The Reflexsnowmobiling Blog

Snow and the 2010-2011 Season

2010-10-08T11:33:00.003-05:00

Greetings!

I hope your summer has been well. The snowmobiling season has officially been started with the Hay Days grass drags held in Sunrise, MN. The grass drags moved this year and has some growing pains with traffic causing horrible congestion for miles. I asked some of the people walking in later in the day and some said they had waited in line for nearly 6 hours. The event got news coverage and proved to be a disaster. The swap was great and there were many swappers. (not to many great deals)

Hope for snowmageddon! and get your sleds ready for the new season.

Got Info?

2010-04-21T20:28:00.003-05:00

I was browsing the internet the other day when I found a great website with how to and tech articles. It's from RK Tek is a performance shop located in Idaho that has been doing some great things with two strokes. Here is a link to their technical articles page. Check out their website and their great articles. It's hard to find a good webpage with some condensed info so check it out!

Hope everything is well,

Reflexsnowmobiling

Arctic Cat Realsed New 2011 Snowmobiles

2010-03-09T20:26:00.003-06:00

There is the last of the big four snowmobile companies to release their 2011 snowmobiles. Snow is almost gone but it was a great year. Get in all the riding that you can before the season is gone and all you can do is talk about how "joe" or "wayne" went into the woods and took out some trees.

The summer is long and hot, but there is always next season!

Here is the link to arctic cats website.
http://www.arctic-cat.com/snow/

2011 Skidoo Snowmobiles

2010-02-23T08:32:00.004-06:00

Only 14 more hours till we see what Ski-Doo is bringing to the table. Check it out at http://www.ski-doo.com/en-US/

EDIT: I also heard that Arctic Cat will be releasing their 2011 sleds March 1st. There is talk that there will be lots of new updates to the new race chassis. Yamaha has release a few things but I do not think they have released full pictures and descriptions on their main website.

Polaris Pro RMK

2010-02-22T17:05:00.002-06:00

Polaris's 2011 mountain sled got a make over! According to Polaris, "the Pro RMK is the lightest, most durable RMK ever built. Purpose-built for riders tired of trail sleds with long tunnels. Designed aggressively lighter but built structurally stronger in all the right places - weight reduced only where weight doesn’t matter. Centralized mass for precise control and an easier ride. RMK Coil-Over Rear Suspension for better bump control and nimble balance." The Pro RMK is 431 lb's and could be a new threat to the current king of the mountain. Check out the video below.

We will have to see if the new Pro RMK will be able to compete with the M8 from Artic Cat and the Summit from Ski-Doo. I am not going to include Yamaha because the Apex is a 4 stroke.

Growth Pains: Part Two

2010-02-09T17:31:00.033-06:00

Here is a couple photos of my snowmobile before I had any crazy ideas of modifying the seat.

There was a couple reasons I decided to modify the seat on my snowmobile. I did not like how the original seat and gas tank bowed out from the tunnel, making it painful and difficult to stand while riding. With a new seat and the handle bars moved even further forward, I would be able to stand comfortably.

First I had to remove the seat and original seat mounting brackets, a very easy job. Then I unstrapped the gas tank, unplugged the fuel pickup line and slid it out from the sled.

From there, I started the planning and fabrication phase.
I needed to create my own mounting brackets to hold in the new seat and gas tank. The new gas tank has a aluminum collar around the top and I planned on using springs to hold the front down. For the main bracket, I purchased pre-cut steel tubing, two 90 degree angles and a "T" from Menards. I also bought a piece of foam to fit over the tubing where the gas tank would sit down on. I Simply used some grade 5 bolts to clamp onto the existing frame and riveted the bottom of my added bracket down to the tunnel.
Took some help from the torch and a hammer to get the tube to flatten out so I could bolt it on to the frame.

I then found some old aluminum to shape into a plate that formed to the front of the new gas tank helping secure the tank from moving side to side and forward and backward. I used some stainless steel rivets to securely fasten the bracket to the tunnel.

Then used some 2 inch aluminum angle iron and more stainless steel rivets to fasten it to the tunnel. I also used some thick foam to prevent the rear of the gas tank from rubbing on the aluminum. With this rear piece of angle iron, the tank would be captured.

I was able to use existing bolt holes in the back of new gas tank
to fix the rear part down to the tunnel (was very happy this worked out!)

Using the aluminum collar that I bought the tank and seat with, I used two exhaust springs to fasten the tank down (now both the front and back of gas tank are securely set).

