Talk:Snowmobile

message: In the world of snowmobiles where almost every machine is a two-stroke, it may seem that the four-strokes are going to make them quieter, but this may not be the case.  With off-road motorcycles, the "thumpers" (four-strokes) have a reputation for being extremely loud.  In a factory condition the four-strokes are generally quieter but if you put a high performance exhaust on both a two and a four stroke, the four will be much louder.  Painfully in fact. It will be interesting to see how this plays out with snowmobiles and jet skis. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.50.255.10 (talk) 12:36, 7 January 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Two-Stroke Technologies like Direct-Inject  Need to be addressed — Preceding unsigned comment added by Bukwas (talk • contribs) 05:24, 9 March 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Many "thumpers" are using aftermarket exhaust to take full advantage of the motor's potential power. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.53.197.182 (talk) 02:58, 2 January 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: The "thumpers" are single cylinder engine's. The four stroke's in snowmobiles are 2 to 4 cylinders. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.163.213.19 (talk) 18:27, 13 January 2006 (UTC)
thread_title: Engines

message: If anyone knows anything about Thiokol's business in the snowmobile field (it was, I've read, a huge player for a time in the '70s) then I'd appreciate an addition to that article. Thanks. -- John Fader (talk | contribs) 19:02, 15 Mar 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Thiokol never made snowmobiles.  They made snowcats (or snow cats), which are now usually called "groomers" because most of them are now used to groom the snow on ski slopes or trails or snowmobile trails.  Snowmobiles are small one or two person machines with no cockpit, no cabin, and a single track in the back and two skis in the front. Snowcats (or groomers) are big  machines with enclosed cabs, driven by two or even four tracks.  Do a Web image search with the terms "Thiokol Imp" and another one with "Thiokol Spryte" to see what these tracked vehicles are like. Bombardier also made several models of groomers and multi purpose snowcats (which are now produced by Camoplast, industrial division), along with several other US companies like Tucker, and Swedish companies like Hagglunds.  There is plenty of info on them all on the Web once you know under what words to search.  Some of these machines are also called logging skidders or just "skidders". We don't have any article yet on snow groomers or multi purpose snowcats yet.  Feel like starting one? --AlainV 01:33, 16 Mar 2005 (UTC)
replies: text: Thanks.  Frankly, I didn't know the difference between a snowmobile and a snowcat until right now (so I wouldn't be much good about writing said article).  The reason I ask is that I just finished writing the Thiokol article, and it's rather unsatisfactory.  They started as a chemical company, and later a maker of solid rockets using the chemical.  I can't figure out how (or when) they got into the snow equipment business (and equally the skilift business), and I'd love to have the minutes of the boardmeeting when someone said "We've won the contract to build the space shuttle boosters; let's sell the skilift division".  :) -- John Fader (talk | contribs) 01:42, 16 Mar 2005 (UTC)
thread_title: Thiokol

message: Just wanted to inform the person that keeps editing the text under "Enviromental Impact" that NOT all of Yamaha's sleds are 4-strokes.  Yamaha is still producing the SXVenom, SXVenom ER, SXViper Mountain, and the Venture 600. Yamaha hasn't updated these models the last few years, but they're still part of the official lineup for 2006.
Check it out for yourself.
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/lifestylehome/home.aspx — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.53.197.182 (talk) 03:08, 2 January 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Also, under the history section, it states "The snowmobile market is now divided up between the four large North American makers (Ski Doo, Arctic Cat, Yamaha, and Polaris)" - Is Yamaha classed as a North American maker? I'm struggling to find any reference to Yamaha being majority-owned by any North American corporation(s).--Kurisutofaa Pouru 13:11, 21 October 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: The parent company may be japaneese but the Yamaha snowmobiles are made by the subsidiary Yamaha Motor Corporation based in Cypress, California ([History]). I don't know how you would qualify the ownership but the manufacturing is North-American. Pierre cb 14:09, 21 October 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  Hate to disagree but the majority (possibly all) of Yamaha snowmobiles are manufactured in the Shizouka prefecture of Japan, I believe it's in Iwata. When they're shipped to Canada the crates are all marked with the region of manufacture.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.59.231.96 (talk) 01:31, 19 October 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  Yamaha snowmobile lineup 

message: Should the military snowtrucks also be mentioned under other vehicles? I'm not sure if there's an article about them only already, so that's why I'm asking. See these pictures if you dont know what I mean (they're from the Finnish Defence Forces, so the pics may be used for free as long as the source is mentioned):
* http://tietokannat.mil.fi/kalustoesittely/media/1085551537_12.BV-206.jpg
* http://tietokannat.mil.fi/kalustoesittely/media/1109326329_Dia_SisuNA-140BT.JPG
* http://tietokannat.mil.fi/kalustoesittely/media/1085551515_16.Hagglunds_BV206.jpg --HJV 18:26, 18 February 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Snowtrucks 

message: From the subculture section:
"They are very passionate about their sport and are very offended when ingnorant people refer to snowmobiling as nothing more than " just sitting there pushing a throttle." The kind of riding these enthusiests do requires an immense amount of strength and effort (it is a huge amount of work throwing around a 500 pound machine, as most can imagine)."
I smell a bit of vendetta, there, with the classification of people under a certain school of thought (regardless of how misconceived) as being "ingnorant [sic]." However, I'm not quite sure of how to clean it up and make it neutral without disposing of a big chunk of the section, since it seems to be such a response to an unspoken argument. So, if some other kind soul out there with a little more finesse than me could take care of it, that'd rock. --Matt S. 04:33, 6 July 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: It's been over a month, so I decided to just go ahead and take care of it myself. I hope the changes are acceptable. --Matt S. 23:25, 20 August 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  NPOV? 

