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POW-R-DAY

Avid OSM reader Chris Mitchell or “Hairdoo” as his buds call him sent us his “best pow day yet” photo from the north coast of British Columbia. While you can’t tell, that’s a 2009 Arctic Cat M1000 beneath that sea of white. Rider: Chris Mitchell Photographer: Boe Location: Undisclosed

CAT-TAILIN’

Out looking for a place to happen, Publisher Kehoe and Editor Bourgeois suddenly found themselves in a not-sofrozen swamp. It was hammer down…cattails be damned. Rider: Rich Kehoe Photographer: Pat Bourgeois Location: Swamp

FEATURES 22

SCENE IT? WATERCROSS RACING

DAILY COMMUTE 2014 YAMAHA SRVIPER X-TX

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CHEAP MOTIVATION 2 20 MORE CHEAP BEERS FOR THE SHOP

PRESEASON BUYER'S GUIDE

COLUMNS 14

DRIFTS - PUBLISHER NOTES RICHARD KEHOE

WINGING IT WITH LEVI LEVI LAVALLEE

FLOATBOWL PAT BOURGEOIS

DEPARTMENTS

INDUSTRY NEWS

WORD SEARCH

TAKE 5

PATENTED

ANCHOR OF THE MONTH

MUFF OF THE MONTH

TALENT CHECK

ROOTS

TEAR DOWN

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1

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VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1 ✪

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1

OSM is published five times a year by OSM Publishing Ltd. Office address and undelivered copies and change of address notice is: P.O Box 303, Saint Michael, MN 55376. Telephone (888) 661-7469. Head office address is PO Box 551, 27083 Kennedy Road Willow Beach, ON L0E 1S0, Canada. Telephone 1-888-661-7469. Printed in Canada by LoweMartin Group, Dollco Division. • Copyright 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 $19.00 per year, $29.00 for 2 years. $37.00 for 3 years.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE PO Box 303 Saint Michael, MN 55376 Tel: (888) 661-7469 HEAD OFFICE PO Box 551, 27083 Kennedy Road Willow Beach, ON L0E 1S0, Canada toll-free ph: 888-661-7469 toll-free fax: 888-680-7469 email: info@osmmag.com www.osmmag.com

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

CONFIDENCE

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DRIFTS

PUBLISHER NOTES

RICHARD KEHOE

BRING ON THE SNOW hat can I say about the month of August, except that this cooler summer has made it even easier for us to start discussing snowmobiling a lot earlier than usual when we’re around the garage, out by the fire pit, and even in the driveway. The buzz has started all around the sport, and we are on the way to events, and getting things ready to roll for the season. We got a head start prepping the trailer with new ski guides this month. Truth be told, sometimes this is one of those jobs that slips away from me and we’d be doing this the week before we decided to go for our first rip. But thanks to one of our editorials in this issue called Cheap Motivation, we decided that this would help “motivate” us to get the job done sooner than later. It did just that, so we have it done months in advance, and we filled out our comment cards for the article as well. A newly added event for us, which will be on the annual calendar moving forward, was watercross racing. The Ontario Watercross Racing Association (OWRA) had a race just over an hour away from our office, so it only made sense on a cold, rainy summer day to check it out. The sight of snowmobiles, the scent of C-12, and the braaaaap from the pipes made this day a great one. This was our first event of the season, unless you count trailer maintenance, and that could be a legit one if you’re not alone.

Since we attended and have been talking about it to anyone that will listen, we’ve shifted gears out of summer and are now counting the days till the snow falls. But before the snow falls, we will be taking in more snowmobile events that don’t require snow. With the scent of C12 still fresh in my mind, the drag races at Haydays are building up more and more steam. More importantly, the Outlaw class is a must see, so if you can only watch one class, the Outlaw class is the one to watch. Yes, they’re that fast. My advice is that you better record it, because it’s over when the light turns green. The annual OSM Swap Meet gathering at Haydays will again be a highlight for us. This swap has pulled all the OSM’ers together over the years, and is where we go out to see what we can find. Usually there’s an old sled being haggled and then purchased. There’s always at least one bad, old, stinky leather jacket being purchased and worn and hopefully, some late night tacos to keep us going. It’s always a great time in the middle of a dark, dusty field. Next month, we have an event scheduled that is close to us, and is a little closer to the heart - the Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show, this October 24-26, at the International Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. This event has added even more corporate displays of

snowmobiles; ATVs; tow vehicles; trailers; clothing mfgs; tourism and many more racing booths. How about Snowmobile and ATV freestyle; who doesn’t like seeing these pros flipping upside down? Snowmobiles and 120 racing will be back, as well as the all of the aftermarket and retail booths. There’s also going to be more used equipment at the show in the form of parts, sleds and ATVs. Simply said, it’s all going to be there, no matter what you are looking for. If it has to do with snowmobiles or ATVs, it’s there! For more information visit www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com So get out there and do your preseason chores, so you can attend some pre-season events! Enjoy the issues and I’ll see you out there!

Who wouldn't want to see a Tundra skip water for 8 minutes?

OCT. 25 SUN. OC FRI. OCT. OCT. 24 SA SAT. AT. OCT. OCT.T. 26 1PM – 9PM 10AM – 7PM 10AM – 5PM

INT NTERN NAT NA A ATTIO ONA O A #% AL #%.42% .42% s 44/ /2 2/ /.4/ .4/ 2015 SLEDS AND A ATV TTV VS HUGE MA ANUFA FA AC CTURER DISPLLAY AYS Y LIV VE FREESTYLE SHOWS

Mmmmm this leather is so soft.

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Yes Richard, those Outlaw sleds really are that fast.

FREESTYLE SHOW FREE PARKING

Mark your calendar now for the weekend of October 24-26, 2014

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

arctiva.com

IND US TR Y

NEWS

CSRA BLAIR MORGAN CUP Mention the name Blair Moran amongst snowmobile race fans, and everyone’s eyes immediately light up. Blair was one of the greatest snocross racers of all time, and frankly, changed the sport of snowmobiling for everyone with his stand-up riding style. To honor the great 7C, the crew at the Canadian Snowcross Racing Association (CSRA) created a Blair Morgan 7C Cup to honor Blair and his accomplishments. The cup is machined from solid aluminum, and weighs in at more than 70pounds. It features the names of past CSRA Pro Open Champions from the past 20-years and will be on display at prominent races and shows including the Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV and Powersports Show this October 24-26. Iain Hayden, shown here with the big cup, has his name on the cup a whopping seven times. Iain won the championship again last season and along with the cup, he scored a new HarleyDavidson V-Rod for the effort.

CANADIAN GOVERNMENT INVESTS $10 MILLION INTO SNOWMOBILE TRAILS Big money…that is what the snowmobile industry is to Canada, and the Canadian federal government recognizes this fact. So much so that they injected $10 million dollars, made available to provincial snowmobile organizations for infrastructure improvements for the upcoming season. Members of the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO) operate more than 112,000 kilometers of snowmobile trails, and the estimated national economic impact is estimated to be more than $8 billion annually. Big business indeed.

INTERNATIONAL SNOWMOBILE POWERSPORTS SHOW IS COMING The big one is a little less than two months away, and if you haven’t made plans to attend yet…what the heck are you waiting for?! Dubbed as the largest indoor snowmobile show in the world, and presented by On Snow Magazine and ATV World Magazine, the show is held at the Toronto International Centre. There truly is something for everyone…maybe more. With massive manufacturer displays, outdoor races and freestyle shows, custom sleds, used snowmobiles and ATVs for sale, vintage displays, tourism hook-ups, youth educational programs, OFSC driver training and way more; you really have no excuse not to add it to your must see list this winter. Get all the details at www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com 16

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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

IND US TR Y

QUEEN OF KEVLAR PASSES AWAY

NEWS

Some bros in the snow-mo-bizz like to thump their chest and talk smart about the magic of Kevlar and other magical materials used in the construction of sleds. Bet they didn’t know that the inventor of Kevlar was a girl! The famed bullet-proof material used in police vests, snowmobile belts and Camoplast tracks, to name a few, was developed by Stephanie Kwolek, a chemist for the Dupont Company, back in 1965. This past summer, Stephanie passed away at the age of 90. Who’s the tough guy now? Godspeed Stephanie, and thanks!

GLOBAL WARMING… NO WAIT COOLING Seems the scientific community is having a hard time convincing us just what the hell is wrong with our climate…if anything. After years of preaching that the sky was falling and the earth was warming rapidly, this latest nugget was presented to us from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration better known as NOAA. Using data acquired by the US Climate Reference Network, which has an amazingly uniform and pristine situation data acquisition network of 114 sites across the United States, the data showed that temperatures in the United States are not rising at all – at least not in the past 10-years. In fact, the United States has cooled by approximately .4 degree Celsius, which is more than half of the claimed global warming of the twentieth century. Looks like its back to the propaganda machine for the global warming community.

FINALLY…CLASSIC SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE We got good news from our friends in the classic and vintage snowmobile circle this past summer. Seems garnering insurance to protect these classic sleds has been very hard to come by, if not impossible, especially for those who have extensive collections. However, a new company (Berkly Classics) stepped forward this year to offer up top-shelf snowmobile collector insurance. The policy was developed by an insurance broker who just so happens to be a collector and a member of the International Snowmobile Hall of Fame, Dale Vagts, so you know its got to be good. To learn more contact the V&V Insurance Agency at 563-382-4720 or direct your browser to www.vandvins.com 18

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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

IND US TR Y

POLARIS GOES 3 ON RMK MODELS

NEWS

With pressure building from competitive brands in terms of both performance and warranty terms, Polaris has stepped up the duration of their factory warranty on all 2012-2015 RMK models during their Factory Authorized Clearance event. The extended warranty does come with a $50 per visit deductable, and is available on in-stock dealership models only. The program runs through September 30, 2014, and details can be found on the Polaris website. We can hear buyers of Rush, Axys and Switchback models alreadyâ&#x20AC;Śwhat about us?!

WORDSEARCH: YAMAHA ARE YOU Need some time alone in your thinking room, have a seat on the throne and give it a go. APEX Attak Bravo Enticer Exciter

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Inviter Mountain Max Nytro Phazer Prestige

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE â&#x153;Ş VOLUME 5 â&#x20AC;˘ ISSUE 1

Professional Rage Snosport SRX Vector

3 3

A DIVA?

Venom Venture Viking VIPER VMAX Warrior

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We just heard from our good friends over at Divas Snow Gear that they are looking for 30 ladies to become â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ambassadors for the Brandâ&#x20AC;?. Just what does it mean? How about getting the hook-up from the Divaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crew by receiving prereleased products to wear, test, and give your overall feedback on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Divaâ&#x20AC;? experience? Sounds sweet right?! How do you get in on this gravy train you ask? Simple, just email Divas Snow Gear at info@divassnowgear.com and they will give you all the details, along with asking you a few questions to see if you have what they are looking for.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW â&#x20AC;˘ OCT 24-26, 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE â&#x20AC;˘ www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

CAT MAKES TWEAKS FOR 2015

Summer is often the time of year when snowmobile manufacturers are building next winter’s sleds and on occasion, making improvements along the way. A mid-summer email blurb from Cat shows they are busy doing both with several tweaks to the new 2015 ZR 4000RR, which replaces the popular SnoPro 500 race buggy. One of the biggest changes is the addition of a TEAM Driven secondary, which should open up the tuning window to many more options for would be racers. Here’s a run-down on all the changes forthcoming to the ZR 4000 RR • Team Driven clutch added – TSS-04 design with updated calibration has shown excellent results on the racetrack and an abundance of tuning components are available. • Added new Driven Shaft to accept Team Driven Clutch • Wider 43.5″ Front A-arm Design • Trail 5 Ski – Single Runner – Additional top webbing increases stiffness for more predictable handling on hard pack. NOTE: The 2015 ZR 4000 RR is within the legal 48inch width maximum of certain state trail systems. The other big change is the addition of a new side duct panel to all ZR, XF, and M 6000, 8000 and 9000 models. We saw this new vent on a few select, late spring models that were shipped to dealers near the end of winter. Clearly, efforts continue at Cat to cool the clutching system, which has had some excessive belt wear, and failure issues, especially on higher horsepower models in deep snow conditions. The side panel vent kit is also available as a retro fit item for past ProCross and Pro-Climb chassis models. The kit will fit ’14-‘15 ZR; ’12-’14 M, XF; ’12-’13 F All Models (Excludes 7000 models). Includes inner and outer side ducts and a stainless steel snow screen. Requires one-piece clutch guard. Part #6639-817 with an MSRP of $39.95 (US), $46.95 (CAN).

