First ride of the season...

[STAIN]

Unfortunately, we don’t ride dynos.
A dyno is a tuning tool. On the snow, things can be different.
To me, on the tunes I have ran, when the peak rpm’s are @8700-8800 they feel sluggish compared to when you can get them to turn 8900-9000. They feel better corner to corner. Since I don’t race, the way the sled drives on the trail is my top priority.
I am not saying they are faster across the lake, just that they seem to drive better on the trail.
Your results may vary

 

[REDLINE 1]

TD recommends 9000 +-100. ? Haven’t tested mine this year last time I did it was around 8900

 

[vmxrdr]

My seat of the pants Dyno my sled likes 9000. I am not studded so it spins until the big end with ice attak track on it. I would assume studded up I would be a little under 9000 with it hooked up a lot better. Mt Valin area is really good riding too

 

[KnappAttack]

Well, with 50's for the foreseeable future, it seems like the season is going to be done for us unless we get a freak snowstorm that gives us a bunch of heavy snow later on, which could happen, but it'd be like starting all over again and likely last only a day or two this time of year. Maybe I get back to the UP again if the snow and weather holds for that area. I know I wont go unless it's cold enough for them to be grooming, I've made that mistake before, won't do that again.

What a shame we got all that rain and warm weather earlier this season that started early and ohhh so good, I thought it was going to be a good one, but now 3 seasons in a row its turned out absolutely lousy for southern MN. Got about 750 miles on for the season thus far. I guess it's better than nothing, and the new sled ran awesome in the UP. It rides, handles and goes so well and I look forward to improving on it some more in the clutch department. Had a nice go in the UP at a couple of the best running machines around that I run and are top notch anywhere we go. I won against both of them easily enough and didn't even have the boost turned up all the way, so all in all a real good outing and season thus far. I'm fine if it ends now as I've done no wrenching, and have had no issues at all with the new machine. I do need to install a battery heater for the Shorai lithium to see if that is enough in the cold to make it work, otherwise I'll go to an AGM battery if I let the machine sit out, on a out of town trip. Really love this new machine I can say that!

Seems like southern MN is just getting shut out year after year lately. Even northern MN is real shy on snow this year again and reports are they have quit grooming due to lack of snow and warm temps on the horizon. They got more snow south of us for the third year in a row. Crazy weather we have had thats for sure. Won't listen to the forecasters anymore, we were supposed to get a colder and snowier winter than normal, didn't happen that way, not even close. Dang shame I let them get my hopes up like that, but sure feels like this season is coming to an abrupt end for us right now anyway. Hopefully next year, we are after all an optimistic bunch us snowmobilers...

 

[Turboflash]

Used to be able to count on winter in southern MN but not for many years now. It's getting old to have to trailer 350 miles north to get to any snow. Even the arrowhead region of MN (area north and east of Duluth) is having a bad winter with hardly any snow.
It's supposed to be in the 50's over the weekend. Looks and feels like mid to late March out now. Snow all but gone. Bare ground.
It's hard to stay in this sport with this going here for most of the last 5 years!

 

[journeyman]

I made a last minute decision last week to go up to my retired work buddies cabin in Winter, Wisconsin. I hadn't ridden in 2 years, so glad I went. Anything south of highway 8 was not good. In 2.5 days of riding, I got 377 miles on the old Attak, sitting at 17,366 miles now and it ran mint. Shockingly, it runs neck and neck with my buddies 2021 SRX Winder on the Flowage, which is bone stock other than the 1.25" Ripsaw 2. Though my Attak has always been a runner, I was a bit surprised about that. He literally smokes all his 850 friends, so I don't think he has a bad one. We had surprisingly good conditions. I am sure that will be toast after this. I keep snooping used Winders, though I may still find the right deal, I haven't lost any sleep over it with these crappy winters.

I have looked at the Johndee cams, the UP has been really good on the western side. Maybe they will survive this warm spell, but I don't think Wisconsin or Minnesota will.

 

[Doc Harley]

Due to weather circumstances & riding conditions I treat snowmobiling like a side chick. It's very hard to stay 100% committed, and could take it or leave it.
My sleds worth what $7,000us?!?! Not worth getting rid of.
With that said, I appreciate every mile I can get and zero worries if I roll 10miles or 1,000pr yr.

 

[DennyTuna]

Hopefully next year, we are after all an optimistic bunch us snowmobilers...

Be careful what you wish for Mike, just maybe over the next couple of weeks Mother nature dumps a couple of feet or more of snow on you. Trends are leaning that way with the models, nothing set in stone, but it is sure looking good at this point.

 

[sideshowBob]

We have been fortunate here in North Western Ontario, Dryden, Ignace, Kenora , Souix Lookout. Ear Falls, Red Lake. Snow conditions so far are stellar and the trails are groomed perfectly with very little traffic. We did a 250 mile day ride yesterday in as good of conditions as we have ever had. I will acknowledge our season is and will be way shorter then the last few decades.

 

[journeyman]

We have been fortunate here in North Western Ontario, Dryden, Ignace, Kenora , Souix Lookout. Ear Falls, Red Lake. Snow conditions so far are stellar and the trails are groomed perfectly with very little traffic. We did a 250 mile day ride yesterday in as good of conditions as we have ever had. I will acknowledge our season is and will be way shorter then the last few decades.

You’re re making me want to move to Canada. LOL!

I have a good trade (electrician) but age isn’t on my side. I’m so close to retirement I can smell it.

 

[STAIN]

Hate to rub it in but we are having an old fashioned winter here. Cold. All the trails are mint.
Rode from Norton VT yesterday and stayed the night in Thetford Mines Quebec.
We got snow Wednesday and there was a fresh ten inches of snow at camp. Luckily the groomers where running that night and the trails are flat with a bit of fresh snow on top.
Riding back today and might New Hampshire tomorrow.

 

[74Nitro]

Hate to rub it in but we are having an old fashioned winter here. Cold. All the trails are mint.
Rode from Norton VT yesterday and stayed the night in Thetford Mines Quebec.
We got snow Wednesday and there was a fresh ten inches of snow at camp. Luckily the groomers where running that night and the trails are flat with a bit of fresh snow on top.
Riding back today and might New Hampshire tomorrow.

Same here in southern Ontario. The lake effect machine has been going in full force. Recently some weather experts said that since Lake Huron was about half froze over we wouldn't get lake effect anymore. Seems that's not the case as Wednesday night there was plenty of lake effect again. I had to blow the driveways again yesterday morning. Two week forecast is still good. Trails are great.

 

[journeyman]

Hate to rub it in but we are having an old fashioned winter here. Cold. All the trails are mint.
Rode from Norton VT yesterday and stayed the night in Thetford Mines Quebec.
We got snow Wednesday and there was a fresh ten inches of snow at camp. Luckily the groomers where running that night and the trails are flat with a bit of fresh snow on top.
Riding back today and might New Hampshire tomorrow.

Seems when the east coast has good snow we get shutout in the midwest.

 

[fatchance]

I left home for our annual trip to Northern Maine last Friday with a fresh 10 inches of useless snow in MA. That made over 4 ft in 3 weeks home. There was MUCH less snow 7 hrs north, but they really do an unbelievable job maintaining the trail system. Riding has been top notch all week with very little traffic. Heck, some days we didn't pass a dozen sleds.

 

[sxr70001]

I rode around the Cadillac MI area last weekend and put on over 250 miles in 3 days and I don’t think I’ve ever seen better trail conditions. At least for a very long time. This winter reminds me of winter when I was a kid back in the 60s. Of course now it’s all melting but hoping for a return to winter before it’s all over.