Sledding is just like about anything else in life, you can pour money into it and have the fancy stuff, go mid range or even get the basics. Just like boating, camping, buying a truck or even a house. Its all about what you set as your priority. I buy used, leftover or even demo sleds to save myself, not that its the right thing to do but it works for me. I even split three ways on a 24 foot enclosed used trailer which sits for 98% of the year. What is the future, i have no idea but i do feel it will be an activity that continues for a long extended time... at least i can hope for that.
Cost of the sport as whole
- Thread starter euphoric1
- Start date
Seems as most DNR are all alike, no matter where your at?
Ah, what kind of crack you referring to, eh? LOL!
And here is to all ya. Lets ride, be safe, and enjoy it all!
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I threw in the towel last year on sled ownership. Sold my AC, sold my Silverado, gave the trailer and the 98 XLT to my buddy. If I need a sled to go from Fish Creek to the AC Tap I go with him and use the XLT. Was in Houghton last week and rented for 3 days @ $700. The vehicle that replaced the 16mpg truck, which I only needed to haul sleds gets 32mpg and didn't cost $60k.
Not a good plan for everybody, but sure has worked out for me.
Not a good plan for everybody, but sure has worked out for me.
Good for you, I am sure it goes through all of our minds once and awhile. Like last week when the Green Bay area trails were open for six whole days in a row while the high temp for the day was -10.
I got 30 miles and frostbite.
Bear
You're nuts.
On another note, I have a neighbor who is a snowbird. Did one trip per year, for a week, in the UP. He sold all his stuff and is renting. He offered me $1000 for the week to "rent" my sled and said he would be ahead rather than renting from a place up north. He is an older guy, rides very slow and does not drink and ride. I did not give him an answer, but am debating the deal. $1000 would off-set a lot of my costs for the year for sure, and he would be getting a better deal in the end too. But if something were to break................?
sweeperguy
Active member
I would do it if I knew him. As far as "if anything breaks"
I would have it understood if it was broke due to hitting something or negligence (sounds like this wouldn't be the case) or getting stuck and something gets broken during extrication. He would pay for. But if a mechanical failure that would have still happened if I was driving, then I would take care of repair myself.
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IMO this is a expensive sport, but most all FUN hobbies are not cheap
they sort of go hand in hand
and this is also why, numbers in many things are lower than others
snowmobiling is a luxury sport!
if you follow any so called studies done on WHO snowmobiles are, you will find the larger percentage of riders are older riders and NOT younger one's
SO< IMO< this tends to translate into,
you have a lot of folks IN THIS SPORT< that are better/more comfortable financially , they have a LOT of yrs in riding snowmobiles and have a passion for the sport, and they grew up with sleds
they also, many have yrs of working on there own sleds, due to well, early sleds were, not so reliable and you HAD to learn to work on them.
the second batch of riders from MY personal experience, is , well honestly again, folks that make better than average livings,
sure they work for there money, but also many work in trades or have business's that pay them better than average wages(not bashing in any way here)
they SPEND money to have fun as many can afford do to so!
then you have die hards of all ages that just want to ride, that pinch penny's save where ever they can , and honestly, MANY of these folks, LIVE IN SNOW BELTS
you do NOT find a ton of folks on lower income that DON"T live in snow belts that ride trails, due to costs of traveling, trailing, truck and trailer needed and such
YES there are some
but I DOUBT These are high percentages numbers of snowmobilers !
something I always hear many say in this sport, is you can always make more money, or work more to , HAVE the $$$ to be in this sport,
and I agree to a point!
there are folks out there that work crappy jobs, (many can change this, MANY CANNOT) face it folks NOT all people are smart enough to work a better job, we all don't score super high on IQ tests, and NOT everyone has the brains to work on and fix things, there are limits to what one person can mentally handle LOL
then there are other folks, and I am not singing or crying here just saying
there are folks that have health issue's that limit what they can do! say fixed income, or again injuries or??
