Motor Mouths

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SLED REVIEW: 2017 Polaris Pro-RMK 174

Posted one year ago by Ross Halvorson

AmSnow’s Western Team got a little extra seat time on the 2017 Polaris 800 Pro-RMK 174 this spring. We thought we’d give our readers an early glimpse of what we’ve learned so far. Don’t forget to check out our video review below as well. First, we really like the low-end power. Just like the shorter AXYS trail sleds, the 174 really gets out of the hole quickly, which puts you on top of the snow fast. It lags a bit behind the other brands ever so slightly on the top...

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Stopping the EPA's Proposed Motorsports Ban

Posted one year ago by mboncher

If anyone missed this today, the folks at Speed Sport did a nice video on how the EPA consistently tries to regulate motorsports. Without the vigilance of many of our lawmakers on both sides of the issue, this government entity would continue to do more harm to industries such as snowmobiling. Our tiny industry is already under a microscope from the EPA, and motorsports has long been in the crosshairs of activists. The simple fact is that regulations that have been imposed on our manufacturers ...

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Ultimax Sponsors NHRA Snowmobile Drag Racing

Posted one year ago by Ross Halvorson

Ultimax belts was named the official sponsor of the 2016 NHRA Northeast Division Pro Stock Snowmobile series. The asphalt snowmobile drag racing series features sleds running 8-second quarter-mile times at speeds of more than 160 MPH in a "heads-up" drag race sanctioned within NHRA Division 1. Ultimax and Carlisle belts were added to the power transmission portfolio of Timken Company in September of 2015. Premium quality Ultimax belts by Timken are proudly made in the USA....

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Yamaha 2017 Sidewinder Update

Posted 2 years ago by mboncher

Yesterday, Yamaha put out some new info onto the great and wondrous world wide interweb regarding its new 3-cylinder 998cc FI turbo 4-stroke Sidewinder. You will remember that AmSnow recently had this sled on a dyno at Dynotech Research. It pulled 204.1 hp and stirred a lot of Yamaha folks blood ... and got the attention of competitors, too! Now there have been a few more technical updates released regarding gearing and the like from Yamaha's Canadian contingent, specifically from Product...

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Mid-Season Review: 2016 Arctic Cat ZR 9000 Limited

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

Arctic Cat’s 2016 ZR 9000 Limited is way faster than anything else stock. Trust us, it is. We didn’t come across another stock sled this season that could touch this one headed across a lake. Triple digits were commonplace on the speedo, and not one blown belt in over 1,000 miles! Lake drags are great, but what about trail manners? Well… that’s a matter of debate depending on the trails you’re riding. In big, wide-open sweepers, the ZR 9000 is an absolute blast! T...

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Mid-Season Review: 2016 Ski-Doo Renegade Backcountry

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

The Ski-Doo Renegade Backcountry stretched out this year from a 137-inch (2015) to a 146-inch track, creating a great backcountry offering. But what continues to surprise us the most is how comfortable this sled is at pace through the trails. Ski-Doo really tried to push this more towards the off-trail market this year by moving to the REV-XM chassis to go with off-trail amenities like the 16x146x1.6 track, tMotion rear suspension, mountain skis, bar riser, etc. By all means, this sled kills it...

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Mid-Season Review: 2016 Polaris 800 Switchback Pro-X

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

The 2016 Polaris 800 Switchback Pro-X is still a ditchbanger’s delight, albeit a slightly more consumer-friendly version when compared to its 2015 debut. However, consumers won’t notice a difference in engine performance, and that’s a good thing. The 800 H.O. from Polaris is still snappy and fun as ever. The shock calibration is where many will find a difference compared to last season. The Walker Evans shocks are setup just a little softer, and create a much more compliant ri...

