New Ride

[Sourdough]

Dave:  As I said I would let you know how the new machine rides.  OK it is a Ski-Doo Super Wide Track(24"), V-800(twin cylinder), 4-stroke.  It has a very similar drive system as my Kawasaki 4-wheeler.  And that is the best way to describe how it rides, just like riding a big 4-wheeler.  The seat is higher than other snow machines, the tunnel is wide almost to the point of being too wide to be comfortable.  With such a wide track, you don't need to throw your weight around to ride it like with narrower tracks.  In fact leaning to the side did not affect it at all.  It has a radiator up front so having to run in loose snow is no longer a must.  My teenage son likes the power, and the way he can comfortably stand while driving.  And how quite it is driving through the woods.  I like the fact that there is no sudden jerk when the clutch engages, you know where the two stroke engine revs up to a preset point (In some cases 2,000 rpm) then the clutch engages.  Also I can put it in neutral and warm up the belt before engaging the track.  My friend has the older two-stroke model and we decided that feature has a definite advantage on cold mornings.  Warm up the belt, then put it in low range and drive it a mile or so to warm up the track works well, without messing up the belt.  In other words we don't have to lift the rear and warm up the track like with the smaller machines.  Norman's wide track Polaris also works that way with neutral to warm the belt.     

Some drawbacks I have noticed, not enough heat shielding between the exhaust and the plastic cowling on the right side, easy fix.  Not enough clearance between the exhaust manifold and the cooling fan, with no shielding, keeping an eye on this point.  The only way to start is with the electric starter, no back-up system.  A small two-stroke generator will become a permanent fixture on my sled for long trips.  Also it has a crank case venting system, if it gets tipped over it will leak oil.  My partner and I are trying to come up with a recovery system to prevent getting oil on everything in the event of a boo boo.  But talk about smooth power, the throttle is just as responsive as my 4-wheeler also.  But got to do something with that backup warning alarm, that's the loudest thing about it.  Took it out on a trail last night, went down a dead-end trail and had to back up.  After putting it in reverse and hearing that Beep, Beep, Beep, I knew everything within two miles knew I was there.  That thing is going to get unplugged or bypassed this morning, I don't drive around other people that need to be warned I'm going to back up anyway.  The real funny thing is my son says that it is no louder than the one on my Arctic Cat, and the Ski-Doo legend that I just got rid of, it's just with the engine being so quite you can hear this one and the sound is not drown out by exhaust noise.  Maybe it's because I don't wear ear plugs (hearing protection) to ride this one that makes this beeper so loud. 

Take care, going out looking for wolves.  Folks in two river are getting upset, as are some of the people in North Pole.  Someone needs to shoot a couple to put the fear of man back into them.  They are getting a little too bold.

[Dand]

Really appreciate the review.  I've been wondering how the 4 stroke snogos measure up.  What about weight and ease to move if you do a boo boo? I don't like wrestling my old Arctic Cat Panther out of a tree hole. Often carry a rope come-along just in case.

Oh, and how is the fuel consumption?

Dan

[Sourdough]

Dand I honestly can't say anything about the fuel consumption yet, but I will let you know after I use some fuel.  It is heavy, over 700 lbs.  But the foot print is very light with that wide track.  I did take it out last night, and it performed real nice.  I like the fact that I did not have to stand and throw my weight around on a few of the bad areas of the trail.  I just sat there and rode it right up the bad spots.  It does not turn that sharp, and the handlebars are hard to turn without it moving, but it is heavy so that was expected.  I'm getting ready to go out again so I will do some more testing.  Rog

[Daveinthebush]

Glad to hear you are happy with it.  Myself I need something lighter that I can dig out if I need too.  I wonder how the fuel will be too.  Fill it in as soon as you get her broken in.

[Sourdough]

Took it out today and went out toward Eielson, behind the flood control project.  Went to a slough I have been to several times but never was able to go far up or down due to beaver dams.  The Tundra could not get over them, they were too high, too steep, and too rough.  Not so with the big machine, just put it in low range and let it crawl.  With a studded track traction was no problem, even when I got onto bare wood.  The track did not slip at all, and it climbed up and over very slowly in a good controlled manner.  Crossed about eight or nine beaver dams, and went about 5 miles up this old slough.  All new territory to me, and I've lived here over 35 years, I've flown over the area but could never figure a way to get into it due to the beaver dams blocking the way.  During the summer when i flew over, I felt it had several feet of water in it.  Also saw some big Moose in there with no way in due to the swamps and beaver dams.  Found several good places to put out some steel, and some snares.  Saw lots of fox, and wolf sign.

Did find where several wolves crossed the Chena river, heading to North Pole from the direction of Two Rivers.

[Sourdough]

At -30 it starts, at -35 it tries but won't quite start.  It's sitting out in my back yard.  Was wondering about the point where it would not start, now I know.  I'll start it tomorrow when it warms up during the day.  I'm going to bring it into the garage and install a heating pad on the oil pan.  Not doing anything to the battery, battery is strong, and has a lot of power left.  actually I don't need to do anything to it.  I'm not going to be riding if it gets colder than -20.