message: Wikipedia has..."Grass drags are held every spring, with the largest event being Hay Days in Lino Lakes, Minnesota. Hay Days has always been the first weekend following the Labor Day Holiday. The World Championship Watercross or Snowmobile skipping races are held in Grantsburg, Wisconsin in July."
It used to say "summer" but was edited by a "vandal" to spring but then I checked up before I planned to revert and the article also says that Hay Days is the first weekend after Labour Day and Wikipedia has Labor day as first Monday in September. To me thats late summer - practically autumn (fall) and not really summer (and certainly not spring). Checked a few web sites and it seems to be Fall (otherwise known as Autumn to the rest of the known universe/world) Ttiotsw 23:19, 9 November 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Timing of Grass Drags.... 

message: What are the SDI and DI technologies mentioned in the line: "...the park awarded them for their advanced research into SDI and DI technologies."? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 65.23.245.27 (talk) 22:35, 18 December 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: SDI and DI refer to Semi-Direct Injection and Direct Injection, respectively. These are more effiecient fuel delivery systems that replace carbs. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.49.146.24 (talk) 21:22, 9 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: "Old style" two strokes draw fuel and air into the crankcase and the downward push of the piston forces the charge up through transfer ports into the cylinder to perform the exhaust scavenging and into the pipe.  Pressure waves in the pipe force the charge back into the cylinder before the piston closes the exhaust port.  Because this process relies on gas dynamics and not any mechanical valving, the process is not complete and some of the gas/air charge escapes as unburned hydrocoarbons.  Direct injection is injecting the fuel after pressure waves in the pipe has packed the cylinder with air and after the exhaust port has closed.  This reduces unburned hydrocarbons substantially.  Semi-direct injection is similar to direct but the fuel is injected in the tranfer ports and requires movement of air in the transfer port and is done before the exhaust port closes.  It is timed so fuel does not reach the exhaust port before it closes.  There are advantages to both.  Semi direct injection allows the fuel air mixture more time to vaporize for better combustion.  Engineers had to be quite clever to figure out how to atomize fuel in a direct injection set up because there is not much time for the fuel to atomize from the time the exhaust port closes to the time a piston is at TDC.  Total piston movement is not much more than an inch and at 8000 rpm, there is not much time.  Direct injection technology from two strokes has made its way back to 4 strokes to improve aspects of those engines. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.164.248.124 (talk) 18:39, 11 April 2009 (UTC)
thread_title:  SDI and DI technologies 

message: Under History, the 3rd para has the following sentence:
"He was lead in 1954 by Brothers Edgar and Allen Hetteen and a friend, David Johnson of Roseau, Minnesota."
Could someone reword that to be more intelligible?
Tony 20:57, 2 January 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Section cleaned up somewhat, but claims of hundreds of companies making snowmobiles has not been validated.Silverchemist 15:16, 11 August 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I don't know whether this really belongs in history or individual snowmachines, but the current page reads like an advertizement for Bombardier....Maybe someone with better editing skills than me could add some history and pictures from Carl Eliason's site....seems to me he is the father of the modern snowmobile as we know it today. You can check out his motor toboggin at www.eliason-snowmobiles.com  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.115.134.97 (talk) 15:05, 11 February 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Sentence in History Section needs rewording 

message: 1st Link - Yellow Stone National Park
Reasoning: This link should go on the Wikipedia article Yellow Stone National Park NOT the article on Snowmobiling
2nd Link Bombardier
Reasoning: This link should go under the Wikipedia article Bombardier. 
Please make sure that your link is appropriate before adding it to an article.
Eric 00:54, 6 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Reasoning for Deleting Certain Links 

message: "And try not to fall off cause if your do consider yourself hurt. And dont over run your snowmobile its engine will blow up."
Even if this sentence is true the wording and spelling is horrible, someone find some references or something to these incidents and please reword this into modern-day English. Thank you. 
Stegosaurus 21:31, 12 February 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: It's true. If you fall from it, you turn in the air in such speed your giong to break somthing. If you broke a hand or leg, your lucky. It's also true about the run-over. Just like a car by the way. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.178.1.184 (talk) 18:44, 29 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: This sentance is irrelevant to a page about snowmobiles. I have fell off my sled numerous times and never once have I come out with so much as a scratch. Sure if you are going at a high rate of speed that is different. I also don't understand the last sentance. Your engine will blow up? Please. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mystery dragon (talk • contribs) 05:36, 1 December 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Is This Even True? 