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1 ✪

SCENE IT? ACCE SS

ON SN OW M AGAZ INE

WATER RACING Well as usual, it’s a recurring urge year after year, we get the sled bug around mid August… And what better way to calm it then a Watercross Race! The Ontario Watercross Racing Association held a race in Penetanguishene, Ontario and we made sure we were there! There was a beach, but no bikinis, as the weather was 15 degrees Celsius and raining. Regardless, this was a fun event. Anyone into snowmobiling or racing wouldn’t be disappointed. One thing is for sure, there is no such thing as stock in this type of racing.

On shore from underneath our dry tent, #837 proved to us that “Big Men” can be quite quick and nimble on water.

Watercross racers get the girls before they even qualify? 22

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Can of ether? Check! XL Timmy’s Double Double? Check! Orange helmet? Check! Wet Mechanixs gloves? Check! Entry fees paid? Check! Time to go racing… Check!

Soaked and chilled, this guy’s shirt said it all.

Much like the Internet, never believe everything you see at a Watercross race.

The insulated pit capes were out and needed.

News of the cancellation of Warner Brother’s Porky Pig character was met with a full-on after hours party at the FOX booth Saturday evening. Porky was nowhere to be found?

Brings a whole new meaning to “you can race if you can see over the bars”.

Being only 15 feet from shore in a race can be a good thing.

We think this guy psyched himself up by picturing himself on the top podium spot with the cash and trophy girl in hand. ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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SCENE IT? ACCE SS

ON SN OW M AGAZ INE

WATER RACING

If your buggy’s on it, you’re not on the podium pal.

25 feet later reality hit and crushed the dream, all we heard was, “FAAAAA…!” Well you know the rest.

Best seats in the house

When everyone gets a good start, turn one is a little wet and vicious. 24

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1

Tom Bachley’s ride.

It was a great show! David Murray showed us that rolling down the beach on a snowmobile in August in normal in Penetang!

Even without the downpours, the wash made it hard to see.

Very quickly you know who to watch.

Maintaining speed in the corners is crucial. ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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Headhsot by Todd Williams • www.toddwilliamsusa.com

WINGING IT WITH LEVI LEVI LAVALLEE

ONE HECK OF A RIDE Buddy races during the 1995 season.

hen I was in 4th grade, we were asked to write a report on what we wanted to be when we grew up. This was only my second year riding snowmobiles, and I already dreamt of being a professional snowmobile racer. So I wrote my report about being a professional snowmobile racer, and how cool it would be signing autographs and having a big crowd of people watching me race. A few years went by before I got the chance to be in an actual snowmobile race. My Dad asked me if I wanted to try a small, cross-country race, not to far from where we lived. I said, "Heck yeah, that would be awesome!" So Dad and I went to the race to actually race, not just be spectators, like so many times before. I was 12-years-old, under 5-feet tall, and probably barely 100lbs, so I looked maybe nine or ten at the most. When Dad and I walked up and told the circuit owner we were here to race, the owner of the series looked at me and said, “He can’t race, he’s too small.” That didn’t stop my Dad though. He told the owner, if he could hop on his bigger ‘580’ sled and do a lap, and if I wasn’t’ right on his tail or past him after a lap, we would pack it up and get out of there. Bob, the owner of the circuit quickly responded, “Alright, alright…I’ll write up a quick waiver…you guys sign it…and he can race this one time.” There I was, in my first official race, and in a class of adults no less, since they didn’t have a class for anyone my age. To

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1

everyone’s surprise, I finished second in that race. Afterwards, Bob came up to my Dad and me, and said we could race with them anytime we wanted. We ended up racing the buddy races for the first few years, winning my first championship, and getting my feet wet for the future…snocross. It was November of 1996 when we arrived at Spirit Mountain in Duluth, Minnesota in our newly acquired, 18-foot enclosed trailer (I was the only one short enough to actually stand up in it). We had a one-year old race sled and one crazynervous racer. I was so nervous to actually be racing at Spirit Mountain, after going there and watching the pro riders run there

My buddy Muttin and me at my first snocross race at Duluth in 1996.

Canterbury National in 1998, competing in the Junior 16-17 class.

Back at Canterbury, this time in 2002, racing in the Semi-Pro ranks.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

for the last couple of years. With riders like Tony Haikonen; Todd Wolff; Dennis Durmas; Kirk Hibbert; Brad Pake; Chris Vincent; Jesse Strege; Nathan Titus; Cory Davidson; Greg Hyde; and Mike Brown, I knew this was the big time. While I wasn't even racing the top guys, (I was in the Junior class) I was so nervous just to be racing on the same track as them, I literally couldn't sleep the night before. In fact, I ended up throwing up, the morning of the race! I calmed down by race time, (at least enough to stop puking) and I ended up getting 4th in the Junior 14-15 class. I knew I could do better, but I had a ton of fun and couldn't wait to race again. Things at the next snocross race went way better. I won my class and I acquired the nickname “Launchin Levi” from track announcer Dean Norel. I wasn’t afraid to hit the jumps as hard as anybody, including the pros, and Dean would say, “He’s maybe 65lbs soaking wet, from Longville, Minnesota – Launchin Levi LaVallee!” While I couldn’t go through a corner or a technical rhythm section to save my life, I sure wasn’t scared to hit a jump wide open. I guess that explains why I now have a distance jump World Record, and won the snowmobile long jump competition twice at Winter X Games. Ha ha! As time went on, we worked our way up through the ranks until I was racing SemiPro in 2002. That year would be a storybook season for me…sort of. It started in Duluth, where I swept the SemiPro finals, and I then went on to win 6 of 7 finals, until I hyper extended my knee with two races to go. I ended up stretching my ACL, tearing my MCL, and getting “compartment syndrome” in my leg, which resulted in a weeklong stay at the hospital. Polaris was looking to sign me up for the following year, where I would then be one step closer to my dream of racing professional snocross, but up until then, I had never been injured. A lot of things can happen to a rider after being injured. Sometimes the mental side of things can never allow them to reach their full potential. With the fear of getting hurt again hanging over their head, it will ruin their confidence, which usually spells the beginning of the end for their racing career. On the other hand however, sometimes a rider will come back even stronger than before, learning from the adversity. I don’t know if it was my “go-for-it” style prior to my injury or what, but then Polaris Race Manager Tom Rager Sr. believed I would come back just as strong, so he signed me on to the factory team for the following year. Tom Sr., along with his son and now current Polaris Race Manager Tom Rager Jr. and Bill Rader, who has since passed

Tim Bender and me at Lambeau Field in 2006, after I won the Pro-Open final.

away, (RIP) have gambled on me more than once over the years. If they hadn’t, who knows where my career would be, or more accurately, not be. I was slated to be a Semi-Pro racer during my first season as a factory pro. The season kicked-off in Duluth, and my first official factory race was the Winter X Games qualifier on Friday night. Tom Rager Jr. was my mechanic at the time, and he fortunately kept me in check, as I was geeking out to be racing against some of the very pro riders I had looked up to. I finished fourth in that race, and with the top-five moving on to race at Winter X, I was one happy camper, knowing I would be racing at X Games in January. Unfortunately, that was the highlight of my weekend though. In Semi-Pro, I had a bad holeshot and was working my way through the pack when a rider went down in front of me. It was one of those “grey” situations where I was jumping just as they pulled the yellow flag and I was disqualified. Then I followed that up in

Glen Kafka and me at Winter X Games in 2007.

Hanging with my favorite people in all of racing - the fans during the 2006-07 season.

My greatest racing accomplishment; the Pro-Stock national championship.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1 ✪

Semi-Pro Stock with a tangle in both of my qualifying races, meaning I didn’t make the final. I finished my first weekend of factory racing without making any finals. I bet Tom Rager Sr. was thinking that signing me to the team wasn’t one of his better ideas. The other big happening that first race weekend was both Kurtis and Shaun Crapo, who were both Factory Polaris pro riders, racing for TEAM Industries, were both injured. Kurtis blew his knee out and would miss the entire season, while Shaun broke his leg and was out until at least January. That following week I was called into Tom’s office. I immediately thought they were kicking me off the team. Turns out it was just the opposite, as they wanted to bump me up to the pro class for the rest of the season! I sat down in Tom’s office and I could hear Tim Bender’s voice, as he was trying to figure out who they were going to have come in and fill-in for the Crapo brothers until they returned. When Tom suggested me, Tim didn’t even know who I was. Tom told Tim I was kind of the only option they had at the time, so Timmy was stuck with me! In hindsight, that was one of the best accidents to ever happen to me. I was able to work with Tim, and learn so much from him. Tim has knowledge practically oozing out of his ears, and I’m fortunate to be able to still work with Tim still to this day. I won my first pro race, my first national race, and my first X Games gold medal with Tim by my side. After the 2006 season, I found my snocross “home” as I started running out of Glenn Kafka’s trailer with his son Chris for Hentge’s Racing. Chris moved to my compound and started training with me. He became like a brother to me, and Glen…oh boy! Glen is like several cartoon characters all rolled up into one - a combination of Bugs Bunny, (for pulling pranks on anyone and everyone) the Tasmanian Devil, (as he is always doing ten things at once in a frantic whirlwind) and Pepe Le Pew (for being so smooth). Glen is all about working hard to play hard, so we were like two peas in a pod

On the podium at Lake Geneva, after securing the year-end championship in Pro-Stock.

from the start. Glenn has been by my side through all of the ups, downs, and everything in between. But for my biggest racing accomplishment, Glenn played a pivotal role in helping me win the snocross championship in 2009. Not only can he tune a sled like no one else, but he also knows how to bring out the best in a person. One of my favorites is his “holeshot motivator” method. Glen would tell me, “I’m going to stand behind you at the starting line with a baseball bat. When the light goes green I’ll be swinging. If you’re late on the light, you’ll wish you weren’t!” That was Glenn; always motivating…ha ha! The following year, Glenn and I started our race team, Team LaVallee. The goal with starting the team was to keep me involved with racing, and be able to work with riders after my driving career ended. My racing career has brought about many opportunities, and it has also taught me many life-lessons that carry one well past racing. I am very fortunate to have parents who were always there to help me pursue my passion the way they did. I am so very grateful for that. But no matter what, my fans have always been my number one motivator. Not just fans of what I’m doing personally, but fans of snowmobiles and snowmobiling. I have been passionate about snowmobiles my entire life, and anyone that shares that same passion is a friend of mine. I want to thank everyone who has

helped me live out my childhood dream. From my amazing sponsors who have helped me over the years and the great people I have worked with, to my friends and family for always being there, and the fans for your endless love and support through good times and bad. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m retiring from racing. But just because I will no longer be behind the bars on the racetrack, it doesn’t mean I’m retiring from snowmobiling or from myself. Keep your eyes peeled for what I’m brewing up for the future…I think you’re gonna like it! ✪

Giving the course a final look before the final in Lake Geneva with my teammate TJ Gulla (44).

Stay Connected TeamLaVallee.com Twitter.com/Levi_LaVallee Facebook.com/LeviLaValleeFanPage

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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

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. See the world’s toughest riding gear at your KLIM® dealer today.

