Wiegele

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FROZEN FLIGHT

Kourtney Hungerford takes flight against the night sky in Budapest, Hungary.

Shooter: Joe Wiegele

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NOT SO EASY RIDER

Freestyle athlete Joe Parsons not only defies gravity, but often times can turn what appears to be surreal into reality.

Shooter: Joe Wiegele

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MAGIC KINGDOM Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota is often considered the “crown jewel” of snocross venues.

Shooter: Lissa Marsolek

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SOLAR FLARE

The mind of a racer can seemingly process the terrain around them and the shrill of nine other racers with nearly unmeasurable speed...turning minutes into moments in the blink of an eye.

Shooter: Lissa Marsolek

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DOG DAYS The season never sleeps, and when the summer sun burns hot, so too does the action of the International Watercross Association (IWA) as Austin McCurdy launches to a win during the Superior Wisconsin Shootout in 2013.

Shooter: Steve Hamilton

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SCORCHED Temperatures nearing 70-degrees had fans in shirt sleeves and Brett Bender getting “swappy” on the infamous front stretch of a “spongy” Lake Geneva track in 2012.

Shooter: Steve Hamilton

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WINTER’S CALL

Each winter, the massive, deep and often never frozen waters of Lake Superior becomes a breeding ground for immense snowfall across much of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. These deep snows blanket thousands of acres of wooded terrain, creating a Siren’s call for exploration.

Shooter: Steve Hamilton

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TRACKS OF TIME

Snowmobiling at its core is still about family...coming together to share past experiences and create new ones that over time forms a lifetime bond with the sport and each other.

Shooter: Steve Hamilton

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WITHOUT A STICH Snowmobilers have been called many things...crazy, cold, smelly, adventurous...or in this case, all of the above.

Shooter: Todd Williams

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MACHINATION The manipulation of light meets thousands of grains of snow and the explosive power of octane...captured for an instant.

Shooter: Todd Williams

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K PEA SON SEA

s ’ r e buyguide

Now that you are laying tracks and winter is in full swing, we have put together a list of items that we feel you need to know about to make your riding even better.

Whether these are tried, tested and true items we use, or new stuff that came across our desks at the shop, this is some stuff you need to know about.

KLIM F4 HELMET

If you are the type of aggressive rider that tends to work up a sweat out on the trails, then the F4 is a helmet you should look at.

Built on the idea that ventilation is the key to a great helmet, the F4 comes with a Windstopper® snap-in liner to keep the frosty air at bay, but all the while, offering crazy air flow through the induction system. The air channels actually force fresh air into the inner chamber while removing the moist air, which we all know, wreaks havoc on sub-zero days. It is that moist air that makes you feel the cold when you stop for a break and it starts to freeze.

Other features include a large eye port for increased field of view, removable cheek pads, and the F4 even comes with a fancy, fleece-lined carrying bag. Next level stuff.

For complete information check out www.klim.com

FLY MID-LAYER

OK, sometimes we feel like we are beating a dead horse on this issue, but we cannot stress enough that to properly “gearup”, layering is essential. Now guys, layering these days is not throwing on your old college hoodie and a Kiss concert tee from the Dynasty Tour (however, should you own of those we salute you). It is choosing the technically advanced, mid-layer stuff that Fly has come out with. The mid-layer Jacket and Pant is constructed from a moisture wicking material that offers 4-direction stretch. Not only will this gear keep you warm, it will also keep you dry, and it moves the way you do when you are out pounding the trails. The jacket also features vent zippers for when things get too hot, and the pants feature a side waist adjustment, for when you decide to go with the plate of pulled pork poutine over the mixed green salad.