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Ski-Doo Offers Customization Options for New Gen4 REV Platform

Posted 2 years ago by Ross Halvorson

Snowmobilers want the ability to customize their rides to their liking, and Ski-Doo is offering a new way to do just that. And it may be something you've never thought about before. The open foot well on Ski-Doo's 2017 Gen4 REV chassis is something that tends to get overlooked amid the glamour news of a new engine, roller primary clutch, etc. Personally, a foot well or toe-hold was never anything I gave much thought to, until it wasn't there. My initial reaction to Ski-Doo removing ...

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Mid-Season Review: 2016 Yamaha SR Viper L-TX LE Turbo

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

We were looking forward to having Yamaha’s Viper L-TX LE Turbo in our demo fleet from our very first pre-production rides last spring. This sled struck a chord with us as the perfect balance of big power and handling. It is smooth through corners, capable and fun through rough terrain, and has gobs of power just waiting to be squeezed on each throttle pull from the MPI turbo kit. If you can’t tell, we were smitten with this sled from the first date. Maybe we were a little too smitt...

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RACE RECAP: Kissing Bridge KB Moto Hill Drags

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

On Saturday, Feb. 27, snowmobiles invaded Kissing Bridge Ski Center in Glenwood, N.Y., for the second annual KB Moto hill drag event in association with Northeast Snowmobile Drag Racing (NSDR). KB Moto has events all year long, including hare scrambles and several other off-road events. This year, with the lack of snow and closed trails, the NSDR was hoping for a decent turnout. Gates opened at noon, and racing was set to start at 7:30. It started out a little slow, with only a couple of traile...

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AmSnow Exclusive: Iron Dog Prep School

Posted 2 years ago by Ross Halvorson

With the 2016 Iron Dog recently completed, we caught up with one veteran team to learn exactly what it takes to run this demanding race. Whether it’s bad luck, bad decisions or bad planning, there are any number of circumstances that cause many teams to withdraw from the race before finishing. Just crossing that finish line, let alone winning, is the accomplishment of a lifetime. Josh Millville of Chase Toys, Inc. (Unity, Maine) is a primary sponsor behind the #31 Ski-Doo team of Chad Dow...

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Mid-Season Review: 2016 Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

If you’re an avid AmSnow reader, then you know we’ve always got some variation of the X-RS in our demo fleet! This year it was the 2016 Ski-Doo MXZ X-RS, newly minted in a 129-inch skid, but with all the features we love! One of the big changes for 2016 was the aforementioned track length (15x129x1.25 Ice Ripper XT). Kudos to Ski-Doo for that move, as the 129-inch (and 137-inch) length has become a favorite among our test crew. Stutter bumps are bridged better, and hookup is also im...

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Mid-Season Review: 2016 Polaris 600 Switchback Pro-S

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

“You can have this sled back when you pry it from my cold dead hands.” That is basically what AmSnow's Associate Editor Ross Halvorson said during our first ride of the season on the Pro-S. When it comes down to it, trail riders want what we’ll call "the 3 Cs": comfort, control, and corner-to-corner acceleration. The 2016 Polaris Switchback 600 Pro-S affirmatively ticks all those boxes. What’s that you say? A crossover? Only in Polaris marketing materials ...

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Race Recap: Salisbury Ridgerunners Ice Drags

Posted 2 years ago by Ross Halvorson

This winter has not been very kind to the snowmobile racing world. The Salisbury Ridge Runners where hoping that Mother Nature would cooperate with them as they hosted their ice drags January 23 in Salisbury, N.Y. The track was kept clear of snow so the ground could freeze. With a little luck the weather got cold, the ground froze and 50,000 gallons of water created a fantastic frozen track, and the race was on! The club had planned on a P/S 1000 shootout for big money, but the poor winter kept...

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Q&A: Mike Schultz, Adaptive Snocross Racer & Prosthetic Engineer

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

It’s been almost eight years since Mike Schultz’s left leg was amputated following a life-changing snocross crash. He’s been keeping busy as ever, competing in paralympic snowboarding and adaptive snocross events, as well as engineering high-performance prosthetic equipment for himself and fellow adaptive athletes on behalf of his company, BioDapt. I took a few minutes to catch up with Mike in an AmSnow-exclusive Q&A session. Here’s what he had to say. Last mont...