The last thing for me to do is mount the comfortable seat ontop of the gas tank. I used a simple piece of aluminum to clamp the rear part of the seat. The front part of the seat was a puzzle until my grandpa was over to the shop scrutinizing the project. He made a joke that my sled would be held together with Velcro soon and then I realized that was the solution! I could get some industrial strength Velcro and stick the front of the seat to the top of the gas tank. It worked out very well. Here is some pictures of the completed project.

Now I plan on molding and painting up some fiberglass pieces to cover my newly made storage area.

My next project will be to look into turbocharging the sled. Not to many people turbocharge a 500 nor two strokes but going through and learning how to do it would be quite a journey.

Share

New Polaris Sled Unveiled Friday.

2010-02-03T12:25:00.001-06:00

Polaris is revealing a 2011 sled tomorrow. Check it out at the link below.

http://www.polarisindustries.com/en-us/Snowmobiles/2011/Preview/Pages/Overview.aspx?WT.ac=SNO-10-US-HOME-10_1ST_TEASER

Growth Pains: Time to Modify and Upgrade

2010-01-25T16:21:00.004-06:00

I have been riding my MXZ for 4 years now and have been maintaining and upgrading it to extend its life. At the end of the 2008 snowmobiling season, my shins were killing me from banging them against the fat S chassis gas tank and I wanted something more comfortable when standing up on the sled.

I then decided to remove the stock gas tank and seat to replace them with a different, more comfortable combination. I went to Hay Days and found a 2005 Ski-Doo Summit Seat and gas tank for $80.00 (Most Rev seats + tanks at Hay Days were going for more than $180.00!) I picked the Rev chassis gas tank and seat because it is narrower where my legs sit up against it and much more comfortable than the 1998 seat/tank. Next post I will explain how I fit the seat and tank to my sled and some pictures to show how it ended up. For all those who have an older S chassis, this might be something to think about doing to your own sled.

Industry News and Updates

2010-01-19T15:03:00.003-06:00

Time is flying by at an incredible rate and it’s time to get cracking on my website design and update the blog. I have changed the layout of the Reflex Snowmobiling website, hope everyone likes the update. I have been adding and changing things as I have gone so bear with me.

There has been a lot going on in the snowmobiling world lately! The USCC has had their opener, XMR, a affiliate of ISOC is in full swing and ISOC has been racing full speed ahead. Tucker Hibbert’s impressive win streak came to an end in Utah when he tipped his sled in a corner ending up finishing in 7^th place.

Yamaha has unveiled a new model that incorporates power steering. Yamaha is calling it EPS, electronic power steering. An interesting addition to snowmobiling. I would suspect that other manufacturers will incorporate power steering depending on the weight of their system. I could see a valuable application of power steering on touring models.

E-TEC! It seems that Ski-Doo’s big thing is its E-TEC technology. The word is that BRP is introducing a Rotax E-TEC 800R Motor exceeding the power of the older PowerT.E.K. 800. BRP claims fuel efficiency of 19 mpg which would be outstanding!

Update:

2010-01-06T15:39:00.004-06:00

The new year is here and snow has come with it. I recently finished my snowmobile project of changing over the original s chassis seat to a 2005 ski-doo summit. I will upload the details of the whole project with pictures in another post. I also made my first snowmobiling trip out to the Michigan's upper peninsula. More about my project and MI another time, don't forget to check back. Hope the new year is going well!

Videos from the Duluth Snocross

2009-12-18T14:06:00.003-06:00

I have posted some of the videos I took from the Amsoil Duluth National Snocross to youtube. You can find them here: http://www.youtube.com/user/olso4749. To view the videos I have uploaded, click on uploads on the right side of the page.
I have quite a few more videos to upload but I am in the middle of finals for college. Check back later to see new videos.

Sunday Pictures

2009-12-13T19:26:00.017-06:00

Saturday Night Pictures

2009-12-12T20:29:00.000-06:00

Amsoil Duluth National Friday Race Results

2009-12-12T10:30:00.005-06:00

For the results and story of the races from Friday, visit the ISOC racing web page here.

Amsoil Duluth National Snocross: Friday Night

2009-12-11T21:22:00.004-06:00

At about 5 degrees out, it was very cold at Spirit Mtn. but none the less, quite a bit of people showed up to watch the races. Here is a few pictures from Friday night at the Amsoil Duluth National Snocross. Now I have to go defrost my hands and feet, it was well worth it! You can get information about the snocross here. If you decide to go, don't forget to bring cash for the ticket! Check out my blog tomorrow and Sunday for more pictures and videos from Spirit Mountain at the Duluth National Snocross, thanks for visiting!

