snosports for 1990
Amsnow
Low in price, high in fun quotient snow vehicles have become a specialty
with Yamaha. Two seasons back, the company introduced itsSnoScoot snow vehicles.
Powered by Riva motorscooter drive systems, the SnoScoot was designed to
be for snowmobiling what motorscooters were to motorcycling- lightweight,
low cost ways to enjoy a favorite season without tying up a lot of recreational
dollars.
The little 80cc scooters, while frequently maligned by "real" snowmobilers, have a top speed under 30 miles per hour and can thrash through a foot of fresh powder. They weigh in at about 200 pounds and can be purchased in either a kick start or electric start version.
Those who bought the original SnoScoots found themselves wishing for more power and better handling. Yamaha, apparently, felt this would be the case and readied a successor. The 1990 SnoSport is more scooter. It is longer, wider and more powerful than the original scooters. Its engine has grown from a six horsepower 80cc unit to a 125cc, 11 horsepower single. The transverse leafspring used to suspend the SnoScoot's skis have been replaced by a coil-over-shock front independent strut suspension that offers 4.7 inches of travel and works very well in the new lightweight Yamaha.
The SnoSport, while bigger than the SnoScoot in virtually every way, only weighs about 20 pounds more than the smaller scooter; has a bigger 3.1 gallon fuel tank that will take you 70 miles or so on a tankful; and, gets an improved, longer travel "monocross" rear suspension with six inches of travel. On the down side, the SnoSport will cost about a grand more than the original scooter. (However, we suggest you check your dealer for pricing. One thing we found when we bought our SnoScoots was that dealers who didn't like scooters tended to try and get rid of them for real low prices. Those dealers who realized how much fun the scooter concept truly is, tended to get full list price for them.)
The SnoSport should be even more fun than the SnoScoot It will have a true top speed of about 35 miles per hour, greater torque for plowing through deeper snow, more comfort from a larger overall size, and better ride and handling.
In a test ride last Spring, we took three SnoSports to the snow-covered Old Faithful geyser at Yellowstone National Park. Since the park has a speed limit of 45 miles per hour in the widest open areas, we were well within the legal bounds while traveling flat out and having an absolute giggle doing it. We found the newest little Yamaha to be everything that its maker claims. Riding comfort was exceptional. In fact, we like the upright "motorcycle" seating arrangement of the little Yamahas over the conventional sit-on-your-tailbone seating of most conventional sleds. With the SnoSport and SnoScoot your legs actually become part of the shock absorbing motion and help protect your lower back from taking direct hits from stutter bumps and sharp moguls. And, with a little practice, you can almost make the SnoSport whirl around in its own width, like a freewheel bicyclist.
The newest Yamaha snow vehicle is available in four choices: two kickstarts in either red with black seat or black with red seat; or, two electric start models in red with black seat or white with red seat. The polyethylene body work is virtually indestructible and neatly covers the machine's skeletal underpinnings.
It's a nifty snow machine for starters. We truly enjoyed this nimble Yamaha and found it a pleasant respite from the heavy metal models we had been test riding.
Yamaha SnoSport (E)
Engine Type: Yamaha 125cc fan-cooled, reed-valve single, 11 horsepower
Carburetion: One Mikuni B26-20
Clutching
Drive: Yamaha
Driven: Yamaha
Suspension
Front: A-frame, coil over shock, 4.7 in.
Rear: Mono-shock 5.7 in.
Ski Stance: 33.3 inches
Fuel Capacity: 3.1 U.S. gallons
Offical Dry Weight: 243 Pounds/ 254 (E)
Features: Parking Brake/electric start on "E" version
Length: 74.6 inches
Width : 37.6 inches
Track Length: 90 inches
Track Width: 12 inches
Track Material: Rubber
Price US $1,999 $2,199 for (E)