For more information head over to your local Gamma Dealer: www.gammasales.com

FXR HELMET BAG

By this point of the season, you think you have everything you need, until we drop the Ultimate Helmet bag in front you (we just heard you mutter, “Yup I need that”). You can tell that the design team at FXR are all riders, just by the features they jammed into this helmet bag. The large main compartment has a spare visor pocket and extra padding to protect your helmet, along with a water drainage system. Then they went and added 2 large goggle pockets in the side and an end pocket for your helmet cams and accessories. Yup, we have to agree, that IS the ultimate helmet bag. For complete details check out: www.fxrracing.com

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K PEA SON SEA

s ’ r POWERMADD e y buguide SENTINEL MIRROR KIT

Listen, we all know that mirrors are not the favourite choice to add to your buggy, but we also know that they do serve a purpose (and in some Provinces and States they are mandatory). New from PowerMadd is the Sentinel Mirror Kit that allows you to use your existing PowerMadd Sentinel handguards, and mount two small, unobtrusive folding mirrors that don’t look bad at all. The mirrors have been designed to follow the lines and shape of the guard, and offer rear-view when needed, and then fold away when not needed, or when using a cover. You have to hand it to the guys at PowerMadd – that’s pretty ingenious. For full details check out: www.powermadd.com

HMK TRAIL PACK

With the lack of storage on the new sleds, we at OSM have converted to backpacking our stuff. The trail bag from HMK has a ton of features that come in really handy when you need to carry extra stuff. Things like a padded goggle pocket, a sternum strap with rescue whistle, and an easy to access trail map sleeve. So, if you are thinking it might be time to upgrade to a backpack that was designed for sledders, then this is your bag, baby.

For complete details head over to www.hmkusa.com

HMK SHIRT

What‌it’s a t-shirt with the Pabst Blue Ribbon logo‌Need we say more? Available at: www.hmkusa.com

SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO NORTH AMERICA’S BEST SNOWMOBILE MAGAZINE 110

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9055--85 52--5 58 88 8 84

THE TRAIL TRA RA AIL STARTS S TARTS HER TA HERE RE

NEW EW AN ND USED INVVENT NT TORY T SERV RVI VIC IC CE, PA PA AR RTS & A AC CCESSORI ORIIES

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K PEA SON SEA

s ’ r e buyguide

FXR MISSION X JACKET

We have cross over sleds, so why not cross over jackets? The Mission X Jacket from FXR is considered a Cross-Over jacket because it is based on the mountain line-up, but also has a removable liner needed for the ground and pound guys. Some cool features are the removable, adjustable hood, fleece lined hand pockets, hidden key pocket on the sleeve, and those fancy lycra cuffs that we all love (how did we survive without those cuffs is the real question). Available in a bunch of colors, one being the camo-orange style, and yup, camo is the new black and we just went there. For full details head over to www.fxrracing.com

FLY IGNITER BALACLAVA

Most of the crew over at OSM wear open face, and take our balaclavas very seriously. Most importantly, it has to be warm, fit right, offer wind protection and still be thin enough to fit into the helmet (we have a few XXL head sizes on staff, and it is a real issue), The Igniter from Fly is constructed of CoolMax ÂŽ material that keeps you warm and dry, while the material on the top is thin and comfortable, so this bad-boy receives check marks all around. For more information head over to your local Gamma Dealer: www.gammasales.com

TRAIL GRABBERS

You know the saying “sometimes less is more�? Well, in the case of Trail Grabbers from Bergstrom Skegs, this statement holds true.

The Trail Grabbers are designed to screw directly into the lug of a track, and offer carbide point-of-contact to slick surfaces. A few advantages to these screw type studs are; faster install time, (96 down the center takes about 15mins) less weight than traditional studs, less damaging on trailer or garage floors, and can be removed easier if you are trading in your sled. OSM got our hands on some Trail Grabbers this season, and we can report that the install was easy, and after this season, we will also let you know in an upcoming issue how they performed. Stay tuned. For complete details, recommended sizing and track pattern, head over to: www.bergstromskegs.com

ZOAN POLAR GLOVE

It is around this time of the season that you start to take inventory of your gear, and realize that your fingers are freezing because you are using gloves that are 7 years old. Gloves will eventually wear out, and if you are noticing the old fingers are burning at the end of day, then maybe you should look at the Polar Glove from Zoan. The gloves are constructed from leather and Cordura™ and feature a 100% waterproof and windproof, breathable membrane liner. The fingers are pre-curved for a better rider fit, and the gauntlet is extra long and wide for better protection and warmth. The Polar Glove also features reflective panels and the little rubber “do-hickeyâ€? thing that helps clear your visor after your buddy roosts you at the road-crossing‌What? Like that has never happened before. For more information head over to your local Gamma Dealer: www.gammasales.com