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THE DAILY COMMUTE

By Jason MacDonald

2014 Yamaha

SRViper X-TX

rubber out back, assuredly fits the crossover bill, direct from the dealership. However, once we added a few “supersized” add-ons like luggage and big window, along with a factory heated seat, the X-TX was ready to tackle almost any variable that a frigid, Midwest winter can throw at you. Similar to how a minus-35-degree Fahrenheit morning can test your automotive starting system, (among other things) the SR Viper X-TX was tested plenty last winter in severe cold, and never missed a beat when it came to

About the Mac Another season was logged in the books and with it came another winter of our resident wrench Jason MacDonald, better known as just “Mac” in the OSM shop, racking up the miles on our fleet of 2014 buggies. From weekend backpack trips to his 37mile, round trip daily commute to his “real” job, Jason spun the odometer on our fleet more frequently than most. More than just a rider, Jason knows his way around the shop too, (as well as our well stocked fridge when the work is done) giving him the ideal set of credentials to ride, flog, wrench, and ultimately report on the latest new iron, after a season of real world riding. A life-long sledder, Mac is both an enthusiast and a professional within the industry, having worked at several large metro area dealerships, as well as a technical service advisor for one of the big four manufactures. Also regarded as our resident Elvis impersonator and first to the Karaoke mic, Jason will give you his take on a season’s worth of experience on a hand picked, previous model year buggy in each issue.

cold morning start-ups. Frankly, I didn’t want to leave it behind as it provided great wind coverage, plentiful storage, and a nice dose of heat both from the seat as well as the engine compartment, making the red rocket seem downright appealing for a quick, 37-mile blast. The 1050cc triple motor can be deceiving, as it is typical Yamaha smooth, but also “pulls” hard all the way to the upper reaches of the speedo numbers. Add to this a respectable 14mpg when ridden in this same manner, and I deem it more than respectable.

didn’t take long for the big red Yamaha crossover buggy to be aptly named “the tractor” last season. After a few short rides early in the season, the X-TX tractor became a regular fixture of reference in the OSM shop. Don’t get me wrong, the term is meant in a purely positive manner, and it becomes abundantly clear why, once you experience a day of riding aboard “big red”. The crossover platform has quickly become a favorite amongst the bevy of OSM staff riders, primarily because of the versatility it offers. The Viper X-TX and its three FOX FLOAT shocks and single Zero Pro coil over front track shock, supported by a 141” x 1.6” lug

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Editor Bourgeois took the “tractor” north in the spring for his annual “swamp-run”. According to the Frenchman, “trees are traction” on this northern Minnesota bog run. The X-TX performed flawlessly, while returning with a few more character scars.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

Aside from the initial oil level check after break-in, along with track and chain adjustments, the red rocket never missed a beat, nor did it need any other special attention for the rest of the season. That’s not to say that we didn’t have more ambitions to make changes, but with a winter of plentiful snowfall, the time spent riding was a priority over tailoring a buggy for our tastes. That being said, the old girl is going to spend another winter with the OSM staff and will be considered a relic in this fleet of fresh new product, but even being the pampered journalists we are, the eagerness to reach for this scoot for any given day of riding is still there. Plans this winter include both power and suspension upgrades, along with a few more tricks up our sleeves, but more on that in an upcoming issue. How did this sled win over our admiration? It starts with a solid and planted front end, albeit due in part to the heft of a triple four-stroke, yet the sled never “rode” heavy. Steering and on-trail tracking always had us going in the right

direction, without so much as a twitch. We also learned that this chassis and shock combination is able to take huge hits without getting upset. Pair this with a rear end that was taut in the beginning stroke and bottomless feeling thereafter, and the overall forgiveness in suspension compliance was a hit. There was even reports of an OSM staffer (me) laughing like a school girl while piloting the X-TX on a three-day, 750-mile backpack trip that entailed many long stretches of windblown ditchline and field crossings. Immediately upon my return, I hopped aboard the big red tractor for a commute the following day, but this time the pajamas in the cavernous accessory rear trunk were replaced with lunch and pair of work clothes. Anytime a sled stays in our fleet for a second season, it speaks volumes about its capabilities. Case in point, the 2014 Yamaha SRViper X-TX will get some early season love before hitting the trails for what I hope will be another long, snowy commuting and adventure-filled season. ✪

Near the end of the season, we swapped out the stock Yamaha Mountain skis for a pair of new Starting Line Products MoHawk Skis. The ski is designed to be a true crossover ski with a wide 7 3/8” width and rocker-style keel. While steering effort increased slightly, the added floatation was welcomed during our spring off-trail runs.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

Record Breakers

Snowmobiling, just like nearly every other activity, has those few special souls who strive to be not only the best they can be, but also the best period; as in best in the world, the top dog, the big honcho. In recognition of these kings, here are five record breakers for this month’s installment of Take Five.

TUCKER HIBBERT There’s really no surprise that Tucker is a record holder; unquestionably one of the greatest snowmobile snocross racers of all time, Tucker has amassed a tally of wins and medals that is unequalled. What’s more, he is still going and is poised the raise the bar even further. To date, Tucker has twelve Winter X Games medals, eight of which are gold. That’s the most gold medals in the snowmobile ranks, period, and he is currently tied with Joe Parsons for the most snowmobile medals, and with snowboarder Kelly Clark for the most medals in a single discipline. To go with it, tucker has the most consecutive gold medals for a Winter X Games athlete, period. Tucker also surpassed the great Blair Morgan last winter with the most snocross wins, currently sitting at 95, and looking the break the 100 mark at Canterbury this winter.

RALPH PLAISTED Few of us can ever truly imagine just how difficult it was for Ralph Plaisted and his crew to travel to the North Pole, over the ice cap, with their 1968 Ski-Doo snowmobiles and sleighs packed with gear. The journey took them from Ward Hunt Island, located across the far northern reaches of Ellesmere Island, across the frozen Arctic Ocean, eventually to the North Pole. The trip was littered with obstacles, setbacks, and afterwards, controversy. Both Robert Peary and Richard E. Byrd, explorers themselves, both laid fraudulent claims to being first to the pole. To further complicate matters, another gentleman named Wally Herbert, who did in fact make it to the pole a year later in 1969, further discounted Plaisted’s accomplishment, thereby making his dogsled journey the first to the pole. However, through time, research, and diligent recording keeping, we know today that Ralph Plaisted was unequivocally the first.

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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

LEVI LAVALLEE While certainly not steeped in the legend and lore as the Plaisted expedition, young Levi LaVallee cemented his name in the record books (until another daredevil looks to best him) by jumping a long way…a really long way. To give credit where it’s due, the popularity of long distance jumping must be traced back to Alaska and Paul Thacker. The backcountry, freestyle racer and snowmobile maniac, long jumped his snowmobile not once, but twice, setting a record each time. Yet it was Levi, along with the help of Red Bull, who created a long jump spectacle that won’t likely be bested for some time. Launching himself and his snowmobile from ramp to ramp, over the Embarcadero Marina Park near downtown San Diego, as part of the Red Bull: New Year No Limits program, live on ESPN. Levi crushed the record by jumping 412-feet, 6-inches.

TRANS-CONTINENTAL TEAM Back in the early 1990s, snowmobiling was experiencing a second coming of popularity. The winters were long, the economy was humming along nicely, and snowmobile sales and popularity were bursting at the seams. The snowmobiles themselves had come a long way since the first “boom” years of the late 1960s, and early 1970s. They were far more reliable and comfortable, and with this newfound appreciation for our favorite winter vehicle, the explorer in all of us came forth. There were several long distance rides during that time, including a trip to Moscow; but one ride in particular set a Guinness World Record. Riding Arctic Cat Panther snowmobiles without support vehicles, the foursome of (left to right) John Outzen, Carl Boucher, Andrew Boucher, and Denis Boucher left Anchorage Alaska and rode to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, a distance of 10,252 miles in 56-days on the trail. The continental crossing was recognized by Guinness as a world record in June of 1992.

NICK KELLER Some you will remember the name Nick Keller, a nondescript mason from central Minnesota who literally rode the skis and track off his 2010 Yamaha Vector GT in honor of his mother, Mary Jane, who passed away from breast cancer complications at the age of 56. Keller had always been a snowmobile enthusiast, logging upwards of 8,000 miles a year. Yet, when the idea came to him to ride even further and raise money and awareness for cancer, he certainly outdid himself. That first season, Keller rode 19,506 miles, and in the process, the Keller family established a non-profit organization called the Keller Family Community Foundation. The long distance ride was quickly dubbed the Snowball Cancer Challenge, and it continues to this day. During the winter season of 2010-2011, Keller bested his previous season’s mileage total, clicking off 22,150 miles! What’s more, Keller and his Vector are still racking them on; as of March 24, 2014, after 278-days of riding, the Vector’s odometer reads 78,456 miles.

Got a favorite not listed? Let us know at info@osmmag.com TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

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TM aicm e hines

‘64

Arctic Cat Model 100

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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

THE “SPORT” SNOWMOBILE IS BORN

nSome five years before founding Arctic Cat and nearly a decade before the snowmobile in these

photos was built, Edgar Hetteen set eyes on a

snowmobile for the first time…and he didn’t like it. His brother-in-law and business partner, David Johnson at Hetteen Hoist and Derrick in Roseau, Minnesota, had built a crude snow machine for a customer who wanted a “gas powered sled.” This was 1955 and Johnson had little to work from, other than the idea that it should be track driven and steered via skis. He built it, and the customer was happy. Hetteen hated it, thought it had been a waste of time and, in his words, he “Wanted no more of it.” But when Pete Peterson handed the guys a check for the sled, Hetteen began to change his mind. Then a second request for a snow machine came in. Maybe there was something here after all?

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

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TM aicm e 1969 Arctic Cat Model 100 hines

A few years later, the company had changed its name to Polaris Industries and was building 300 snow machines. Hetteen Hoist and Derrick had struggled to compete with its hay cutting machines against larger industrial manufacturers in the “big city”, but with the snow machine, Hetteen realized he had stumbled upon a product that no one else was building, and he was in the perfect place to build and develop it cold, snowy Northern Minnesota. He plunged himself into the business and

soon had a niche selling to linesman, trappers and others looking for a way to travel across snow to do their jobs. Hetteen realized if he was going to really sell his machines, he would need to expand out of the limited utility market. Snow machines were unheard of at the time, and most people saw winter as a cold, snowy time spent waiting for summer to return. In March of 1960, Hetteen planned a trip across Alaska to try and draw attention to the fun aspect of his snow machines. The 1200-mile trip took

An 8-horsepower Kohler engine powers this particular Model 100, instead of the traditional 7-horsepower version. 36

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18 days and was documented by Rudy Billberg, who referred to the snow machines as “cats” in his diary; a term that would later come to define the machines that Hetteen would build. Hetteen returned to Roseau, not to a hero’s welcome, but to criticism. Polaris’ management did not understand why Hetteen was off on a crazy ride across Alaska when there was so much work to be done in the factory. The temperamental Hetteen promptly sold his controlling stake in the company and went back to Alaska to be a bush pilot.

Pederson’s Model 100 is unrestored and sits nearly exactly how it was found, stashed away in a barn.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

TM aicm e 1969 Arctic Cat Model 100 hines

However, before he left he was approached by a small group of businessmen from Thief River Falls, another small town about 65-miles south of Roseau. They wanted him to move his business to their town and wanted to pay him to do it. While in Alaska, Hetteen took odd jobs at airstrips and struggled with depression after an employment test he took, came back saying he really wasn’t qualified to do anything. Soon he called the businessmen in Thief River Falls, wanting to know if their offer was still good and would they be interested in backing him in a new company? The answer was yes, and on January 2, 1961, he opened the doors to Polar Manufacturing. Polar began producing a few odd products such as a steam cleaner and something called a Bug-O-Vac, but within a year it was also pumping out a snow machine - the Polar 500. The Polar 500 was a rear engine sled, built from steel tubing with a wheel/ski combination up front, and was powered by a 9.5horsepower Kohler engine. The 500 was billed as an “all-season machine” in ads, but like the sleds built at Hetteen’s former company, it was track-driven. Polar Manufacturing changed its name to Arctic Enterprises in 1962, and it was in the spring of that same year the

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company produced the Model 100, its first sport snow machine. This sled went along with Hetteen’s vision of the snow machine as a recreational vehicle. That first Model 100 was referred to as the “Tin Lizzie” by Hetteen, and the first machine that was produced after the name change from Polar Industries, is considered the first Arctic Cat. The next year, 1964, Arctic produced 188 Model 100s. This was by far the most of any single model in the Arctic lineup that year, showing the company’s commitment to the fun aspect of the blossoming business. In fact, Arctic went from selling 20 machines the first year, to selling 700 the second year and those sales numbers are largely because of the Model 100. Its small size and sporty look intrigued customers and made it easy for Arctic’s salesmen to cart the sled around and demonstrate it to potential buyers and dealers. The Model 100 was powered by a 7horsepower Kohler engine and had centrifugal clutches, just like the sleds of today. For whatever reason, this Model 100 has an 8-horsepower Kohler. Maybe it was upgraded by a previous owner, or maybe it snuck out of the factory with an engine originally destined for a different model, since the 100D, 101D and 170 models all came with 8-horsepower engines. Hetteen’s vision of the snow machine as a recreational machine ultimately proved correct. A few short years after the first Model 100s left the factory, the majority of snowmobiles built would be sport models, a trend that continues to this day. Perhaps more than any other, this sled symbolizes that vision. It is currently owned by Rich Pederson and is on display in his personal collection he calls the Zed Shed. ✪

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The leaping Polar Bear and Arctic Cat name may seem a strange combination, until you understand the transAlaska back-story.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

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Front Braking System You can find a lot of interesting things on the old inter-web. Late at night, after we’ve swapped a track or solved bigger global problems and are tipping back a few tall frosty lagers, we search the US patent pages for all things snowmobile related. If you are diligent and willing to sift through the legal jargon and long descriptions that the legal engineers are forced to write, in an attempt to cover their butts and fend off future copy-cat ideas or litigation, you’ll find a few of interest. Many of the ideas may never see the light of day, but if a company feels it has merit and are willing to spend a few dollars to take the idea a few steps beyond “prior-art”, you’ll find it. So, with our trusty Commodore 64 and 128K dial-up, we hope to dig up a few and share them with you here. This futuristic snowmobile was an idea from the kids in Valcourt, in search of improved braking. We all know a traditional snowmobile applies the brakes to the rear track. When doing so, a large percentage of the forward momentum and weight of the buggy is shifted forward to the front of the sled and skis, which obviously are designed to glide, not serve up friction and braking forces. To overcome this, Ski-Doo engineers dreamt up a system that incorporates front tracks as well, each with an independent braking system. Upon digging into the description further, we learned that the system could also employ independent motors for each front mounted track. The engines would be either electric or hydraulic in nature, which opens the door to not just improved traction for acceleration and braking, but also greatly

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improved cornering. With the ability to accelerate the outer track/ski and reduce the inside track, the sled could literally be “pulled” through the corners with razor precision. Throw in existing technology like traction control and anti-lock braking on all three rotating corners, and you have the makings for greatly improved braking, acceleration, and control.✪

ed v o pr rol! m I ont C

Razor Precision!

IBS

ack r T side n I ce u d e R

Independ Motors ant

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Anchor

Polaris Fusion 900

of the month

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Anchor of the Month Polaris Fusion 900 NAME: ________________________________________________________ COLOR:Indy _______________________________________________________ Red DIMENSIONS: 47”__________________________________________________ x 51” x 111” WEIGHT(DRY): _________________________________________________ Never Listed BIRTH DATE: _______________________ BIRTHPLACE: Roseau, _____________ 2002 – Debuted Model 2005 Minnesota AMBITIONS: ___________________________________________________ To regain the top perch in the snowmobile food chain, and ______________________________________________________________ recapture the glory of the Indy years. TURN-ONS:Good ____________________________________________________ vibrations, paint shakers, spin cycle on a washing machine, and strong

men that can hold on. ______________________________________________________________ TURN-OFFS: ___________________________________________________ Corners…any corner. Long wide open pulls. Any belt with more

than 100-miles on it. ______________________________________________________________ FAVORITE SONGS/MUSICIANS:_____________________________________ Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC

Confusion, The Shaker, Beast, Barn Wagon NICKNAMES: ___________________________________________________ DARK SECRETS: The 2005________________________________________________ Polaris Fusion 900 will undoubtedly go down in Polaris history as one of their worst sleds ever, ______________________________________________________________ coming in just shy of the 1964 Comet, which was the first attempt by Polaris to build a front engine machine. The Comet nearly deep-sixed the company, and while the same can’t be said for the Fusion, it most certainly sent the Polaris snowmo______________________________________________________________ bile division into a tailspin that took more than 5 years to recover from. The 900 Fusion was designed and built during an ______________________________________________________________ interesting time in the industry. Just two years prior, the landscape changed dramatically as the Yamaha RX1, Arctic Cat ______________________________________________________________ Firecat, and most importantly, the Ski-Doo REV chassis MXZ were all launched in model year 2003. While the Fusion plat______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ form was already in early development, and Polaris still sitting comfortably as the market share leader with their success______________________________________________________________ ful Edge design, the immediate impact of all three of those sleds forced Polaris to play catch-up while the Fusion was in the ______________________________________________________________ development process. The result was a snowmobile trying to be everything to everyone, and ultimately failing at nearly every ______________________________________________________________ measurement. Plagued with recalls, millions of dollars in warranty claims, and most notably, belt and vibration issues, the

______________________________________________________________ Fusion 900, and later the Fusion 700, were terminated nearly as quickly as they appeared. Rumors of several hundred, ______________________________________________________________ assembled 900 engines being scrapped prior to production for model year 2007 are often reported. Still, there was goodness ______________________________________________________________ that came from these dark times. The IQ chassis front suspension geometry is still very much employed today with the new AXYS platform, and more importantly, it forced the one- time market leader to completely evaluate its snowmobile division. It ______________________________________________________________ could be said that both the Pro-Ride and AXYS chassis models would have never been developed if not for the hard lessons ______________________________________________________________ learned from the Fusion years. ______________________________________________________________

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MUFF

of the month

We had been hearing the stories of a group of sledders in Ontario who have went from throttle jockeys to iron chefs, in a matter of a couple seasons. Seems they’ve become more than a little intrigued by the sweet smells and good eats of the Muffpot, a simple aluminum canister designed to heat-up or cook your favorite trailside dish, using the heat from your snowmobile exhaust. We tracked down these tin can connoisseurs and convinced head chefs Steve Hannah (Fluffy) and Darren Desautels (Desi) who will serve as the group scribe, to share their recipes and techniques with you.

MUFF HAPPENS F

irst off, we need to give credit where it’s due, when it comes to our newfound obsession with the Muffpot. The finger pointing starts with Steve “Fluffy” Hannah, who received a shiny “pot” from the big fat, jolly guy for Christmas a few seasons ago. Seems Fluffy had heard how one of these aluminum tins could cook-up all sorts of trailside foods, and his ongoing raves and rants on how cool of an idea it was, got the ball rolling and first meal cooking. As for myself (Desi), I brushed off the idea as just another crazy Fluffy idea. But it didn’t take long for everyone in our group to do an about face, as our nostrils twitched from the incredible smells wafting from under his hood, and soon after enjoyed our first Muffpot lunch. There wasn’t much snow around when we went on our first Muffpot ride in the Halliburton Forest. Fluffy had his shiny new stainless Christmas gift clamped to his exhaust pipe, and full of some chicken wings he had found hidden in the freezer

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that just had to be tried. We checked it out and asked the usual questions about how hot it needed to get and how long would it take. At the time he had no clue, but Fluffy told us they had to be precooked, as the Muffpot is only a heater, not an official, oven-like cooker. It didn’t take long for Fluff’s old Polaris Dragon to start smelling good…damn good! The first question of the day about how long it takes to reheat your lunch was apparent. Answer; when you can’t take the smell any longer, the food is ready. We popped open the tin top of that little, glistening devil and things haven’t been the same since. Hot food trailside became our new interest and the possibilities seemed almost endless. It didn’t take long for every sled in our group to be sporting a Muffpot, and we didn’t hit a restaurant for lunch for the remainder of the season. Better yet, the Muffpot seemed to put an extra hour or two onto our riding time, as we weren’t spending time inside an establishment during the heart of the day. We started to experiment with frozen reheated foods such as pizza; Egg McMuffins; perogies; apple cinnamon

muffins; and even some Kentucky Fried Chicken (it smelled amazing). Of course, Fluffy and I were more interested in trying some things in our pots that weren’t so cut and dried. I had a pot mounted to my Polaris Assault, but because of the lack of access to the Y pipe, I was forced to mount it on the exhaust can. Because of this, it didn’t produce the heat needed to cook, and I was relegated to warming oven duty. My pot would heat sautéed onions, buns, leftover pizza or muffins. The “glory” stuff was found in Fluffy’s sled, where he cooked the brunt of the meals. I was able to improve on the Polaris Muffpot mounting method by producing a galvanized heat shield and machining a custom aluminum heat sink that robs more heat from the end of the exhaust pipe (more on that in an upcoming issue). Currently our group has “pots” mounted on both Ski-Doo and Polaris sleds, with an Arctic Cat hopefully in the mix this winter. We also have a Yamaha, but due to the rear exit exhaust, he is forced to buzz around like a seagull at a landfill. Fortunately, he has practically zero conscience, and happily eats whatever is held out to him with no complaints. We’re looking forward to sharing a few of our favorite trailside creations with you, and you can bet we’ve been on the business end of few ales while talking about what’s coming this winter. Along the way, we will share lessons learned, tips, and how-to’s to help you with your first or next Muffpot meal - one you will be proud to share. Don’t have a “pot” yet? Now is the time to order one up, (First Place Parts is a great resource) and mount it to your oven steed. Who knows, maybe you’ll be your riding group’s trailside hero this season. In the October issue of On Snow Magazine, we will share one of our favorite recipes - steak and potatoes, along with a few tips and tricks to make it a success. ✪

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

Road Crossings You finally convince your buddies that you can be the lead dog on the next group ride. You’re ready to set the pace with your well prepped buggy and fresh carbides. You come to a road crossing, look both ways, give your scooter some throttle and she sticks on the edge of the pavement. Not only are you spinning your track into a hapless smoke bomb, your buddies just lost all faith in your lead dog skills. You suck. What happened? Road crossings can be challenging, even for an experienced rider; here’s why.

Pavement Edges Those square bar, competition carbides are the shiz-nat in the corners, but as soon as they hit the pavement, it’s like riding through wet concrete, only worse. Here’s how to avoid that unfortunate stich-tune. Eyeball the approach before you ride right up to the edge of the pavement. Is there a big lip? Leave yourself a little space and hit the road with a steady throttle. Is the face of it all polished from other people’s tracks? Get your track out on the edge of the crossing where there’s some soft snow for traction. Still get stuck on the lip? Rock your buggy back and forth and try to “walk” your skis up over the lip.

The Snow-Bank That mini-Everest snow-bank that’s all trenched out in the middle can freak out even the most experienced rider. Here’s what you do - either stop before it, where you can still see the road and hit it with a steady throttle, or get your skis up over the bank and the sled tilted down the other side so you don’t end up pointed straight up with your footboards beached on the snow. If you’re brave, hit the bank in a fresh spot. Get ‘er up on top and grab a handful of brake and let it tip over and point down the other side. Best to practice this one without a busy road in front of you, so you don’t sky off into the median.

Never Saw the Gorilla Years back, Cat’s Pride Magazine ran a story called “Never Saw the Gorilla.” It talked about a short film clip that showed kids tossing a ball back and forth. Researchers had people watch the film and count how many times the ball was tossed. While the kids were tossing the ball, someone in a gorilla suit ran through the scene. Turns out most people were so focused on counting the tosses they didn’t see the gorilla. So what? Well, most people are so focused on processing the snowmobile trail when they get to a road crossing that, even though they look for cars, they don’t “see” them. Always look twice and ask yourself, “Are there any cars coming?” 46

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all have memories from our first taste of snowmobiling. Most likely, these early snowmobiling “roots” helped to shape our love for the sport and we’ve been hooked ever since. On Snow reader Tom Rowland of Ogilivie, Minnesota, submitted this photo. Tom is an avid snowmobiler and currently owns and operates the family Arctic Cat dealership Thomas SnoSports. Tom also boasts of an extensive collection of unique Arctic Cat snowmobiles, many of which are oneof-a-kind engineering test mules and/or prototypes. This photo was taken at Lake of the Clouds, near Silver City, Michigan with Tom’s uncle Dale (left) and his friend Jeff. This was Tom’s first snowmobile trip to the Upper Peninsula, and according to Tom, his “head was certainly in the clouds with sheer joy”. Tom told us that he was riding his 1979 Jag 3000 F/A. 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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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1

THE NEXT GENERATION PANTERA… THE MOST BAD ASS LUXURY TOURER EVER? By: Pat Bourgeois

it the two-up touring market or the one-up luxury category, snowmobiles specifically designed for distance and comfort are not only often over-looked by enthusiasts, but relegated as second-class citizens by the manufacturers as well. Too

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 28 • ISSUE 5

bad, as is often the case, far too many riders tend to purchase a new snowmobile with their ego versus their ability and need, resulting in an over-the-top ditch monkey that looks good in the shop, yet misses the mark on the trails.

ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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PANTERROR: THE NEXT GENERATION PANTERA… THE MOST BAD ASS LUXURY TOURER EVER?

For these reasons and others, we were a bit surprised to see Arctic showcase an all-new snowmobile this past spring with both skis firmly planted in the luxury/touring category. The new Pantera 7000 and Pantera 7000 Limited represent the next extension of the ProCross chassis as well as the marriage of sorts between Arctic Cat and Yamaha, as both utilize the Yamaha Genesis 1049cc triple four-stroke. What’s more, both of these sleds cross the boundary of two-up touring and one-up luxury with

quick to convert rear seat and backrest. Arctic Cat’s focus on the luxury market however, shouldn’t come as a huge surprise to those who have followed the brand for the past four decades. Many will point fingers to the very first Pantera model introduced for model year 1975, as one of the first “luxury” models in the sport. A few years later in 1977, Cat further took foothold in the touring category by offering a factory two-up seat for the Pantera. From that point forward, the Arctic Cat Pantera delivered luxury

and comfort, be it for one person or two, in a wide variety of forms. Some were hits, like the luxury equipped models from the late 1980s, which were pampered high performance El Tigre sleds in fresh paint; others missed the mark like the over-the-top triple-triple Pantera 1000 Touring of the early 2000s. While the Pantera nameplate disappeared briefly, as the Twin Spar chassis dawned in 2007, many viewed (us included) its replacement, the TZ1 LXR, as one of the best luxury touring sleds ever built, period. In other words, the new Pantera 7000 has some big shoes to fill.

Three to Charm While we could spend a few paragraphs talking up the long list of luxury items, or hard parts that you are likely already well aware of, three features come into play here that make the Pantera a high-probability winner in the category.

The earliest versions of the Pantera (this is a 1976 model pictured) were offered in both 500 twin free-air and 440-fan-cooled versions. It was an immediate hit as the bolstered seat added additional comfort to go with the upgraded graphics. We’ve been told in model year 1977, Arctic Cat offered a factory two-up seat option for the Pantera.