message: Hello. I'm a fan of the sport, even though i live in Israel (we have a problem. No snow). At vications i go to mountaines in the USA (Wyoming), or even more fun Siberia at winter (diffrent types of roads, tracks, mountained areas). I have also been at the Alphs and you really have fun there!!!
Anyway, i started reading a lot of bocks, and i found that  the first snowmobile was the Aerosan by Sikorsky. and it was ignored in the article.
I entered this information, dont worry, what i ask is somthing else: Where can i try this device? Are there people in the English speaking world who could give advices?
I know it's pretty much an off-topic, but i think it's the best place to ask.
P.S. Is their translation to the word Aerosan? Aero i understend, but the finishing i dont.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.178.1.184 (talk) 18:44, 29 February 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: Hello, Aerosan appears to be from the Russian for "aero-sled".  "Sled" means something used to travel across snow or ice (I apologize if you know this, but I want to make this easy because English is not your first language).  I think Aerosans are mostly used in Russia.  Meanwhile, if you seek snowmobiling trips, try the US state of New Hampshire between November and February.  It's inexpensive to travel in New Hampshire (no sales tax) and there are special, long trails for snowmobiles in many places.  It is also several thousand miles closer to Israel than Wyoming, being on the east coast,  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.64.219.3 (talk) 20:30, 3 April 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  Help needed 

message: so does anyone have any information on the US Armys motor toboggan, Eliason model C. ? Brian in denver (talk) 23:38, 17 November 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: this site says he invented the snowmobile: Sayner, Wisconsin Brian in denver (talk) 23:45, 17 November 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: so it seems that MR eliason has the first pattent, http://www.google.com/patents?id=F9s_AAAAEBAJ&dq=1,650,334 amazing what 5 min, surfing the web can turn up. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Brian in denver (talk • contribs) 21:53, 19 November 2008 (UTC)
thread_title:  motor toboggan

message: Sorry that the discussion about this took place on my talk page. I am trying to tweak the lead in regards to the alternate naming conventions for this entry. Can others please chime in. Thank you, --Tom 15:03, 1 February 2009 (UTC)
thread_title: Lead sentence and alternate names

message: Maybe this image depicting a snowmobile from Feldberg police station (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) could be a nice addition to the illustration. -- Gohnarch░ 17:30, 27 June 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: but it the photograph is too dark ... --Scriberius (talk) 23:11, 27 June 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: Indeed so, my other screen seems to be brighter than an appropriate average. I just tried to fix the photograph, but the blue cast is quite intense. Too bad, I guess police snowmobiles are relatively rare. -- Gohnarch░ 12:08, 6 July 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: Since there's nothing unusual about a State Trooper or Fish and Game riding an official snow machine in Alaska, I suppose it's fair to call them commonplace - unremarkable. Just like our law enforcement folks in boats, big and small.//Don K. (talk) 00:29, 21 January 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: They are about as "commonplace" to the general public as a palm tree is to an Alaskan resident. That being said - there are plenty of Canadians, Alaskans and northern lower-48 residents in other snowmobile prevalent states that go their entire lifetimes without seeing a LEO sled.  Srobak (talk) 01:01, 21 January 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  police ~ 

message: I know nothing about this subject, but I imagine that a dedicated article on snowmobile racing would be helpful. SFB/talk 12:36, 12 September 2010 (UTC)
thread_title:  Sub-article 

message: I see Honda is mentioned in the snowmobile manufacturers list at the bottom of the page. I thougth Honda only made a small number of machines in the 70s and ended up crushing most of them befor they could even get them to dealers.
also John Deere produced Snowmobiles for a while. and I think Suzuki did as well.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.235.92.237 (talk) 17:46, 11 December 2010 (UTC)
replies: text: Indeed.  A lot of other manufacturers have come and gone over the years that were far more significant (in terms of production numbers and/or innovation) than Honda.  Ten years ago Honda did some investigation into re-entering the market, which led to a bit of hype within the snowmobile enthusiast world, but outside a couple patents and unconfirmed leaked concept images never went further than that.  If we're going to list every "also ran", the list would be hundreds long.  Not to mention the small manufacturers still operating outside of North America. BigDXLT (talk) 05:27, 7 January 2011 (UTC)
replies: text: Agreed. To that effect however - should it be determined to form a list, it would be better kept as a separate article entirely, linked from the Snowmobile parent.  Kind of like how List of Strategic Air Command Bases is linked from Strategic Air Command. Srobak (talk) 01:56, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
thread_title:  Honda 

message: Can it be mentioned that snowmobiles can be modified so that they are usable on both land and sea; see Howe and Howe Tech's Personal Assault Lander (dsc.discovery.com/videos/howe-and-howe-tech-assault-lander/ , http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/howe-and-howe-tech-meet-the-assault-lander.html), and the Fast Track Amphibian (see http://www.gizmag.com/go/6906/ ) 91.182.248.98 (talk) 18:46, 8 January 2011 (UTC)
thread_title: On land and sea

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thread_title:  A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion