Winter is on the way - Snowmobile, anyone?
Discussion
Streetrod said:
The Streetrod family have access to a couple which we keep at our holiday home in Whistler in Canada. The fact that we get an average of over 30ft of snow per winter makes them an essential requirement 
Official snowmobile trails crisscross cross Syracuse, and most of upstate NY. As you say, essential mode of transport in the winter, and some folks use them exclusively. The problem with a snowmobile here is that even when there's a lot of snow, they're a bit useless if there's no hardpack below the fresh stuff. They'll run on the gravel beneath fresh snow, but it's not good for them.
Streetrod - how do you find keeping them at a holiday home? They can be a nightmare to run at the best of times; I'd have thought you would spend much of your holidays getting them serviced!
Streetrod - how do you find keeping them at a holiday home? They can be a nightmare to run at the best of times; I'd have thought you would spend much of your holidays getting them serviced!
iphonedyou said:
The problem with a snowmobile here is that even when there's a lot of snow, they're a bit useless if there's no hardpack below the fresh stuff. They'll run on the gravel beneath fresh snow, but it's not good for them.
Streetrod - how do you find keeping them at a holiday home? They can be a nightmare to run at the best of times; I'd have thought you would spend much of your holidays getting them serviced!
They are very robust and just get a quick service at the end of the season, they are then dry stored. As for needing hard pack to run that is not the case. They are very happy on powder snow if you know how to ride them properly. Also you can get different tracks depending on your snow conditions.Streetrod - how do you find keeping them at a holiday home? They can be a nightmare to run at the best of times; I'd have thought you would spend much of your holidays getting them serviced!
Anyone who has ridden one will know that they are a bit noisy and smelly, but that does not seen to stop son number two from falling asleep on his whilst been driven around
redgriff500 said:
Streetrod said:
The Streetrod family have access to a couple which we keep at our holiday home in Whistler in Canada. The fact that we get an average of over 30ft of snow per winter makes them an essential requirement
Maybe I'm going blind but I can't see a snowmobile there.
Chris71 said:
Streetrod said:
The Streetrod family have access to a couple which we keep at our holiday home in Whistler in Canada.
Ferrari 250 and a retreat in arguably the best skiing/mountain biking retreat in the world? 
But yes Whistler is the best
Streetrod said:
They are very robust and just get a quick service at the end of the season, they are then dry stored. As for needing hard pack to run that is not the case. They are very happy on powder snow if you know how to ride them properly. Also you can get different tracks depending on your snow conditions.
Oh I know they're fine to ride in powder (but difficult, as you rightly say.) I mean that if you're riding them over here in the UK, the lack of any base below the powder would be a problem. Because here, when it snows (usually) it's just soft snow on top of tarmac. Or grass. Or gravel. Not 6ft of powder on a base of hardpack So I don't think they'll be much use in the UK for anything more than a week or two a year. If that!
iphonedyou said:
So I don't think they'll be much use in the UK for anything more than a week or two a year. If that!
If you live in Scotland they'd be useful for at least two months (going on last winter) and here in the Cambrian Mountains of Mid Wales I'd say good use for four weeks (going on the prior two winters).We had a snow so deep in parts of the Cambrians that my 110 Defender with a 2" lift and a large roof rack would vanish!
Caractacus said:
If you live in Scotland they'd be useful for at least two months (going on last winter) and here in the Cambrian Mountains of Mid Wales I'd say good use for four weeks (going on the prior two winters).
We had a snow so deep in parts of the Cambrians that my 110 Defender with a 2" lift and a large roof rack would vanish!
Well that's reasonable enough I guess We had a snow so deep in parts of the Cambrians that my 110 Defender with a 2" lift and a large roof rack would vanish!
It's just there's no guarantee subsequent winters will be as bad. I don't know how much you're paying for it, so I suppose only you can do the maths - does it still stack up if subsequent winters aren't as severe?iphonedyou said:
Caractacus said:
If you live in Scotland they'd be useful for at least two months (going on last winter) and here in the Cambrian Mountains of Mid Wales I'd say good use for four weeks (going on the prior two winters).
We had a snow so deep in parts of the Cambrians that my 110 Defender with a 2" lift and a large roof rack would vanish!
Well that's reasonable enough I guess We had a snow so deep in parts of the Cambrians that my 110 Defender with a 2" lift and a large roof rack would vanish!
It's just there's no guarantee subsequent winters will be as bad. I don't know how much you're paying for it, so I suppose only you can do the maths - does it still stack up if subsequent winters aren't as severe?If I buy one I'll be praying for L O A D S of the white fluffy stuff.
Things never stack up...I mean if things were to stack up we'd all have just one car each.
Streetrod said:
They are very robust and just get a quick service at the end of the season, they are then dry stored. As for needing hard pack to run that is not the case. They are very happy on powder snow if you know how to ride them properly. Also you can get different tracks depending on your snow conditions.
Anyone who has ridden one will know that they are a bit noisy and smelly, but that does not seen to stop son number two from falling asleep on his whilst been driven around
Anyone who has ridden one will know that they are a bit noisy and smelly, but that does not seen to stop son number two from falling asleep on his whilst been driven around
what engine has it got? what'll it do mister? Caractacus said:
Of course, you are spot on.
If I buy one I'll be praying for L O A D S of the white fluffy stuff.
Things never stack up...I mean if things were to stack up we'd all have just one car each.
True that! If I buy one I'll be praying for L O A D S of the white fluffy stuff.
Things never stack up...I mean if things were to stack up we'd all have just one car each.
I've always wanted to justify owning a snowmobile here, in all honesty. I'm in Northern Ireland, though, and it seems most of our potential snow turns to sleet as it comes across the water from you lot
At last, a chance to mention my effort at skidoing in Canada a few years ago (sorry, it is a photo of a photo)
I have never felt as close to death - I am a chicken, this was my fourth attempt at the lip, and I was going WAY too fast for my capabilities. I landed with my helmet through the screen, but that is of no concern as someone got this photo at the perfect time......
They are great machines, bags and bags of torque, but feel very heavy
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