sure i agree that you should buy your kid their first sled (definitly not a new one though). after that it's up to them if they want to upgrade it or buy a newer one.
How much is to much, for a sled?
- Thread starter suitcase
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sure i agree that you should buy your kid their first sled (definitly not a new one though). after that it's up to them if they want to upgrade it or buy a newer one.
I don't understand this thinking at all.
and letting everyone else and dad "pay for me to play" is the new way of thinking... its horse crap and the reason our country is in trouble.
If i get my kid a little 120 to ride or a 600 when he is of age, its because he is working hard as he can to earn it. If he proves that to me, then i will gladly finance what he cannot. But the second he starts acting like a spoiled, liberal welfare loving prick who is taking advantage of his parents, his toys get taken away. Work hard to play hard.
Wow, and it keeps getting worse.
Why would you ever feel like you owe your kids their first snowmobile or bike or car? I guess I'm a real hard @$$, I never bought any of my kids their first pedal bike let alone their first sled. What I did do was teach them how to work, save, spend wisely, not pay interest, get a purpose based education which they had to pay for on their own, and never spend a day working to make somebody else rich when they graduated from college. They each have 3 times what I had when I was under thirty and I can't think of one time any of them have ever ask me for money since they were sixteen. Kids have never had better opportunities to make a good life for themselves then they have today even in our current economic condition. You owe your kids nothing beside the necessities of life and some good @$$ kickings when they don't listen to you when you teach them how to make a good life for themselves.
The only thing you owe your kids is to be a "parent" and teach them to be a good person, responsible and someday be a parent themselves. (easier said then done though) If I ever have kids I plan on giving them the means to make the money and spend it wisely, I may give a little more or help out but that means it will be as much mine as theres.
wow alot of parental advice flying around this thread... I'm not a parent and not close to being one so no parental advice from here, I'm 24. But I can tell you work ethic is everything. I bought my first sled when i was 16 instead of buying a car. I worked masonry for 3 summers to pay for it. Before that, my dad would let me ride one of his sleds (either an XLT or an old indy) and that for sure got me hooked. If dad had never paid for me to play, I wouldnt be as much of a snowmobiler as I am now. thats for sure. So there must be some kind of balance for all you parents to reach. Make your kids work for things, let them ride what you have, and if they break it, they work to fix it, because its not theirs its yours. You can help under the table, I'm sure my parents did sometimes.
So is it worth it to spend $20K+ on a sled? imho no, I can see having your own sled and modding it, but keep it and rip it, and if you really feel the need to spend $20K+ on a machine, spend $10K on 2 instead and take a non-snowmobiler snowmobiling. Get someone else hooked, the more snowmobilers the better. We need to drown out the tree huggers and if snowmobiling is a big enough business, we will.
my .02
So is it worth it to spend $20K+ on a sled? imho no, I can see having your own sled and modding it, but keep it and rip it, and if you really feel the need to spend $20K+ on a machine, spend $10K on 2 instead and take a non-snowmobiler snowmobiling. Get someone else hooked, the more snowmobilers the better. We need to drown out the tree huggers and if snowmobiling is a big enough business, we will.
my .02
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suitcase
Well-known member
One of the bad things is that it does not take a lot of mod extra's to hit twenty. Big bore and new skid, there you are.
don't really need the parental advice, ever one is diffrent on how they raise there kids.
But my son is 11 going on 12 in july and he is helping buy his sled that he is rideing now, cutting the lawn, and feeding the cows, Pulling weeds in the feilds. I keep him hooked up!
Sorry
don't really need the parental advice, ever one is diffrent on how they raise there kids.
But my son is 11 going on 12 in july and he is helping buy his sled that he is rideing now, cutting the lawn, and feeding the cows, Pulling weeds in the feilds. I keep him hooked up!
Sorry
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snowmobiler
Well-known member
for my 20 id want a 300 hp nobody will spank me sled
S
snowmobiler
Well-known member
a light weight 900 will be fun
S
snowmobiler
Well-known member
how much hp is the 900?
