A snowmobile tour at Yellowstone National Park.(NPS Photo)

A 1997 Arctic Cat ZR 580 EFI Snowmobile

A snowmobile (known as a snowmachine in Alaska) is a land vehicle propelled by track at the rear and ski(s) up front for steering. Early snowmobiles used rubber tracks, however a modern snowmobile will have a track made of a kevlar composite. They are designed to be operated on snow and ice, and require no road or trail. Most snowmobiles are typically powered by two-stroke gasoline/petrol internal combustion engines. Four-stroke engines are becoming more and more popular in snowmobiles. Summertime occupations for snowmobile enthusiasts can also involve drag racing on grass, asphalt strips, or even across water. People who ride them commonly are known as snowmobilers. The three main types of riding are Snowcross/racing, trail riding and mountain climbing. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2000x1348, 452 KB) A snowmobile tour at Yellowstone National Park, note the snowdust in the air. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2000x1348, 452 KB) A snowmobile tour at Yellowstone National Park, note the snowdust in the air. ... Yellowstone redirects here. ... Image File history File links 1997_AC_ZR_580. ... Image File history File links 1997_AC_ZR_580. ... Snow machine may refer to: Snowmobiles Snow cannons Category: ... For other uses, see Alaska (disambiguation). ... A shaped, twin-tip alpine ski. ... For other uses, see Snow (disambiguation). ... This article is about water ice. ... For other uses, see Road (disambiguation). ... The two-stroke cycle of an internal combustion engine differs from the more common four-stroke cycle by having only two strokes (linear movements of the piston) instead of four, although the same four operations (intake, compression, power, exhaust) still occur. ... Petrol redirects here. ... A colorized automobile engine The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of fuel and an oxidizer (typically air) occurs in a confined space called a combustion chamber. ... The four-stroke cycle of an internal combustion engine is the cycle most commonly used for automotive and industrial purposes today (cars and trucks, generators, etc). ... Top Fuel dragster Drag racing is a sport in which cars race down a track with a set distance as fast as possible. ... For other uses, see Grass (disambiguation). ... The term asphalt is often used as an abbreviation for asphalt concrete. ...

History

The first United States patent for a snow-vehicle using the now recognized format of rear track(s) and front skis was issued to Ray H. Muscott of Waters, MI on June 27, 1916 with U.S. Patent # 1,188,981. Many individuals later modified Ford Model Ts with the undercarriage replaced with tracks and skis following this design. They were popular for rural mail delivery for a time. For other uses, see Patent (disambiguation). ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Friday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie and the Flivver) was an automobile produced by Henry Fords Ford Motor Company from 1908 through 1927. ...

The relatively dry snow conditions of the United States Midwest suited the converted model Ts and other like vehicles but they were not suitable for operation in more humid snow areas such as Southern Quebec. This led Joseph-Armand Bombardier of the small town of Valcourt in Quebec, Canada, to invent a different caterpillar track system suitable for all kinds of snow conditions. Bombardier had already made some "metal" tracked vehicles since 1928, but his new revolutionary track traction system (a toothed wheel covered in rubber, and a rubber and cotton track that wraps around the back wheels) was his first major invention. This article is about the Canadian province. ... Joseph-Armand lebeau Bombardier (April 16, 1907 - February 18, 1964) was a Canadian inventor and businessman, and was the founder of Bombardier. ... </nowiki> Rear sprocket of a Leclerc tank Track of a Leclerc tank U.S. M60 Patton tank. ...

Early Bombardier Snowmobile

He started production of a large, enclosed, seven-passenger snowmobile in 1937, the B-7 and introduced another enclosed twelve-passenger model, the B-12 in 1942. The B-7 had a V-8 flathead engine from Ford Motor Company. The B-12 had a flathead in line six cylinder engine from Chrysler industrial, and 2,817 units were produced until 1951. It was used in many applications, such as ambulances, Canada post vehicles, winter "school buses", forestry machines and even army vehicles in World War II. Image File history File links 1951B12a. ... Image File history File links 1951B12a. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ford flathead V8 engine, modified for power, depicted on cover of Hot Rod magazine. ... “Ford” redirects here. ... For other uses, including the Chrysler Brand, see Chrysler (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Early snowmobile interior

Bombardier had always dreamed of a smaller version, more like the size of a motor scooter. Image File history File links 1951b12interior. ... Image File history File links 1951b12interior. ...

