Anyone snowmobile

Love to ride! Grew up on a 76' Kawasaki Drifter 440, then parents then got an 01 Indy 500SP and a 99 Doo Grand Touring. We made a couple family trips to the UP, and did a lot of farm field riding at home. I bought an 02 Indy 500XC and put about 5500 miles on it (a few more UP trips) before letting it go to get into camping. Winter in the UP is heaven on earth and I will be back! Being sledless is not fun come winter time.






I have been involved in a few vicious wrecks when it comes to motor sports (atvs, dirt bikes, sleds, cars), but sled wrecks have left an everlasting impression on me. I love the snow and the water, but I have a bad fear of not knowing what lies beneath or ahead. All my buddies run 800cc + machines, but I am perfectly content flying down the trail at 70mph vs 90mph (top speed for my 500 lol)....still going to hurt/die when you wreck! the Drifter 440 met a few snow fences between my brother and I. I finally did it when we hit a boulder at 40mph. Sister riding double wiht me, pulling my little brother on a sled. I chipped a vertebrae, sister was OK, little brother broke his leg in 2 places. rotflmao In 08 we had a little drainage ditch incident returning from Huron to Castalia. Long story short, I was on the ground after bailing from my Indy and my uncle-in-law clobbered me at 60mph with his Doo 1000. Cracked my helmet, messed up my left knee....still gives me chills:smiley_clap:

Used to own two of them, a 2000 380 Skidoo and 96 583 Skidoo. I'm with Adam on now knowing what's underneath or ahead of you when riding. Never did like the feeling of riding at night. Hit a ditch at about 50mph on the 380 and broke the windshield and throttle assembly. Rolled the 583 at 60mph and broke the hood, windshield, and throttle assembly. Never rode either of them again after the 2nd wreck in a two week time span. Sold them both as-is and got what I had in them. It was fun, but seemed like I wrecked every time out. LOL

I learned respect for them after hitting a log beneath the snow riding solo off trail when I was a teen. I flew off and knocked the wind out of myself. Sold it a few years later to my buddy who mixed the wrong oil combination and blew it up on his first ride.

motorbreaker said:

I know guys in so. Ohio that have snowmobiles and travel to the u.p. to ride. And they love it.

I don't want to piss anyone off but it sounds like some of you guys are rookies. If you ride faster then you can see then its your fault you wrecked. Also if you stay on the trails you will be safe for the most part.

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Lol, not blaming sleds for my recklessness and extremely hard to piss me off as I am confident in my abilities. No doubt we pushed the enevelope, part of the fun when I was younger. These days I am perfectly content riding marked & groomed trails only (MI & PA). It gets real interesting when riding in north central ohio unless you're just off the road. The landscape is always changing, whether a driveway crossing or a field after it's been tiled, hence the boulder half in the ground and top half covered with snow. Just like a boat or camper, you got to use them to justify them and having to travel to Cadillac n north is not cheap, but man is it fun!

What are you riding? Wife/gf ride also? Please share some more pictures!

Sweet ride! Liking the 4stroke?

Yeah I never said I rode it like it was intended to be ridden.... rotflmao

That's a nice looking Ski-Doo you got. My brother in law has one and says its the best sled he's ever owned as well...

My older brother moved to NH back in 2015 and since we have being trying to figure out a trip together to the rental in Pittsburg, NH he and 2 buddies get every year for sledding. We pulled it off last week and it was nothing short of awesome!

I made the 12hr trek last Weds to his place to visit and hang with my nephews, then we headed north Thursday late morning. Rode Friday and Saturday then made the 14hr trek back home Sunday.

I rented a sled and they provided a '22 Polaris Switchback Assault 650, with a 146" track, the 3 other guys were riding 4 stroke Doos ranging from 900cc turbo to 1200s.

We managed 265 mountain miles and saw some beautiful country up to 3,600'. We did just shy of 20 miles over frozen lakes while coming back from Maine, and day time temps had them with some nice slushy areas...butt hole puckering when you know there's no turning back. Riding in NH and ME takes the list to 5 states I've rode in, looking forward to WI, MN, WY, MO and NY someday, but the days are dwindling fast lol. If you have never, I highly recommend! Sorry if you already saw them on Facebook.

Some videos my brother snagged:

Looks like it was an awesome trip

Nice! Thanks for bringing us along. What kind of speeds were able too hit?

Incredible scenery!! Had to be a fun trip!!

My wife and I rented a snowmobile (a 2-up) prolly 20 years ago up in Sault Ste. Marie. There are trails all across the UP and I really thought we would have a great time. Didn't turn out so good as we tipped several times and man was it tough to steer and get up to speed. Never went again after that. We had some old snowmobiles growing up that we tore up the fields and trails around the house every year.

Glad you had a great trip. Not my thing. If it is snowy, I am working.

J said:

Nice! Thanks for bringing us along. What kind of speeds were able too hit?

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Speed limit on NH's trail system is 45, but up in the mountains you can goose it here and there, getting getting to 70-80 before the next turn. On the lakes we cruised around 75, and I would take it up to 95-100 in the fresh stuff, but I still have that fear of the unseen below and would get back on trail after a bit lol.

Big_Holla said:

Incredible scenery!! Had to be a fun trip!!

My wife and I rented a snowmobile (a 2-up) prolly 20 years ago up in Sault Ste. Marie. There are trails all across the UP and I really thought we would have a great time. Didn't turn out so good as we tipped several times and man was it tough to steer and get up to speed. Never went again after that. We had some old snowmobiles growing up that we tore up the fields and trails around the house every year.

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Yeah, a 2up is a different beast and you have to work together in the turns, will wear ya out quick. One big difference between da UP and New England is the terrain. This was mountains and Switchback trails to go up and down vs. wide open runs and long straight aways like in MI. Overall the traffic we passed on Saturday was much better behaved than what I have experienced in MI through the years. No ski clapping, no close calls and plenty of snow made for some great riding!