I know this all too well, I am ON fixed income, I have many health issue's that prevent me from working, be in simple working on a sled or other like things, or a job, as my health changes almost daily
SO< I end up at the mercy of PAYING more to play in this sport,m as I cannot always do PM's on sleds, I need a reliable sled and that tends to mean a newer one, that also rides better! and even then I cannot ride , unless I feel up to it!
as costs of things in this sport rise, IT limits the chances I have to stay in it
I cannot just go work more to make more $$,
add in pi$$ poor winters and having to tow farther and farther to even get to snow and the costs involved with this, trail permits, fuel, registrations, lodging(and all these costs keep climbing)
its NOT a cheap sport period
its a GREAT sport, meet some of the nicest folks in my life in this sport to be honest!
but I will never say its cheap by any means , and its NOT affordable to a HUGE percentage of the population!
as the die hards and the older riders get out of this sport, there NOT really being replaced very well,
which IMO is what is going to be the end of this sport, its a numbers game !
the difference in income is ever widening between those with means and those without! which is effecting a lot more than just snowmobiles
and so many folks living in debt, is also going to catch up and be a problem some day IMO
but that;s another topic in itself! LOL
they sort of go hand in hand
and this is also why, numbers in many things are lower than others
snowmobiling is a luxury sport!
if you follow any so called studies done on WHO snowmobiles are, you will find the larger percentage of riders are older riders and NOT younger one's
SO< IMO< this tends to translate into,
you have a lot of folks IN THIS SPORT< that are better/more comfortable financially , they have a LOT of yrs in riding snowmobiles and have a passion for the sport, and they grew up with sleds
they also, many have yrs of working on there own sleds, due to well, early sleds were, not so reliable and you HAD to learn to work on them.
the second batch of riders from MY personal experience, is , well honestly again, folks that make better than average livings,
sure they work for there money, but also many work in trades or have business's that pay them better than average wages(not bashing in any way here)
they SPEND money to have fun as many can afford do to so!
then you have die hards of all ages that just want to ride, that pinch penny's save where ever they can , and honestly, MANY of these folks, LIVE IN SNOW BELTS
you do NOT find a ton of folks on lower income that DON"T live in snow belts that ride trails, due to costs of traveling, trailing, truck and trailer needed and such
YES there are some
but I DOUBT These are high percentages numbers of snowmobilers !
something I always hear many say in this sport, is you can always make more money, or work more to , HAVE the $$$ to be in this sport,
and I agree to a point!
there are folks out there that work crappy jobs, (many can change this, MANY CANNOT) face it folks NOT all people are smart enough to work a better job, we all don't score super high on IQ tests, and NOT everyone has the brains to work on and fix things, there are limits to what one person can mentally handle LOL
then there are other folks, and I am not singing or crying here just saying
there are folks that have health issue's that limit what they can do! say fixed income, or again injuries or??
I know this all too well, I am ON fixed income, I have many health issue's that prevent me from working, be in simple working on a sled or other like things, or a job, as my health changes almost daily
SO< I end up at the mercy of PAYING more to play in this sport,m as I cannot always do PM's on sleds, I need a reliable sled and that tends to mean a newer one, that also rides better! and even then I cannot ride , unless I feel up to it!
as costs of things in this sport rise, IT limits the chances I have to stay in it
I cannot just go work more to make more $$,
add in pi$$ poor winters and having to tow farther and farther to even get to snow and the costs involved with this, trail permits, fuel, registrations, lodging(and all these costs keep climbing)
its NOT a cheap sport period
its a GREAT sport, meet some of the nicest folks in my life in this sport to be honest!
but I will never say its cheap by any means , and its NOT affordable to a HUGE percentage of the population!
as the die hards and the older riders get out of this sport, there NOT really being replaced very well,
which IMO is what is going to be the end of this sport, its a numbers game !
the difference in income is ever widening between those with means and those without! which is effecting a lot more than just snowmobiles
and so many folks living in debt, is also going to catch up and be a problem some day IMO
but that;s another topic in itself! LOL
That is kind of what I was thinking as well. He is a good guy, in his retirement years and know he is easy on gear.
I personally think snowmobiling is in for much change, and much trouble. Society and environmentalists will have a say. Society, and the upcoming generations, are not as much mechanical or hands on, more jobs now skilled versus blue collar, and many today are not really outdoor adventurists, more nature oriented, nor as financial savoy as prior generations. So, the impact: less people carrying on or enjoying the sport, higher costs for sleds and gear and maintaining sleds, and less expendable money available.