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TORQUE There’s a lot of goodness to be found within the Genesis 1049 four-stroke. It’s rock solid reliable, requiring little to no maintenance, not now…not ever. It also produces admirable power, with a claimed top rating of a 135-horsepower,

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PANTERROR: THE NEXT GENERATION PANTERA… THE MOST BAD ASS LUXURY TOURER EVER?

right in the middle ground between the 600 and 800 class. The throttle pull is butter smooth as is the power delivery, but the one factor that ranks even higher, especially in a category where top speed is less important than acceleration and corner to corner grunt, is torque…and the 1049 has lots of it. This is good when carrying around extra pounds, be it a pack and/or luggage loaded with gear, additional fuel, or your significant other. The thick and broad powerband is perfectly suited for the Pantera.

RANGE Luxury touring guys and gals get their rocks and socks off on a different set of benchmarks than performance guys. One of those salivating measurements is logging big miles. Our resident wrench, Jason MacDonald, is one of those guys. Jason loves nothing more than to throw on a backpack, or load up the saddlebags of his favorite buggy and hit the trail to parts unknown for a full-day burn, maybe more. Its not uncommon for these mileage junkies to log more than 300-miles per day, and with the

One of the more “forgettable” Pantera models was the 1992 version based off the Prowler. 54

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Already equipped with a heated seat for the driver, the Pantera also features a passenger controlled bun warmer.

Both Pantera models come equipped with internal floating piston (IFP) gas shocks. Hopefully an option for premium FOX FLOATS is being readied for the future.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

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PANTERROR: THE NEXT GENERATION PANTERA… THE MOST BAD ASS LUXURY TOURER EVER?

combination of four-stroke fuel economy and oversize fuel capacity, (15-gallons with the Limited) the Pantera should easily reach more than 200-miles between fill-ups, probably more. VERSATILITY Those early two-up machines were just that, two-up machines. A one-piece king/queen seat and fixed rear-mount backrest were great when running twoup, but face it, you looked like a man driving a minivan when running the trails solo with the boys. While a one-up solotourer is nothing new to the industry, nor is the adaptability of converting from oneup form to two-up, the Pantera does so and looks damn good either way. The quick release seat, moveable or removable backrest, removable hard side-bags, and sleek rear trunk cover allows the Pantera to cover both bases with aplomb.

From one-up to two-up in a matter of minutes, and looking good either way.

A standard feature on the Limited and an optional accessory for the standard version, the hard sided saddlebags are lockable and tout a unique two-piece door system that makes it easy to quickly grab small items while on the trail.

This overhead shot shows how well thought-out the new Pantera is in terms of ergonomics and chassis balance. 56

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PANTERROR: THE NEXT GENERATION PANTERA… THE MOST BAD ASS LUXURY TOURER EVER?

Three to Query Of course, we couldn’t just heap on the praise for the new Pantera 7000. For all the goodness it looks to bring to the table, we still need to ask these questions (and spend a year on the snow with a 2015 model) to know for sure where it stands in the long line of Pantera models. COMFORT One of the main attributes that we absolutely fell in love with on the previous Arctic Cat touring sled, the TZ1 LXR, was simply how plush and stable it was. The Twin Spar chassis was big, and many of you know all too well how it came up short when pushed into high performance, big bump duty. But when equipped in touring trim like the TZ1, it was absolutely amazing. While we have plenty of experience aboard the new ProCross chassis, and love its much improved performance handling, can it also be as equally adept as a luxury touring and two-up machine PERFORMANCE SHOCKS Don’t get your undies in a bunch, this isn’t a knock against the handling traits of the ProCross and now ProTouring chassis and suspension. We like how the new buggy handles, especially how the Slide-Action rear suspension can literally swallow-up unknown trail debris, encountered at too fast speeds. No…rather we were hoping to find the Pantera Limited version to be sporting something a bit more adept than the standard IFP gas shocks. Yes, the stock suspension package is more than enough for most riders who will opt for this sled, but a pimped out Limited with FOX Floats with EVOL chambers would transform the Pantera to the proverbial “next level”. As the kids say, it would be epic.

A massive window blocks out nearly every bit of cold wind looking to penetrate you and your helmet. The Limited receives the digital gauge while the base model receives a more stripped down ATV style gauge package. 58

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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

While we only sampled the Pantera briefly, we found the prototype primary seat to be a bit “thin” when it came to padding over the auxiliary fuel tank. The “bumping” of the tank through the seat forced us to ride forward in rough trail conditions.

The auxiliary fuel tank found on the Limited holds just under 5-gallons and can be found just underneath the rear compartment cover. Cat tells us this tank will feed the engine first, before starting to draw fuel from the primary tank, helping to keep the chassis more balanced and manageable on the trails. One hiccup we see is the possibility of spilling fuel into the rear compartment during fill-ups.

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1 ✪

PANTERROR: THE NEXT GENERATION PANTERA… THE MOST BAD ASS LUXURY TOURER EVER?

POWER Perhaps the biggest question that remains to be answered this winter comes full circle back the Genesis 1049 engine. After we just got done raving about the 135horsepower mill earlier in this article, the question will remain…is it enough? After producing Pantera models with top of the heap power for decades, including the turbo powered TZ1, will Arctic faithful along with two-up

riders and performance hounds find that the Genesis delivers enough “ooommph” to satisfy. Remember, this isn’t just another short track buggy; but instead it’s loaded down with extras, along with a longer 146-inch rail and track. Add to this the frequency of carrying extra gear and more fuel, (5-additional gallons in the rear tank equipped Limited) and some riders may be longing for more under the hood.

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Race Ready

Arctic Cat ZR600RR The new for 2015 ZR 6000RR gets the nod for the best bump buggy in the Cat lineup for this winter. Sure there are bigger displacement sleds with the RR goods available, but after spending a season with the El Tigre 6000, the goodness of this motor trumps the more powerful 800-cube twin on several fronts. Now available in more models than you can shake a stick at, the 600-twin CTEC2 is bonafide winner on several fronts. First, it beat the emission odds by using smart thinking versus high-priced and complex technology. This means the motor is lighter and simpler, which usually speaks towards better performance and better reliability. Second, it’s a ripper, as in it loves to rev and get there in a hurry. Throttle response is right now, and about our only complaint from our run with a 6000 series last year is a lack of mid-range pull. Power is mid-pack as is fuel usage, but oil consumption is sippingly good; even better than Etec. Plus, after more than 2,400 miles on our loaner, we experience zero, nada run issues, and one used up belt. For a first year engine from Arctic Cat, that’s a huge accomplishment, and one they should be proud of. As for the bump control portion of the RR, look no further than the top shelf FOX FLOAT X EVOL shocks that are found up front of all RR models. The air shock has come a long way since Cat first debuted the air-spring technology nearly 10-years back, and the X EVOL is the best it can get. We sampled a pair of these high-zoot dampers last year on another fleet buggy, and frankly we were blown away. The high-end FOX units made our best bump sled in the fleet (a 2014 Ski-Doo MXZX) even better…way better. Granted, the X EVOL unit takes some time to dial in, and you need to truly understand how the EVOL chambers work along with the intricacies of rebound and compression adjustments. But once you do, the shocks turn trail chop into butter, and monster holes and loggerheads into near complete, effortless control. Those two factors alone - the 600 C-TEC2 and high-end FOX shocks gives the 6000RR the nod as being our pick for the best high performance terrain sled from Arctic Cat in 2015.

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By: Pat Bourgeois

ack it in…pitch it low…hammer down…and ride it out. Getting low and lean in the corners is still perhaps the fastest and most kick-ass way to slice up a trail and have a blast doing it. While most modern sled designs have walked away from the “drift” method of cornering, a few still remain. With more suspension travel, higher center-of-gravity, and stand-up ergonomics, the thrill of power-sliding through a turn with speed is nearly lost. ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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TOKYO DRIFT: BACK IT IN…PITCH IT LOW…HAMMER DOWN…AND RIDE IT OUT.

800 INDY

Throw a leg over an “old-school” buggy and you’ll remember what we’re talking about. Practically any sled built during the 1990s was designed to corner first, especially with the throttle on and the track churning a shower of snow through the apex. This past winter we were reminded of just how damn fun, drifting the corners can be; surprisingly, with a pair of 2015 models. Not only is there some visceral energy at play here that makes you giggle upon exit, it remains one of the fastest ways to hone a freshly groomed trail. Both the 2015 Yamaha Apex and Polaris 800 Indy displayed the “right” combination of raw power, front end bite, low ergos, and rear-end drift to bring us back to the glory days of “backing-it-in” to the corners. There are a number of items at play here to make both of these sleds our picks to drift, and both get there with a slightly different combination.

is more forward and more upright than an Indy of old, it still displays more of a ‘laid back in the seat’ demeanor than most modern sleds. This attribute, along with how easy it is to throw a knee out and get low and lean in the corners, allows the Indy to display impressive drifting traits. Couple this to a meaty 800 motor that propels a sled that is spinning rubber on a platform that is less complex and lighter than the Pro-Ride or Axys designs, and the Indy easily rises to the top of the Polaris food chain when it comes to cornering prowess. But despite both of these attributes, the true moneymaker in the drifting formula is the “shallow” 15” x 121” x 1” HackSaw track. Back in the day, a 1” rubber would have dang near qualified for deep snow duty, but in today’s world of ultra aggressive tracks, the one-inch Shockwave easily

breaks grip in the corners, allowing you to sashay the Indy through the corner with ease. We suspect we will see the 2016 Indy with more power under-hood, as the new 800 Liberty motor migrates to the RMK and other models in 2016. We might even see the new front bulkhead from the Axys in play here too, but that will likely happen in 2017. No matter the engine or bulkhead, we’d love to see the Indy 800 offered with the even shallower .91” Shockwave track, which has even less side-bite, and a lower seat height with side-bolsters (remember those?). Throw in full hooked bars and accompanying curved brake lever, and you can play out turn four Eagle River Derby exits on every left hand sweeper you encounter. Boom…instant smile.

800 Indy: Old School Cool When the Indy returned to the Polaris line-up, especially in 800 power, hundreds of sledders rediscovered the thrill of the drift, and frankly, just how much fun that a sled set-up for cornering first can be. The 800 Indy gets the Tokyo Drift nod through a simple formula of too much power, old-school ergonomics, and shallow lug track. While the seating position on the Indy 64

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The one-inch HackSaw track seems shallow by today’s standards, but it still offers plenty of side-bit; perhaps too much for ideal drifting. Swap it out for the Shockwave, and we can have a party.

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TOKYO DRIFT: BACK IT IN…PITCH IT LOW…HAMMER DOWN…AND RIDE IT OUT.

APEX

Apex: Power to Churn Few will argue that the Yamaha Apex (and other Yamaha models) touts more traditional, sit-down ergonomics than any other maker. As the industry has moved forward with more and more rider-forward models with stand-up ergonomics and

longer travel suspensions to further “heighten” the ride, sleds like the Yamaha Apex have stayed tried and true to the old formula. For many enthusiasts, this is one of the primary reasons that sleds like the Apex have been cast to the wayside. While we won’t argue the virtues of rider upright, (frankly there is no better

way to tackle rough terrain and whoopedout Sunday afternoon trails) we’ve logged enough miles aboard sleds like the Apex, to know there still is a time and place for getting low. On a groomed trail with sweeping corners and high speed twisters, few sleds can touch the Apex in terms of getting from point A to point B in record time. In the case of the Apex, it all starts with the motor; that beast of a motor that sings a four-cylinder, four-stroke tune unlike any other. With performance goods including the EXUP variable tuned exhaust system and spot on fuelinjection, the 998cc quad engine is silky smooth, with in your face power that simply loves to be squeezed. There’s so much power on tap that it can easily overcome the aggressive 1.25” RipSaw II track found bottom-side. In fact, it’s this track that keeps the Apex from slipping and sliding with near reckless abandon and putting it a step ahead of the Indy in terms of true drifting prowess. Mated to all that power is four-stroke heft, and low-slung ski-suspension up front. It’s this combination that makes the Apex stick like Velcro upon entrance to the corners, allowing you to pitch the 128inch Camoplast track outward and power

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through the corner. Electric power steering gives you precise control, be it for into-thecorner set-up or exit counter steer. A way soft seat that keeps you low, slightly hooked bars for hang-off grip, and easy to modulate one-finger brakes, work in harmony to further assist in Tokyo Drift antics. We can only imagine how much better the drifting could be with a shallow-lug track…hmmm.

Put enough meat on the other side of the throttle, and you can drift damn near anything. Case in point; the in-line four, Genesis 998 is a potent ‘back it in’ weapon.