Numerous people had similar ideas. Edgar and Allen Hetteen and David Johnson of Roseau, Minnesota were among the first to build a practical snowmobile in 1955-1956, but the early machines were heavy (1000 lbs or 450 kg) and slow (20 mph or 30 km/h). Their company, Hetteen Hoist & Derrick Co., became Polaris Industries, a major snowmobile manufacturer.^[1]. It was only in 1959, when engines became lighter and smaller than before, that Bombardier invented what we know as the modern snowmobile in its open-cockpit one- or two-person form, and started selling it as the "Ski-doo". Competitors sprang up and copied and improved his design. In the 1970s there were over a hundred of snowmobile manufacturers^[2]. From 1970 to 1973 they sold close to two million machines, a sales summit never since equalled, with a peak of half a million in 1971^[2]. Many of the snowmobile companies were small outfits and the biggest manufacturers were often attempts by motorcycle makers and outboard motor makers to branch off in a new market. Most of these companies went bankrupt during the gasoline crisis of 1973 and succeeding recessions, or were bought up by the larger ones. Sales rebounded to 260,000 in 1997 but went down gradually afterward, influenced by warmer winters and the use during all four seasons of small one- or two-person ATVs. The snowmobile market is now divided up between the four large North American makers (Ski Doo, Arctic Cat, Yamaha, and Polaris) and some specialized makers like the European Alpina Snowmobiles^{[2], [3]}. Modern snowmobiles can achieve speeds in excess of 120 mph [190 km/h]). Racing snowmobiles reach speeds in excess of 180 mph [288 km/h]. Polaris Industries manufactures a full line of all-terrain vehicles (ATV), snowmobiles, Ranger utility vehicles in 2wd, 4wd or 6wd, Victory Motorcycles and EU rated quadcycles. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bombardier Inc. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar, known as the year of cyclohexanol. ... For other uses, see Motorcycle (disambiguation). ... Bolinders two cylinder Trim outboard engine. ... Notice of closure stuck on the door of a computer store the day after its parent company, Granville Technology Group Ltd, declared bankruptcy (strictly, put into administration—see text) in the United Kingdom. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... The term All-Terrain Vehicle or ATV is used in a general sense to describe any of a number of small open motorized buggies and tricycles designed for off-road use. ... Bombardier Recreational Products or BRP is a Canadian company, which was founded by Joseph-Armand Bombardier as LAuto-Neige Bombardier Limitée in 1942 at Valcourt in the Eastern Townships, Quebec. ... Arctic Cat is a producer of all-terrain vehicles and Snowmobiles in the United States. ... Yamaha Motor Corporation (ヤマハ発動機株式会社) is a motorized vehicle-producing company, initially part of the Yamaha Corporation. ... Polaris Industries manufactures a full line of all-terrain vehicles (ATV), snowmobiles, Ranger utility vehicles in 2wd, 4wd or 6wd, Victory Motorcycles and EU rated quadcycles. ... Alpina Sherpa Utility Snowmobile // Alpina Snowmobiles are manufactured in Italy by Alpina s. ...

Snowmobiles are widely used in arctic territories for travel. However, the small population of the Arctic areas makes for a correspondingly small market. Most of the annual snowmobile production is sold for recreational purposes much further south, in those parts of North America where the snow cover is stable during the winter months. The number of snowmobiles in Europe and other parts of the world is relatively low, though they are growing rapidly in popularity. The red line indicates the 10°C isotherm in July, commonly used to define the Arctic region border Artificially coloured topographical map of the Arctic region The Arctic is the region around the Earths North Pole, opposite the Antarctic region around the South Pole. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... North America North America is a continent [1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... For other uses, see Winter (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ...

a dual track snowmobile

Snowmobiles designed to perform various work tasks have been available for many years with dual tracks from such manufacturers as Aktiv (Sweden), who made the Grizzly, Ockelbo (Sweden), who made the 8000, and Bombardier who made the Alpine and later the Alpine II. Currently Alpina Snowmobiles is the only manufacturer of dual track work sleds. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 532 pixelsFull resolution (2006 × 1333 pixel, file size: 281 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) photo by Alpina s. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 532 pixelsFull resolution (2006 × 1333 pixel, file size: 281 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) photo by Alpina s. ... Aktiv Grizzly, dual-track snowmobile, manufactured by Aktiv Maskin Östersund AB in Sweden. ... Alpina Sherpa Utility Snowmobile // Alpina Snowmobiles are manufactured in Italy by Alpina s. ...

An odd version of snowmobile is the Swedish Larven made by Lenko in Östersund from the 1960s until the end of the 1980s. It was a very small and basic design with just an engine in the rear and a track. The driver sat on it and steered using skiis on his feet^[4] Östersund City hall Östersund   is a city northern central Sweden. ...

