SNOWGOER CANADA

Pinestone Resort : Jan 27th @ 1p.m Haliburton

2012-01-27T17:32:00.000-05:00

The afternoon turned out to be a beautiful one, especially for the trails. Snow-covered, and with great visibility the second group ventured out and returned safely to the Pinestone Resort. Let's cross our fingers the freezing rain holds off until we leave...

Pinestone Resort : Jan 27th @ 9a.m. Haliburton

2012-01-27T17:18:00.000-05:00

Snow started falling for the second day of tour in Haliburton (those snow dances do work!) as we got our morning underway. About 5-inches of white gold now cover our beautiful trails... however, it didn't help many of our guests driving from out of town to our location. So a small group of five braved the storms (and frosty shields) and we couldn't have asked for a better experience -- some even got to see the deer that were on the trails!

Pinestone Resort : Jan 26th @ 1p.m Haliburton

2012-01-26T22:05:00.000-05:00

Group numero deux of the first day for the Go Snowmobiling tour, and I am proud to say that with all 14 riders that came out with us in the afternoon, 15 came back ! Just kidding. But it was a blast, and we are so happy with the way the first day went, we are getting lots of sleep tonight hoping for another great group tomorrow !

Pinestone Resort : Jan 26th @ 9a.m - Haliburton

2012-01-26T21:48:00.001-05:00

The first Go Snowmobiling - Give it a Try Tour of the season ! It was a perfect day in Haliburton - overcast, but not to chilly - for the first group of six brave souls to lay their lives in the hands of trained snowmobiling professionals. We had a blast and we can't wait to see what other exciting folk come out the rest of the week !

Trash to Trails: 86 MX and 88 MX hit the snow!

2012-01-23T07:32:00.007-05:00

We finally got the 86 Formula MX and 88 Formula MX out on the snow to try them out. We had them out on Rice Lake for their first run and everything went well. A little fine tuning left to do but they run and ride pretty well.

From this...

And this...

We created these! The 88 left, 86 right. What a difference from what we started with.

Jason on the 88.

Me on the 86.

The finished product. Two trailworthy sleds for a fraction of the cost of new. What you can't see is the big smiles under out helmets. It was very rewarding to finally get to ride these two beasts.

Riding Gravenhurst Ontario.

2012-01-22T08:20:00.003-05:00

Open trails are delayed in many areas of the snowbelts, but they are now open in the Gravenhurst area of Ontario. We joined up with club members who opened up land trails last week and were busy staking the lake trails this weekend.
Yep, it's riding time!
Black Schofield is one the young keen members that help open and maintain the trails.
A bunch of folks who work together to open the trails then ride them as well.
The Cat XF1100 long track in the background was a fun ride but we needed deeper snow to try out that deep lugged track. The Polaris Adventure in the foreground lived up to our SnowShoot evaluations and praise. It is a great package.

Have fun out there everyone!

Liquid Image Goggles Test

2012-01-16T09:43:00.000-05:00

Phil's Short review on the Yamaha Apex

2012-01-12T08:57:00.002-05:00

I rode one of our Apex's on a three day 900km ride. Yamaha sleds do not seem to have after market bags that hook up easily. I lucked out at the SnowGoer Canada office. I grabbed a few of our travel bags from storage then picked up some aftermarket clips as well. The mix and match set-up worked flawlessly for the 900 km tour and I never had to adjust it.
As a touring sled, I really liked the Apex. There is the Yamaha dependability that gives you confidence when heading out on a long ride. There is no oil to carry and no oil to buy during the trip. Yamaha sleds are also known for not eating belts on tour. I have ridden Apexs, Nytros and Ventures on tours and never opened the clutch covers. The only issue I did have with these sleds in the past was rider fatigue. That is now history.
EPS has made is possible for me to ride an Apex all day and have no shoulder fatigue. When the sun starts to set on a long day of riding, I find I am still very fresh and ready to keep riding thanks to this steering technology.
I did have one issue, and that was carbide wear. We got lost and had to a run roads for gas, and while my riding buddies still had good carbide, mine were ground down to a non functional level.
After 900 kms of great power, great fuel mileage, comfortable ride, reliability, and smoke free riding, would I take an Apex on tour again? You Bet!

Revelstoke riding day#2

2012-01-06T23:17:00.010-05:00

Everyone needs a pass and an avalanche beacon. In front of the BRP sled is a tester so you know that your beacon is on and working before you head out.

So...........where do we ride today?

I have my shutter speed set slow and then "BLAM" a Ski-Doo blasts up the ridge! Dang it.

Kael is having fun.
Look closely. I have a Go-Pro on my helmet and a pair of Liquid Image HD goggles recording at the same time for comparison testing. (The video is on you tube. Search for Revelstoke and Snowmobilertv then you'll find it)
KTM makes sleds? No that's a Prografx custom kit.
Gerry Dusessoy from BRP joined us and is having a snack break after a few flatlander dig-outs.
Alex from Glacier House Resort and Kael Edworthy from Prografx.ca are pondering how many more peaks they could climb if I weren't holding up the riding team. (Yes, I did come off the sled several times with a full 30+ pounds of camera bag on my back. Ooops.)
Our time at Glacier House Resort has been incredible! Great people, tons of snow, great riding!

Yes, he does look like Prince Harry

Food is served here, and this is where wild birds will eat from your open hand. Very cool!

One last look before we said goodbye to Glacier House Resort. Thank you for an amazing Revelstoke experience!!!!

Revelstoke riding day #1

2012-01-06T11:08:00.002-05:00

This is where we had lunch today.

Revelstoke

2012-01-05T11:52:00.003-05:00

Here is Revelstoke, the sleds are complete with wrap kits installed. Now we ride!

Kael from prografx.ca installing decals on the fleet.

Trash to Trails Update: 88 MX continued

2012-01-03T12:35:00.009-05:00

Jason was hard at work the last few weeks. After a lot of cosmetic work on the hood and a ton of work on the motor the 88 MX is finally back together and getting the final finishing touches.

Jason managed to strip the graphics and paint off hood so he could repair the previous repair work and sand it down. He put a lot of time into this work. The key here is he did it on his own, not paying anyone to do the work. Total cost invested into fixing the hood is uner $50. Closer to $30 I think.

Here is the fully rebuilt motor. Jason found an air leak at one of the crank seals when he started the motor earlier in November. One thing led to another we were faced with the fact that we needed to rebuild the motor. We worked with a local small engines shop, Archers Small Engines, and had the rotary valve timing set while it was there, we had no idea how to do it. We ended up installing new SPX pistons and rings, new top end gasket kit, and new crank seals, all from Gamma. This motor is ready for many more years and km's of fun.

Here's the rebuilt motor in the sled getting everything hooked back up.

Here's how the sled sits now. The hood turned out pretty good. Not too bad for an amature and $30! It turned out way better than I was expecting and is a huge improvement.

I still have a few things left to do on the 86 MX, such as wiring the new heated grips and adjusting the ski alignment but hopefully, the next post will have pictures of Jason and I out riding these sleds and having some fun.

Dropping of vintage sled today.

2011-12-31T17:03:00.004-05:00

Not much snow in my area today, so it was a good day to haul a Mercury Snotwister to a buddy's garage.

We have some snow, just not enough for riding.

A classic, 1975 Mercury SnoTwister, 340 free air. I'm gonna miss that sled, it's been on SnowmobilerTV a couple times and my son drove it on parade laps on the ice oval tracks.

Trash to Trails Update: The 88 MX

2011-12-09T11:50:00.010-05:00

A few weeks ago Jason started working on the 88 MX. At first we thought this one would go way smoother than the 86 MX, but we wrong, very wrong.

Here is the 88 MX as we bought it. Yes, that's a custom freestyle seat that fits 3. The red plexi-glass windshield actually required many hours of labour to form it and fit properly. We're leaving it on to keep the previous owner, Josh, happy that all his work wasn't for nothing.

You can see that all the paint is peeling from the hood. It had been repaired at one time and the paint just doesn't want to stick. Sand paper, kryolon spray paint, and time is required to fix this up.

This is basically how the sled sits now, except the track, suspension, and driveline is now installed. Note there is no motor. It's at the shop getting a new top end and crank seals. Did not see that one coming! Also, check out the seat. It's in perfect shape and Jason scored it from the Peterborough snowmobile show for $50. Good find.

This is what one of the rails looked like. We replaced it with a used rail and found the other one was so wore it needed to be replaced as well. Check the front arm on these suspensions, they break easily and most have been reinforced. Will add some pics when the motor goes back in and the hood is finished. Should look good.

Sledarama, Peterborough.

2011-11-20T19:37:00.004-05:00

Wow, what a great day at the sled show which had an outdoor vending area and an indoor sales area as well.
If you needed a vintage fan-cooled engine there were PLENTY to pick from.