[williamlayton]

You boys are a bunch of tough SOB's---heck fire I complain at 69 degrees.
Blessings

[Dand]

Finally getting a mild blizzard today to fill in the creeks and gullies so might be able to do some riding myself. Supposed to snow more in the next few days too. I got out the Elan and Bravo for the boys and they buzzed around the yard long enough to affect the earth's rotation but the tarp is still on my old Panther.  Now if I can just shake off this cold.

Thanks for all the updates Sourdough - beaver dam climbing sounds great.  Out here in Bristol Bay I always fear thin ice unless we have a good long streak of 0 or lower.  And it only takes a day or two above 15 for some places to get thin again.  I'm totally paranoid about going through.

Good luck on the trapping maybe make it safe for the poochies again.

[corbanzo]

Spent about five hours yesterday taking apart and cleaning a john deer spitfire.  That's right, john deer at one time made snowmachines.  I don't know how old it is, but it's damn old.  The carb was pretty gummed up.  It actually ran when I first started it, took a trip around the lake.  After one trip... didn't want to get up and go anymore.  So out came the tools.  It idles pretty good now, the top end isn't happening though...  More taking apart crap today. 

The reason I know it's REAL old.  Over the belt housing, is states:  Us leaded gasoline only.  What besides airplanes and racecars uses lead gasoline?  Lucking I know some pilots.... hopefully the new gas will make it work well. 

[Sourdough]

My old Volkswagens use leaded gas.  So I have to buy the lead addative when I fill one up.

As for the John Deere, I believe it was 1974 When the first ones hit Fairbanks.  Harvey Drake bought the first one I seen, a Liquifire 440.  My neighbor had one, I believe it was a 1975 model.  He bought back in 1983 from the original owner.  He rode that old Liquafire 440 till a year ago.  By then the track as well as everything else was worn out.  Still ran, but did not have the power it once had.  He sold it to someone looking for a vintage machine to restore.

[Daveinthebush]

Corbonzo.  Don't run av gas in the snowgo.  The octane level is too high and you will melt the pistons.  87-90 is all you need for the snowgo.

[Sourdough]

Put the first tank of gas in the new machine.  Can't remember the miles or the amount i of fuel I put in, but the mileage was 18 mpg.  That's the first tank, with a lot of slow driving and a lot of low range.  Always pulling an empty sled.

[corbanzo]

Yeah, that was all we had available at the time, didn't feel like looking for low octane leaded gas...  We were making jokes about in the springtime... when there is barely enough ice on the side of the lake, lock the throttle and send it swimming.  It's old.  I think if the pistons melt we wouldn't mind... hahaha.

Got it running pretty good.  But then noticed leaks.  The fuel line is shot.  Especially inside the tank.  There is barely anything left of the latex feeder hose, we rigged a new one, but it is just a bandaid, and needs to be replaced. 

I'll have to find some of that lead addative.... a few more hours of work and it should be good.  You can tell it hasn't been rode too hard in its day, mostly sat around...  can tell from the pistons that it definitely wasn't broke in properly. 

[Sourdough]

Went out yesterday checking traps.  Norm got into deep overflow.  I tried to go around and hit the area where the overflow ended near the bank.  Snow collapsed on my right and almost tipped the machine, I bailed off into the overflow.  To get out I jettisoned the sled.  Went up the river turned around and came back.  The only way through was right through the overflow.  I hit it doing about 10 mph and cranked on the throttle.  Blew right across it.  Made a new trail across the bank to get around the overflow and went on.  Coming back down later, doing about 30 mph I skipped right across the overflow pulling a loaded sled.  Left the machine running to see what we were doing by the headlight at each set.  Norm was afraid it would overheat.  At -15 the fan never came on, and the engine was running fine.

[Dand]

Thanks for more updates.  You are getting some serious weather to wring out that new machine! I'm sitting here wishing I had a new ride.  My old Panther ate a bearing during my moose hunt.  I thought the speedo cable just broke but no, the bearing died and killed the speedo cable in the process.  I never knew I had a zerk way down there. It never saw grease in the last 10 years so I shouldn't be surprised. Now I wait for the shop guys to fix it while I build a bigger sled for hauling wood.

In the mean time its fun to read your adventures and learn about these new 4 cycles. The idea of a more quiet machine really appeals to me. If I don't wear ear plugs my ears ring after a day of riding - these Arctic Cats have a strange whine to them.

Hope you load up on fur and don't have too much overflow problems. Once while I was attending UAF I got into overflow up to my thighs while hiking near Chena Ridge at about -15 to -20 I think.  Walked home sounding like I had stove pipes for pants.  At least my pants froze and little water got to my skin. I jumped out of that overflow like a rocket it startled me so.