What I started out riding.

[sledboy482]

Here is a picture of an identical sled to the one we had on the farm when I was a kid. It is a 1970 Viking in the ever awesome Peacock color! This one is still running today-wish I had it. Post pics of your first sled while we all wait for the trails to open. Central WI has zero snow right now.

 

[Team Elkhorn]

1970 Ski Doo 399 Nordic. It wasn't so much mine as just the first sled I rode regularly. I remember constantly snapping springs, boogie wheels and steering spindles, and we needed to rebuild the motor every other year. Good times though. It looked like this one but it had a yellow windscreen too.
View attachment 36023

 

[gary_in_neenah]

69 Panther

Our family's first snowmobile in the winter of 69. Me and my brother with the family dog.

I recall the dog liked to chase the snowmobiles and that Panther was so slow that the dog could keep up!

 

[jbsugarbrown]

Gary,

What a great picture & memory! Just awesome---Thanks for sharing!

Jennifer

 

[lvr1000]

not the first I rode, but the first 1 bought.
79 Yamaha SRX 440 L/C tweaked . VERY fast sled in its day. Got almost 7mpg and need 91 OCTANE and 15:1 gas/oil mix. Talk about 2stroke smell and oily clothes! Benefit was clothes always repelled water/snow

 

[bearrassler]

My dad brought home a Polaris in 65 but we only used it for about 3 days, the first one that stayed all winter was just like this one, a 1966 Viking made in Ashland, WS

 

[scottd]

'71 (I believe) Ski Roule R400

Just like the attached picture. Somewhere in the 8-9 year old range. I did so many laps around the lake on that thing I probably wore the ice out. Picking up a '94 Ski Doo Formula S from a neighbor to get my kids started. They are only 4 and 6 so for at least a few years I am going to have to ride with them and will figure out some sort of throttle stop to limit speed prior to turning them loose (again i'm sure that's at least a few years off but we'll see depending on how they do and how slow I can limit the speed). At 1/3 the price of used 120s i'm planning to just skip that size. Can't call me brand loyal as i'll now have a Cat, Poo, Doo and a Yamaha Superjet for summer fun.

 

[sledboy482]

If you use some duct or electrical tape and tape a pop bottle cover form a 20 oz bottle under the throttle you can control how far they can press the throttle. A friend of mine did this with his Arctic Cat when his kids were young. They initially couldn't get it to go faster than about 15-20.
Picking up a '94 Ski Doo Formula S from a neighbor to get my kids started. They are only 4 and 6 so for at least a few years I am going to have to ride with them and will figure out some sort of throttle stop to limit speed prior to turning them loose (again i'm sure that's at least a few years off but we'll see depending on how they do and how slow I can limit the speed).

 

[alwaysright]

'79 trailfire...First sled, when I was 10-ish, bought it from a farmer and while crossing the lake on the way home I tipped it on it side and fell off. I'd call that a good start to my snowmobiling career.

 

[juiceman29]

I dont remember the year and dont have any pictures but mine was a single cylinder sno pony, man that thing was a blast when my teenage body could handle the abuse. So many fond memories on old sleds......

 

[redbirds5]

No pics either, buy mine was a 69' Roll-a-Flex Commanche. What a blast we had that machine! Eventually 'upgraded' to a Herter's (72 or 73); don't remember the model but it had twin headlights and a panther-print seat...

 

[sifarmer]

I was 16, 340 deere trail fire. Got it from a neighbors shed. Had not been
ridden since blizzard of 82. This was in 2001. It was a blast getting it going
again. The guy I bought it from was excited as we were to see it run again.

Great pic Gary! Being a dairy farmer I love the background.

 

[Deleted member 10829]

I don't have any pic's either, but it was a 1974 TX250 and two years later got a 1976 TX250. I'm keeping my eye open for a nice TX as I'd like to have a vintage sled. Great times were had on those machines!

 

[rev07]

No photo either but mine was my brothers 1981 Johnson with a Rotary engine. Reverse and topped at 50ish. That thing must have weighed 650LBS. My buddy and his dad called it The Johnsoon or The Trailmaker. I had alot of fun on that sled.

 

[lenny]

this baby right here, 1974 Mercury S/R 440, S/R stood for "slide rail", hi tech baby!!!!!. Had it up till about 7 years ago, even brought it up here. Actually this pic is off trail 13 loop, doing some off trail.

 

[lenny]

word has it I may be changing vintage sleds this year to a Yammi !

 

[snoluver1]

This was my first one. 1972 T'NT 440. My dad bought it new in '72 and eventually handed it down to me. Rode the snot out of that thing till I was 18 and moved away for school. I would still have it today, if it didn't get stolen a couple months after I left for school.

 

[frosty]

I started out on my moms 1972 Polaris Colt 295SS. My first sled that I bought was a 1989 Skidoo Mach 1, the towtruck! It was heavy as one, but it never broke down, and it towed everyone else sled back home.

 

[polarisrider1]

No photo, 1972 Polaris Colt 175 12hp. State of the art solid state ignition that has issues, slide suspension. I was 12 and was the coolest kid in the neighborhood in the winter.

 

[Banjo Man]

72 Cheetah, love those leopard skin seats.