Working Class Snowmobile

[Srt20]

I‘m a mountain rider. Polaris and ski doo both make 2 stroke 850cc turbo sleds. The Polaris is around 190-200hp and 430ish lbs dry. My bud owns one. The ski doo version is 165ish HP and slightly heavier.
They work excellent at elevation because they don’t lose much hp.
They are not built for speed, in fact they ride like crap on trails. But if you can ride in the mountains they will take you places not many people can get to.
I own two 800cc RMK 163” like shown above.

4 strokes are rare in the mountains. They are much too heavy. Though my bud built one up, hoping that ridiculous amounts of hp would offset the weight. 400hp but the weight was still too much. The 200hp machines with much less weight are just way more fun.

I’ll be in western Wyoming next week to ride. Should be stupid amounts of deep snow to have fun in…

 

[stormgol]

the largest triple cylinder triple pipe 2 stroke engine of all time on a stock snowmobile is the 999cc engine from the arctic cat thundercat produced from 1998 to 2002. they had 172 horsepower. many big bore kits exists to bump discplacement and power.

 

[UncleDave]

the largest triple cylinder triple pipe 2 stroke engine of all time on a stock snowmobile is the 999cc engine from the arctic cat thundercat produced from 1998 to 2002. they had 172 horsepower. many big bore kits exists to bump discplacement and power.

I remember it being an 1100 - age...

I absolutely owned the local lake for about half a decade with it - it was blisteringly fast with a howl at WOT that no one that rode it can forget.

 

[stormgol]

I remember it being an 1100 - age...

I absolutely owned the local lake for about half a decade with it - it was blisteringly fast with a howl at WOT that no one that rode it can forget.

it is still among the fastest sleds ever. it was insane. still is. the sound of a triple piped 3 cylinder 2 stroke is my favorite. nothing has a sound like this.

 

[billt460]

With the EPA, along with various other "green groups" hammering on 2-strokes worse than child molesters, are snowmobile companies dropping them the way outboard and watercraft manufacturers have?

I would think by the way California has been attacking pretty much anything that runs on fossil fuel lately, riding a 2-stroke snowmobile could get you life imprisonment, without the possibility of parole.

 

[repairman54]

I have a '09 and '13 1200 Ski Doo 4 stroke triples. They are US Park service low emissions approved for National Park Service usage. Stickers on the tunnels have that approval. I trail ride in NY, no steep and deep for me as I'm too old for getting untrenched anymore.
Only 135 hp. 107 on GPS with a fatso onboard. Many turbo kits for my sleds for reliable, safe trail 300 hp. Kits out there to reach 500+ HP

 

[hemitom]

That's what our tundra is, just a longer track citation with the rack and hitch, and some lower gearing. My boys like it and can start it from cold now, but they can't quite lift the back end when its packed with wet snow, or flip it back over when it goes upside down under a tree.... He had the sense to bail off just before, so I guess they are learning something!
I use it to pull them both up to the top of hill so they can do some ski runs too. Its got plenty of grunt to pull whatever, just its traction limited in the deeper stuff with a 3/4" lug track. We have a good size sled and it can hold maybe 3-400 hundred pounds of wood and this pulls it fine. My buddy still has his 2003 MXZ 600HO which is pretty quick to 80mph and infinitely better on a lake but I like to play around on the tundra at 10-30mph at my place when the snow is good.
View attachment 144126
View attachment 144127

That's what our tundra is, just a longer track citation with the rack and hitch, and some lower gearing. My boys like it and can start it from cold now, but they can't quite lift the back end when its packed with wet snow, or flip it back over when it goes upside down under a tree.... He had the sense to bail off just before, so I guess they are learning something!
I use it to pull them both up to the top of hill so they can do some ski runs too. Its got plenty of grunt to pull whatever, just its traction limited in the deeper stuff with a 3/4" lug track. We have a good size sled and it can hold maybe 3-400 hundred pounds of wood and this pulls it fine. My buddy still has his 2003 MXZ 600HO which is pretty quick to 80mph and infinitely better on a lake but I like to play around on the tundra at 10-30mph at my place when the snow is good.
View attachment 144126
View attachment 144127
View attachment 144128

That sure looks like the old citation ! And i now remember the engine was 250cc.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Here's a good article on two cycle turbocharged engines for mountain sleds.

 

[repairman54]

Was just at a show yesterday. '24 850 turbo on flatland sleds now. And a methanol tank on the tail.

 

[supton]

Great, now I’m reminded that I haven’t been looking for a sled. My land abuts a rail trail, which gets groomed in the winter for riding. A nice quiet 4 stroke could be fun, but it’ll be years before they get into my budget.

 

[Chris142]

We could use that here. The snow storm we had last week,or was it 2 weeks ago still has the mountains snowed in. They are still clearing roads and bringing in food with helicopters.

 

[IndyIan]

Great, now I’m reminded that I haven’t been looking for a sled. My land abuts a rail trail, which gets groomed in the winter for riding. A nice quiet 4 stroke could be fun, but it’ll be years before they get into my budget.

Most of the liquid cooled 2 stroke touring sleds are pretty quiet. Even the $2k older ones, there's probably even muffler kits to make them quieter. I suppose a new trail sled is better in a few ways but an early 2000's ski doo grand touring is pretty nice for relaxed local trail riding. Get one with electronic reverse, and keep it out of the deep snow and it will be fine.

 

[Jim K]

These are COOL snowmobiles .

 

[BrianF]

Love the old utility amd trapper sleds!! I have been keeping my eye out for either or. Love the wide track and wide ski skins, would make for a capable machine.

While my buddies are into the latest and greatest mountain sleds, my old girls do pretty good.

 

[billt460]

Is anyone here old enough to remember the Plaisted Expedition to the North Pole by Ski-Doo Snowmobile? It took place in 1967-1968, and was covered by Popular Mechanics, as well as several other periodicals.

It was an astounding achievement in it's time. Snowmobiles were nothing compared to what we have available today. Both speed and reliability were nowhere near today's modern machinery. Several people from Bombardier went along. And Bombardier put up a lot of the money for the expedition.

Museum of Ingenuity J. Armand Bombardier - Plaisted Polar Expedition

Follow Ralph Plaisted, Jean‑Luc Bombardier and their team on a thrilling expedition to the North Pole on Bombardier Ltd. snowmobiles.

museebombardier.com

 

[Snagglefoot]

Here is something on the Thunder Cat.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I can't imagine going almost 130 MPH on one of those things. They sure have evolved. Have any of them adopted a 4-cylinder Ninja / Hayabusa motorcycle type engine? Or doesn't an engine like that translate well to a snowmobile?

I believe they're using versions of that engine in watercraft and jet skis.

Also, how does your carrier work? Does it roll back and tilt down like a Jerr-Dan?

It seems the 3 cylinder, four stroke turbos are really popular, showing up in sea doos and even rogue military drones.

 

[repairman54]

Sea Doo's also use a supercharged Rotax 3 cyl. 250 -300 HP level motors. Sled 900 turbo triple is 165hp. advertised.
Watercraft and sled motors adapt well as no transmission integral to the engine assy. Just the crankshaft stub shaft ready to adapt something onto. Ultralights have been using 2 stroke Rotax engines for years.
Thundercat motor is a Yamaha motor, same as the ones in Yamaha Sidewinder sleds.