Other Drifters We can hear the “what about this sled” rants already, and we agree there are a few other candidates that come close to being a modern day drifter. Sleds such as the Ski-Doo MXZ 800 TNT, or the Arctic Cat ZR9000 in a variety of trim levels, while certainly can be muscled to drift, are still on the fringe of true drift

status, due to their more upright ergonomics, taller suspension and center-of-gravity. But the lack of modern day drifters doesn’t mean you can’t have one in your stable. With the prices of 1990 and early 2000 models at bargain basement prices, you can easily snatch one up, tune it up, and crank-it up on your favorite section of S curves.

Arctic Cat ZR9000

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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TOKYO DRIFT: BACK IT IN…PITCH IT LOW…HAMMER DOWN…AND RIDE IT OUT.

HOW TO GET LOW Get it Low

Easy tricks to help get you down and your sled backed-in.

Less is More

Quick to Couple

Swap out your track with a shallow lug version. Perhaps even more important is to find a track with less side-bite. Modern tracks like the popular RipSaw, feature a lot of side-bite which prohibits the track from pitching (sliding parallel with the lugs through the snow). This old Cat track is an ideal drifting candidate.

If you have a modern sled with a coupled rear suspension, (most are) you will want the suspension to couple as quickly as possible. While this will hurt traction under acceleration, it will aide in “breaking traction” through the corner, and pitching the rear. On the Ski-Doo rMotion, we dial it up to 4.

You want to keep the center-of-gravity of your buggy low, which means lowering your sled, especially if it’s a more modern trail runner. Quick and easy ways are as simple as softening the pre-load, although this will result in more body roll. More proper methods involve shortening the ride height of your front shocks by using internal spacers (a reputable performance shop that services shocks should be able to help you out).

Big Bite While you want very little traction outback; you want more upfront. Aggressive skis or oversized wearbars such as Stud Boy Shaper bars, firmly keep the front end planted. Don’t over do it however, as you will still need enough control to finesse the sled through the corner with counter-steer. 68

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

Stiff Sway

Lift the Arm

If you have an adjustable sway bar, or the option to swap out your stock sway bar for a stiffer version, do so. A stiffer sway bar will eliminate excessive body roll. Too much body roll will load the track and outside ski, prompting the sled to want to nose-up or “catch” through the turn.

real quick with a drill bit and few bolts. “Sucking up” the strap loads the skis and reduces the amount of track on the ground while accelerating. There is a fine line here however, and trial and error will be your best judge to find the sweet spot. Too much lift will result in excessive ski lift, and you need front-end bite and weighting to break the back-end free.

Off the Side

Get Bent

As the rider, you represent the largest chunk of movable mass on the snowmobile. With that in mind, adjust your sled’s ergonomics so you can get low and hang off the sled. Tip the bars down, swap out your seat for a lower version, or better yet, find an old seat and cut the seat bun down.

A big part of “hanging-off” ergonomics modifications are the handlebars. Look at an ice-oval or Soo-500 sled, and you’ll see over-reaching, hooked bars and accompanying bent brake lever. You gain valuable inches of body “hang” by modifying your bars, and when it comes to leaning off and drifting, more is more.

Another way to load the skis and reduce traction is by dramatically lifting the front arm through the front arm limited strap. While not all modern sleds feature an adjustable strap, you can make it one

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1 ✪

STAFF

REPORT

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 4 • ISSUE 1

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

CHEAP MOTIVATION

20 More Cheap Beers for the Shop

back, just like your uncle with three teeth, bad breath, and that ugly sweater, who only shows up for Thanksgiving dinner; the On Snow Magazine Cheap Motivation review of shop beer is here. After getting swamped with emails and positive comments from last year’s first Cheap Motivation beer review, readers literally forced our hand to do it again. Thanks…I think? This go around, we looked to focus on the cheapest brews we could find at our local establishment, on each side of the border. The Canadian team sampled eight brews, while the U.S. office choked back twelve different suds, all in the name of journalistic integrity. As always, the staff here at OSM never, ever condones drinking and riding a snowmobile - not ever. But we’ve never been one to turn down a cold one while in the shop wrenching, in preparation for that next big ride, or after the day’s ride is done. With that, here are this year’s cheap motivation beers in no particular order. Good luck, you might need it.

It's

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

ON ONSNOW SNOWMAGAZINE MAGAZINE ✪✪VOLUME VOLUME54• •ISSUE ISSUE11✪✪

STAFF

REPORT CHEAP MOTIVATION

Bohemian

Any beer that holds gold medals in brewing excellence must be investigated. The name was a bit scary. Don’t worry about what medals they’ve won, the print is too small and you can’t read it anyway. The medals might have been won for best use of gold and green colors in a label that you’ll never read. This brew we would classify as a forced sipping beer. The flavor is certainly at the forefront, and the use of no preservatives is a nice touch. However, this is not a beer that should be consumed in mass quantities. They claim this brew has been in existence for 75 years; what we don’t know was if they were referring to these very bottles. Rumor has it that when Freddie Mercury came up with the lyrics for Bohemian Rhapsody, he was drinking this lager, along with his man friends and rainbow flags at a remote location called Kevlar Lake. Available only in two-four formats, so if you are considering this, you are committed.

Red Cap

PC Cerveza

For our American readers, if you didn’t know, PC stands for President’s Choice. Yes, a large grocery chain in Canada called Loblaw’s inspired this beer. You know a beer is cheap when they cannot afford a main, front label. The only information you find on the bottle is on the small, neck label. On first opening this beer, the strong scent of skunk is certainly prevalent. It is “Mexican Inspired” as the label suggests, so we can only assume that these beers were brewed south of the border, using water from the Rio Grande River, and shipped in a warm truck back to Canada. The label also reads, “Brewed in small batches and is perfect with a wedge of lime.” We are going to strongly agree with the lime wedge. Here is a hint: If you want a Mexican beer, buy a Mexican beer. Don’t cheap out on a “Mexican inspired” beer; you will regret your decision. However, if you blew the budget on expensive meat for your tacos, the price is certainly going to be a selling feature. Mexican Inspired also makes us think that this beer will have the same affect as gorging yourself at a discount, all-youcan-eat Mexican buffet…if you know what we mean. A nice recommended pairing would be Uncle Ben’s Mexican Rice or premade tocquitos mix from Costco. Another hint would be to purchase this beer on your way to your buddy’s cabin, who you know will be stocking Corona, and drink all his beer and leave these behind. If called out on this move, simply reply, “What?! I thought this was the same thing!”

First off, we are disappointed that this beer moved away from the stubby bottle format. As some of you may remember, those stubby bottles of Red Cap made your hands look huge – almost like a giant. Red Cap claims it has been around since 1950. Think about that, this beer was being brewed when Joseph-Armand Bombardier was just starting to ramp up mass production on a new, innovative product called the Ski-Doo, and June Cleaver was the original MILF. Although considered a discounted beer in Canada, this beer can certainly be passed off as premium ale. It starts with a crisp taste, and finishes up with little hint of iron and metal. This beer lends itself to more of a fishing/bonfire beer than a shop beer. The overall appearance and label is quite appealing, but we do have to return to the original comment that this beer was way better a few years ago, when it came in a stubby bottle.

Carling Light Red Baron Lime Lager

This is definitely an all-nighter beer, or as we in the shop refer to it as; a breakfast beer. This fine brew is perfect when you are wrenching well into the night, and dawn starts to creep in through the windows. A switch to a lime beer is a welcome change to your pallet. This lime beer is found in the discount section, so the low price allows you to dole it out to all your all friends and not feel bad about it. One concern we did have was the level of acidity in this beer. The aftertaste reminds us of the feeling you get after licking a 9-volt battery. We assume there is not a single percent of real lime in this beer, so the chemical needed to create the lime flavor may wreak havoc on the system after a few too many. Overall impression is this is a “good beer”. We feel this beer would pair well with eggs and back bacon. On a side note: We were told this beer was only available in 24’s, but when two 12’s rolled out at the cashier we were confused, but did not say anything. Who are we to argue with the Beer Store?

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 4 • ISSUE 1

A staple on the cheap beer market, upon first impression we noticed the can offered the “vented top”, an option usually reserved for your more expensive, mainstream beers. We had to admit that we were impressed. Carling claims this beer has been in existence since 1840. That would mean this brew came along only 28 years after the famous war of 1812 (FYI - We were able to do the math without a calculator). The beer is an easy drinking, light tasting brew. Coming in at 4% alcohol, this pale lager is an ideal shop brew, due to its easy drinking and smooth finish. You’re not going to be making any friends with beer connoisseurs, but that is not what this beer is all about. It is a step below Coors Light, but so is the price, so the score is even. It is suggested on the website that this beer pairs well with soft cheeses like cottage and/or cream cheese. If you’re planning on having said soft cheese in your shop while you work, may we suggest you keep that to yourself? (Only hard cheeses should be served in the shop). Overall impression: a “decent beer” that will find its way into

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

Lakeport Honey

When we opened our first can of Lakeport Honey, we took notice of the bouquet and were confused that we didn’t smell any honey. The can claims it is a premium beer; however, knowing we bought it from the discount section had us even more confused. However, once we started to drink the Lakeport Honey, all confusion and questions were answered. It’s a smooth, drinkable brew; the kind of beer we’d dub a BBQ beer. What is a BBQ beer you ask? A beer you drink while standing in front of your smoker, cooking two fine hams. The beer almost has a “topshelf” aura to it. We did some further investigation, and learned that Lakeport is only available in the province of Ontario (sorry to the rest of North America). The beer was founded in 1992, and holds the distinction as the first brewer to open their doors and sell beer on a Sunday. For those of our readers who live in Ontario Canada, you can remember those days and feel our pain, when the brew ran out on Saturday night.

Crystal

A bottle of Crystal claims it’s a “Cool, Clear Lager”, but upon first opening the bottle, we got the distinct smell of feet; so much for clear. Then came the taste test…nope, that didn’t get any better. To be honest, Crystal is the kind of beer that should not be consumed, unless it is the last beer in the fridge and you are extremely desperate. Crystal is the beer you keep in the fridge for when “thatguy” stops by. You know what we are talking about; the “buddy” is never welcomed, knows everything about everything, and has a “that ain’t nothing story” for every comment made. If you ever get served a Crystal in the OSM shop, it might be time to leave.

Steel Reserve

Anytime a can of beer, even malt liquor, which is what Steel Reserve is, has alcohol content numbers approaching 9%, step aside and let the guy living under the overpass, near the turnpike settle the score; this beer is for professional use only. Each can is marked with the bold numbers 211, which, after reading the backside between putrid gulps, is the medieval sign for steel. Each can of Steel Reserve uses nearly twice the ingredients of normal lagers and is brewed nearly twice as long as many quality beers, giving it a high gravity taste, which means you fall down quicker after drinking it. The result is a beer that sucks twice as bad. This is the kind of beer that you sip twice, excuse yourself to the bathroom, and pour the rest on the ground. Yup, it’s just like reliving those high school parties all over again.

Brava Light

When you find a clear bottle beer that claims “Premium Lager” and is found in the discount section, we can tell you right off, it’s only going to go one of two ways – love it, or hate it. This beer is what you would refer to as; “making love in a canoe” because it’s as close to water as you want to be. That being said, it’s “not a bad beer”; it’s light tasting and rather unassuming. Don’t get us wrong, this beer is not going to win any awards for bold taste and deep flavor, but again, remember that this is a beer that can be consumed without fear of your gag-reflex taking over. The standout package design of the bottle could result in a few raised eyebrows from your shop buddies, as they wonder if you suddenly fell into newfound cash they were unaware of. Fortunately, one taste will clear up any confusion.

Busch Light

We never thought we’d utter these words, be it well hydrated or not, but Busch Light is damn near a premium beer. Now granted, when you can pick up a flat of twelves at Sam’s Club stateside for under $15 bones, it certainly qualifies for cheap motivation, but after slogging back the best of the worst for an entire evening, the sharp crack of a Busch Light and the light, hoppy flavor was sweet music to our taste buds. I know, crazy right?! Hey, if it was good enough for your old man, it’s certainly good enough for you and your freeloading shop buddies. Now as with cheap beer, the old Busch has a dark side. If your ice box isn’t set to just above frozen, a can of BL quickly turns into a can of malt flavored acid, but with a name like Busch, the sexual innuendo one liners can last all night, and that alone is with worth the taste.

KEEP IT SAFE...NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE A SNOWMOBILE.