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RECORDS FALL AT NSSR ICE DRAGS!

Posted 2 years ago by Ross Halvorson

Mother Nature finally let National Straightline Snowmobile Racing get its season under way and show off the goods this past weekend in Forest Lake, Minn. And what a good show it was, with three world records falling at the event! Sub-zero temps started the day off slow for nearly 100 Pro racers on the day’s first runs down 1,000 feet of shaved ice on the lake. Another 110 Radar Run racers took to the amateur track, making for constant action throughout the afternoon. The first world reco...

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SHE SHREDS: Getting Ready for Backcountry Cabin Adventure

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

I am about to take three girls (Jess Kline and Shelby Mahon from Ontario, Canada, and Stephanie Santeford from Washington State) on a backcountry cabin adventure. There is a lot of planning and organizing that goes into a trip like this – especially because I'm bringing people with me who have never done a cabin trip in British Columbia before. So here is how I prepare as a guide to bring these girls on the adventure of a lifetime: The unwritten rulesWe are very fortunate in the...

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SHE SHREDS: How to Pack for a Flight to Your Snowmobiling Destination

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

Before this year, I had only had minimal experience with flying and found myself nervous and stressed to the max over my flight. How on Earth does anyone ever travel by plane for a snowmobile trip? Now, as our Epic Adventure in British Columbia nears, it isn't the new terrain that's making me nervous. Rather, it's the thought of trying to fly there with ALL of my gear! Safety gear, winter gear, camera gear, clothing and laptop.? When flying out to your snowmobiling destination,...

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EZRyde Suspension Consumer Test

Posted 2 years ago by Ross Halvorson

You hear us media types rant and rave over the latest and greatest (or not so great) snowmobile innovations. Consumers are often bombarded with numbers and charts which may only confuse you rather than inform you. That's why it's refreshing when a company like EZRyde offers demo rides of their products to the average consumer. You can find locations to test their latest products in the trail market at several dealerships throughout the season. Log on to www.ezryde.com to find out ...

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SHE SHREDS: Preparing for a Backcountry Snowmobile Trip

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

In about a week, I will embark on an Epic Snowmobile Adventure that will take me to a secret backcountry location in the mountains outside Pemberton, British Columbia, along with Pro rider, instructor and guide Julie-Ann Chapman of She Shreds Adventures. Two riders from Ontario will be joining us; Jess Kline, a motorsports enthusiast and promoter, and Shelby Mahon, CSRA racer and photographer, will fly into Seattle, Wash., where I will pick them up on my way to Pemberton. As a sponsored backcou...

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Our Snowmobile Predictions for Model Year 2017

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

We've been spending the last few weeks learning what the "Big Four" have in store for snowmobilers in 2017, but a month ago, we were just guessing. Taken from the pages of our February 2016 issue, here are our predictions for the new model year: Arctic CatA three-quarter sled is on its way? Gosh, we hope so! It’s time the OEMs, not a Chinese knockoff came out with one! The 65-hp 4-stroke introduced in 2016 in the utility segment might work for the motor. We could easily se...

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Mid-Season Snocross Review

Posted 2 years ago by Ross Halvorson

Coming into the 2016 ISOC snocross series there was about as much excitement as there were questions in regards to the new qualifying procedure for the Pro Open class, which was unofficially nicknamed the “Anti-Tucker” rule from those in the industry as well as most diehard fans. Without beating a dead horse, basically the entire top ten qualifiers would be inverted for their pick on the start line for the main. So the number one qualifier through heat races received tenth pick. The...

