Sleds of our past

[Sledsquatch]

I did a quick search to see of any threads like this, none came up and I was surprised. Today I was thinking about all the sleds I have enjoyed over the years. I love seeing the different sleds and of course the bad suits we used to wear.

Share some pics, heck, even if you do not have any, google images of what you used to ride.
This was a christmas gift from my father when I was younger, not sure the years. I owned it for a few years, thing was a beast, had to use the ol'snowbank trick to go around corners.

1972 Yamaha GP292

This was an old racing sled from the 70's.

1971 Ski Roule 300

Owned for two seasons, 1993-1995, raced it both, needed 3 engine swaps with multiple mods. Stupid quick machine. Had a 440 in it juiced up like crazy and man did she run.

1974 Mercury 340(440) Trail Twister

My last sled before I moved south. Sold it in 1997.

1995 Arctic Cat Cougar 550L/C

Current Sled, bought it 2 yrs ago at a christmas party and have not stopped spending money on it since. Rebuilding it, the machine was in such great shape, always stored indoors, and never trailered, dealer maintained only, so it is mint, but needed to be freshened up in the bushing, bearing, suspension market.

1995 Yamaha Vmax 600DX

Other machines I have used for extended time, not owned are...

1968 Bombardier Alpine 740 twin track(yeah I got it stuck...once)

1979 Arctic Cat lynx 275 Free Air(amazing machine, probably the best boondocker ever built)

1990 Yamaha Bravo Trapper Longtrack

1991 Arctic Cat Cheetah Touring 440L/C

As you can see I am an Arctic Cat fan, I love the machines they make.

 

[tedgoesfast]

first sles 1969 320 ski doo 1975 tx 250 ,1975 motoski 440 futura,1977 moto ski futura,1987 srv,1989 650 wildcat ,1989 phazer,1990 phazer,1993 exciter sx,1995zr700,1996 900 thundercat,1997 sx 700also somewhere in there i had a 1985 6000 eltigre also a 1990 650 wildcat

 

[BARON 8BU]

Well, my first sled was a Kitty Kat which a wrapped around the clothes line pole first time out. Then a 74 AC Lynx with a 295 wankle and electric start. Burnt up the wankle and put in a 340 Rockwell. When the Lynx was broke it was mom's 72 AC Panther 440 or if you where really lucky Dad's 72 AC 440 Cheetah. My oldest brother bought a used SRV and after taking it for a ride the parents where sold on Yamaha. In 87 they bought a brand new XL-V. Then in 91 I bougth a 87 Exciter which melted down a couple years later. 1996 I bought a new Vmax 600 XT rode for one year and turned it over to the wife and in 97 bought a Vmax4. Rode the 97 up till last winter which i went to a 95 Vmax4 with 144" M-10.

 

[flatblack97]

LOVE the paint on that 95 sledsquatch

 

[Sledsquatch]

Thank you, my friend is a painter for a lexus dealership. Works out well for me that way. I will forward the praise.

 

[Sledsquatch]

A working log thread reminded me of probably my most memorable sled that I rode and worked on. A friend when I was a teen owned a 79? Enticer 300 Special. This sled was great, exceot for the suspension, so I picked up some struts off of a Exciter and adapted them on to its frame, I was damn good welder in high school. Then, I hit the drafting table and designed my own rear suspension for it. It's maiden voyage was amazing, the ride was stellar, 11 inches travel in the rear, with a 42" ski stance. Unfortunately the track was on its way out and it split right down the middle. The sled has been in storage ever since. I gotta get up north for some pics of this thing, if he still has it.

 

[PhatboyC]

Note: These nice sleds are not mine. I took the pictures from the web.

My first sled that I drive when I was a kid looked just like this. My grand mothers snowmobile. You had to be very careful as I found it to be very tipsy in loose snow. Sure had to learn fast the feel and balance of a snowmobile. Very loud too since you where sitting right behind the motor.
1973 Ski-Doo Olympique 335.

After a couple years I got to drive my grand fathers TNT. Faster with the bigger engine but I was more stable when turning so it was my favorite. Used it every winter weekend in the fields, pulling my sister and cousins in a sled and going ice fishing. It looked like the one on the right.
Left is a 1974 TNT 340 Free Air - Right a fan cooled 1974 TNT 340

Good write up of the TNT.
With the appearance in 1959 of the original Bombardier ‘Ski-Dog’, snowmobiling as a recreational sport got underway. By 1974 Bombardier had manufactured than one million snowmobiles and celebrated the occasion by rolling a 1974 T’NT 440 Everest down its Valcourt, Que. assembly line. Nominated as the ‘One Millionth’ Ski-Doo, the 1974 Everest was a solid departure from the original model that got the sport going.
Click here for the whole article:1974 skidoo tnt 440 everest

Never tried the Ski-Doo Elan but I found this picture very nice so I decided to share.