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

ON ONSNOW SNOWMAGAZINE MAGAZINE ✪✪VOLUME VOLUME54• •ISSUE ISSUE11✪✪

STAFF

REPORT CHEAP MOTIVATION

Red Stripe

Mickeys

You can’t help but say “yah mon” while drinking a little brown bottle of Red Stripe Lager. According to the inscription on the back of the bottle, “For over 80-years…Red Stripe has embodied the spirit, rhythm, and pulse of Jamaica and its people.” Well I’ll be damned, and here we thought it was the devil’s lettuce that did it. It’s funny how different beer tastes when you have options. Last winter, a few of us visited Jamaica for a week away with our sig-others. While on the island, the only beer we could procure at just about any street corner was Red Stripe. It was always cold, and with few options, tasted damn good. Back in North America, things were different. For one, it’s way more expensive and second, it ain’t that great. Still, we like to guzzle a few back in the shop, slam down the glass bottles and pretend its us versus the Jamaican bobsled team in a winner takes all, pinks race.

Often called the green grenade or the beer grenade, neither is too far off, as a few chugs of this malt liquor will have your gut exploding with a “what the hell did you just drink?” response. For starters, it’s a Malt Liquor, meaning it was brewed with the more is more mantra. With more alcohol in the bottle, it limits how many you can drink before the wrenches become useless, and the shop creeper looks like a good place to catch a few winks. The “Mick” does have a cult following in certain circles, and we’ve even seen a few kids sporting the Mickey’s beer tattoo. Yeah, we scratched our heads too. We did find the under the cap puzzles entertaining, but after four of the grenades, we had to go online to their under the cap cheat sheet to figure out what the Mickey code was trying to tell us.

All American Light

Maybe it’s the name…maybe is the stoic symbol of American freedom of a bald eagle on the can…or maybe it’s the golden can with red, white and blue accents that makes us proud to chug this lager. Naw…it’s probably the fact that we can buy a case of this light bodied, easy drinking lager for less than ten bucks American for a case. Yeah, you read that right kids…the price of just 42-cents a can for All American, and the fact that it really doesn’t taste that bad, makes us want to stand-up and salute. With post tasting comments like, “I’ll drink it” and “It’s good e-nuff”, the All American lager in light trim, quickly made it near the top of our cheap swill list. Even the kids in the Canadian OSM office professed that it’s good to be All American after eight cans of the now always on hand, back of the fridge, shop beer.

Boxer Lager

Some of you may recall that we reviewed Watermelon Boxer last season for our inaugural cheap motivation review. Yeah…it sucked. But we grew a new set over the winter and decided to give the Boxer brew a…ahem…’nother round. According to the Boxer website, the lager is made in small batches and is handcrafted using pure, 2-row barley, grown and malted in Biggar, Saskatchewan (wherever the hell that is); and uses premium hops from the Pacific Northwest, and deep well water, (read city water) and our proprietary yeast. Fancy marketing speak for a beer that clocked in at just 39-cents a can! What’s more, it tastes amazingly good (must be those Canadian yeasts). If you got value on the brain, are unemployed, or simply homeless, this is your beer.

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1

Icehouse

If you are old enough to remember when Icehouse first hit the shelves, it experienced a brief period of glory amongst your average, blue-collar beer drinker. Fortunately, those days passed quickly. The supposed “never watered down” taste of Icehouse is its claim to fame, and it gets that way by being brewed at below freezing temperatures - sounds like heaven don’t it. At first crack, you notice the absence of smell. At first taste, you realize it has no flavor either. But with a rather stout 5.5% alcohol content, if you are looking for a quick buzz, and want to get nothing done in the shop, crack open a couple of these ice chilled soldiers. By the way, just where the heck is Plank Road Brewery?

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

Leinenkugel’s Original

We had high hopes for this often-sampled beer that originated in the land of beer and paint thinner, also know as Wisconsin. In fact, many of us have tipped back several bottles of “Leinie’s” over the years, but always in a bottle. This time it was in a can, and something obviously went horribly wrong. The “Good as Gold” can of swill tasted more like it was “good as old”, as every one of our shop patrons worked to choke down a can. Maybe it was old, maybe it got skunky, or maybe it’s just not that good. Each sipped left us with the sensation that we were sucking on a penny, and wondering how we would ever get to the bottom of a 12-ounce can.

Mountain Crest

A sampling experienced on the state side of this year’s cheap motivation effort, we grabbed a case of Mountain Crest for the sheer reason that is was “imported” from Canada. Well, that and it was only $11.99 a case, and the eye catching cans would make a good photo. But it wasn’t until after we had the maple leaf adorned case in the car did we learn about the damngoodbeer.ca website, and the legendary Dr. Bubbles. Turns out that Mountain Crest put together one bang-up marketing campaign on the north side of the big border. Along with the good doctor, you can meet the Mountain Crest “Ladies” which are better to look at than Dr. Bubbles, and each has a story to tell on how they came to enjoy “Damn Good Beer” aka, Mountain Crest. So, is it a damn good beer? Negative ghost rider, after one sip, you’ll be calling it God damn beer.

Lost Lake

A local brew for the Minnesota OSM crew, it’s safe to say that something was clearly lost in the ingredients of this bitter concoction. If you’ve never had beer with layers, by all means wrap your paw around a slightly chilled can of Lost Lake. Without a straight face in the group, each sip of the pilsner took a subsequent turn for the worse. While we’ve tasted worse, we’ve only done so once, and such will be the case for Lost Lake, as the remainder of our case is resting gently at the bottom of a local pond. To be fair, each can clearly states “to serve chilled”…more like frozen. You’ve been warned.

Pennsylvania Style

Minhas Light

This was actually the third beer in this year’s Cheap Motivation taste-off that was brewed by the brewery of the same namesake. The Minhas brewery is located in Monroe, Wisconsin, as well as Calgary, Alberta, making it a truly international brew. Impressive right? Hold on pal. Given that this was the namesake beer of this “highly esteemed” brewery, we anticipated both Mountain Crest and Boxer would be put to shame after one swig of the namesake beer. We were wrong. If you are looking to stomp out your beer drinking habit, this is your beer. There’s a sweater on your teeth with every sip, and upon finishing a can, the only motivation you will find is to mark this swill off your list.

The name alone should have been a warning. Frankly, we don’t know what the hell they are doing over there in Pennsylvania, but brewing quality beer isn’t one of them. The price tag of just under $5.50 for a 12-pack should have been a warning, but the majestic burgundy cans with script writing made it feel like we were getting a bargain. At first crack of the can, the smell of an old river with dead minnows floating on top wafts across your nasal passages…mmmm this is gonna be good, right? Not taking any chances on what might lurk inside the can, we poured the Pennsylvania swill into a clear solo cup…surprise it was golden…like a golden shower. Drinking this beer gives you dirty thoughts, as in you need to shower and wash your mouth out with soap. If not for the final beer on our list, (Steel Reserve) Pennsylvania Style nearly won the best of the worst award.

Do you have a favorite shop beer you’d like to tell us about? Drop us a line and tell us about it at editor@osmmag.com Better yet, feel free to send us a few samples.

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TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1 ✪

TEAR DOWN

BENCH RACING, PIT GOSSIP AND PODIUM PARTIES BY GOODWOOD & BEERSTEIN

ven though sled season never ends around our northern chunk of heaven, Beerstein and I have it broken down into different seasons: Ridinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; season, wrenchinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; season and swap season. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really no dates on any of these seasons, since weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re kinda doinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; all of them at any given time. But we like to see summer and fall as kinda the official wrenchinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; then swappinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; season. Now, me and Beerstein, we got a guilty

pleasure around the shop here. Cheap beer (as in cheaper than Walmart and cloudly like mud) and candy cigarettes is one, and boy let me tell you, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll give you an upset stomach like the first time you grabbed a handful of your old manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Beech-Nut and snuck out to the woods to get yer chew on. Our other guilty pleasure is those crazy sleddinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; videos with the devil music and those kids who ride their buggies off the sides of

Mtn M tn Ta Tamer Mt amer Rear Suspension "! ! ! ! " ! !

mountains. We usually got one of those spoolinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the Zenith in the shop - 24/7. Now me and Beerstein, see, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re cheap, and there ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t no way weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re spendinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; good parts money on some mail order video. Not when you can get â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em all at the swaps if you got a sharp eye. See, most of these flat bill-wearinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kids could give a ratâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ass about last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s video and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll let â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em go for the price of one of those giant cans of crazy soda theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re

613-489-5297 jawsperformance.com

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE â&#x153;Ş VOLUME 5 â&#x20AC;˘ ISSUE 1

Pipes Silencers

Arctic Cat Polaris Ski-Doo Yamaha

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drinking all the time. In fact, just the other day Beerstein got this video from some young swappers and they were talkin’ about one of those hopped up buggies these kids were ridin’. I tell you what, Beerstein’s eyes started to glaze over, and he only had about three cold ones, so I knew somethin’ was up. Next day I swung into the shop and she was shut tight, like a zipper. Now, usually Beerstein’s got the doors open, and his ol’ cur of a hound comes out barkin’ at anyone who pulls onto his property. I sat there for second in my truck and listened. Quiet. I jumped out and walked up to the shop door and tried the knob. Locked. Huh. “Beerstein,” I said, and banged on the door. Nothin’. Now that ain’t like Beerstein to have everything shut down like that, so I was a little worried. I went over to the side of the shop and looked through the window. If you’ve ever been to Beerstein’s shop, you know the window is only a suggestion, and that thing has about a decade of dust on it. I could barely make him out, movin’ around in there, so I knew he was in there. I tapped on the glass. “Beerstein!” I said. His form stopped, and then he went back to workin’ on whatever he was workin’ on. I knew he could hear me, but for some reason he wasn’t openin’ the door. Years back, Beerstein pulled a stunt like this, and when he finally opened his shop, he had built the most over-the-top, firebreathing, asphalt drag sled that anyone ever saw. Two engines with a shared crank, nitrous, dual turbos. It even had one of those parachute doohickeys hanging off the back. It sounder nastier than a cup of ball bearings rattling around inside the crankcase of one of those big

old Cat thunderchicken buggies. Old Beerstein rode that thing once, before he stashed it away inside his old chicken coop out back. You know those Craigslist ads where the kids call their sled “scary fast?” Well this one was. Beerstein did right by lockin’ that thing away. Knowing he was doing more than swilling tall soldiers, I stopped by every day for week straight. One day, I even brought some cold ones and a box of donuts. You think Beerstein would open that shop door? Heck no. Pretty sure he was sleepin’ in there. Pretty sure he was buildin’ something too, but I couldn’t see what the heck it was through his dang window. I pretty much gave up comin’ over and started hangin’ out at our buddy Chopper’s shop. Then one day my phone rang and it was Beerstein. “Goodwood!” he said, kinda excited. I was a bit surprised to hear his voice and a bit peeved too. “What the heck have you been…“but he cut me off before I could finish. “Jump in your short bus and get yer butt over here now,” he said. The short bus is what we called our sled haulin’ rig, an old four-door Ford dually we hopped up a few years back. That truck would haul five vintage buggies in the back no problem, plus about 8 cases of All American Lager, the cheapest damn beer you can buy around these parts. As Beerstein puts it, they ain’t pounders, but there’s a lot of them. I guess it’s kinda hard to argue with him about that. I got to Beerstein’s shop and there it was, sitting in the driveway. The wickedest freeridin’ mountain sled you’d ever seen. This thing had custom suspension, a paddle track, no snow flap,

a seat off a dirt bike or somethin’ and motocross handlebars with what had to be at least a foot-tall riser. When we go to swaps, Beerstein is always rubbin’ up against those crazy soda girls and I tell you what, he’s got more stickers than anyone would ever need, and he used a ton of ‘em to get this buggy all fancied up. Then he pulled the rope and fired ‘er up, and boy was she loud. “Thunder Clap exhaust!” he yelled. Beerstein talked big all the way up till ridin’ season. Then, the first snow came and it was time to see what that machine would do. I tell you what, he pulled the limiter straps out so that thing was wheelie-ing everywhere; suspension was as stiff as a board, and Beerstein kept hitting his face on the handlebars cause they were so high. More than once we pulled him out of the rhubarb on that thing, since it turned about as a good as a fully loaded grain truck on a dirt road. Now, I told Beerstein to lock that thing in the shed with his asphalt sled, seein’ as it was virtually unrideable. He couldn’t hear me though because of that Thunder Clap exhaust. Nope, instead he put it on Craigslist and sure enough, some flat billwearin’ kid came and paid top dollar for that buggy. That kid was happier than a dog in a beef jerky factory. As Beerstein puts it, “Beauty is buried in the middle of a case of cheap beer.” Kinda hard to argue with him on that one too. ✪ Editor’s Note: Our pals Goodwood and Beerstein are ready for another season of racing and wrenching and they want to hear from you. Send us your questions and comments to be answered by our dynamic duo to: editor@osmmag.com

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1 ✪

SON A E S PRE

s ’ r e buyguide

The season is finally approaching and we’ve been anxiously waiting to fill you in on what’s new on the shelves for products and accessories. During the off-season we reached out to some of OSM’s favorite suppliers and simply asked the question, ”So, what’s new?” This was serious industry research, but truth be told, we really just wanted to get right into talking about sleds again.

