rewind what motorcycling can teach snowmobilers

Comparisons are often made between snowmobiles and motorcycles. Motorcycles, ATVs and snowmobiles are grouped together under the heading Power Sports, which, I guess, indicates a kinship between these different means of transportation/recreation.

Snocross riders use motocross and enduro bikes to stay fit in the off-season, and a good chunk of regular snowmobile enthusiasts use two wheels to satisfy their motor heads when the snow turns into Mother Nature's Kool Aid.

One experience changed the way I ride snowmobiles and improved my overall riding; taking a motorcycle safety course. I'm sure at the end of this paragraph, a few motorcycle safety instructors will be cringing at the prospect of more people wanting to enroll, but the reality is, these courses are a valuable experience for anyone, whether they own a motorcycle or not.

The differences in appearance, design and setup between a snowmobile and motorcycle are blatantly obvious. However, the mechanics involved in riding a snowmobile aggressively, but safely are remarkably similar. This is the Cliff's Notes version of what can be applied from a motorcycle safety course directly to making the riding experience safer, more enjoyable and, surprisingly, more invigorating.

What will not be discussed here are the obvious virtues involving alcohol and/or drug consumption, changing weather conditions, proper use of hand signals, etc. I guess I assume that if you've made it four paragraphs into this piece, you're intelligent enough to know better. That being said, what follows are 25 tips to improve your riding experience and make you a better rider.

1. Choose your equipment wisely. With four major manufacturers and dozens of models, why ride something you don't feel comfortable on? Don't buy a particular sled because of what the bumper sticker on your truck says! If you ride aggressively, consider a rider forward design, when speed is involved, it's better to lead with your head than your feet. On the other hand, if you like to cruise 20-40 mph all day and make Yao Ming look like a lawn gnome, why are you riding around on a snocross replica sled?
2. Clothing and accessories count. One difference here with motorcycles is we don't need to spend much time lecturing on the virtues of helmets and protective clothing, because it's nearly impossible to ride a sled without these things. However, make sure your clothes are comfortable, especially your jacket across the shoulders and pants through the knees. The inability to change positions quickly due to restrictive clothing equals potential trouble. Don't cheap-out on helmets. It's your fricken head and you only get one. Lose the boy-racer windshield. It looks great in the garage and gains you 2.6 mph on top-end, but what good is it if you end up wiping frozen tears out of your eyes and wearing duct tape on your nose all day?