Also, younger generations not willing to volunteer, and society in general is more fast paced and more hectic, thus less time to devote to snowmobile related support. Already happening and is evidenced by club involvement and the inability to find younger people to volunteer, groom, maintain, etc......
As for the environmentalists, who knows where that will end up. Again, without continued support and participation at all levels, not sure the strong snowmobile lobby and support groups will remain viable.
Wife and I are part of second generation snowmobile families, and all 3 of my kids, third generation riders, love it. 2 older kids have good jobs, but not sure they will want to pony up and spend money on upgrading sleds, since other living and recreational expenses consume a ton of their money, and only so much to go around. Also, not too many of their friends were exposed to or really have an interest in snowmobiling....more UTV, ATV, boating, snowmobiling much less.
Notice I did not even mention weather or the climate. Do not believe in all the hype, but definately can see that things are different and not as consistent as over time.
55 years old and hope we can get by for another 20 years or so...only time will tell.
Also, younger generations not willing to volunteer, and society in general is more fast paced and more hectic, thus less time to devote to snowmobile related support. Already happening and is evidenced by club involvement and the inability to find younger people to volunteer, groom, maintain, etc......
As for the environmentalists, who knows where that will end up. Again, without continued support and participation at all levels, not sure the strong snowmobile lobby and support groups will remain viable.
Wife and I are part of second generation snowmobile families, and all 3 of my kids, third generation riders, love it. 2 older kids have good jobs, but not sure they will want to pony up and spend money on upgrading sleds, since other living and recreational expenses consume a ton of their money, and only so much to go around. Also, not too many of their friends were exposed to or really have an interest in snowmobiling....more UTV, ATV, boating, snowmobiling much less.
Notice I did not even mention weather or the climate. Do not believe in all the hype, but definately can see that things are different and not as consistent as over time.
55 years old and hope we can get by for another 20 years or so...only time will tell.
Yep, agree! Families have been getting cut out for some time now. And I'm talking about the ones that would snowmobile if they could. Sad but so. Perhaps the surplus of sleds on hand can be of some help? Perhaps a "Spark" type econo sled could be in the future? However, the sled itself is only part of the issues.
The cost of snowmobiling is not as high as some are thinking for families. You can buy nice riding sleds for $1500 all day. I'm talking zx and edge type and even a few revs. I have a family of five. Thats $7500. And at the end of the winter I still own those sleds. Compare that to going to Disney and Epcot for a week, or any other family vacation. That money is gone! And I bet close to $7500. When it does snow and winter is good, used sleds sell on craigslist and dealers empty, so its more of a weather driven deal, obviously. It always surprises me when the trails are open and good for a extended period, how many sleds there are, in a sport that is supposedly dying. I beleive the interest is there.
The death of the sport, however, will be from politics. Very similar to Yellowstone. There is no reason to have enviromental standards on a snowmobile. There just isn't enough of them to worry about. These standards drive up costs, which hurts the sport. Yellowstone was a witch hunt towards sleds, and if the extreme lefties ever get a majority for an extended period, I see the end of it all.
The death of the sport, however, will be from politics. Very similar to Yellowstone. There is no reason to have enviromental standards on a snowmobile. There just isn't enough of them to worry about. These standards drive up costs, which hurts the sport. Yellowstone was a witch hunt towards sleds, and if the extreme lefties ever get a majority for an extended period, I see the end of it all.
I like a lot of your points made and agree.
For me, a Male in my prime earning years (52) with no kids at home equals toy money. Once I retire I will have to cut back (maybe) but see the sport going downhill as it is A BIG HASSLE! You have to be a weatherman to figure out if you can ride, where you can ride and if the roads will be glare ice to get there. As young uns come into some money, they will remain attached to their lives that are made as easy and stimulating as possible through the use of technology. Snowmobiles are certainly getting better but they are old technology (a track that touches the ground with a belt that drives the track) not exactly ground breaking.
The guy that owns the local high-performance boat store says "buy a boat, no speed limits and you can have a drink too". I said back "I like snowmobiling better as you can go over 70 MPH and you can also get a drink". What did he say back; "yeah, but you can boat from your back yard".
One thing everyone in this thread agrees on is sledding is on the way down for one reason or another.
For me, it is an increasing hassle with the weather being the way it is.
Bear
Yep! That's the way it is more times than not too!