 

[alswagg]

I grew up riding Mercury sleds, My uncle was a dealer so we always seem to get a new sled each year, I really remember the Hurricane mark II 644 and of coarse the trail twisters and snow twisters. My dad would not let us ride the snow twister, said it was too fast. I remember he was always working on it though. Next was Yamaha exciters, several through the years until I could buy my own. 1988. I really liked that machine had it until 92, sold and then changed to Arctic Cat wild cat 700 for 2 years, what a POS I got out of sleds unitl 3 years ago when we bought the 700 sx, 600 sx dlx and a Phazer II. now we also have a 700 viper. Allan

 

[Sno-Xr]

Sleds that I bought and rode since 8th grade
72 Doo tnt with a transplanted rupp 440 motor
72 400 Chapperal
74 440 SSX liquid Chapperal(actually this was donated from a nice neighbor)
77 ElTigre 5000 first nice sled
79 ElTigre 5000
75 Moto Ski ( bought this for my little brother to ride)
81 Yammi SS440
83 Vmax
87 Phazer
96 V-Max XT600 My first new sled
98 SRX600 Second new sled
97 ZR440 SnoPro(my first sno-x sled)
00 ZR440 SnoPro(Second)
87 SnoScoot for the kids(alright,alright, I ride it too!I cant help it, its fun)
04 Viper S (Bought this after nailing a Trailgroomer headon at 50mph with the SRX)
009 Nytro XTX

 

[WNYViper]

I know this wont be as amusing as some of the other guys posts since I am pretty young yet (22), but gotta start somewhere...

86? VMax 540... Dad use to take me for rides on it, scared the crap outta me it was so fast, lol

95 Phazer II (Ma's sled, first sled I got to ride by myself)

Dad sold both of those because he got sick of working on them, and i didnt have money to buy em... till a friend dropped off my next sled one day...

70 Panther 440 (JLO Rockwell)

I still have the sled tucked away in the barn

Then I bought my 02 Viper

I loved the power, but needed more...
Bought a 98 SRX

now I am still on a quest for more power, the Viper is getting its chance this winter...

 

[Zachalyse]

The sled of my future. Yeeehaaa!!!

 

[super1c]

From start to finnish

My first sled i rode was my buddies wifes 340 safari ( yea i know ). Then i bought a 92 Phazer II in 94. Then moved on to the 96xt. I bought this in 97 from that same buddy (thank god he switched to yamaha). I've rode this untill last season. I bought 2 vipers in the off season, a 02 (stock). A 04 with CPR trip's, heavy hitter clutch, v force 3 reeds, ect. I'll be driving the 04, the wife the 02 and my daughter the 96. cant wait. The 92 in the pic is mine that i sold to a friend when i bought my 96. The pic was from last winter in the flats. Both still going strong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mountain_man]

My first sled was a mistake haha 1976 Arctic Cat Jag 340. Lasted one ride before the chaincase broke leaving me stuck in a field. My second sled was a 1978 Arctic Cat Jag 340 F/A (also a mistake) Nothing but a problem child. I have only been riding a few years, But 2 seasons ago I made a step in the right direction... 2001 SRX 700. Love the speed and handling, hate the "no-action" skid. Next sled viper maybe? Last season I got to ride a 2004 Attak, that was one sweet ride! Love the tripple though-decisions decisions.

 

[Snowbear]

First sled I ever rode on was a Rupp 440 magnum, my uncle used to race it in the Bonnechere cup in Eganville. that is way back when they had the races on the river not at the club house now. Never really owned a sled all by myself cuz I shared them with brothers. I beleieve there was a Pantera in there and an old ski-doo silver bullet. wish I had pics of them. they bring back memories.
I rebuilt a 99 Vmax this past year though and I'm looking for some snow now which is hopefully in the next couple weeks.

 

[staggs65]

no pics but heres my sled history, as a kid my family had a rupp 440 nitro and a john deere liquifire, my first sled of my own was a 62 292 snojet(saved my paper route money to buy it $100), and then 8? motoski capri 340, 94 formula z 583, 95 zr 580, 96 xcr 600, 95 machz 780, 00 srx 700, 01 srx 700, and my current 00 srx 700, there was a zrt race sled in there that i co-owned, and a 440 sno-pro i co-owned

 

[blue missile]

wish i had photos of all the sleds we had dad and i had a hobby of picking up older sleds and restoring them and selling them, man we got to ride alot of sleds i'll try to list them all. some i dont remember the year
1970 295 ac panther
1972 399 ac panther
2 340 sachs motoski capris
399 sno prince
440 rupp nitro
jdx4 john deere
1970 ac panther wankel
2 or 3 ms 18 moto skis
ski doo everest
10 hp ski doo
ac cheetah
sleds since i grew up
98 srx 700
06 nytro
74 chap ssx
2 yamaha sl 338's
yamaha xlv
95 340 puma
96 v-max 500

 

[Sledsquatch]

that wankel must have been tough to start eh.

 

[akrievins]

This old girl turned my blood blue!

Sold this for sled for more power and comfort. Wish I would have kept it. Never gave me a problem. Lots of looks on the trails. It was a mint sled. Bought it, doubled up the kms, and then sold it for what I bought it for.

I'll ride nothing but Yamaha.

 

[chilli]

1982 BR250 - still have
1986 Citation LS 250
1987 Tundra 250
1989 Safari 377
1993 Exciter SX - had one when young, just picked one up again recently
1999 SRX 700 - main sled

 

[johnketch]

1977 john deere spitfire
1979 kawasaki invader
1977 jag
1987 jag
1990 lynx
1993 cougar
1995 ZR580
2001 supersport
2000 500XC
2002 xcsp 600
2002 xcsp 600
2006 yamaha apex