Recognize the Anderson drag chassis or that 1972 18" TNT suspension?
Now there's some project sleds!

A couple classic Cats for sale. The hidden headlight really set off the early El Tigres!
There were newer IFS sleds in the swap area to choose from.
The Flying Dutchmen Racing trailer was set up with new race sleds and a vintage race sled. It was all parked in what was once turn #3 of the Kawartha Cup ice oval track.
Ah, the starting line area of the historic bleachers. Many racers looked up to this spot when they grabbed the checkered flag for a parade lap.
The old bleachers are still there. It is a very historic spot, were every major ice oval racer of the 70s and 80s raced.

Inside, it was very busy with dealers showing off the new sleds. It took a while to find a quiet moment where I could get a photo and be able to see the sleds.

Another inside shot, with the 2012 Polaris deals and the negotiating taking place.

New sleds are here and getting assembled.

2011-11-17T20:58:00.003-05:00

I saw this 2012 Ski-Doo 800 with rMotion suspension get uncrated today. Wow, I can hardly wait to ride it and.........hey.....wait.......that's not my sled!!.....ARGH!!!!!!!

Snow Goer and Snowmobiler TV Helping Out

2011-11-17T10:37:00.003-05:00

With Snowmobiler TV going into it's 15th year of production we have managed to gather quite a few suits, hats and boots over the years. Today we paid a visit to the David Busby Centre in downtown Barrie and donated to the centre some of our collection. The Centre is driven by a philosophy of empowerment. David Busby Street Centre is a community not-for-profit organization working from a non judgmental approach to advocate for and improve conditions for individuals and families within the County of Simcoe who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.We are proud that some of these recipients will benefit from our donations.

Catherine Johnson from The David Busby Centre with a gentleman wearing his new coat, Shelley from our office and Lorraine Wye.

Here we are unloading at the David Busby Centre

Update #4 - Trash to Trails...It Runs!

2011-11-16T23:11:00.003-05:00

Tonight we went at the sled with one goal in mind, we wanted to hear it run. After a couple of hours of work fitting the seat, adjusting the carbs, connecting the new throttle cable and plugging in the kill switch and small stuff like that, we were finally ready to fire up the beast.

We couldn't get the primer to pull any fuel to the carbs so we used some top secret spray to encourage the motor to fire up. It did! After further investigation we found the primer wasn't working at all, luckily we had an extra one kicking around and installed it. It worked and brought the fuel to the carbs. After a few squirts it fired up on its own.

To say we were happy to see the blue smoke is an understatement. We've put so many hours and dollars into this sled it was awesome to see it come to life, even if it wouldn't idle. As we listened to it run and kept it alive with the primer, we started to tear up, soon realizing it was the exhaust from all the crap burning off of the motor...

Now it's time for the finishing touches then a classic permit and the first ride.

Update #3 - From Trash to Trails

2011-11-12T07:09:00.013-05:00

We've made a lot of progress in the last month despite not having a lot of time to work on the sled, life always seems to interfere with snowmobiling. The 86 MX is pretty much back together and now resembles a snowmobile.

The carbs (can't believe Jason was able to clean them) are isntalled along with all new fuel lines and oil lines (blue lines in background). Jason found a used jackshaft bearing housing at a local salvage yard so we're ready to install the secondary clutch and put the belt on.

All new shocks were intalled in both the front and rear suspensions. Here's an SPX gas shock in the rear suspension. It looks like this is actually rechargable. Definitely an upgrade.

If you think replacing the shocks on a $250 snowmobile is not necessary, think again. Look at the condition of the shocks above. A couple rides on the old shocks and you'd be replacing them anyway. The rust on the shaft would ruin the seal after a couple bumps.

When I started to install the new carbide runners I noticed a bit of rust inside the ski. This is what came out! Another reason we use plastic skis now.

Here you can see the new front shocks and freshly painted exhaust installed. Starting to look good under there.

Here's the new camoplast track which was the most expensive part so far at just over $500. You can also see the new NTN bearings on the idler wheels.

As of November 11th, this is how the sled sits. Track, suspension, hood, new windshield, and gas tank now installed. The belly pan off the Mach 1 turned out pretty well too. The seat needs a small adjustment to fit back on and then it will be isntalled. Next step is to install the grips and controls, then we can fire it up!

Stay tuned for the final assembly and the moment of truth.

Bring on winter!

2011-11-07T21:08:00.002-05:00

With the cottage fully closed up for the season, it is time to really start getting ready for winter. (The cottage is not winterized and has no road or trail access.) I dropped by our grooming guy's place (Graham Snyder) and saw the piles of trail stakes ready to go into the ground. Yep, it's time!

Progress update #2

2011-10-15T18:30:00.008-04:00

Progress on the 86 MX was slow this last month as we were waiting for some parts and had a hard time tracking down certain parts as well. Last night I was able to finally start installing new parts instead of taking old, worn parts off.

My shop assistant gave me a hand removing all the idler wheels from the rear suspension and shafts. It didn't go easy at all but nothing does on a project like this. That's all part of the fun...isn't it?

New bearing and seal ready to be installed on the driveshaft. One of the parts I had a hard time finding was the lower chaincase seal. It's no longer available from BRP and the only place you'll find a new OEM part is on the shelf of your local ski-doo dealer, if you're lucky. I was lucky that my local dealer had 3 sitting on the shelf. I bought two of them, one for the 88 MX too. The other part that I had a hard time getting was the upper chaincase seal, it's also not available from BRP anymore. Again I was lucky and my local dealer had two on the shelf. Note: This same chaincase seal was used on many models up to 2003 including the PRS chassis and S-chassis. It is available from the aftermarket now, cheaper than OEM too. The lower chaincase seal is not the same as the 89 and up PRS chassis sleds, the driveshaft diameter changed in 89. I couldn't find this aftermarket but I'm sure it's available, somewhere.

When I installed the jackshaft bearing I noticed some play or movement between the bearing and the housing, that's not good. An incorrect bearing was installed on the shaft when I removed it, a flat outer race rather than a rounded outer race that is supposed to be installed. It also looked like a bearing had seized on the shaft and wore against the housing at some point. We'll take a look at the Mach 1 chassis and see if the housing is still installed and in good shape. We'll use that one if it's decent. Notice the jackshaft is pretty well centred in the opening? That's because I took the time to align and shim the chaincase, this removes unnessary loads on the drive bearings and prevents premature wear.

I was able to keep moving ahead and get the new track under the sled and get the driveshaft installed with new bearings. I also installed the lower gear (upper gear was already installed in order to align the chaincase and jackshaft) and chain. We're ready to put on the new gasket, cover and fill it with fluid.

This is basically how the sled sits now. As soon as the rear shocks arrive they can be put on the rear suspension and then it can be reinstalled, greased, with new bearings and new shocks.

We decided to leave the belly pan off until the driveline was installed. It was way easier to the install the chaincase, jackshaft, and driveshaft without the belly pan in the way. We'll install it this week.

One thing I'd like to point out about the older PRS chassis Ski-doo's is that from 1989 on, they used internal drive sprockets and 121" tracks. Also, parts such as chaincase seals are much easier to get for the 89 and newer PRS sleds. If you have an older Formula, I recommend tracking down some used parts and upgrading to an 89 or newer driveshaft and rear suspension along with a 121" track. All the parts, including the track are much easier to find aftermarket, new OEM, and used.

Check out the lastes issue of Snow Goer Canada for part 1 of the story.

Cost of getting into snowmobiling: Progress update

2011-09-25T20:50:00.008-04:00

A quick update to the progress of getting the 86 MX ready for the trails. Not much has been done in the last week or so as the sled is pretty much completely disassembled and waiting for new parts to arrive. On Friday I received the majority of parts needed. After reviewing the total of all the bills, my rough estimate is that we're going to have $2000.00 invested into the 86 MX, including the purchase price of the sled.

Here is the bulk of parts that we needed. New track, new front shocks, new plug caps and wires, new throttle cable, new sliders, new carbide runners, and new hood straps all ordered Gamma Sales as they have a great selection of parts for these types of projects. A new windshield, rear shocks, and a couple chaincase seals will be in the next shipment.

New Ultimax belts, one for the 86, one for the 88, and a spare. These belts are great value.

Here's all the bearings we need for the driveline and rear suspension. I've used NTN blue seal bearings for thousands of km's without any issues. It may seem like overkill to replace every bearing on the chassis and suspension but spending a few extra dollars and hours now saves a lot of down time in the winter when your old, dry bearings go to pieces or seize mid-ride. Bearings need to be replaced as preventative maintenance even on year old sleds.

From here on in it's all intallation of new parts...hopefully.

How much does it cost to get into snowmobiling?

