Recommend a snowmobile

popcan, I've pretty much the same terrain as you, mostly flat with some rolling hills if you want them. So I won't be mountain climbing with it at all. Some trails, some deep powder.

I also realize that cheap can compromise reliability, but that's not always the case. Sometimes cheap comes about because it's just not flashy, trendy, or as overly powerful as the new stuff. I'm looking for the 6-cylinder Valiant of the snowmobile world - run forever, easy to fix, do most anything but slowly.

Yamaha Bravo or Skidoo Tundra sound like they'll fill the bill. Air cooled, are they?

Thanks to all for the great comments.

Grouse Man
 
Yammy Bravo gets my vote.

250 single carb, air-cooled, simple, fuel efficient, light enough to haul out of the powder yourself without blowing an eyeball out...

Add a set of ski boots to keep the nose up in the powder and get 'er done.

best,

v7
 
gotta give my vote to the bravo 250 . bulletproof little units.the old yammie et250 was a great little sled also.if the need to go fast ever grabs you though get an xcr 800 :wink:
 
skidoo 250 elan. Rode one of these for 10 years when i lived in Sask. Never did a stitch of work to it but had to replace the skis because they wore in 2. Very light, easy to work on, cheap to fix.
 
I used elans for years til the Tundras and Bravo LT's come out.All great sleds BUT,when you need that little bit of extra juice it just isnt there.I picked up a 83 Skandic with a 268 cc single and it seems to have a little bit of an edgeWide ski skins are a must and I've found installing 1 1/2" hard rubber blocks between the leaf spring and steering posts brings the front end up so you are plowing as much snow,works great for me.
 
snow machine

get yourself a Skidoo Elan with boggies the machine is light and cheap try to find a single but a twin will do they made the last one in 1995 and the first one in 1969 or 70
 
My first 2 sleds were 340 sno-jets and man would those old tanks ever take a beating! None of the guys with those newfangled plastic sleds could ever keep up to me in the bush!
 
You need one of these. :)

We had two on the farm. They would go ANYWHERE, through ANYTHING :!:

hus_ski.jpg
 
I'll put in a fourth or fifth on the Elan. Lived in Kapuskasing for a few years and rode a few "lite-bush" machines. Tundra, bravo, and elan are all on the same page for me (although some tundras have engine reverse, which is really cool!) As for bigger units, you'd get into big money and dangerous situations fairly quickly. 440's (and even 340's) & "long tracks" are dime a dozen but I'd say they aren't a good first machine (in my opinion :roll: , and I know I'm relatively inexperienced), cuz you'd just get stuck further in :idea: go small :idea: It happened to me :lol: :p :oops: and I learned my lesson.
Don't let anyone "macho" you into a big work machine (Artic Cat - Bear cat, VK 540...etc) You will only hurt yourself :p IMHO :roll: (not to be too much of a puss, I just err to the side of caution) :p
 
I'll put in a fourth or fifth on the Elan. Lived in Kapuskasing for a few years and rode a few "lite-bush" machines. Tundra, bravo, and elan are all on the same page for me (although some tundras have engine reverse, which is really cool!) As for bigger units, you'd get into big money and dangerous situations fairly quickly. 440's (and even 340's) & "long tracks" are dime a dozen but I'd say they aren't a good first machine (in my opinion :roll: , and I know I'm relatively inexperienced), cuz you'd just get stuck further in :idea: go small :idea: It happened to me :lol: :p :oops: and I learned my lesson.
Don't let anyone "macho" you into a big work machine (Artic Cat - Bear cat, VK 540...etc) You will only hurt yourself :p IMHO :roll: (not to be too much of a puss, I just err to the side of caution) :p
 
Why not? said:
SC, my neighbour in Kirkland Lake had one of those. I think it was called a Sno-Cat. They would literally turn in their own length, but were a bear to ride.

Ted
Click to expand...

Here's a bit more info, and YES they would turn in their own length and were pretty much impossible to get stuck. You could drive them up to the edge a 4' fluffy snow drift, stop, and then proceed to drive right over without getting stuck. I've done it!

1966_HUS_SKI_MARTIN.jpg


talk to ya all later
SC :D
 
Grouse Man said:
What part of CHEAP and OLD are you guys missing? :lol: I'm thinking of something from the '80s or earlier. Carburetors, man, that's what life is all about! I'm looking to keep the tab under $500 if I can, if at all possible. I can repair whatever (I don't really care to rebuild an engine right off the bat) as my project.

Skidoo, Polaris, 340, 440, etc. air cooled, Yamaha, stuff like that there. :D

Any more?

Grouse man
Click to expand...

MOTO-SKI 440!!! one made after 1975, when Bombardier took over, parts are easier to find. go to TNT power products out in Glass, they specialize in selling old sleds and all the parts to go with them. if you don't know where Glass is, it's a in between Dugald and Anola, not really a town, just that shop and two houses.
 
hey, i got a 73 electra polaris, with a 440, its geared right down, has about a top end of 35 mph I'll ball park it, its got the wide track, it runs, the motors about 3 years old, it used to be a 340, but melted apiston so its got a 440, i didn't do it a local sled shop did it in gimli and haven't had a problem with it since, its all there and i use/d it for hauling moose or dear, and busting a trail after about a foot snow fall, its pretty much in what your looking for, and i have kept most maintenance up on it over the years, only thing i know of what it needs is a recover of the seat, I'll take 500 :wink: i also got some sled sleighs for it as well, PM me if your interested
 
You will not go wrong with a Tundra II. Had 2 and both were excellent for what you are needing a snowmobile for.
 
I have a 2000 Ski Doo Tundra. Lots of low end power, great floatation on snow and easy to fix. Have a look at what the Cree are riding on bush trails in Northern Quebec/Canada for hunting and trapping, I bet it will be yellow!
cheers Darryl
 
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