Snowmobile with a single rider

Snowmobiles are used by reindeer herders. Courtesy altapulken.no

Copyright status : released under gfdl Author of the picture : a friend of http://en. ... Copyright status : released under gfdl Author of the picture : a friend of http://en. ... Image File history File links Reindeerhurding. ... Image File history File links Reindeerhurding. ...

Performance

High-performance snowmobiles will beat most stock or aftermarket cars in a 0-100 km/h drag race (when the snowmobile is equipped for "asphalt drags"). Many 2007 snowmobiles will accelerate to 100mph+ in under six seconds (when set-up for ice-drags) . Mountain sleds permit access in remote areas, of deep snow, which was nearly impossible a few decades ago. This is mainly due to improvements in technology.

Environmental impact

The environmental impact of snowmobiles has been the subject of much debate. Most snowmobiles are still powered by two-stroke engines, although Alpina Snowmobiles and Yamaha have been using four-strokes respectively since 2002 and 2003. In the last decade several manufacturers have been experimenting with less polluting motors, and putting most of them in production. Yamaha and Arctic-Cat were the first to mass produce four-stroke models, which are significantly less polluting than the early two-stroke machines. Alpina offers a 4-stroke EFI engine equipped with exhaust converter (catalyst) and dual oxygen-probe, which is the state of the art in the emissions control among snowmobiles. Bombardier’s Semi-Direct Injection (SDI) two stroke motors emit 60 percent less pollutants than previous carburated 2-strokes. Polaris is using a fuel-injection technology called "Cleanfire Injection" on their 2 strokes. The industry is also working on direct injected "clean two strokes" which are actually an improvement on carbureted four strokes in terms of NOX emissions. Only four-stroke snowmobiles are allowed in Yellowstone park. This article is about the natural environment. ... The two-stroke cycle of an internal combustion engine differs from the more common four-stroke cycle by having only two strokes (linear movements of the piston) instead of four, although the same four operations (intake, compression, power, exhaust) still occur. ... Alpina Sherpa Utility Snowmobile // Alpina Snowmobiles are manufactured in Italy by Alpina s. ... Yamaha may refer to: Yamaha Corporation – A manufacturer of a diverse range of musical instruments and electronics. ... The four-stroke cycle of an internal combustion engine is the cycle most commonly used for automotive and industrial purposes today (cars and trucks, generators, etc). ... Bendix-Technico (Stromberg) 1-barrel downdraft carburetor model BXUV-3, with nomenclature A carburetor (North American spelling) / carburettor (international spelling), colloquially called a carb (in North America and the United Kingdom) or carby (chiefly in Australia), is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. ...

Cornices and other kinds of jumps are sought after for aerial maneuvers. Riders are often very zealous in their search for un-tracked, prime terrain and are known to "trailblaze" or "boondock" deep into remote territory where there is absolutely no visible path to travel on. Riders will often look for large open fields of fresh snow where they can sleiter. Some riders use extensively modified snowmobiles, customized with parts such as handle bar risers, handguards, custom/lightweight hoods, windshields, and seats, running board supports, and numerous other modifications that increase power and maneuverability. Many of these customizations can now be purchased straight off the showroom floor on stock machines.

Economic

A snowmobile in Finland where they are an important form of transport for the country's reindeer farmers

Snowmobilers in Canada and the United States spend over $28 billion on snowmobiling each year. This includes expenditures on equipment, clothing, accessories, snowmobiling vacations, etc. It is very often the only source of income for some smaller towns that rely solely on tourism during the summer and winter months, while it still has a major economic impact on larger cities and towns as well. [1] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (849 × 566 pixel, file size: 77 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A Snow Mobile in Lapland, from New Years 2006/2007 I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (849 × 566 pixel, file size: 77 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A Snow Mobile in Lapland, from New Years 2006/2007 I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...

Accidents

Loss of control can readily cause extensive damage, injury, or death. A common accident entails a rider losing his or her grip on the machine because they do not have an adequate grip and do not realize how powerful the machine is, which often results in the now rider-less sled crashing into objects like trees.

It is also possible for a rider to cut a turn too quickly, veer off the road and flip the machine and/or head directly into a tree. Also, many cases of decapitation have occurred. Riders going too fast in an area they are unfamiliar with drive through barbwire or haywire fences at high speeds often resulting in decapitation or mutilation.

People die every year when they crash into other snowmobiles, automobiles, pedestrians, or trees or fall through ice. Around 10 people a year die in such crashes in Minnesota alone with alcohol a contributing factor in many (but not all) cases. In Saskatchewan, 16 out of 21 deaths in snowmobile collisions between 1996 and 2000 were alcohol-related. [2] “Car” and “Cars” redirect here. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... Capital Saint Paul Largest city Minneapolis Area  Ranked 12th  - Total 87,014 sq mi (225,365 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 400 miles (645 km)  - % water 8. ... Alcoholic beverages An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol, although in chemistry the definition of alcohol includes many other compounds. ... This article is about the Canadian province. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

Brand-new M7 crashed into tree after rider lost his grip

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 419 KB) Location: Wyoming Range Date: 12/18/05 Author: SummitXrider I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 419 KB) Location: Wyoming Range Date: 12/18/05 Author: SummitXrider I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1. ...

Types of snowmobile races

Grass drags are held every summer to fall (autumn), with the largest event being Hay Days in Lino Lakes, Minnesota. Hay Days has always been the first weekend following the Labor Day Holiday. Lino Lakes is a city located in Anoka County, Minnesota. ... This article is about the holiday in the United States. ...

The World Championship Watercross or Snowmobile skipping races are held in Grantsburg, Wisconsin in July. The snowmobiles are raced on a marked course, similar to motocross courses, without the ramps and on water. A World Championship is any contest to determine the best in the world in a particular field. ... Snowmobile Watercross, or Snowmobile Skipping, is a competitive sport conducted on water using snowmobiles. ... Snowmobile Watercross, or Snowmobile Skipping, is a competitive sport conducted on water using snowmobiles. ... Grantsburg is a village located in Burnett County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. ... Motocross often takes place in wet weather, leading to muddy scenes such as this and hence the term Scrambling. Photo from New Zealand. ...

The Snocross racing series are snomobile races on a motocross-like course. The races are held during the winter season in Northern United States and Canada. Motocross often takes place in wet weather, leading to muddy scenes such as this and hence the term Scrambling. Photo from New Zealand. ...

Snowmobile are used for ice racing. The racing is held on an "Ice Oval" track. The World Championship Snowmobile Derby is held each winter in Eagle River, Wisconsin. Ice racing, with cars, motorcycles or snowmobiles, takes place on frozen lakes or rivers, or on carefully groomed frozen lots. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... The World Championship Snowmobile Derby is the World championship snowmobile race. ... This article is about the city in Wisconsin. ...

Misnaming

Bombardier wanted to brand its snowmobile “ski-dog” [3], but it seems that the tail of the “g” on the artwork fell off or was misinterpreted by the advertising agency, and it was too late to change it when Bombardier discovered it. There may have been some influence from the slang phrase "23 skidoo!" via the idea of getting away. 23 Skidoo is an American slang popularized in the early Twentieth Century (first appearing before World War I and becoming popular in the Roaring Twenties). ...

See also

• Manufacturers
  • Alpina Snowmobiles
  • Bombardier
  • Polaris Industries
  • Arctic Cat
  • Yamaha
  • Logan Machine Company
  • Thiokol
  • BRP Lynx
• Other related
  • Snow coach
  • Snowmobile skipping
  • Vintage snowmobiling

Alpina Sherpa Utility Snowmobile // Alpina Snowmobiles are manufactured in Italy by Alpina s. ... For other uses, see Bombardier (disambiguation). ... Polaris Industries manufactures a full line of all-terrain vehicles (ATV), snowmobiles, Ranger utility vehicles in 2wd, 4wd or 6wd, Victory Motorcycles and EU rated quadcycles. ... Arctic Cat is a producer of all-terrain vehicles and Snowmobiles in the United States. ... Yamaha may refer to: Yamaha Corporation – A manufacturer of a diverse range of musical instruments and electronics. ... LMC is both the tradename (brand name) and an abbreviation for Logan Machine Company - a US manufacturer of snowcats that ceased operation in 2000. ... A Trident C-4 FBM launches and fires its Thiokol solid rocket first stage Thiokol (variously Thiokol Chemical Company, Morton-Thiokol Inc. ... Lynx is originally a Finnish brand of snowmobiles, currently owned by canadian Bombardier Recreational Products. ... A Snow Coach is a specialized passenger transport vehicle, designed to operate over snow or ice. ... Snowmobile Watercross, or Snowmobile Skipping, is a competitive sport conducted on water using snowmobiles. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

References

• Descarries, Eric. "Autoneiges Bombardier: Des patenteux perpétuent la tradition". in La Presse. Monday, March 13th 2006.
• MacDonald, Larry. The Bombardier story : planes, trains, and snowmobiles. Toronto : J. Wiley, 2001.
• SLEDtv.org - Snowmobile Television - Snowmobile Statistics

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 113th day of the year (114th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Snowmobiles

Look up Snowmobile in
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• CBC Digital Archives - Bombardier: The Snowmobile Legacy
• How Stuff Works - Snowmobiles
• example of Water Cross - summer snowmobiling
• Environmental Impact Studies

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