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SHE SHREDS: The Epic Snowmobile Adventure Continues in British Columbia

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

After logging 2000 miles across three States in just 13 days earlier this year, Stephanie Santeford and Jessica Kline are at it again. The next leg of the adventure takes both women to the backcountry of Pemberton, British Columbia, in mid-February. There, they’ll team up with Julie-Ann Chapman for what is anticipated to be another epic snowmobile adventure. In 2011, Chapman founded She Shreds Mountain Adventures with the primary goal of supporting and teaching women riders how to ...

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OFSC Urges Riders to Be Cautious of Frozen Water

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

In the wake of a tragic weekend that claimed the lives of three snowmobilers on frozen waterways, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) are warning snowmobilers about unsafe ice and urging everyone, including anglers, to stay off lakes and rivers in the Canadian province. In one incident over the weekend, four snowmobilers went through the ice on a lake in the Haliburton region, and one of them drowned. In another incident, a snow...

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The Snowmobiling Trip of a Lifetime

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

Not long ago, AmSnow editor Mark Boncher received an email from reader. It read: Dear Mr. Boncher,My son Joe, like so many other readers of your magazine, has a true passion for snowmobiling, born at a very early age. At 2, he was riding his Kitty Cat in circles, tethered to a rope with a rubber band around the throttle ‘til he ran out of gas. By the time he was college age, snowmobiling was not just a hobby, but a career choice. Determined to find a career in Thief River Falls or ...

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Looking Ahead to Red Bull Snow Boundaries

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

Did you hear? Red Bull Snow Boundaries is coming to the ERX Motor Park near Minneapolis this Feb. 20, and it will crown the ultimate snowmobile champion in a race unlike any other! This race is going to be crazy! The 8-mile course is going to have all sorts of terrain including tight wooded trails, high-speed swamps, vertical climbs, frozen ponds and big-air snocross. There are two classes – Ditchbanger for amateur racers who are 18+ and an Open Racer class for professionals. Everyone wil...

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International Snowmobile Safety Week (Jan. 16-24, 2016)

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

Today marks the beginning of International Snowmobile Safety Week (Jan. 16-24), and it's as good a time as any to brush up on safe riding practices. Operating safely can prevent accidents and mishaps, which is great for riders but also good for the future of the sport. According to www.snowmobile.org, safe snowmobiling means you should: Never consume alcohol or drugs before or during snowmobiling. Become familiar with the snowmobile you ride. Operate at safe and reasonable speeds. S...

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One on One: Snocrosser Shane Sewell

Posted 2 years ago by Ross Halvorson

As the 2016 snocross season has been getting underway there are some familiar names from other forms of motorsport racing popping up on the results sheet this year catching some attention. Shane Sewell is a 27 years old native resident from Valparaiso, Ind., which is known for its motocross and harescramble motorcycle races at venues such as Ironman Raceway or the Indianapolis supercross, but not for its snowmobiling. Sewell is one of the faces to make the jump from two wheels to two skis. Shan...

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Winners of AmSnow's Ride More Sweepstakes Announced

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

For months, we've been collecting entries for our Ride More Sweepstakes, and now the time has come to announce the winners! Jonathan Smith of Beacon Falls, Conn., was randomly selected to receive the grand prize, a brand new sled from Arctic Cat. Smith is an avid snowmobiler and a lifelong brand loyalist of Arctic Cat. When given the choice between a ZR 8000 129 Limited and an M 8000 153 Limited, Jonathan chose the ZR, which will be better suited for New England trails. Jonathan...

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Covered Bridge Challenge Kicks Off this Weekend at Snodeo

Posted 2 years ago by Emily Hare

If you're heading to New York this weekend for Snodeo and the AmSnow / Dynotech Research Shootout, be sure to stop by the Old Forge Covered Bridge on Saturday around 3 p.m. At that time, there will be an official ribbon cutting ceremony for the Covered Bridge Challenge, an event that challenges snowmobilers to ride through 10 of the state's covered bridges along a 663.1-mile route. The ceremony will happen whether there's rain, sleet, snow or sun - so come prepared! Since we first a...

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