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Pipes Silencers

Arctic Cat Polaris Ski-Doo Yamaha

Cainss Cain Q st Quest Que st place 1st 1 2nd place rd place 3rd 3

SLP AXYS SINGLE PIPE

Attention new Axys owners, you need to read this. SLP has developed a new, lightweight silencer that claims to shed 13 lbs from your buggy, all-the-while adding 9 ponies under the hood. Crafted with a ceramic coating that not only makes this silencer look “Bad-Ass�, it also aids in overall heat reduction. SLP has tested this pipe and it passed the SAE J-2567 (yah we are taking the word on that) stationary test, which is below 88 decibels. Lastly, no fueling changes are required, so install is stock out the box, but SLP suggests you purchase a set of extension spring hooks to make it easier. Head over to www.slp.cc for full details.

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TRACTION GRIPPERS

Made from 0.125� thick aluminum, these traction grabbers from Yamaha make a huge difference if bashing through the deep stuff is your thing. Shown here for the new Viper, these grips feature a more aggressive pattern than what comes stock on the boards, and let’s be honest, add serious LCV (look cool value) points to your sled. They come supplied with instructions and all the hardware needed for a simple install. Head over to the Yamaha Parts and Accessory webpage for complete details. www.yamahapartsandaccessories.com

BULLET

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Mark Schiffner TEAM Industries

other. This eliminates the scrubbing that the clutch does on one side of the belt, allowing for less heat and more accurate tuning.

Also, our HYVO chain conversion kits have been our fastest growing product. We find that when Arctic Cat and Ski-Doo customers are gearing their machines, they also upgrade to the HYVO chain and sprockets for the added strength and longevity.

The staples of our product line have been, and will always be, tuning components. Helixes, springs, sprockets and chains have been very popular as long as we have offered clutches.

Snowmobiling is such a tuner sport, so we always see a demand for these products that optimize a sled for the rider/application.

Most snowmobilers associate TEAM industries as the drivetrain gurus of the industry and frankly, that is a fairly accurate statement. TEAM, which is an acronym for Technology, Engineering and Manufacturing, has been deeply entrenched within the snowmobile industry since the late 1960s, and the company remains passionately engaged as a major player, both as an OEM supplier and aftermarket entity. We caught up with Mark Schiffner, TEAM General Manager of their Aftermarket business for a five-minute update on the industry heavy weight.

TEAM has been around for quite some time, for those who are not familiar with the back-story, give us a quick history lesson.

TEAM was started in 1967 by Don Ricke. From humble beginnings, TEAM has grown into a market leader in drivetrain technology that employs over one thousand people in six facilities. TEAM grew with the snowmobile boom in the seventies, and continued that expansion by getting into the design and manufacture of transmissions and clutches for the ATV/UTV market, from the early nineties until today.

For most snowmobilers, they think of TEAM as a clutching company, but you are actually so much more than that.

Tell us about it?

Most snowmobilers are familiar with TEAM Aftermarket.

When some engineers at TEAM came up with the design of the first TEAM clutch, (the TSS-98) we needed a venue to sell it, as we had a hard time getting an OEM to use it in production. We formed TEAM Performance Solutions (now TEAM Aftermarket) to sell TEAM products directly to consumers, racers, and dealers. TEAM Aftermarket is just one division of TEAM Industries. TEAM Industries is a multi-million dollar company that supplies components and engineered systems to companies throughout the world. TEAM manufactured products can be found in products from Polaris; John Deere; Arctic Cat; BRP; Yamaha; Eaton; Harley-Davidson; Evinrude; Kawasaki; EZ-Go; Club Car and Honda.

Tell us about what your most popular products are for snowmobilers.

The TEAM Tied clutch has been very popular for the last five years. The Tied clutch operates differently than other driven clutches on the market. As the clutch opens and closes during upshift and backshift, the sheaves do not rotate relative to each 114

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 29 • ISSUE 5

At its most simplistic form, the snowmobile drive and driven clutch have changed little over the past 25 years.

Do you see this being the case going forward?

The basic CVT system is elegant in its simplicity and thus, it is a very economical and efficient method to “change gears”, as compared to other transmission designs. As with everything else mechanical, I think we may see logic integrated into CVTs and more exotic materials in belt manufacture. I don’t think we will see a revolutionary change to drive and driven clutch designs any time soon. The current systems are pushing 160+ horsepower through them and they continue to perform quite well.