2011-09-13T20:45:00.018-04:00

It's September and time to start thinking about sleds. Around this time many potential snowmobilers are thinking about buying a sled and hitting the trails but think the sport is too expensive. Well, you don't need a $15000.00+ new sled to have fun on the trails. So how much does it cost to buy a used sled and get it on the trails? We're going to find out and tell you exactly how much. Durring the summer myself and my snowmobiling buddy, Jason, found a good deal on a 1986 Ski-doo Formula MX and 1988 Ski-doo Formula MX along with an 89 Mach 1 for parts. $250.00 for each MX, they need a lot of work but were cheap. We'll be doing the work ourselves and keeping track of what we do and how much it costs.

Here's the 86 MX in the garage on August 16th after unloading it from the trailer and a quick wash. Looks like a good start.

Upon closer inspection we found a lot of mouse nests and damage to some of the wiring. This sled hasn't been running for close to 5 years. It has spark and fires though, good start. We peeked in the motor through the exhaust ports and the cylinders and pistons look to be in good shape with no signs of damage.

We removed the seat and quickly found out it was completely rotten and would have to be replaced. We also removed the gas tank to clean it out and found more damage from mice, this time to the throttle cable. Also, all the paint on top of the tunnel and on the bulkhead was flaking off due to corrosion.

I pulled the carbs off and removed the bowls. Easily the worst I've ever seen.

On September 3rd we removed the rear suspension, chaincase, drive shaft, and jack shaft. The jack shaft bearing needs to be replaced and the speedo side drive shaft bearing doesn't turn too smoothly. To prevent failures on the trail, we're going to replace all four driveline bearings and all the rear suspension idler wheel bearings with quality NTN bearings. We're going to replace the chaincase seals too. The track is pretty weathered and cracked and we're not sure if it's usable or not.

As of September 9th, this is how the sled sits. We had to remove the belly pan because it was damaged and interfering with the front suspension. Luckily the Mach 1 for parts had a belly pan in good condition. We also found a hole rusted through the left side trailing arm, good thing we removed it and noticed. We're going further than what most people would do on their first sled but keep in mind the cheaper the deal, the more it's going to cost in parts and hours. We'd rather work on it while it's warm in September than along side the trail in January. Will update on the progess soon.

Funding Announcment by Mr. Chan — Minister of Tourism and Culture

2011-08-05T11:33:00.003-04:00

Today Michael Chan — Minister of Tourism and Culture was in Barrie at the tourism kiosk to announce that the Ontario Government will continue to help fund snowmobiling. The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs received 3 million dollars towards the betterment of snowmobiling in the province.

Brenda Welsh, Michael Chan — Minister of Tourism and Culture and Paul Shaughnessy at the funding announcement in Barrie.

Summer sled show and swapping.

2011-06-25T18:53:00.004-04:00

I went to a vintage show and meeting where sleds were on display and parts were being swapped/sold as well.

Wow, four Mantas/Raiders on one trailer!

They had two narrow tracks and you actually sat inside the sled in a cockpit.

Two nice Polaris TXs and a Magnum in the background!

You won't see many ESKIMOTORS on the trails.

Summer is a good time to score used parts and get your sled ready before the season starts.

Does oil have a shelf life or expiration date?

This is the first time I've seen one of these Arctic Cat Quad-Tracs.

A SnoJet ThunderJet and a 1976 Merc SnoTwister 440. WOW!

Here's an old AutoBoggan and a classic OMC SnowCruiser.

Snow-x Racing in Kitchener Ontario. (Mar26/27)

2011-03-29T12:44:00.007-04:00

The start line is always an exciting spot, especially when there is a full grandstand behind you.

Racing on a ski hill means a lot of jumps and bumps on the way up and a lot more of them on the way down.
The race track seems to never end, especially when fatigue and arm pump starts to set in.
I did mention there are a lot of jumps and bumps right? Oh, and there are a lot of turns where the racers "trade paint".

It's great having someone "in your sight" as you pin the throttle.
Who doesn't love grabbing air in front of a bunch of fans?
Vintage racing is really popular at all race sites and venues including snow-x.

A 1980 TXL INDY is in front with an El Tigre and a Blizzard 9700+ in pursuit.

This is a rotary engine that was part of this Swedish made sled. A 303 rotary engine was also used by Artcic Cat.
Four time Canadian champ Ric Wilson is seen here taking time out to talk with fans.
The London Recreational Racing trailers with 12 sleds scheduled to race.

The weekend also had Jimmy Blaze putting on his big show which included a 360.

1st Impressions of Snowshoot

2011-03-15T20:45:00.037-04:00

Anyone who snowmobiles has on their bucket list to attend SnowShoot just once. This year after a 40 year wait , I had my chance to go and I jumped all over it! Yes I am 52 years old now but this picture says it all! I was 10 years old again on Xmas morning.

Snowshoot is unique in motor sports as all the manufacturers assemble in one place for the snowmobile media to attend tech sessions on day1 and then spend 4 days riding each and everyone of the models from Cat, Polaris, Doo and Yamaha.

After registration I walked into the compound at West Yellowstone and was greeted by the Arctic Cat trailer with all the 2012 sleds under wraps. We all were anxious to see the new Cats to replace the F series. I wish we could have posted these pics when we were there but the manf. had strict instructions to all of the media to keep all the sleds under wraps until this week.

The new Cats did not disappoint. I also was seriously expecting to see a direct injection two stroke engine from Polaris. That was the only disappointment of the whole show. No new DI motors from either Cat or Polaris.

This is the new Cat stripped down. The pyramidal chassis is similar to the Rev but the front bulkhead and A-Arm suspension is like nothing else on the snow. The spindle is close to 15" in hgt and is forged instead of a typical extrusion as found on most sleds. The A-Arms are mounted on a 30 degree angle to the chassis to deflect the load away from the chassis centerline. The tall spindles also reduce the steering effort and the turning radius is the tightest of any sled on the snow. The tunnel sheet metal is a work of art and the rear skid frame is still the sliding arm / one way coupled with new rails and rear track idlers that are bolted together to improve rigidity when landing on the tail.

There is plenty else new including a magnesium chaincase that replaces the diamond drive, new Hayes brake, new secondary and new engine mounting that keeps the primary and secondary centre distance fixed @ 11". I could go on and on but there really is tons of new tech on this sled that we will report on in upcoming SnowGoer issues.

My Favorite the 800SnoPro in the Pro Cross chassis. The 800 engine we all love in a chassis that is 50 lbs lighter than the F8 is simply amazing. It goes through the bumps as good as an XRS and Pro -R

The big news at Yamaha is 2012 is the 10th year of 4-stroke engines. The Vector for 2012 comes with EPS and wow what a difference it makes to the personality of this sled. Yamaha is still working out the final iteration of the 2012 ski profile at Snowshoot to get rid of the darting Yamaha sleds are known for. So for 2012 Yamaha continues with their rock solid 4 stroke engines that run like a sewing machine and go forever. EPS on the Vector was a good move to us who can't afford the big buck Apex.

This is the new Doo for 2012. Just Kidding, but the 78 SnoPro Oval Tracker was one sweet sled

The RMotion with the piggyback shocks on the 800Etec XRS is one sweet sled! the remote adjustors on either side of the running boards allow the rider to easily adjust the rear spring tension and rear shock damping without having to reach into the skidframe and chip away the snow and ice to make adjustments. The Rmotion is a rising rate design and it easily is the best sled for the ditch banger. It works as well as the Pro-R Rush and Cat Snopro. The sled is rock solid. The new "pillow top" seat though I found a little strange.

The big new from Polaris is no DI two stroke. The other big news is the Switchback version of the Rush. I found the ride is much better than the 121" Rush and the extended rear shock is so much easier to get your hands onto adjust the spring preload. The longer skidframe is much more forgiving and not as sensitive as the 121" Rush. The new Comfort seat will a bring smile to Rush owners as this new seat just fits your butt better and is more forgiving. I expect on those 300km plus days that Rush riders will appreciate this subtle change.

Another small but big change is the increase in the tunnel hgt. by 1-3/4" and factory installed tunnel wear strips. Now we can stud these sleds without out having to tear the sled apart to mount the wear strips before studding the track

The new front suspension is right off the SnowCross sled.. The new spindle and A-Arms reduce steering effort and it also corners with reduced inside ski lift. It is a big improvement for this sled which has a higher CG and does give up the ability to rail around corners like the new Cat and Doo XRS. The front end makes the sled much more solid and predictable in the bumps and tight corners.

Snowshoot was amazing and the Yellowstone area provides every possible riding terrain. Fields,bush,lakes, ditch banging and mtns. If you think your a good rider, you have not seen nothing till you see the guys that ride in the mtns. Riding in the steep and deep is like learning to walk again. The mtn sleds are truly amazing sleds and the guys and gals that grew up riding in the mtns are amazing as are the vehicles they use to haul them.

SnowShoot 2012 sled photos.

2011-03-12T10:49:00.007-05:00

At Snowshoot, photos of the new sleds from the event can not be published until after the event is complete. Two OEMs had already released their full line-ups prior to that date, but we ride with a variety of sleds in our test group, so it was tricky to isolate those sleds in our photos. Now that SnowShoot is over, we can post pictures of all the sleds we rode, and here they are!
The compound area is a very organized place. The 2012 prototype sleds that each media group requested are fueled (and repaired) and ready to go for the daily sessions.
This is the negotiating part of the day at 8am, when test rider Mike Van Muyen tries to push for the ride to take place in the most challenging riding area, but camera guys Marty and Gord want to find the area with the best photo opportunities. Phil ends up in the middle as a negotiator due to a passion for riding and a passion for timeless sledding images.
Places like this work well for both riding and picture taking.
This location works well too! There is a sled busting through the snow on the left side.
That's Carl Kuster coming over the ridge. He is a champion snow-x racer and he lives in the mountains of British Columbia where he owns a resort.

That's Carl showing us how a mountain guy rides on a 2012 Ski-Doo.

A close up of Carl doing what he does so well.

SGC rider Brad Harris trying out the 2012 Yamahas.
Hal, Brad and Phil riding 2012 Cats at the top of Two Top Mountain.
Hal and Phil on 2012 Polaris's on Two Top.
Hal is smiling under that helmet while trying out the all new front and on the new Cat Chassis.
Hal riding a Cat in the mountains. Yeah he is having a good time!
Just one of our many play areas for the sleds. Look closely, our crew is in the upper center area near the trees.
We cruised the trails of Montana, but we may have ventured into Idaho at this point.
Mike Van Muyen loves the long tracks and challenges that mountain riding offers up.

Riding an 800cc long track sled in the mountains, does sledding get any better then this?

Mountain sleds on a mountain, that seems logical.....and fun.
Just when you get to one peak, you see a higher one in the distance.

Cat fans will be having a mid-1970's flashback when they see these decals.

We have PLENTY of photos to show you, so stay tuned as we continue to post more pictures and comments on our SGC Blog. You will get the full story on the entire fleet of 2012 sleds in our annual buyers guide. Get it next fall!

Last day in Montana, heading home tomorrow.

2011-03-07T21:58:00.003-05:00

It has been a fantastic week in Montana, but now it's time to head home. Here are pics from today.

Does it always look this amazing in the mountains of Montana?

2011-03-06T19:39:00.006-05:00

This fire truck is not going to make any calls today.

Yes that is Gord Avann. He has been with SGC for.....decades.
This is the burn area from the fires of the late 80's.
The SGC/STV crew enroute to the peaks of Two Top Mountain.
Two Top Mountain. Every sledder dreams of riding up to this spot.

The trail back to town.

Another great day in the mountains of Montana and Idaho.

2011-03-05T19:42:00.003-05:00

WOW! What a day! Tons of snow, great trails, super riding friends, and scenery only the mountains can provide.

Another sunny day in the mountains.

2011-03-04T22:17:00.002-05:00

Sleds we saw in town today.

2011-03-03T20:38:00.002-05:00

SnowShoot, we made it.

2011-03-02T21:56:00.003-05:00

We have arrived at SnowShoot, and as we got closer to our location, the snow really piled up.
Stay tuned!

Trip to CFMOTO in China

2011-02-25T14:44:00.004-05:00

Here are a few pictures from the trip we went on to China to visit the CFMOTO factory. While we were there to see about ATV production CFMOTO also makes the 250cc motors that are in the Phantom snowmobiles.

Here is the entrance to the plant. This is only one building of many on site.

Main reception area with the showroom in the background.

Engine assembly.

Engines waiting to go into the assembly line.
Lobby of the hotel where we stayed.
The Liuhe Pagoda on West Lake built in 1165 during the Song Dynasty.

Some of the original foundations on the inside of the rebuilt Pagoda.

West Lake.

Shooting in "Ancient Town"

Charles Ni from CFMOTO, Marco from CMI Canada, Marty and April. Special thanks goes to April for looking after us so well while we were in China. Mr. NI it was a pleasure to tour your facilities.

Marco after his test ride. Thanks CMI for the invite to come to China.

Hus-Ski riding and vintage ride.

2011-02-13T15:04:00.003-05:00

SGC and STV were at the Alliston "Live On Skis" event Saturday. Wow, what a day!

OFSC Family of the Year Ride in Rainbow Country

2011-02-11T13:08:00.006-05:00

Our crew had the pleasure of taking out the Roth Family for a 2 day trip from the JW Marriott in Minett to Pleasant Cove Resort in Pointe au Baril and back. Here are a few shots from out trip.

Here is the whole group posing for a picture.

Rob and Tracy.

Our great guide Ryan.

Dan and Lisa 2 more who helped guide along the way.

Hiding behind their helmets. But they are smiling!

Stopped for a tour at the Bobby Orr Hall of Fame.

Great trails along the way.

Special Thanks goes out to Ontario Tourism, Rainbow Country and to our hosts and guides we all had a great trip. It is families like the Roth's that makes this sport what it is!

Ice Oval races, Bancroft Ontario.

2011-02-05T23:59:00.003-05:00

Mike Van Dolder is moving over to ice oval racing after a successful snow-x career.

It's great to see the Flying Dutchmen logo again.

Some of the vintage sleds in staging.

Jacques Villeneuve going over his sled with his techs. He is always "hands on".

The champ line up is a focused group of racers.

Phantom Snowmobiles at Georgian Downs

2011-02-04T15:03:00.005-05:00

The CSRA is set up for this weekends race at Georgian Downs. On hand in the kids racing category is the new 250cc Phantom Sled. Here are some shots of the kids in practice.

This sled will be driven by Roy Norris.

Race shocks from Fox are on this sled.

Last minute prep in the trailer.

Close up of the Phantom graphic.

Roy Norris, Holly Moffatt and Cale Callen ready to race.

Roy on the practice course.

Cale on the track.

Holly going round the corner.

Future stand up racer!

This weekend see the kids in action at the CSRA races, Georgian Downs race track.

1080 kms: Fergus to Midland, Gravenhurst, etc.

2011-01-31T09:02:00.003-05:00

Hmm, where are these locations?

Face to Face with John Tranby from Arctic Cat

2011-01-25T10:03:00.001-05:00

Click to Play

STV sits down with John Tranby from Arctic Cat to discuss the technology that goes into snowmobiles and how it effects the costs of sleds.

The Sauble Beach area is EXCELLENT!

2011-01-16T10:18:00.006-05:00

We rode in the Chesley and Sauble area this weekend and WOW did they have good conditions!

Just one of many groups we saw.

Along the banks of a river, we saw Jason from Royal Distributing out riding with his buddies.

My buddy Kevin has owned Polaris, Cat and Doo, and now he is back on a RUSH.

I like it when the snow is hanging off the trees.

Just taking a moment....

Stopping for lunch in Sauble Beach was an idea on a lot of riders' minds. There were a lot of sledders coming and going, it was a very busy spot!

Snow Goer Staff Ride

2011-01-15T11:08:00.012-05:00

A few on trail pics from our SGC staff ride yesterday.

SnowGoer Canada ride.

2011-01-14T20:22:00.004-05:00

What a great day to go for a SnowGoerCanada / SnowMobilerTV group ride.

The group getting ready to head out from the Barrie area.

The group pausing near Elmvale. The power steering on the APEX was great on the trails, the three 800s were running great, and the 600ACE motor gave incredible mileage!

Lots of people were out riding, the Friday work attendance must have been down!

The 2011 RUSH 800 is a blast to ride!

Ice Rescue Training Kempenfelt Bay Barrie

2011-01-13T13:34:00.007-05:00

Today I was invited out on Kempenfelt Bay in Barrie to shoot a story with the Barrie Fire Department as they were doing ice rescue training. 3.5 inches of ice did make me a little nervous as I didn't want to be pulled out as a real rescue. Hats off to all rescue crews for what you do to be prepared. I hope I never need you for real!

Here is the group preparing to head out on the ice.

Someone had to be first in.

Holding on the edge.

-20 with the wind. I was cold just watching!
The guy sitting on the edge is the instructor for the course.
He almost looks like he is having fun with what he is doing!
Giving more instructions from a very cold seat.
They tell me that it really wasn't bad.
Nothing like doing a back float in the middle of January.
Waiting for the others to get back in.
Practice pulling out a victim.
I don't think many victims would be smiling if they were in the water.
One more rescue with the boat. Thanks for inviting me to watch the training. I hope you guys are NOT needed for real this winter.

Rick Mercer at the Grand Prix de Kincardine

2011-01-09T19:34:00.006-05:00

Today we got to experience a vintage race event with a bit of a twist. Not only did the Grand Prix de Kincardine have a great line up of vintage racing, Rick Mercer was also there shooting a segment for his show.