Snow Fall

2009-12-09T08:42:00.002-06:00

The first major snow event for the Mid-west is here! Seems like most of the snow went to south of Minnesota and according to the national weather service, the area south of lake Superior was predicted to receive 12+ inches of fresh snow. You can check out the snow depth here. Hopefully the snow keeps coming and the plows keep those roads open. It has been drifting in the area I live in and hard to tell how much snow we have got.

Snowmobile Video for the Christmas Season

2009-12-01T21:00:00.003-06:00

Christmas is fast approaching and you may need a gift for your father, mother or that someone special. Buy Slednecks new video Slednecks 12 and enjoy 50 minutes of heart pumping snowmobile action. This video features some of the best riders in front of the camera including Geoff Kyle, Chris Burandt, Paul Thacker, Chris Brown, Dan Adams, Cory Davis, Brett Turcotte, Shad Free, Dan Treadway, Brandon Cormier, Sam Rogers and more. Get your copy today so you can take deep snow and the sound of a snowmobile anywhere you go. Watch the teaser here!

AMSOIL DULUTH NATIONAL SNOWCROSS: Rescheduled

2009-11-23T09:22:00.004-06:00

According to the ISOC racing website, the AMSOIL Duluth National has been rescheduled. The race was postponed due to unseasonably warm temperatures and an extended forecast for more of the same, the 18th annual race at Spirit Mountain has been moved to run the weekend of December 11 – 13.

Representatives from Visit Duluth, Spirit Mountain and ISOC have been watching the weather and considering all options. The staff at Spirit Mountain was prepared to work around the clock to make the required snow for the event.

"The cold weather just didn't make it to Minnesota by Sunday like we had hoped," said Terry Mattson, Visit Duluth President and CEO. "While it is expected to get cold enough later in the week, there would not be enough time to 100% guarantee there would be enough snow to pull off the event. We are concerned about the safety of our riders and putting together a good show for the fans."

The Duluth National will now be held December 11-13. Hopefully by then, Spirit Mountain will have made enough snow for the event!

AMSOIL DULUTH NATIONAL SNOWCROSS

2009-11-18T20:37:00.000-06:00

Just under 9 days to the Amsoil Duluth National Snocross held at Spirit Mountain in Duluth Minnesota! The first race of the season! Racing begins Friday at 10:30 a.m., Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. For the official schedule ISOC Racing, Click HERE.
Ticket Cost:

Daily youth/senior pass: $20
Daily adult pass: $25
3-day youth/senior pass: $40
3-day adult pass is $46

Check back in for an update! Hopefully Spirit Mtn will be prepared for the races and made enough snow for the event.

Chris Burandt Joins Polaris

2009-11-15T21:55:00.000-06:00

Chris Burandt has been snowmobiling for more than 25 years, and has had greatest success in the back country, hillcross, hillclimb and especially freestyle competition. He won the snowmobile freestyle gold medal at the 2007 Winter X Games, and has won multiple Red Bull Fuel & Fury championships. He is also a two-time Freestyle Sno-X Rider of the Year. Quite a resume of achievements. He also rides with Sled Necks, a professional group that has put together some sick videos.

USCC Revisited

2009-11-06T14:14:00.000-06:00

Do you have what it takes to race in the USCC? Unless you have raced before, you might not have all the required equipment. After my first blog post about the USCC, I decided to take a closer look at some of the requirements again. Here is some of the equipment you will need...

a Snell certified helmet with 3/4 of the helmet being orange (can put orange tape strips)
a Tekvest type chest protector
working headlight, taillight and brake light
working tether switch
fire extinguisher (only if in a race class with fuel stop)
a place to post a race number either on the hood or windshield of your snowmobile

Any skill level is welcome so YES, you do have what it takes. Now you just have to get your snowmobile out, buy some gear and ride! (don't forget to clean those carb's if ya got them!)