Where do you see TEAM’s future?

TEAM has a bright future. We have a very motivated and creative group here that are in many cases, enthusiasts at heart. This translates into the passion that we bring to our jobs every day. TEAM is very involved in the powersports market, but I can see us diversifying into other markets that value innovation. TEAM will continue to grow our business through joint developments with OEMs, design for manufacture on build-to-print work, and cutting edge manufacturing techniques.

As long as we continue to innovate and work hard, TEAM will be a world class manufacturer for a long time.

To learn more about TEAM Industries and their aftermarket products visit them online at www.team-ind.com

While the company was originally founded in Cambridge, Minnesota, the headquarters is now located in Bagley, Minnesota – founder Don Ricke’s hometown. The Bagley facility was opened not long after TEAM was awarded significant development work in the late 1980s with Polaris as they entered the ATV market.

INDUSTRY

411 ® Keeping things sharp and refusing to compromise, BiteHarder

founder Glenn Welch developed a quick, easy and cost effective way to sharpen your carbide runners (and now your carbide tipped studs) in just minutes, before you hit the trails. The OSM crew has been using the BiteHarder tool for the past year, and we can attest…it really works. With this season’s limited snow conditions, we’ve been spooling up our BiteHarder tool more than expected. We recently gave Glenn a buzz to get the latest update on the BiteHarder story and see what other tricks he may have up his sleeve for this issue’s 411.

What was the impetus for starting the company?

Like anything, carbide runners wear and when they do, it reduces their ability to bite. Reduced performance is always a point of frustration for snowmobilers, and none of us like to compromise. Typically, we are faced with running on dull runners, or spending lots of money on new ones. The runners are not necessarily worn out, they have just lost their edge, and from my frustration came the development of the BiteHarder carbide runner sharpening tool. The tool is designed to quickly and effectively put a new sharp edge on your carbide runners. BiteHarder eliminated the

BITEHARDER INVENTOR AND OWNER OF WELCH MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES SHOWS OFF HIS TRICK CARBIDE RUNNER SHARPENING TOOL.

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compromise of riding each season on dull runners.

Give us some details regarding the BiteHarder sharpening tool?

Our tools are CNC machined from billets of 300 series stainless steel to precise tolerances. Industrial diamonds are bonded to the cutting surface using the latest adhesion technology. Our Standard Series of Tools are designed to work with the speeds (RPM) a cordless or corded drill will provide. This allows for portable trailside sharpening. Our STD Series Carbide Runner Sharpener retails for $64.95, and will provide 40 plus sharpening sessions before it

CARBIDE IS HARD…REALLY HARD, (YOU KNOW THOSE SCRATCH MARKS ON YOUR SHOP FLOOR) WHICH IS WHY THE BITEHARDER TOOL USES DIAMONDS ADHERED TO THE FACE OF THE SHARPENING TOOL.

begins to reduce effectiveness. Our Professional Series Tools are designed to work at higher speeds and incorporate a higher quality of diamond and bonding material, which provides a much longer tool life. Our PRO Series Carbide Runner Sharpener retails for $184.95 and will provide 200 plus sharpenings.

How long does it take to sharpen your runners with BiteHarder?

In as little as 15 to 20 seconds, you can put a new edge on your carbide runner.

The same goes for our carbide studsharpening tool. We recommend you start with a new set of carbide runners and maintain the edge as they wear.

LOOK FOR THIS SHARPLY PACKAGED TOOL AT YOUR LOCAL DEALER, OR SIMPLY GO ONLINE TO WWW.BITEHARDER.COM TO ORDER YOURS.

Trying to bring back a set of runners with 2000 miles on them will only put excessive wear on your tool.

How did you develop and test BiteHarder?

In designing the tool, we had a number of criteria we wanted to meet: Manufacture and sell a product that provides the highest levels of workmanship and quality.

Provide snowmobilers with a simple to use and cost effective tool that allows them the ability to experience the full potential of their equipment.

Maximize safety through better snowmobile maneuverability and control.

