Death Spiral
- Thread starter polarisrider1
- Start date
the biggest problem is keeping our trails,raising all these trail permits not doing a thing,were paying more and guess what just lost another trail,anyone see all these new bike paths popping all over the northwoods,some of them use to be trails.funny is it,lots of improvement for them and they aren't even paying anything for a trail permit.makes me wonder if somebody is siphoning from us snowmobilers.but we keeping paying more and we still keep losing.lots of state lands being transfered to private owners and there goes the trails and no tresspassing signs.i think were all gonna have to buy a bike with the family ahh no!!!!
With stagnate wages the past 30 years and overall lack of good paying jobs without an education is taking its toll. Not just sledding, but boating and golfing to name a few. Are way down. People just don't have the disposable incomes they had 15-30 years ago. Couple that with kids playing travel ball. I know of families whos vacations revolve around a 12 yo baseball travel team. That is very expensive. Also kids play sports almost year round. And start at a young age. Again way younger then 15-30 years ago. I don't think the trail pass or even the price of sleds is why the sport is declining. More to do with lack of cash and busy lives.
I do remember back in the 70's and 80's, and what kind of trails we had to ride, and what shape they were in. You don't want to go back to that. Yes the permits are priced more today, but so is everything else. The permit are worth every cent!!!!!!!!!!!! I do agree however that the costs are the reason family's as a group are dwindling in snowmobiling. I am getting up in years, but will ride as long as I'm able to enjoy it!!!!!!
snobuilder
Well-known member
Last edited:
groomerdriver
New member
The #1 reason in my book.
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Tracker
Guest
theres a take on this youse guys are missing...I drive on average 9 hours to ride....that's how much I love sledding...and I bring maybe 2 or 3 sleds just for me and/or incase of a break down or need to let someone ride one....so when I get to the destination and its the 1st time with these particular sleds....I will buy 3 trail passes....one on machine I am going to ride...and if I brought 3 sleds then 2 go into the box for incase....sometimes I put one on a spare sled as soon as we get there incase I want to tune it up or see how it rides after repairs....but then for many reasons that sled never comes off the trailer...I ride the original planned machine using (technically) only one pass so far....then on second trip....decide to bring sleds 1, 4 and 6 instead of 1,2,and 3 on first trip...same thing...might even buy one more pass....and at the end of season I almost always have 1 extra left from last year...heres my take.....BIG X'in deal....the pass only costs ONE TANK OF GAS ABOUT....that's it....most of you with diesel trucks IDLE one tank of gas a week....and your complaining about one trail pass that is less than a dinner out for 2....talk about losing sight of the objective....those 40 dollar hand guards....are those worth it? the trail pass is a given and is a no brainer....the amount of satisfaction you get overrides ANY FUND associated with that sport...like a ski lift pass...like someone else said....back in the day we wished we could of PAID some guy COPIUOS AMOUNTS OF MONEY to make a trail...didn't matter how long or how smooth....so you have to pay ONE EXTRA TANK OF GAS....and you can ride from your door....or ride to work.....or along the road....or to the bank.....or the bar.....legally....alls I can say is WOW....just WOW....for 40 measely dollars that you waste daily on life you would trade an entire season of sledding for just one fee....LMAO....PT barnum was right after all
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Guest
Well, Tracker...... You are not normal. I don't mean that in a bad way but your behavior is not typical of an average snowmobiler. I will agree that sled passes are just a necessary part of the whole picture. And not that big of an expense. You want to play you got to pay. By the way what kind of oil do you use?
Don't know what the trails where like in the 1970's but in the late 1980's through the 1990's and even early 2000's the trails rocked,they were always great and the first time i was up in the up was 1990 and guess what didn't even have to pay for a trail pass.Amazing is it,that they had all those great trails and groomed without paying a whole bunch of money for a pass.The ride then up to the northwoods was so different with single two lane highways and the small quiet towns.The landscape and the trails have definately changed,we actually had trails and no cell towers on the lookout hills.You think raising prices for a permit is good you're crazy,are you sure you know where and what you're money is going for. As the urban sprawl continues chewing up the land it changes things and the ones suffering the most are gonna be us snowmobilers
Seems like we have the permit cost view that the more fortunate that will pay the piper and don't care what the permit costs.... Then you have the less fortunate that need to control their overall sleddin costs & have to take from Peter to give to Paul to stay in the sport. I understand the high costs of having a well groomed trail system but overall costs of sleddin will thin the heard and as that happens there will be less of us to pay for less trail permits to support trails. Permit costs will go up & the logic for higher costs is cycling before our eyes. I don't see any other answer.... you have to pay to play and at some point your budget could stop you from sleddin or you will need to cut your costs to participate within your budget....somehow?