Here is Mr. Mercer holding our favourite snowmobile magazine, Snow Goer Canada.

Rick surrounded by a crowd for his show extro.

This fellow came down from The French River area with his Snow Jet.

Wayne provided Rick with this vintage TNT to race.

There Rick goes around a corner on the track.

Close up with his helmet cam at the start line.

The sleds are lining up for the start of the race.

Mercer in the lead. Well kind of, he was the only sled at the time!

Shooting some on camera clips before the race.

Here is the lead sled that showed Rick the way around the track.

Rick interviewing Rob Noakes, the organizer, of the event. The event was a fund raiser for Autism and Epilepsy.

Getting some pointers before heading out on the sled.

More help from owner Wayne.

Thanks Rob for having us at the event. The day was fantastic. Make sure you watch The Rick Mercer Report to see his take on the day.

Snow-X practice track, MotoPark, Owen Sound.

2011-01-08T21:54:00.004-05:00

The top area of the practice track/hill.

The lower area with the cafe and patio deck in the background.

Iain Hayden, snow-x racer and the owner of MotoPark.

Racers taking a break while the track is groomed.

Canadian ice oval guru Bob Hogg helping out Stuart Hunt's race team.

My son Eric and I taking a break after some practice laps.

Riding the Seguin with Mustang Icerider

2011-01-07T15:53:00.004-05:00

Spent the day out on a ride with the gang from Mustang who are in town for the Toronto Boat Show. Almost had to call off the ride with the weather we had but new snow fell and the temperatures dropped and a very nice groomed trail was all ours up in the Parry Sound area on the Seguin Trail. Thanks John, Rick, Brian, Al and Robert for such a good time both on the ride and the dinners after. I don't think you will have as much fun at the Boat Show in Toronto as we had in Parry Sound!

Stopped for a picture on the bridge.

The ice over the rocks makes for a great backdrop.

Robert standing by the ice wall.

Nice flat trail on the Seguin.

New Icerider Jacket.

The group beside the sleds.

Another group shot along the way.

Same spot on the trail.

Thanks John for bringing your sleds for the ride.

Here is the group on the ride.

Gassing up at the start of the trail.

Stopped to take a few shots along the way.

There are many scenic vantage points along this trail. I couldn't talk any of the Mustang riders to go for a swim and test out how the suits float. Where is John B. when I need him?

No matter how many times I go past this ice wall it is always worth a stop for some pictures.

Last Ride of 2010

2010-12-30T16:48:00.003-05:00

Lets hope the next two day thaw is followed up by that big storm the midwest is getting nailed by today! I was able to get out today with my son Aidan on the 2011 Rush LX and IQ LXT. Were still breaking in these two new sleds of the Snowgoer fleet.

The trails were still snow covered around Lake Belwood near Fergus, Ontario on Dec.30th so we headed out for an afternoon of riding. The fog was heavy and even though the temp was 3C it was damp and cold. Who cares any day riding, beats working or sitting in the house during Xmas break.

The Lakes are still to be avoided as the ice is not thick enough. Remember to check with the local officials to find out if the ice is thick enough for riding. On Lake Belwood this photos shows that ice is not near ready for riding.

1st Snow Goer Ride Dec 24, 2010

2010-12-25T11:35:00.004-05:00

Pre Christmas Ride from Penetang to Wasaga Beach.

Stopped at the beach looking out over Georgian Bay.

Jeffrey looking very angelic by the beach.

No traffic, smooth trails, the perfect combination.

Section of the rail trail.

Here is our Renegade on the rail trail.

Jeffrey and Robert on the Apex and Renegade.

Posing for pictures before the ride.

One more before they go. I also posted a short video on Facebook from this ride. We were testing our new HD pencil camera.

Some lucky folks are riding.

2010-12-12T20:00:00.002-05:00

The heavy snowfalls in some areas of Southern Ontario meant some people could ride on a few select trails. Other poeple have their own acreage that they can ride on as seen below.

Here is Shawn Horner near Alliston, cutting a nice line in the deep powder on his vintage Polaris TXL. Shawn has his own winter playland for vintage sleds, but the OFSC trails are also nearby and will hopefully open soon.
Shawn needs to take that sled to the mountain meadows!

Or he could follow Tracy on her SwitchBack and let her open some trails first.
Thanks for the pics Shawn!

Fort Frances Ontario has 1st Official OFSC Trail Open

2010-12-08T23:49:00.001-05:00

It isn’t much, but Rainy River District is home to the province’s first stretch of open snowmobile trails for the 2010-11 season.
A five-mile stretch from Emo to the Highway 11/71 junction opened Monday.
“It’s finished and groomed and open right now,” said Borderland Snowmobile Club president Dave Goodman.
“It’s the first piece of trail open in Ontario.”
Goodman also anticipated making some significant progress on more trails in the days ahead.
“By this weekend, we’re expecting to be most of the way to Stratton, and by this end, we’re hoping this weekend or early next week to be through to Fort Frances and [have] all of Fort Frances done,” he noted.
However, there is a bit of a thorn in the side of the club’s efforts given swampy areas had not frozen as of Monday.
The two biggest trouble spots are a swamp in Crozier and one near Emo’s landfill.
“The biggest issue right now is getting the swamps and creeks frozen,” Goodman acknowledged.
“Typically, we have a month of cold weather before we get lots of snow, and so the freezing happens first and then you get the snow,” he explained.
“This year, it came the other way around and with the snow being such an insulator, there was no frost on the ground.
“We’ve got, probably, 10 km of swamp to cross,” Goodman added. “A lot of guys have been riding through, and they said they’ve been kicking up mud and water.
“You can’t take the risk of putting a $100,000-plus machine [groomer] in a swamp, sinking it,” he stressed.
However, club volunteers are doing as much as possible beforehand so that the swamps can be prepared as soon as they’re ready.
“Out in Crozier, the trail between Emo and Fort Frances, there were guys that were packing the trail this weekend, getting it ready for the groomer,” Goodman said.
“They were running through swamps that has water on top of the swamp.
“That has to all freeze first before we can get the groomer across it,” he remarked.
Even with the delays, though, Goodman said the trails are
looking to be in shape ahead of schedule.
“Normally, if the trails are open and fully functional by the week that kids get out of school for Christmas, that is the norm,” he said.
“We’re actually running early this year.”
Meanwhile, there are a number of ways that riders can get involved.
“We still are really short of volunteers in the Fort Frances area with things like helping monitoring signs, putting up signs, making sure the trails are clear of brush,” Goodman said.
“We’re looking for someone to help with data entry for the permits.”
Goodman noted the Borderland Snowmobile Club’s website (www.borderlandsnowmobileclub.com) has a list of contacts for those interested in lending a hand.
He also called on sledders to help out—even in an unofficial capacity—by riding so that the trail is widened and makes multiple lanes, not just one.
“Right now, the main thing is riding wide on the trails so that the whole trail gets packed, rather than just one trail down the middle,” he reasoned.
Goodman added taking care of the trails is quite an undertaking given the amount of area the club covers.
“Our local snowmobile club, which now covers Mine Centre to Nestor Falls to Rainy River, actually takes care of 539 km of trail,” he noted.
“It covers an area of 17,000 square miles.
“Right around Emo here, we’ve got 40 or 50 hours already of brush-clearing and maintenance on the groomers.”
Goodman wrapped up by saying riders seem particularly excited by the sport this year as trail permits temporarily are sold out all over the region.
Extra permits should be available later in the week.
“Permit sales all over Northwestern Ontario are way ahead of normal,” Goodman enthused. “Dryden, Atikokan, this area, and Kenora, the clubs have all run out.
Lastly, “classic” permits, which are available for snowmobiles from 1996 and earlier, have been selling well.
These permits are sold for $125—half the price of a regular one.
A complete list of permit vendors is available at www.borderlandsnowmobileclub.com

CSRA Race at Calabogie

2010-12-08T13:45:00.006-05:00

First Snow Cross Race of the year was held at Calabogie near Ottawa. Big winner for the weekend was Iain Hayden #93.

Big snowfall in London area of Ontario.

2010-12-06T17:04:00.003-05:00

Wow, I had to drive in the London area today, and there were whiteouts, heavy snowfalls, drifting, road closures, etc. The trails are not open yet, but with the underlying frost and fresh snow, some locations can hopefully open soon.
That is highway 7 north of London.
This is looking north towards the Seaforth area.

Snow-X this weekend near Ottawa.

2010-11-30T20:53:00.003-05:00

Here are some of the London Recreational snow-x sleds about to be loaded up for the drive to Calabogie Ski Hill near Ottawa.
STV will have a camera on site Saturday and Sunday, capturing the action and interviews.

Getting closer....closer....closer...

