Speed! Speed! And More Speed!

[MichiganShootist]

I live in on a lake in a rural part of the lower pennsula of Michigan. We have lots of snowmobiles in the area... and I have more than a little experience riding them.

However... I have a neighbor who has two sons in their mid 30s. (half my age) One is the senior engineer in the fuel systems division of Bosch. His brother has been a pro rider for Yamaha for a number of years.

This weekend they brought up a couple "sleds" they have been tweeking... and when I wandered over to stare... they asked me if I wanted to take a ride.

YIKES !!!!

I took a cruise on the lake and after a 15 minute get acquainted period I thought it was time to hammer the gas. Well... the sled stood up on the track and took off leaving me sitting in the snow. It went about 200 yards and shut down. I walked to the sled and tried it again. This time I managed to stay on board for 100 feet.. then it ripped the handlebars from my hands and again left me in the snow. (Hey I have a pretty damn fast motorcycle-- so this was a surprise)

I again mounted the sled and rode it back to the owners who were laughing their butts off. I asked them about the "ride" that had pitched me in the snow... and was told it was a 4 cylinder FI 150 hp sled that they had tuned to 200 hp... and that they had reduced the weight of the stock sled by 20%.....

So the power to weight ratio was like that of a 3,000 horse power sedan. They said it has done 140 mph in half mile speed trials.

It was terrible getting pitched off... but it was also a great thrill

[Chris Keen]

Sounds like a freakin blast! 140 MPH on a snowmobile would be alot like dancin' with the devil

[Ledge]

I don't think there is anything quite like a fast sled......what a ball!

[boz1911]

Went to Canada a year or so ago and rode my first snowmobile. I thought (incorrectly) that it would be like my 4 wheeler and I could goose it and kick the back end around to turn hard.......wrong, busted my butt several times as the sled was falling over. Bottom line is they are cool and I wish we had snow in Georgia. 200 horsepower is even cooler!!!

[DanM]

First time I rode one of those things, I had NO idea they were fast. Not sure why, but it never dawned on me to 80mph in the snow.

[gm iprod]

Never driven a snow sled. But the nearest I ever came to that was a street legal drag car a freind of mine built. He unfortunately was caught speeding (a lot) and lost his licence before the car was finished, his dad was a cop so I got to test drive that rocket. 0-100mph in 4.5secs. 1200HP in a car that weighs just on 900kg - 1900lbs. I topped it out at 155mph (we ran out of road).

Holy crap. I had too suck the eyeballs out of the back of my head. At least I was strapped in.

Can't remember it's 1/4mile time but it was way less than 10secs, this was a driver, he used to back off the tune a little (800HP) and drive it to work. Usually followed by the cops and gas tanker.

[LPatterson]

I had a friend send me a picture of a V8 snow mobile from the UP. I remember watching the I500 at Sault Ste Marie and closing off the main part of town so the only way to get around was snow mobile or walk. I also remember stories of snowmobilier's finding a fence at 80MPH and bringing back pieces. After that it was trail riding only.