DRAGON NFZS TRANSITIONS

What wizardry is this? All new from Dragon is a lens that transitions from dark to light based on lighting conditions. First thing we thought of was that it eliminates the need to carry the extra set of goggles for past dusk. OK, take that one step further and because this lens changes in seconds, it would even be useful for the little things; like when clouds roll over, or you are skipping in and out of the forest. The goggle itself is based on a frame that is flexible, medium to large fitting frame and features armored ventilation. Huge peripheral views and they have a nice plush foam face. Again the fact that these lens change color to meet lighting conditions is reason #1 to have a serious look at these bad boys.

12 VOLT PHONE CHARGER

OK as much of you don’t want to admit it, and we know you have been fighting the good fight for many years, cell phones and sleds are now going hand-in-hand. It use to be sledding was a “do-not-disturb,” activity where you could go and get away from it all. But if truth be known, we at OSM do pack our phones, and we bet you do too. So that being said, you know feeling of pure panic when you are in the middle of nowhere and get the dreaded red battery symbol. You know you’re minutes away from complete isolation and void of any maps, music, or cameras. Good News, PowerMadd has an inexpensive phone charging solution that installs easily on any sled with a 12volt battery and features an in-line 2-Amp fuse. The connector is Mirco USB, which will work on most phones on the market. iPhone users: This will charge your phone, however you will need an adapter that is not included. It also works really well with the PowerMadd Riser Bag – which we just happen to have the part number 73603 if you need… www.powermadd.com

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1

GMAX 64 HELMET

Coming from a huge lineup of helmets, the GMAX 64 is the newest addition to their modular category. Toting an all-new “PerimeterFrame Design” GMAX claims this was developed to provide maximum protection to the rider-forward position found on new sleds and allows for one constant sealing surface for the shield and jaw. Our resident module-wearing-rider, Blakoe, had the opportunity to put over 1000 miles with a preleased GMAX 64 last season, and can say without a doubt that; “This is one bad-ass helmet!” Some features that really impressed us were; the ease of how the 64 opened and closed with a gloved hand, the lack of snow dust, (this is because GMAX relocated the traditional side chin and forehead vents), and the quick-detach inner sun visor. The GMAX designers even tweaked the rotation of the flip-jaw to not only increase the user’s line-of-sight when in the raised position but to also lessen the user’s fatigue by maintaining an even distribution of weight across the helmet. So there you have it, if module is your helmet of choice, then know this, The GMAX 64 is Blakoe Approved. For complete information head over to: www.g-max.com

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

ELEVATION LITE VERTICAL SOFTSHELL BOA FOCUS BOOT HOODIE

One of the best additions to the FXR boot line up was the Elevation Lite Boot. designers over atupon FXRus, setSoftshell out with jackets one mission in way mindto– go. The With The the warmer weather are the create a slim, fixedfrom liner FXR boot is that offers support and Vertical Softshell wind andserious water resistant, andcrazy is constructed tightening capability. Being the magicians that are theyabounding are, the designers using a 4-way stretch material. The features with; waterproof were ableinside to shave 2 full pocket, sizes from the external dimensions were zipper, lycraoff phone adjustable shock-cord hem, and removable able to and eliminate unwanted bulk Put and all extra weight. Thenaside, the BOA Focus hood lycra cuff extension. those features this bad boy system, a dual coiler reel scheme. system, automatically comes utilizing in the Realtree™ colour Need we say draws more? in excess lace while a 4:1 gear ratio provides the tightening strength. OK so the boot www.fxrracing.com works, what is new this year? How about a really cool high visibility color option. Yup that just happened! www.fxrracing.com

VALDEZ PARKA

New for this season from Klim is the all-new Valdez Parka, and as always with Klim, the bar has been set pretty high. The Valdez was already part of the line-up, but KLIM gave it a full overhaul. They sent it through the redesign factory, and they managed to spit out a serious player in the high-end jacket market. The most notable feature on the Valdez is the use of industry-exclusive GOTE-TEX® technology, which actually has a guarantee to keep you dry. The ventilation got upgraded and KLIM added a 420D CORDURA overlays in very strategic areas that makes this jacket seriously tough and gives it the ability to stand-up agains whatever you are going to throw at it. Lastly a cool feature we noted was a 3D honeycomb silicone grip on the shoulders that keeps your backpack straps in place and reduces undue wear… Admit it, you just read that and muttered “huh, that is a good idea!” Check it out at www.klim.com

DAYCO BELT APP

As you read this you must be wondering why is OSM featuring a phone app in a snowmobile buyer’s guide. Well because it is new, and if you have not tried it, you’re missing out. Trust us when we say this; we use this app all the time. It is, one of those apps that your wife will find on your phone and ask, “Really?” But picture this: You are both out and you quickly needed to stop and pick up a new belt. You have no idea what the model number is, and her foot starts tapping. What do you do? Simply navigate the easy to use Dayco app to find your sleds make, model, and year, and Wamo! Like magic your phone spits out exactly what Dayco belt you need. After that, we suggest you hand the phone to your wife and pronounce yourself as the Boss. www.daycoproducts.com

ALPHA HELMET

And in this corner…coming in under 1000g…The Alpha Helmet from Motorfist… (Sorry we just had to that) This helmet features Composite Fusion™ Three Technology, which is a really technical way of saying this lid is really light. Motorfist totes a 30% smaller and lighter profile to any other helmet, and has also added some pretty cool features like; a removable washable liner, a breakaway visor and integrated camera and light mounts, (yah that is cool). Also included with the Alpha is extra visor mounting hardware with a GoPro® mount, a breath box and a premium storage bag. You have to admit that is a ton of stuff for such a small light helmet! www.motorfist.com

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

ON SNOW MAGAZINE

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VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1 ✪

ON EAS S E PR

’s r e y buguide

FLY KINETIC PRO SPEED COLD WEATHER

New from FLY this season is the Kinetic Pro Speed designed specifically for cold weather. Hense the name…yah we get it. The Poly Alloy shell is a combination of high strength poly materials that have created a durable lightweight shell that is both DOT and ECE approved. The quick snap removable liner and cheek pads are a nice touch for those days when you worked up a sweat bashing trails, but the breath deflector and vent block-offs are also available to keep the cold air at bay. Being from FLY you know the attention to detail is there, and as always, the colors and styles available in this lineup score pretty big LCVP (Look Cool Value Points) For complete information head over to: www.flyracing.com

PIVOT RISERS

OK, the risers may not be new however what IS new is; The Riser Reference Chart and explanation video found over at the PowerMadd website. The Narrow Pivot riser blocks are designed to be replacements for risers found on Cats, Polaris, and Yamaha sleds. If your sled has a 3.125” wide riser and a “T” post steering system then you can easily raise your bars with these. If you have no idea what that last sentence meant or even if your sled has a “T” Post – then you need to check out the Riser Reference Chart. The guys at PowerMadd have taken the time to create a spreadsheet lists a crazy amount sleds sorted by model and year. All you need to do is find your sled and follow the chart across to determine exactly what bar type you have and what riser type you need. The chart even tells you if you need a brake line and throttle line extension. Lets be honest, this chart instantly makes you an expert on how to raise sled handlebars… All from the comfort of your desk chair. www.powermadd.com

BLADE CARBON HELMET

Gentleman the wait is over. FXR has released a 100% Carbon Fiber Shell in the Blade Helmet lineup. Most of you will stop reading now, and start searching for an internet connection to try and buy one, but for those of you who stayed with us, the features include; a Hi-Flow visor born from the race track that reduces lift and protects from roost, 10 intake vents and 4 exhaust ports, super-strong billet aluminum visor screws (yes strong but the cool factor is way high as well) and a front chin bar that easily integrates a Breath Box or Anti-Fog mask system. For those of you who stayed the course and kept reading – We thank you. www.fxrracing.com

TACTIC AIR JACKET

What makes this jacket stand out is the 4 way stretch shell that offers up some pretty amazing movement capabilities. Whether you are a trail basher or a deep power guy when you put this bad boy on it makes you feel like you just put on that old college hoodie your wife keeps trying to throw out. You know the feeling we are talking about...it is called freedom…Ok back to the jacket. The features include; a whole bunch of technology that you are probably going to forget, but what you need to know is this; there are tons of vents to keep you dry, the pockets are fleeced lined and the cuffs have those really cool Lycra extensions. Really all you need to remember is; Freedom. www.fxrracing.com 80

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

FLOAT BOWL PAT BOURGEOIS

THE LOST FRONTIER rom the flat piece of paper sprawled across my desk, and the absence of topographical lines from all points north of Ward Hunt Island, located on the far northern reaches of Ellesmere Island, the journey looks simple enough. The non-descript chunk of barren and snow covered land is one of the most northerly locations in the world, and it has served as the final departure point for many explorers. Ward Hunt Island is home to a gravel airstrip and small shack, to shelter those who dare set foot here from the harsh winds and sub-zero temperatures that only the Arctic Ocean can deliver. Just 500-miles to the north, you’ll find the ultimate northern destination on our planet…the North Pole. By today’s modern transportation standards, 500-miles is nothing. Even by snowmobile, 500-miles can be knocked out in one long, full day, and is most certainly an average weekend journey for many enthusiasts. But what appears to be little more than a flat and deeply frozen body of water on the map is anything but. Staggering chunks of ice, several feet thick, if not more, erupt from the icepack creating mountains of jagged and virtually impenetrable icy obstructions. Elsewhere, leads, which are open expanses of water that flow with the shifting winds and the always moving ice sheets, represent even greater challenges, as the open water is so frigid, one would likely perish from exposure in a matter of minutes…probably less. To make such a 500-mile journey, even with today’s sophisticated global positioning navigation, technologically advanced cold weather gear and camping equipment, aboard our incredibly reliable modern snowmobiles, seems little more than a fool’s game. Yet for Ralph Plaisted, who along with his team consisting of Jean-Luc Bombardier; Walt Pederson; Jerry Pitzl; Art Aufderheide and Don Powellek, the idea of using the then still relatively new to the world. snowmobile to journey to the North Pole seemed more than plausible; in fact it drove Plaisted with a passion to explore

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ON SNOW MAGAZINE ✪ VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 1

and achieve what others deemed nearly impossible. What’s more, the North Pole was, and in some ways still remains, an undiscovered frontier. When Plaisted made his successful journey to the Pole in 1968, the only other explorers to have actually been to the North Pole had done so by airplane. What Plaisted and his team achieved was more than a journey to an inhospitable place; it was an exploration to a part of the world, across an ice-pack where no one had ever been before…a true last frontier. Such a journey leaves me wanting more. After re-reading First to the Pole, a recount of the journey by Ralph and his team, and reviewing other journeys such as the trans-continent journey by a group of gentleman in 1992, (see Take Five in this issue) along with a personal favorite, albeit failed journey, of Bill Cooper and his Minnesota to Moscow attempt, the trail rides and backcountry adventures I’ve experienced over the past 25-years seem to fall well short of these true adventures. I truly believe a little bit of explorer resides inside each of us, especially

snowmobilers, some more than others. From racing champions to long distance riders, to imaginative inventors, the spirit of snowmobiling has always been fueled by breaking boundaries, overcoming the odds, and in some cases, conquering the unknown. While I don’t believe I could ever embark on a journey such as Plaisted’s, I find myself envious of his courage and accomplishments. While there are few frontiers left on this planet, especially those to be explored on a snowmobile, I now find myself yearning to find more this winter. Maybe I’ll retrace a past exploration from the early days of the sport with a period correct sled. Maybe it will be a multi-state and provincial ride, passing through small towns and meandering down trails I’ve yet to see, or it could be as simple as opening the eyes of a new “explorer” as I take my family to a snowmobile destination that is as new and strange to them, as the Arctic sheet ice was to Plaisted. No matter what the final journey or destination is this winter, I’m determined to create a snowmobile adventure to satisfy my inner explorer, and find my personal frontier…but certainly not my last. ✪

TORONTO SNOWMOBILE, ATV & POWERSPORTS SHOW • OCT 24-26, 2014 • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • www.torontosnowmobileatvshow.com

LEVI LAVALLEE DISTANCE WORLD RECORD HOLDER FOR SNOWMOBILE JUMPING

CONVENTION, EXPECTATIONS, GRAVITY, WE DEFIED IT ALL. Winning the skeptics over was nice. But winning the 700 Improved class championship at Jackson Hole? That’s what really mattered. As the ﬁrst ever 4-stroke sled to win a hill climb, our newest Yamaha SRViper M-TX piloted by Gavin Balls not only made it to the top – it made history. Congratulations on Yamaha’s ﬁrst hill climb victory, Gavin. To see what breakthroughs we accomplish next, follow Yamaha Snowmobiles USA on Facebook.