Maybe this topic should turn to how to save money so a sledder can afford overall costs of snowmobiling? Ok we have a problem ....what is the solution?
Maybe this topic should turn to how to save money so a sledder can afford overall costs of snowmobiling? Ok we have a problem ....what is the solution?
groomerdriver
New member
If you have the disposable income to take your family to Disney you may or may not (you SAVED for the trip to Disney) have the money to afford sleds, tow vehicles and trips.
I'm trying to think of a recreational hobby in the Upper Midwest that has a shorter season than sledding with the potential of similar yearly expenses. Guided hunting trips? A full week in deer camp?
Just paid $25 plus $10 for each passenger at Cliffs a few weekends ago. That was for one day.
Alright guys gonna give you the younger point of view I've been riding for almost 18 years. It started with rentals back in the late 90s and progressed to owning 4 sleds now. I guess that most think younger people don't pay attention to financial situations and so on. But I do my theory is this I've always bought used vehicles and I've only bought 1 new sled. But for me its not the rising cost of a sticker to me its worth every penny. Its how frustrated I get when my favorite old trails end up being closed due to disrespecting land owners. We can all complain about something but jeez if you wanna complain about 40 bucks your in the wrong sport seriously. In all my time of riding money is my absolute last concern when in going down a trail. Im not thinking about damn this permit really set me back or man buying 4 permits really blows NO Im thinking that Im blessed AMD fortunate to enjoy something like riding in the U.P .stop complaining please complaining gets us no where maybe put all that effort into land conservation or restoration or helping your local club get the trails ready. Oh wait you can't do that either you might spend 40 bucks on fuel and food for the day god forbid.
And yes this is not an easy sport to have a whole family involved in. My son is 2 my daughter is due Jan 3rd but as long as they enjoy it someday they will ride with dad and grandpa because all it takes is a little planning and multiple trips a year is very easy to do. Im not rich Im not poor but I work my butt off to be able to enjoy what o really love and Im not gonna complain about 40 bucks or even 300 bucks. Because every memory and amazing time you have will live inside of you for the rest of your life. Snowmobiling is in my blood its an addiction that there is no cure for.
MOD
And yes this is not an easy sport to have a whole family involved in. My son is 2 my daughter is due Jan 3rd but as long as they enjoy it someday they will ride with dad and grandpa because all it takes is a little planning and multiple trips a year is very easy to do. Im not rich Im not poor but I work my butt off to be able to enjoy what o really love and Im not gonna complain about 40 bucks or even 300 bucks. Because every memory and amazing time you have will live inside of you for the rest of your life. Snowmobiling is in my blood its an addiction that there is no cure for.
MOD
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Tracker
Guest
haha thanx dude....AB NORMAL HERE....LMAO.....oil...o man o man you gonna open a shazz storm...haha....ok I will bite I guess....my nephew works for polarious as a test rider engineer for ATVs and sleds and all polarious vehicles....and I know many CAT guys and racers and one guru that wants to stay unknown...and from this...I have learned that the companies have EXTENSIVE TESTING DONE and FACILITIES and test for 1000's of miles and all conditions....and thru the guru and racers have learned that porting/timing/exhaust and all manners of things in EACH manu are SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT and in need of slightly different VISCOSITIES of oils in THEIR MACHINES AND ENGINES....and I have tried em all from klotz to quaker state to manus oils....there are NOT ALL THE SAME...not even close....I tell people that don't believe this that there is a reason the Sauidis come to Pennsylvania to but THE BEST OIL IN THE WORLD....its pennsoil...Pennsylvania SWEET CRUDE is by far the best oil....so with all that in mind....I use CAT oil ONLY IN CATS....I use CAT oil in JOHN DEERES as they are Kawasaki motors and cats are Suzuki....I use polarious oil in polarious sleds and jetskis....doo oil in doo jetskis...and Yamaha oil in yamis....if push comes to shove and I don't have a manu for a sled I have along then its CAT OIL....ONLY...NEVER VARY...and always...every tank no matter what season or what machine....NOX ICE or HEAT in a tank of premium....I DO NOT MIX OILS....and cat has one of the best most modern testing facilities.....do does polarious....the others I am not sure about as I gave up on skidoo and yamis long ago...now i'll get a lot of shazz for this but....A CAT MOTOR IS BY FAR THE MOST BULLET PROOF OF EM ALL....everytime I checked my power valves....clean...nothing...broke the cable at 13,000 and that's it...same mototasinari v force 3 reeds too...hope that helps...LOL...short version...CAT oil the most....I have a CAT ATV and a TIGER SHARK too...shark is a 97 still going strong...CAT oil...nuff said