Information from http://www.usccracing.com/racerqna.php

Suspension Tech

2009-10-30T10:44:00.000-05:00

I was recently asked about TeamFAST's suspension and what made it better than other suspensions. I did not know the answer to that question, so i decided to take a look at TeamFAST's website. You may have heard of the M-10 suspension, TeamFast's first aftermarket suspension. What you might not have known is that they recently produced a new suspension, the M-20 Airwave. The M-20 gives 10.6 inches of travel while weighing 58 pounds for a 121 inch track length. (could not find the weight of a stock suspension to compare. If you know the weight of a stock suspension, please comment.) TeamFast claims that the new and improved M-20 Airwave gives a smooth ride while resisting bottoming from big bumps. To top it off, you can purchase the Diamond Option, which combines an onboard air-compressor with a switching system that allows on the fly adjustments. Although this aftermarket suspension has all the goodies, it will lighten you wallet at a starting price of $1,789.00. For more information or products from TeamFAST, visit their website HERE.

Cross Country Snowmobiling

2009-10-20T17:55:00.000-05:00

If you are a average snowmobiler like me, you have probably wondered where you could go to find some competitive snowmobiling where you don't need a sponsorship or a sled with thousands of dollars in aftermarket parts. The answer to this is the USCC, a cross country racing association that sets up long distance courses on the same trails and ditches you may have seen yourself. The USCC has both stock and modified classes. This allows the average snowmobiler to come out on a 600cc or smaller snowmobile and have some fun racing in a competition. Amateur race entry fees are typically $35.00 and non-pro classes have a cash payback in the $75-$100 range if you win. For more information, visit the USCC's official website! I am very interested in this new and upcoming addition to current snowmobiling. Before reading about the USCC, I had always wanted a 800cc sled and nothing else. Now, I am seriously considering getting a 600cc snowmobile instead so I can trailer out to one of the USCC events and compete. My goal is to compete in a USCC race in the coming years and hopefully you will to!

Update: Reflexsnowmobiling.com is still under construction but I am working on getting it updated and operational. Thank you for your patience.

Yellowstone - Cars and Snowmobiles

2009-10-14T19:10:00.000-05:00

Snowmobiling and Yellowstone. Something that has been a hot topic in the snowmobiling world since snowmobiles were allowed into the park in 1963 and even hotter from 1997 and on. Everyone has their own opinion on issues and many times opposing viewpoints clash in court. As you probably know, snowmobiles have been restricted in Yellowstone since April 2001 when they were completely banned. Then in 2003 after much litigation, the ban was overturned and replaced with a daily restriction of 720 snowmobiles till 2006-2007 winter season.
Today, environmentalists and others want to restrict the amount of snowmobiles allowed in the park each day by another 402 snowmobiles. Mean while, there is no talk of limiting RV's or other vehicles that tour Yellowstone during the summer months. Someone might ponder whether or not limiting snowmobiles using efficient 4 stroke technology would make a difference in the quality of air or the amount of impact to wildlife when there are an average of 3 million annual visitors to Yellowstone. The total number of winter visitors to the park for December 2008 through March 2009 was 86,793. With any luck, someone will come up with a solution that preserves the U.S. national park system and allows visitors to enjoy the park during both summer and winter. Remember think snow!

Information from:
http://serc.carleton.edu/research_education/yellowstone/snowmobiles.html
http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm

Winter Chills

2009-10-07T15:14:00.000-05:00

Winter is on the way, the Loveland Ski Area in Colorado opened this morning at 9 A.M., it was 40 degrees out this morning and snowmobiles are on the move! This last weekend, I got my sled out and started a parts list of the things I need to purchase to maintain my sled and some things that I don’t need but want. Some of the things on the list include bearings and hyfax for my suspension, spark plugs, and basic maintenance items. I will be getting most of the parts from Dennis Kirk, a major distributor of snowmobile parts. They also sell parts for four wheelers, dirt bikes and motorcycles. You can visit their website here. If you have been snowmobiling for any amount of time, you have probably heard of Dennis Kirk or seen an advertisement by them. Hopefully I will be able to upload some pictures of my Ski-doo next week and talk about some of the modifications I plan on doing this year. Think snow!

Just Ride.

2009-10-02T11:01:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone and thanks for visiting the Reflexsnowmobiling blog. This is going to be dedicated to snowmobiling and anything surrounding the topic. I live in Minnesota and every year I start preparing for snowfall by getting my snowmobile out of the barn and into the garage. I can't wait for the day when i finally get my sled out and start working on it. Sometimes the sled comes out as soon as Sept but this year it will be a little later than normal. This weekend i will be getting out my sled, a 1998 Ski-doo MXZ 500, and changing out the seat and gas tank to a rev seat and gas tank. From now on I will be posting about my rides and about repairs made in the shop. Thanks for visiting and if you can, check out reflexsnowmobiling.com!