Snowmobile Recommendations

[diablo943]

I am casually in the market for a used snowmobile as an access and exploration tool for snowkiting. I am hoping that I will be able to pick up a sled after the holidays from someone who got a new one from Santa.

What are the 4-cylinder sleds like?

Anything I should avoid like the plague?

Thanks in advance and happy holidays!
Dave

[pbbb3]

What happens if you're out in the middle of nowhere tooling around looking for a new spot and the sled shits out on you and theres no wind & you're far from help. Even if someone could pick you up how do you get one of those things back to your house or a nearby road? Sounds good but only with someone else who will have a sled with you.

[klimber]

pbbb3, chill out.....

I think the whole reason he started the thread was to find out what ones where good so he doesn't have to worry about such things.

[Dave_5280]

Between GPS, radios and cell phones it should be easy to take care of - oh and there is the SPOT device -

http://www.findmespot.com/

[Windgumby]

I've been kiting for only 4 months and I have already learned that a good sled is vital for my wind/snow addiction. The park and kite locations here in NW Wyoming are limited. With a sled (and plenty of money for fuel) the kiting options open up tremendously! My good friend has three sleds that he graciously lets me use. I used to own a piece of crap in the early 90's for skiing/climbing that stranded me several times and was a complete waste of time and money.

You can get a good used sled for under $2500. I would avoid anything that has been tinkered with, sooped up or is more than 5 years old. Try to make sure all the parts are stock. Most snowmobilers like to ride the hottest, fastest machine they can possibly afford. I would recommend avoiding this mentality... A 600cc longtrac should have plenty of power for an access sled. More remote exploration days may require a faster, lighter sled depending on the steepness of the hills and the depth of pow. If there's a local dealer I would try to buy his brand for quicker turn around on inevitable maintenance and repairs. A sled is like any motor sport. The hidden costs (vehicle and trailer to pull, more fuel costs, maintenance, etc) can grow very quickly.

pbbb3 has brought up several backcountry safety concerns that should always be regarded weather you're skiing, kiting, climbing, sledding, hunting etc... thanks for the reminder.

[pbbb3]

Klimber,
Don't tell me to chill out, I simply posted some thoughts that I wished somebody threw out there when I was starting out. Whenever you buy used motors of any kind you essentially are buying someone else's problems. Four stroke motors (if you had any mechanical knowledge) are just a tad more complex than two strokes and are not the kind you can fix in a jiffy. Unless you have mechinical know how and a lot of time to look over a used machine you are likely setting yourself up for problems in the wilderness or a hefty service bill or both. I live in VT and they have a snowmobile network of trails and still most people will not ggo out on their own b/c they don't want to deal with a breakdown. The best bet for used sleds is checking out a snowmobile forum and find out from the slednecks whats good and not good.

[diablo943]

The most important gear for a backcountry adventure is a reliable, smart, experienced buddy. I never leave home without one. My buddy already owns a sled.

I know enough about snowmobiles to know that it isn't if they are going to breakdown it is when. I appreciate pbbb3's very valid concerns. That is why I don't see a sled as a solution, but rather another tool in the quiver to compliment my kiting gear, tele gear, avie gear, winter survival gear, and communication tools. My most important equipment is my backcountry experience and my brain.

However, I was really asking what other kiters have found to be reliable sleds so I can compare that with the '05+ Summit recommendation that my sledneck friend recommends.

I appreciate Windgumby's advice to stick with stock. That makes a lot of sense and seems to mesh well with my own observations. The more my friends mod their sleds, the more they break down.

One friend is recommending a pretty powerful rig because he claims that there will come a time when I go ride with his posse and I will fall in love with sledding. He hasn't kited, yet.

Thanks,
Dave

[geir]

We've been thinking the same thing for our outback trips here in Iceland.

We have good backup from people traveling all the time in the Icelandic backcountry. There's this popular thing here which is driving cars on glaciers (I'm not kidding). It's modified 4x4 trucks on 38 to 52 inch tires, there's thounds of them here in Iceland (population only 315.000). This link might give you an idea: http://www.arctictrucks.com - have a look, its awsome. This is a local 4x4 modifycation company which went with the british Top Gear TV show guys (snowkites appear on the show - race to the magnetic north pole).
Snowmobile trips are also popular.
What I've been thinking is either changing my car for big wheels (expensive) or keep using my unchanged Landcruiser 4x4 and a trailer/snowmobile (also expensive but a bit cheaper).

We have different elements to prepare for: Weather which can change to a whiteout in minutes, cravasses, escape plan etc.

On general notes this is what we do before leaving home:
1. Leave a travelplan (where - when back).
2. Some communication device which works on location (some of us even thinking of partnering up for an Iridium phone)
3. GPS and a map and always a low tech compass (GPS rely on batteries, some spares of course)
4. Knowledge of the area - possible cravasses and other hazards
5. Knowledge of survival techn. such as snowshelter building
6. All weather clothes (3 layers)

I'm probably forgetting something important, but apart from all that we have volenteering rescue squads which are available 24/7 all year long (equipped with monsters jeeps, snowmobiles... the lot) aswell as the national rescue service (helecopters etc.)

The funny thing is that with our kites and gear we are probably better prepared than many guys traveling on snowmobiles and 4x4 trucks. Many dont have any GPSs and no form of communication devices.

I'm maybe going off track here but this is our senario and I've been thinking exactly the same regarding snowmobiles. I've also been wondering if the 4-stroke once might be more reliable. I've had a 2 stroke jetski and with those engines it's not the case if they brake down, but when. With 4-stroke I'm thinking you might be getting the same reliability as enduro bikes or cars. More expensive though. I don't have first hand experience with them - just a thought.

One thing I've noticed watching enduro bike comp. on TV is that they have a harder time starting the 4-stroke engines after stalling them than the 2-stroke ones.

[diablo943]

My primary interest in 4 cylinder sleds is a hope that they are a little more environmentally sensitive. I am not sure that is the case and I have heard that there have been some developments in 2-stroke engines that make them a bunch cleaner.

Anyone know anything more about finding the lowest emission, cleanest sled?

Dave

[don pitcher]

If emissions is a consern, stick with an EFI four-stroke. Two strokes will never be able to compete with a four-stroke with regard to emissions.

From what others have posted, it sounds like you are looking for a stock four-stroke long track sled. I don't have a clue if there is a specific model to avoid.

Might want to check out a snowmobile forum. Here is a forum with many threads about "What is the best mountain sled".

http://www.snowmobileworld.com/forum/in ... owforum=53