2010-11-21T17:27:00.003-05:00

I know the mountain sledders are out riding and I have seen Revelstoke pic's floating in cyber land. Here in Ontario, we are close and just waiting for the white gold to start falling.

A freshly staked trail and bridge.

I found the trail crew taking a break at the next roadside.

It is amazing how many stakes go in every fall.
In this garage, Hal is in behind that 650 triple assembling a 440 engine. (Am I helping? Of course not.)

Getting Ready

2010-11-17T08:31:00.002-05:00

Picked up the Woody's studs and carbides today for my 2011 Ski-Doo GSX SE 1200 4TEC; now all I have to do is get them installed! I'm also going to try the new Split Rail, Dual Axis skis I saw at the Toronto show in October.

Off this weekend to the Peterborough Sledarama (Sunday, Nov. 20 only), which is a great little grassroots show and will probably spend some time in the Triton Trailers booth with Paul McNichol.

Getting closer to the winter season.

2010-11-15T18:31:00.004-05:00

We have no snow on the ground but snowmobile clubs are out getting the trails ready, and race teams are getting ready for their first event as well.
Near Alma Ontario, the fields are levelled and the trail stakes are in the ground.
The trails near Shelbourne are also ready for snow.
The race sleds have arrived at London Recreational Racing, and it's time to do some set up and tuning.
More race sleds looking for a mechanic. John was standing behind me waiting for me to finish with the camera so he could start mod-building! Where are the panels?

Here is Kael from ProGrafx.ca putting decals on the race sled panels. The first Canadian race is December 4/5 at Calabogie Ski Hill near Ottawa. Two weeks from now, the teams will be on their way!

Peterborough Show

2010-11-07T15:14:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder for those of you in Central Ontario that the one-day Peterborough Sledarama takes place Sunday, November 21, 9am to 5 pm at the Morrow Building, corner of George and Lansdowne streets. This is a great little show with a big outdoor flea snowmobile market too.

Great Winer Promised

2010-11-07T15:09:00.002-05:00

Just heard Dave Phillips, Senior Climatologist at Environment Canada, on the radio and , when asked his prediction for the upcoming winter, he said that it would be a great winter for snowmobilers, ice fishermen and skiers! That's good news, because my planning is already well underway for two Snow Goer Canada tours in Ontario, one in New Brunswick and at least one in Quebec.

Great Start to Winter!

2010-10-22T15:32:00.003-04:00

Great news for Ontario snowmobiling!

Last fall at this time, we were in t-shirts and shorts, but Old Man Winter is not going to take that this season. This week the first snow fell in Barrie and Kapuskasing, and many points in between.

I was driving back to Toronto from Barrie late yesterday and the white stuff was really coming down. Guess I'd better get my snow tires on sooner than planned.

Better yet, the temperature dropped below freezing last night and that's just what we need to start a good freeze up. All in all, a much, much better start to winter than last season!

Winter is here in Barrie

2010-10-22T10:44:00.003-04:00

Well getting up this morning hopefully gave us a view of what will be happening lots this winter, snow! Yes winter arrived with white stuff last night in Barrie.

Love to see the truck getting a white blanket.

These drivers might not be as excited as we are.

Winter is coming!

We need cold to freeze the ground.

It will not last, but let's hope this it a sign of things to come.

Toronto Snowmobile Show

2010-10-17T08:52:00.005-04:00

You know the sledding season is getting closer when the Toronto Snowmobile Show is underway

Our 2011 APEX on display and test rider Mike Van Muyen is in the background hussling to hand out more magazines.

Hal can easily spend the weekend talking sleds, especially when he is sitting on a Polaris.

The Flying Dutchmen race trailer showing their snowcross sleds and something else as well.

Wow, a new champ ice oval sled! Are the Van Dolders returning to the ice ovals?
(Stay tuned on that one.)
Over at the ACSCC display there is always something that mainstream snowmobilers have not seen.
Not your usual tiger.......
This is very rare, a 1972 Chaparral, the very first company to put IFS on the track.

The show is wrapping up, and now it's time to start preparing trails, unless you are in the mountins and getting your first runs in at high altitude........

October brings us closer to the snow!

2010-09-30T23:38:00.008-04:00

Regardless of what aspect of this sport gets your heart pumping, everyone feels the adrenaline rush as we enter October.

Who doesn't like to see a vintage line-up?
(That's my son on the SnoTwister.)

Maybe ice ovals is your thing.

Maybe burying your sled at 8,000 feet is your idea of fun.

Who wouldn't like to be part of this group in the mountains?

Cruising with a buddy is fun.

Perhaps that special trail is your favourite winter spot.

SnowCross racing on a big hill is challenging, exhausting, and a total blast!

Having your sled buried by heavy snow is embarassing.
(This is my 64 'Doo)

Any day on the snow around sleds is worth getting excited about.

Bring on the frost!

Can't Wait for Snow. Here is a reminder.

2010-09-23T09:54:00.006-04:00

Here are some shots from The Grizzly Lodge in British Columbia. This area gets 30+ feet of annual snowfall. The riding elevation ranges from 2000 to 7500 ft. The season begins in November and ends in late May. There is terrain to suit any ability level and enough boondocking or hillclimbing to entertain the most hardcore sledder for weeks on end.

Riding into the sunset.

Lots of snow in this area.

Carve in the deep stuff until you are too tired to move.

Blue sky, snow ghosts and lots of white stuff!

Grizzly Lodge is located in a wilderness area between Shuswap Lake and Adams Lake in the Southern Interior of British Columbia.

Snow Squall in Cookstown

2010-09-20T10:34:00.007-04:00

Had a chance to go and check out Shawn's new Snow Squall event at the Cookstown Steam Show location. Hope this is the start of something that will grow each year. Vintage, new, parts, racing and some ATV, lots to check out and see.

Line up of vintage sleds.

Here is one you don't see every day. Built in Sweden.

Nice mix of some racing oldies.

Good looking Sno Jet

Looking for a deal.
I wonder if a GT snow racer could beat this going downhill.
Looking for that part? It might have been there.
Have trailer will travel.
The good old days when there was no such thing as a water bottle.
This sled has been in the same Alliston family since it was new.
Triton Trailers was on site.
More vintage.
Last minute repairs at the start area.
This one just didn't want to start.
On the drag strip.
Vintage as well going down the track.
A little ATV action as well on site.

Thanks for having us at the event Shawn. Hope to see you out there next year. The ride you had last winter is going in the next Snow Goer issue that's going to print this week. Here is an excerpt from Phil.
"Before pulling into the lane-way at Shawn Horner's "Live On Skis" event in Alliston, Ontario, my adrenaline was already pumping. As I drove down the road, I watched the vintage sleds running in the fields. I could see them, soon I could hear them, and yes, finally I could smell them. Oh, the smell of 30:1 fuel fed through a Tillotson carb into a free air engine. That’s only second to fresh baked bread!"

Fall Vintage Show....race engines.

2010-09-19T20:21:00.006-04:00

Today I was at a fall vintage show put together by Shawn Horner of Alliston Ontario.

Why drag or pull a 70's Exciter when you lift it with a tractor?

Hmmmm, a trailer full of 1970's Yamahas. Very nice Ron!

There are five race sleds in this trailer. Let's check out the engines.

Interesting! Is that a 1975 Yamaha PDC (Sno-Pro) sled?
Ok, you Yamaha race fans will recognize this VERY rare 1975 340 liquid race engine. Most were not seen again after the season finished.
WOW!
WOW again!

It's time for some math. How many cylinders and how many plugs?
Two pistons but four plugs. Ah yes, the infmaous "twin pluggers" that Arctic Cat raced in the 70's.
The vintage gang really knows how to tease with their stuff! The leaves are changing and there are more fall shows on the way!

Even more pumped after the weekend....

2010-09-12T22:31:00.003-04:00

This weekend, I was at Flamboro Speedway watching the #13 car of Brad Collison which is sponsored by my buddy Mike Schmidt from London Recreational Contracting.

When a bunch of sledding guys gather at a speedway and there is a Ric Wilson race sled on display, you just know the topic of winter, riding and snow-x is going to heat things up. We were all talking about our winter rides from last season, our past races, favourite tracks, and the upcoming winter. Yep, we are all pumped.

Thank you Mike Schmidt, for inviting out your many friends to take in the stock car racing from your VIP box!

September brings us closer........

2010-09-06T18:02:00.004-04:00

The SnowGoer Canada crew had a blast year, from preseason shows, winter touring , the race tracks, and finally at SnowShoot. Needless to say, we are pumped for the upcoming season.
Bears and pink sleds do not mix.
Joanne (with SGC's Marty), she is always helpful at SnowShoot.
Mike Shean....always looking for more power.......
Mike Van Muyen and Mike Shean.....on top of another mountain.