For me the age thing is starting to kick in.I turned 50 last yr and have no regretts of all my crazy dirt biking days in my 20"s.Raised kids and mostly worked thru my 30's.started playing more again in my 40's 3 new sleds and 3 ATV's and a 69 camaro vert.Life is short and if you are in good health and can affored it I say go for it.That said I dumped my 09 D800 with 1500 miles on it and took the 8k differance hit and ordered a new 12 Pro.Yes I can affored it and at age 50 the pro makes me look that much better!!!I could spend it on my wife and kids but F that they can earn their own money
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suitcase
Well-known member
They don't give out HP # on there big bores, like alot of other Brands of big bores. The proof is in the pudding, AND it is thick in the house of Carl's big bores. I can say one thing, that has been documented several times, LOL. That my 860 gas and go sled, walks all over the 1000 cats with all the gizz moes under the hood, that you could stuff, Pipes, box's, so on and on. What does cat claim they have for horse power? (you see my point).
When you can take a big bore and huck the heck out of it, (Well ) lets just say more fun than a guy should be able to have on a sled.
When you can take a big bore and huck the heck out of it, (Well ) lets just say more fun than a guy should be able to have on a sled.
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I figure the depreciation into the cost of enjoying the sport, and will ride whatever fits my budget.
There's no point relieving your stress on the mountain because you're financially tapped because you spent too much on your sled. Seems like a vicious cycle.
There's no point relieving your stress on the mountain because you're financially tapped because you spent too much on your sled. Seems like a vicious cycle.
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slednutz
Active member
Too much is however much you are willing to put into the sport and how much you enjoy it and can afford. Every year it gets more expensive for me and as long as I can afford it and can have fun doing it I will keep paying for it. I hope that I am like many of you some day and can enjoy it with my kids once I start a family
Dang, lots of parenting stuff!
I guess I'll have my say... Being 14 and somewhat new to the sport I see it as not only stated as a stress realever, but bonding time with my father. My dad works 8 - 9 hours a day 7 days a week and is managing his own business. Heck he started for work today at 7 and got home at 10 tonight. I just like the feeling that my dad and I can go out for a weekend end and just hang out and relax. Talk about girls or politics, believe it or not, on our 3 hour drives. Sure there are many other things we can do together but, snowmobiling is something we both love to do... Sure I ride a practically new sled but I and my parents feel as if I have earned it.
Do I think parents should help there kids? Yes. Most defiantly. Ensuring the future for better of someone else. If we all helped each other we would all be successful right? Making your kids pay for everything is rather dumb to be honest. Give them an incentive. ie. For my sled I had to prove worthy by having good grades. I finished this year with a 4.0 highest in the school. I still payed for part of the sled but with child labor laws and the cost of a decent sled you'll probably be 18 to obtain one ( up front cash ).
I'll cut this "short" and say yes we have the available money to pay up front for a showroom car or new sleds. Do we do it? no. Most of the money that is in the bank stays there for college or my future.
I do want to say there are 2 people my age that are close enough for me to ride with. One rides a 1994 AC 440 the other a 2010 M8. Something is wrong in that picture.
Well now my "rant" is over
Truthfully if you pay over 20k for a sled your wasting money. With the economy that is a ton of money. Also the resale value almost drops with sleds. Buying a stock sled with maybe a turbo and new shocks at the most. (install everything yourself). That brings up another good point. You will never gain money having things professionally installed rather than doing it yourself. Then again for me riding a stock 800 is almost overkill for my terrain. Just have to think. Is it practical?
Well I'm done here. Just trying to stir the pot a little.
I guess I'll have my say... Being 14 and somewhat new to the sport I see it as not only stated as a stress realever, but bonding time with my father. My dad works 8 - 9 hours a day 7 days a week and is managing his own business. Heck he started for work today at 7 and got home at 10 tonight. I just like the feeling that my dad and I can go out for a weekend end and just hang out and relax. Talk about girls or politics, believe it or not, on our 3 hour drives. Sure there are many other things we can do together but, snowmobiling is something we both love to do... Sure I ride a practically new sled but I and my parents feel as if I have earned it.