Carbide is used on snowmobile runners primarily because of its hardness, cost effectiveness, and availability. To sharpen carbide, you need something harder. This is where diamonds come into play and why BiteHarder uses diamonds in all of our sharpening tools.

New carbide runners come with a “V” edge in 60 or 90-degree variations. The edge quickly becomes dull after a short period of time due to road crossings, gas stops, detours, etc. Through extensive testing in real world riding conditions, we found that an extended edge, or what we call our “AdvantEdge”, provided superior performance to a standard “V” configuration. This patented technology requires (on average) sharpening your carbide runners approximately every 250 miles.

What’s the best way to purchase BiteHarder?

The best way to purchase our products

HERE’S A CARBIDE TIPPED STUD BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE WITH THE NEW PRO SERIES STUD SHARPENER.

is on our website at www.biteharder.com.

We also distribute our products through Western Powersports in the U.S. and Mountain Sports Distribution in Canada.

Both of our distributors have done a great job at getting our tools into dealers throughout North America, and continue to expand our presence.

Do you offer any type of warranty or guarantee?

We stand behind every tool that leaves out facility. All tools are manufactured to the highest quality standards, but will wear out over time. It is for this reason we can only process a return on products that have not been opened.

Do have any other products or services in the works you can tell us about?

This season, BiteHarder released our diamond coated stud sharpener. This professional series tool allows the user to sharpen 750 to 1000 studs at a retail cost of $149.95; that is about $0.20 per stud. A track with 96 studs can be sharpened in about 30 minutes. The tool was released this season on our website only and has become a hot seller. Watch for it at your dealer’s parts department next season. For the 2015/2016 snowmobile season BiteHarder will be releasing three new products, one of which will be a standard series (portable) stud sharpener, designed to be used with a cordless drill. The other two will be support products that complement our sharpening tools.

Tell us something about the company that you wish more people knew.

All of our BiteHarder products are made in the U.S.A., under our parent company Welch Manufacturing Technologies, Ltd.,

THE LATEST TOOL FROM THE BITEHARDER CREW IS THIS DIAMOND FACED STUD SHARPENING TOOL.

which is an ISO and AS9100 registered company involved in the manufacture of precision components for the aerospace and automotive industries. This assures that every BiteHarder product is manufactured to the highest industry quality standards. Founded by Glenn Welch in 1989, Welch Manufacturing Technologies, Ltd. has been in business for 26 years. Glenn is a mechanical engineer from Northeastern University and an avid snowmobiler who no longer is frustrated with worn carbide runners.

What is something you are sure to find inside BiteHarder headquarters fridge?

BiteHarder tools, carbide runners and a cordless drill…we like to keep things cool. Oh yeah, there might be some hydration in there too.

Where is your favorite place to ride and why?

The Province of Quebec. Quebec offers diverse riding conditions that are typical of what most snowmobilers encounter. The trails are clearly marked and the conditions are very reliable. Most of our on-snow testing has been conducted over thousands of miles of riding in Quebec.

What’s next for the company?

BiteHarder is committed to evolving our current product line, and continuing to expand with new and innovative products that make snowmobiling a much safer and more enjoyable experience.

In 10 words or less tell me why someone should purchase BiteHarder?

Why compromise…never ride on dull runners or studs again.

THE STANDARD SERIES BITEHARDER TOOL CAN BE USED IN ANY CORDLESS OR CORDED DRILL TO SHARPEN YOUR WEAR BARS IN JUST MINUTES. FOR MORE HARDCORE APPLICATIONS, THE PROFESSIONAL SERIES TOOL CAN BE USED IN TOOLS THAT SPOOL UP TO SPEEDS FROM 10,000 RPM AND HIGHER. ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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FLOAT BOWL PAT BOURGEOIS

THE TINKERERS

One part vintage...one part lawn mower...entirely bitchin’. he buzzing and popping of literally thousands of vintage and antique snowmobiles was like a swarm of sluggish hornets released into the cold of winter. One by one they rumbled past my perch on the edge of Lake Waconia. The shutter of my Cannon clicked repeatedly as those that jumped out from the crowd puttered by and I could hear myself call out the names of some models and brands that have long since left the industry. From perfectly restored racers to rear-engine sleighs, they were all represented at the annual Waconia Ride In, appropriately dubbed the world’s largest vintage and antique snowmobile show. It’s become an event I refuse to miss, and likely one of my favorites of the season.

