Eleven grand. Not much for a car (can you even buy a new car
for $11,000? Most likely, but it would probably be a Yugo?), but a heck a lot
for a new snowmobile.
When you pay that kind of money for a sled, you want the
machine to work and work well. Not leave you stranded in the backcountry. Not
beat you up like Aunt Martha's old tub washing machine. Not cost an arm and a
leg to operate and keep running-because, afterall, you've already dropped a wad
of cash on the machine. You want it to look good and not like the café napkin
the concept was drawn on was used as the actual template for design. You'd like
a fair amount of working electronics that show the sled belongs in the 21st
century. A machine that has enough get
up and go to actually get up a mountain and go through the powder.
And need we point out that 11 grand is a lot of money to
spend on a toy you can use, oh, maybe 4-6 months a year?
We'll be the first to point out that not all mountain sleds
cost $11,000. Fan models average around six grand. But the heart of the
market-the 800s-has an average price tag of around 11 grand. Some models in
that class cost a little less, some a little more.
If you've made it this far and you're still reading this
(presumably because you're very interested in buying a new snowmobile this
year), then let us just say we think the 2008 model year lineup is as exciting
as any we've seen in years. Nearly all the major snowmobile manufacturers are
coming to the plate in '08 with new hardware and that's always good for those
of us who like to ride the steep and deep.
In fact, during the past half dozen years, western riders
have been given some of the best sleds on snow. It used to be that the newest
sleds always appeared first as trail machines and then later as mountain
machines. Lately, though, it's been the other way around. That could have
something to do with the woeful snow conditions in the Midwest
and consequently, not-so-hot sled sales in the flatlands. And it could have
something to do with the fact that mountain machines seem to fetch close to
MSRP prices and not deeply discounted prices. Name the last time anyone paid
full retail for a trail sled.
This winter will provide some of the most dramatic and
daring changes seen on the snow. How can you not get excited about a stock 439-pound
Summit from
Ski-Doo? Or the all new Yamaha FX Nytro MTX four-stroke. Then there's the new
Dragon 800 RMK that Polaris is downright giddy about. And don't forget the M8
from Cat.
Those are just four of more than a dozen mountain models
waiting for the snow to fly next winter. Young or old, first timer or
experienced backcountry thrasher, hill climber or mountain climber, there is a
sled for you in the 2008 stable. And despite the eleven grand threshold we've
pegged for this issue, you can find sleds below and above that price.
The SnoWest SnowTest
crew has ridden them all-some several times-this past winter. We traveled to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming to test the `08 models, in addition in our own
backyard in Idaho
(duty calls, you know). No one was more disappointed than us when the snow left
prematurely this spring and we couldn't extend our riding into April and May.
We wanted more seat time. We're always looking for that one last ride to where
a sled can prove its worth.
We know you're spending your hard-earned money to buy
something that is definitely more of a want than a need (although there are
lots of us who would argue the want-need scenario).
Is there any stock snowmobile worth $11,000? You bet. In the
pages that follow and in upcoming issues we'll give you the low down on going
up-a mountain that is. That includes which sleds do it better than others and
why we think it's still so dang much fun to snowmobile.
In this issue, we'll provide an overview of what's available
in each mountain class, from fans to liquids, from little to big. We'll include
how many models are to be had in each class, the average cost of the models in
those classes, the weight range and which manufacturer offers a sled in each
class. We'll share any new (or old) news in each class and then tell you which
issue of SnoWest will provide all the
details of every sled in each class.
We think this will just whet your appetite for the upcoming
winter season.
Let it snow.