Gord Avann and Martin Convery stuck in a hillside looking for that unique perspective.
Gord Avann and I pick on each other.....a lot......but I must say it is an honour working alongside someone that I used to pay gate admission fees to watch race on the ice ovals.
How could I not smile on this sled? Impossible!
Stay tuned!

30+ degrees and we've got deadlines to meet.

2010-08-31T23:01:00.003-04:00

Yep, we're writing and going through pictures......I find myself being hypnotized by the pictures and video from last winter.........

Are we on summer holidays? (no)

2010-08-02T20:53:00.002-04:00

It is another hot, humid summer day and yours truly is writing, reviewing pics and video, following the leadership changes at the OFSC, reading the press releases from the industry, and also catching up on the changes in snowcross classes and rule changes for this upcoming race season.
I also have to read the emails from Gord Avann who is not happy that I am on a LOT more pages of the SNOW-GOER calendar then he is. Hey Gord, the front cover is my favourite!!!!!

Stay tuned.........

Phil :-)

A vintage VIP tour today.

2010-06-05T22:44:00.006-04:00

Wow, what a journey back through time this was! Vehicles from the Bombardier beginnings were on display along with 60's/70's snowmobiles that changed our winter lifestyle.
The B7 and B12 that hauled people through the snow.

This was an impressive display of race sleds ...and there were more!

More race sleds, including this twin tracker.
Speaking of twin tracks, here is an Elite, a SnowBug, some Hus-Skis and some Alpines.
Lots of Oly's on display.
Tin hoods are a rare find. Note the switch to steel skis and leaf springs from wooden skis with coil springs.

Rare helmets, suits, race sleds and a vintage dyno!

What kind of oil did you use?

We think Sledding all Summer Long

2010-04-19T07:35:00.003-04:00

What do the staff at Snowgoer get up to during the off season? Well already I am planning new stories for Time Machines, contacting the industry icons that made snowmobile history. Its also a good time to reflect on the past winter and the sleds of 2010. What worked ,what did not live up to the hype. All will be detailed in upcoming issues.

Have a great summer and stay safe!

Still playing with the sleds.

2010-04-18T20:26:00.002-04:00

Well, winter is over even though a few flakes did fall yesterday. Before I put the sleds away for good, I fired up the Mercury SnoTwister and had it rattling away in the driveway with the stinger pipes sounding very nice.
The winter of 2009/2010 is over, but stay tuned throughout the summer as we update the blog with summer events and news happenings from the sledding world.

A Sunday afternoon at the track.

2010-03-28T19:51:00.004-04:00

The season is not over, but spring gets closer with each weekend.
A Snow-X start line is always colourful.
After a day of racing, the Sunday start line and track was starting to show signs of spring.
The jumps still looked solid and challenging for the "BIG AIR" crowd.
Ski hills look better with sleds then skiers.
The bumps and whoops on the bottom stretch made for a lot of front end correcting as the racers pinned the throttle before heading back up the hill.
Mike Schmidt in his usual spot, watching and listening to the many sleds he tunes.
Under the Kodiak tent, you better like to ride yellow and wear it too!
Vintage racing keeps growing in popularity. It's great to see two Kawasakis on the start line!
It may not have won, but I had to get a shot of a Kawasaki with the checkered flag.
At the end of racing, it's time to clean up and get ready for the next and last race of this season. I'll see you at HorseShoe Resort in two weeks. Until then, have a happy Easter.

Checking out the spring Snow-X track.

2010-03-26T21:01:00.005-04:00

I dropped by the track in Kitchener (Chicopee Ski Hill) today. Ric Wilson was in the groomer, but I got him out of the cab and onto his race sled to show me the track.
The start line area and chalet, with snow ready to be spread out.
Looking uphill into the first set of jumps.
Ric checking out some of the jumps and bumps he just built.
Mike Schmidt and Ric Wilson, the racer and the sled sponsor/tuner.
It took a fair bit of persuading to get Mike (left) back onto a snow-x track. With the jumps he was landing he should be racing!

Spring snow-x racing in Kitchener Ontario

2010-03-25T17:21:00.004-04:00

Spring snow-x racing is a "go".

Up by the last pole you can see the groomer piling and pushing snow to build the track's base.
A couple sleds that were unloaded at the track. That's the Cat 500 Sno-Pro that our test rider Mike Van Muyen raced in Owen Sound in January.

A set of bleachers will give fans a great view of the start/finish line and the uphill action.
Ric Wilson's trailer is here early, and perhaps that's because Ric is in the groomer building the track. Racers start showing up tomorrow (Friday), I'll see you there!

SnowShoot Flashback

2010-03-18T19:41:00.004-04:00

Well, it was one week ago that we flew home from SnowShoot, so I thought I should post a few various pics that have not yet been posted.

There's still more, stay tuned........

SnowShoot, the final day.

2010-03-11T21:47:00.009-05:00

Outside our room, some free-stylers parked their rig and sleds. Mike looks anxious to do some cliff jumping before breakfast.
Yes, we do ride touring sleds. That's Brad's specialty area.
At the wildlife center, we were shown several birds of prey including this golden fella.
Outside there were two packs of wolves. They look very cool when they make eye contact with you.
The opening to the big park where only a select type and number of sleds are allowed to enter.

Mike Shean on the biggest two stroke you can buy.
Mike and Mike on Nytros.
This is Joanne who makes things run super-smooth at the BRP trailer every year. She always makes sure that Marty has a comfortable sled that can carry his gear.
Yes that BRP sled is extreme.
Before our last ride started, the not-booked Yamaha sleds were being loaded up.
A high altitude line-up.
Peaking through a long track tunnel.
A group shot at the peaks.
Me on the new Polaris RMK, what a great sled to move around in the powder.
There's a lot of fun to be had at 9,000+ feet. This is the display on the Cat M8.
Mike and Mike, our seasoned test riders.
Catching the action on moving and still cameras.
The high altitude club.
The compound was empty when we returned, a sad sight to behold.....
Where did everyone go?
The long road home........

Ski-doo 1200 turbo in Manitoba

2010-03-10T09:45:00.013-05:00

The Snow Goer and STV crew was recently invited up to Thompson Manitoba to cover the Thompson Trail Breakers Snow Rally. Knowing this place is the "cold weather testing capital" for many manufacturers I knew we would be in for some winter. What I didn't know is that I would come across a turbo charged ski-doo 1200 4 stroke. I had to figure it would only be a matter of time till someone put a turbo on ski-doo's big 4 stroke and let me tell you, this thing made some serious power. According to the owner its somewhere in the 280hp range and after riding it I was not gonna argue with him. Never have I squeezed the trigger on a sled and thought, "I hope this doesn't come out from underneath me". I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to make some lake passes and play in some of the great powder Northern Manitoba had to offer. I think the pictures will speak for themselves. Thank's Steve for letting me put some miles on such an awesome machine, and to the awesome bunch of volunteers from the Trail Breakers who showed us what snowmobiling in Northern Manitoba is all about.

You Know it's Making power When a long track is standing on its tail

SnowShoot, 3rd riding day.

2010-03-09T23:11:00.006-05:00

Day 3 of testing had many super moments and some unusual ones as well.
A camera and chase sled catch two Yamaha Nytro's along the moguls.

A Yamaha Phazer Mountain Lite cutting a path through the trees.

A Polaris RMK 800 leaning into the snow and delivering a face full for the rider. Note the distant mountains.

A Grizzly attacks Mike while I show a trout a survival lesson.

A Yamaha flies through the air while being caught on camera.

This is Brian (in blue), our Yamaha mountain guide and also an instructor for mountain newbies. In the pink? Uh, that would be.....me (Phil).......the next picture explains things....sort of.
Yamaha has introduced some new graphics options including this pink camo-package. The pink suit goes with the sled, so I had to dress the part. (The sign has a Grizzly bear warning, I'm not sure why that's relevant.)

We also did some Arctic Cat mountain and cross-over sled testing in our usual ZOAN clothing. Note the mountains in the background., it was an amazing backdrop for pictures.

One of our "Mikes" putting an M8 through it's paces.

This is the new Sno-Pro Z1 Turbo. It's got lots (LOTS) of power and new colour to boot.

Another Mike putting the Crossfire 800 through a corner.

Wednesday, we head back to the snow for our last day of 2011 evaluations, stay tuned!

Day 2 of SnowShoot testing.

2010-03-08T19:36:00.004-05:00

It was another super day in the mountains, as we continue to evaluate the 2011 snowmobiles.

The new "retro" RUSH working it's way across the ridge.
Another RUSH launching at 11,000 feet under blue sky.

Our intern and touring evaluator guy Brad, looking quite content on a new 600 E-Tec GSX.

The new RUSH getting a thorough review from the media, many of them European. That's our Mike Van Muyen in the red ZOAN coat.

Here I am at the headwaters, high up in the mountains of Idaho. I needed coffee , but there's no such service this high in the clouds.