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the “Ride In” and to celebrate the milestone, event organizers paid tribute to not one, but two iconic brands - Arctic

T

Cat and Polaris. Being a Minnesota event, it was the perfect solution for a state that was, and continues to be in many ways, the heart and soul of the sport. It was once home to several snowmobile manufacturers, (by some estimations, close to 20 once called Minnesota home) and it remains the epicenter of events, racing, many aftermarket companies, and of course Polaris and Arctic Cat. A major component of the Ride In is the Sunday judged show, and this year it was filled with sleds of every make, era, and condition. The beauty of the Waconia show, unlike most other vintage shows, is they have a class for literally every sled imaginable. From unrestored pre-1966 rear engine sleds and vintage racers, to the newly added 1986-1995 classic class and the fan favorite, jalopy and homebuilt category.

Plenty of attention...that’s what you get when you perfectly mate a Harley-Davidson V-twin with a classic Scorpion TK. 118

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 29 • ISSUE 5

Snowmobilers, like most motorheads, have always been tinkerers...at first out of necessity, and later out of passion.

Our desire to make something better...to make something unique, is inherently part of this sport. Where else would you see a brand new, modern $13,000 snowmobile stripped to its core and reassembled before a single mile was logged, only in an effort to make it faster, lighter, or merely “cooler”.

This year, that “tinkerer” was on full display at Waconia as fans stopped to stare at rat rods, race rods, and hot rods.

No matter the build, there always was a sense of wonder from those who stared and checked over the details of the “creation”, along with a deep sense of pride from their proud owners who finally had a chance to show off the fruits of their labor of love.

As a tribute to those hours of searching, sweating, and sometimes swearing, and in keeping with this issue’s “photo-spectacular” theme, I wanted to share just a small sampling of those snow rods. From ugly and raw, to pure and polished, each has a story to tell and undoubtedly sparks the imagination and tinkerer inside each of us.

I’d love to see more of these creative snowmobiles, and in fact, OSM is hoping to showcase more of these types of sleds…from new to old in the pages of future issues. Drop me a line (editor@osmmag.com) and share with me the details of your latest “rod”, and include a few photos; I’d love to share your labor of love with the OSM family. Tinker on!

This entirely custom, hand-built 1975 GPX, owned

by Ryan and Ed Ensol of Sheridan, Illinois had me drooling over the attention to detail.

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Located on Trail #19, or take exit #310 on Rte 11. Loading ramps, indoor sled parking, heated repair bays. Fuel nearby.

Excellent accommodations, excellent restaurants, pub-style lounge, heated indoor pool, sauna and whirlpool. And did we mention we’re the only hotel in New Brunswick located directly on NBFSC trails?

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Come discover the Almaquin Highlands premiere snowmobiling destination on the shores of Lake Bernard just north of Muskoka! Access 3500 km of the finest groomed snowmobile and multi use trails from our doors. Set amongst the giant old growth pines, our lakeside resort offers the perfect combination of comfort, quality and service that you deserve at the end of a day’s ride! Exceptional fireside dining in our dining room, great new pub menu in our lounge, sat. TV and a fireplace in every accomodation. Hot tub, sauna, lots of trailer room, whirlpools. Immaculate Chalets and lodge rooms. Spa services, dogsledding & ice fishing.

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Join us at PJ’s Bar & Grille or our Victoria Restaurant. Ask any knowledgeable snowmobiler and they will tell you that the Edmundston area is among the best maintained Trails in Eastern Canada. At Quality Inn, we have snowmobile packages available starting at $47.95 per person (based on double occupancy).

Package consists of one night’s accommodation, hot breakfast for two and trail map. Call now to book your accommodations to "Blaze Throgh the North".

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210, chemin Pardiac, New Richmond, QC, G0C 2B0 Tel: 418-392-4485 1-800-906-4485 www.hotelfrancis.qc.ca • Near TQ5 and trail #595 • 2 restaurants onsite • Located in the heart of the Chaleur Bay region • Outdoor parking

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LAST GASP

John Summers Klim Technical Riding Gear There’s no denying the goodness of Klim outerwear. The company was built the old fashioned way…through hard work, sweat, and a tough as nails product that really works. Today, Klim has become a tour-de-force in the powersports industry, offering up ballistic and warm technical riding gear for snowmobilers, off-roaders, and motorcyclists across North America and beyond. Klim Marketing Director, John Summers has been along for the incredible ride for more than 16-years and in his words, “Has loved every minute of it.” With that, we decided to catch up with John to get his Last Gasp responses on his last 16 years with Klim.