Do I think parents should help there kids? Yes. Most defiantly. Ensuring the future for better of someone else. If we all helped each other we would all be successful right? Making your kids pay for everything is rather dumb to be honest. Give them an incentive. ie. For my sled I had to prove worthy by having good grades. I finished this year with a 4.0 highest in the school. I still payed for part of the sled but with child labor laws and the cost of a decent sled you'll probably be 18 to obtain one ( up front cash ).
I'll cut this "short" and say yes we have the available money to pay up front for a showroom car or new sleds. Do we do it? no. Most of the money that is in the bank stays there for college or my future.
I do want to say there are 2 people my age that are close enough for me to ride with. One rides a 1994 AC 440 the other a 2010 M8. Something is wrong in that picture.
Well now my "rant" is over
Truthfully if you pay over 20k for a sled your wasting money. With the economy that is a ton of money. Also the resale value almost drops with sleds. Buying a stock sled with maybe a turbo and new shocks at the most. (install everything yourself). That brings up another good point. You will never gain money having things professionally installed rather than doing it yourself. Then again for me riding a stock 800 is almost overkill for my terrain. Just have to think. Is it practical?
Well I'm done here. Just trying to stir the pot a little.
Well it all depends on what you want to do. IF you have the money great. Its all about living within your means. If you can drop 30K then do it. It you make your kids go without basic supplies because you dropped 30K in a sled then you need to take a look at your life. My dad still has the 88 and 89 phazers that i started on when I was 7 and now my nephews are riding them. In a few more years my boy will be riding them as well. Take care of your stuff and it will last. My dad also has 4 Turboed Sleds that he dropped 20K + in each. Why? Dog Lick. Because he can. He has worked his a$$ off all his life to provide his family with things they need. He is my best friend and I know its because he spent the time with me to become such. We didn't start out on the 20K sleds because at the time he couldn't afford it and we didnt ride like we do now. Yes he bought all the sleds I grew up on and still get to ride his sleds, However he taught me how to work hard and smart and to only buy things that you can afford. If you want something work hard to pay for it. Work hard and play hard. Now that I have a family i sure cant drop 20K into a sled but it sure is nice to ride those sleds when I go and ride with him. One of the main reasons he has 4 is because all us kids don't have the money to buy the turbo sleds and so when we take our stockers we can keep up and couldn't go to some places if we didn't have them.
I have to say I never paid for my own sled before I was 21 but the time I spent with my dad on all those trips i would not trade it for anything and neither would he. Those 2 hour drives each way made us closer than ever and I hope I can do that with my son as well. He taught me how to work and when I deserved it he would provide for me. He also took things away when I didn't deserve it. If my dad didn't provide me with a sled when I was younger I would have never been able to go with him till later in my life and would have never been able to bond with him like I have. With that said you really can't expect a kid younger then 16 to buy a sled of their own that is really worth anything. I would much rather my boy be with me on the weekends riding sleds wheelers, playing sports, working or what ever we can do together rather than running around with some of the loser teens out doing drugs and what not. I saw many of my friends doing that in high school and some of them have still never grown out of it.
Back on topic... wait what was the topic? I have read so much and now typed forever I forgot what this thread was about.
Oh well Summer doesn't suck so bad this year so far. We are still sledding. WOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!
I have to say I never paid for my own sled before I was 21 but the time I spent with my dad on all those trips i would not trade it for anything and neither would he. Those 2 hour drives each way made us closer than ever and I hope I can do that with my son as well. He taught me how to work and when I deserved it he would provide for me. He also took things away when I didn't deserve it. If my dad didn't provide me with a sled when I was younger I would have never been able to go with him till later in my life and would have never been able to bond with him like I have. With that said you really can't expect a kid younger then 16 to buy a sled of their own that is really worth anything. I would much rather my boy be with me on the weekends riding sleds wheelers, playing sports, working or what ever we can do together rather than running around with some of the loser teens out doing drugs and what not. I saw many of my friends doing that in high school and some of them have still never grown out of it.
Back on topic... wait what was the topic? I have read so much and now typed forever I forgot what this thread was about.
Oh well Summer doesn't suck so bad this year so far. We are still sledding. WOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!