Our camera guys, Marty and Gord sitting up on a hill to get that great angle we expect.

Soaking up the sunshine after putting the RUSH line up through it's paces. There is an IQ 600 LXT in there as well.

Stay tuned, there will be more updates and pictures tomorrow!

Riding the 2011 sleds at SnowShoot

2010-03-07T20:19:00.003-05:00

What a day!

What a view.

Simply amazing up on the mountain top.

Headwaters full of trout.

The SnowGoer team. Gord was n/a, he was first responder to assist a sled renter who needed medical attention.

Everyone getting sleds readied for the post lunch riding.

You can not get lost when a local like Sasquatch gives you directions.

SnowShoot Day 1

2010-03-06T19:05:00.006-05:00

It took one day of connector flights to get here, but wow, it is always worth it! Blue skies and warm temps greeted us for tech day, when we go to school to learn about the new sleds and go one-on-one with the OEMs.

Blue skies make for a great photo op.

Here we are getting set to interview John Tranby from Arctic Cat.

While checking out the Arctic Cat LXR, Mike Van Muyen decided to stomp on me. (He knows I'm going to out-hi-mark him this week!)

Ok, I like pink, I admit it. This is one of the new graphic kits being offered by Yamaha this year.

Here is a stripped down Yamaha showing the new power-steering (EPS) equipped Apex. You can also see the new Ex-Up exhaust.

Gord Avann snapping close-ups of the Yamaha technology. (Lens cap Gord?)

Looking across the compound, Yamaha in front and Ski-Doo in the background. Embargoed Polaris sleds are just out of view, but you will see them soon (Stay tuned)

Lured by free coffee and donuts, here we are at "school" with Arctic Cat.
There will lots of pic's and stories posted over the next five days so stay tuned!

Thompson Northern Snowmobile Rally

2010-03-02T15:11:00.003-05:00

When we were invited to attend the Northern Snowmobile Rally in Thompson Manitoba I was not sure what to expect with riding in Northern Manitoba. First I was prepared for cold weather, second I thought the trails would be mostly flat, well did the the Thompson Trailbreakers ever prove me wrong. The weather when we were there was fantastic, only -20 at the coldest in the morning. And the trails, well lets just say they are some of the best I have ever been on. Smooth, wide, scenic and hard. Perfect for the kind of riding they like to do in this part of the world.

Here we are stopped by the tribute to Bush pilots of the north.

Here is the group by Pisew Falls. A great stop along the way.

Here we are at another waterfall along the route.

Admiring the view.

Thompson is a mining town.

Riding along the great trails.

Nickel City Motors in Thompson. Thanks Steve for the sleds!!

I had to do an interview for the Thompson Radio station with Michele from the club.

A great big thanks goes out to the Thompson Trailbreakers for putting on such a great weekend. Loved the sledding, the hospitality and the good time. Hope to be back again some day!

Groomer help

2010-02-28T13:36:00.006-05:00

The snow in Southern Ontario was sparse this year, and a new groomer had been purchased for one area within district 5.
District 9 is one hour north of there and had much better snow conditions and open trails that were seeing triple the amount of the usual sled traffic.
The decision was made to "loan" the groomer and operator out to district 9 to groom the rail line trail from Chatsworth to Dundalk.
District 9 and district 5 groomer crews checking over the new CASE groomer and SledgeHammer drag at the Key Motel in Chatsworth Ontario. In the middle, is STV's "Grooming With Graham" host Graham Snyder. (That is a SGC calendar that Graham is about to hand over to trail warden Hugh, who is standing to his right.)
There is lots of snow thanks to Georgian Bay lake effect flurries.
The new CASE groomer at work on the rail line.
Smooth......
The vast majority of grooming takes place at night so the cold temps can help set the trail for the next day's traffic. You can spot those lights for quite while!
(It looks like the mother-ship from the movie "Close Encounters" coming at you!)
The snow was heavy and wet, so Graham was showing me the challenges in working with that kind of snow. Breaking it up and getting it level and packed is tricky, but it got easier as the temps started to drop.

Alliston "Live On Skis" vintage event.

2010-02-22T12:50:00.004-05:00

This past weekend I was in Alliston Ontario for a vintage event known as "Live On Skis". This was a display, ride-in and all-round fun day for vintage enthusiasts.
Two nice Merc Twisters.
One of two Manta twin tracks that were there.
View from a hill, and the loaner TXL that got me there.
Me (Phil) heading out to the radar track on a borrowed Yamaha SRX. *LOUD!*
John Bogie (Yes, that's his real name) riding his Chrysler SnoRunner.
What a line-up of sleds!
A view down the line, lots of colour there!
A gorgeous 1976 TNT(RV) 340
Another line up of sleds.
A relaxing ride in the country. That's a Suzuki followed by a John Deere.

It was a superb day in Alliston.
Thank you Shawn Horner for organizing it!

OFSC Family of the Year Ride

2010-02-20T16:23:00.012-05:00

I had the pleasure of riding with the Stapley Family who was selected as The OFSC Family of the Year. In recognition of this award, the family was awarded a snowmobile trip with Snow Goer and Snowmobiler TV. We stayed at The Rosseau, A JW Marriott Resort & Spa on Lake Rosseau for this trip and were escorted around by Dan from Muskoka Sports and Recreation.

Here are some of the sleds parked in front of the hotel.

This was a neat floating bridge that we all had to cross.

Meet Carol Anne and Steve Stapley. Great people to go snowmobiling with!

Here is the group stopped for a picture on the route to Bala.

Stopped for another shot in Bala

One more great spot on the Seguin Trail

Riding the Seguin Trail

On our way back to the hotel

Thanks to Ontario Tourism, the staff at The Red Leaves Resort and Dan for the great time. My biggest thanks goes to the Stapleys. It's families like yours, who volunteer for the good of us all, that make this such a great sport.

Ride at Wasaga

2010-02-10T08:50:00.003-05:00

When I am forced to wake up before the sun does, it’s usually an omen that the day to come will require strenuous efforts and gallons of coffee. In fact, when I think about it, mornings to my body are like afternoons to bats- I can simply not operate successfully and my vision is typically unfocused. Nevertheless, when my dad knocked on my door on the morning of February 6^th, 2010, at approximately 6:32 AM, my eyes shot open and my vision was as clear as a hawk. This morning wasn’t just any morning. We were going snowmobiling.

The plan was simple: my dad and I would leave his office with all the gear and be on the Wasaga Trails by 9:00 AM. The purpose of the ride was mostly leisure. But in case we found any photo opportunities, we brought two cameras to capture the moment. If you know my dad like I do, it was hard for him to leave the video gear behind. Yes fellow riders, you read right. My dad, for the first time in his career, miraculously left the video camera behind.

Mother Nature certainly treated us well on the ride, and so did the groomers. Above us were blue skies and scattered clouds with a brisk blend of calm winds. Below us were perfectly groomed Wasaga trails that a snowmobiler could only dream of. We drove past some fantastic landscapes and scenes, including an abandoned farmhouse (which a local informed me a bear might be hibernating in it), a neat cliff next to the Nottawasaga River, and on the famous beach itself. But these factors weren’t the cream of the crop; it was riding the Ski-Doo 800 E-TEK that completed the perfect snowmobiling day.

Being only the second rider in its history (my dad put the first kilometer on the gauge), I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the magical E-TEK machine. It rode around corners with ease and had a way of taunting my thumb to press further down on the gas. At times it felt as if I was gliding on top of the trails, kind of like driving a hydrofoil on snow. Unlike some other snowmobiles I have driven in the past, it didn’t feel wobbly or unstable, but held its balance and stability even in the most rigid terrain. Bombardier certainly focused on sturdiness and speediness when designing the E-TEK on the drawing board.

Yes, the day was undoubtedly pleasurable. Not to over dramatize here, but it certainly reminded me why snowmobiling is such a fantastic leisure sport that everyone has to add to their bucket lists.

Snow Not Too Far From Home

2010-02-09T13:52:00.005-05:00

I decided to pack up the sled on Saturday and head off to the Hamlet of Ennismore, about 30 min east of Lindsay in district 2. There I met up with 6 friends and it was decided we were going to head up to the town of Bancroft. Well it wasn't 10 miles into our ride when we had our first problem. One of the four doo's blew a belt. So after a small laugh and a new piece of rubber installed we were off again.

Back on the lake it was a short ride to the nearest trail, with a quick stop for fuel we hit the trails hoping to make up for lost time. The trails in this area were great especially considering how little snow was on the ground. Just north of Gooderham is a great restaurant that we stopped at for lunch. I had the club sandwich which was stacked high. But the Nachos were definitely a table favorite.

After talking to a couple locals about the Polaris Rush I was riding, we grabbed another splash of fuel and headed home. We never did make it to Bancroft but it was a great day of riding non the less.