LAST SNOWMOBILE YOU OWNED? 2014 Polaris RMK PRO 155 with a Boondockers Turbo.

LAST WORDS YOUR MOTHER ALWAYS TOLD YOU? Always wear clean underwear.

LAST SNOWMOBILE YOU VOWED YOU WOULD NEVER OWN AGAIN? I can honestly say I have liked every sled I’ve owned. There has always been little things here and there that I would have liked to change, but for the most part I have always enjoyed all of the sleds I have owned.

LAST TIME YOU TRAVELED OVERSEAS? The fall of 2013 I went to England, Germany, and Switzerland for work.

LAST TIME YOU PULLED AN ALL-NIGHTER? It seems like every year just before the snow flies there are a few all-nighters getting sleds ready to ride.

LAST AMAZING SNOWMOBILE RIDE YOU HAD? I would have to say it was my last trip to Togwotee Mountain Lodge. We had epic snow conditions, a great group of guys, and we all made it back safe and sound

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW? Unbroken LAST SONG YOU PLAYED ON YOUR I-POD OR RADIO? Led Zeppelin, Black Dog LAST GREAT IDEA YOU HAD THAT MADE YOU THINK...HELL YEAH? To put a Boondockers Turbo on my new 2015 snowmobile…hell yeah!

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LAST TIME YOU WENT OVER 100MPH? It was in an airplane heading back from Denver, I know…I wasn’t driving but it was well over a hundred!

LAST ROCK STAR YOU MET? I am pretty fortunate in that I work with a rock star, Sid Huntsman. The guy can flat-out ride. Check him out in Thunderstruck 13…he’s a rock star.

LAST THING YOU RACED? My road bike…I provided the horsepower.

LAST TIME YOU WERE INJURED? I wrecked on day two of a ten-day motorcycle trip in August. I ended up breaking both bones in my lower left leg.

The great thing was that I got to ride in a helicopter.

LAST PERSON YOU HUGGED? My daughter

LAST TIME YOU THREW UP? In 2013 I had appendicitis. Needless to say, I threw up more than once.

LAST THING YOU HOPE YOU’LL BE REMEMBERED FOR? My mad nunchuck skills…ha ha!

LASTING SNOWMOBILE MEMORY? My ride last weekend…because of an injury this summer, I haven’t been able to ride anything. Last week was my first ride in five months. It was great to get back on a motorized vehicle.

LAST WORDS OF ADVICE? A smart man learns from his own mistakes. A wise man learns from someone else’s mistakes.

HIGH-SPEED STRENGTH Ballistic, Battle-Ready and Speed-Hungry. That’s the mindset that built KLIM’s new Vector Parka. You can’t find a trail, temperature or terrain it can’t dominate. Massive levels of abrasion-proof overlays, Intelligent 3M™ THINSULATE™ Insulation and the world’s strongest GORE-TEX® GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY® construction.

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LONGEST LASTING

LINE OF trucks in canada4

RAMTRUCK.CA *Based on a comparison of 2015 EnerGuide highway fuel consumption ratings for 2015 Ram 1500 4x2 with 3.0L EcoDiesel HFE V6 and 8-speed automatic (up to 35 MPG highway) and 2015 Ford F-150 4x2 EcoBoost V6 6-speed automatic (up to 31 MPG highway). 1Based on 2014 Automotive News Full-Size Pickup segmentation. Optional feature available. 2Based on third-party Canadian competitive ‘trade-in’ data for MY2008 to MY2013 new full-size pickups. 3When properly equipped. 4Based on longevity of entire Ram large pickup segment compared to all competitive large pickups on the road since 1988. Longevity based on IHS Automotive: Polk Canadian Vehicles In Operation data as of July 1, 2013, for model years 1988-2013 for all large pickups sold and available in Canada over the last 26 years.