That area it's pretty tight trails/riding. if you are looking to dip your toes, i wouldn't hesitate on a Backcountry Sport. I think it would be plenty for that area, and if you want more you wont loose much when you sell.

FYI, I like to go fast on slow things. My 900ace loves to run with the Mach's/850's in our group, so take what i say about power with a grain of salt.

 

Well the cabin is the correct location to get lots of snow! I have never had luck with lugs over 2.25 to last very long. 137 length and perhaps more if you think you will off trail more than getting to the main trail's. (Which it sounds like you will)

Ollie's Service in Alexandria had an 850 expedition extreme you might read up on.

http://olliesservice.com/

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Here is the extreme, not listed on their web yet.

They also have a Backcountry.
You could get a pair from one place!

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Welcome!

Another vote here for the Backcountry sport. That 600 efi is reliable, safe and durable. Not crazy power, but enough to get into and outta trouble.

The 146 skid allows for a 2-up seat with lots of room for gear and luggage.

 

Happy Friday All!

Newbie here, apologies in advanced. I'm reaching out for general sled model recommendations/thoughts I should base a decision on. Looking to purchase a new Ski-Doo... that's about as far as I've confidently gotten so far in the process!

Few key points to impact the decision I'm aware of:

• I've got practically zero sled experience (lots on ATV's/UTV/boats etc.)
• 1st winter with our new to us cabin in Lake Co by Finland but I'm pretty certain I've got 5-8miles of roads/ditches/informal trails (assumed ungroomed) before I hit any trails designated on the various trail maps
• My personality type is to wander off the beaten track when ever possible (read off trail needs - logging roads and all that jazz)
• Speed is not my top priority... reliability, simplicity, comfort, not getting stuck all the time and alike are higher priorities
• Long term I see us as a 2x sled family, Dad/Mom/younger elementary kid in the mix leading me to thing one of the sleds needs to be a 2 seater in some fasion

Thoughts based on that criteria?

My current thought track is either Backcountry or Renegade. Maybe one of both? Not sure on the track - 2.0" vs. 1.6" etc. Motor I'm pretty much all over the place, generally seem a 600 something seems most logical (leaning towards 4 stroke)

Budget - $15k+ is really not all that attractive. Ideally in the $10-12k range but if I'm leaving way too much on the table let me know!

Thanks,
Marty

Seems as though you're new to the sport so welcome. Same as most anything else, ask ten people and you're likely to get ten different answers. While not familiar with the Northern Minnesota area, my wife, kids and I do all our riding in the U.P. Plan on whatever you chose will probably end up being your wife's sled with a two up seat for your child. So you may want to take that into consideration when purchasing your first sled. In that case, any 137" or 146" will do. You won't need anything bigger than a 600 efi or even perhaps a 600 / 900 ace. Then after that, you get what you want (not necessarily what you need) and have at it. The biggest hurdle will probably what's available. Happy trails.

 

https://powersportsguide.com/snowmobile-fuel-consumption/

...for your consideration.

 

900T Average Fuel Mileage

Just wondering if anyone has ridden a couple tanks through yet and has done any mileage calculations. Not interested in a bunch of posts that says who cares or speculation without any facts. Just guys that actually own a 900T and what you are seeing for MPG on the first few tanks.

www.dootalk.com

 

One sled that would check all the boxes you are listing (including coming with a removable two up seat) is the Expedition Sport. We bought one for the wife this year. Many people say the 600efi exceeds power expectations, and is a real easy sled to maintain (no power valves).

Ive had an Expedition for a few years now, and have been really happy with having a sled that does a lot of things really well.I dont see myself owning something else for quite some time.

Moon in Monticello had one coming in a few weeks ago, and Mie's on 10 in St Cloud did have a regular Expedition LE 600R on the floor.

Im located in Brainerd but the way, welcome to the group.

 

Thanks all for the input, seems I’m at least in the right ballpark.

Yea, availability will likely outweigh any other factor. Feels like a sucker play to buy a sled now with pricing/selection but not many other options

 

The used sled market has softened a lot compared to the last 2 years, so you may be in luck pricewise. The Finland area is a great place for sledding, as you will soon find out! I have seen "baby" mountain sleds (137s and 146s with 1.75-2.0-inch tracks playing off trail, as the snow cover can get deep in that area. I wish you good luck on your search!

 

Gotta pay to play these days I guess

I seem to have settled in on a Backcountry 600R/1.6” for my first machine. Keep telling myself this is the wife’s machine/figure out what we like machine and can’t go too far wrong with it. 600R vs 600EFI is a nagging debate, current thinking is the wife would never ‘want more’ and if I never think more is needed perhaps get the 600EFI next year and same some money (or the 850… we all know how these things tend to go).

Pricing seems fairly compressed at the 3x dealers I’ve checked so far - $13,995 to $13,700 more or less is the range after everyone’s dealer prep, doc, comm fee and all that crap. Only one in stock from this dealers I’ve checked with so far, naturally the higher price one.

My back of the napkin math is this deal has about a $2k covid tax on it (price increase over past two years). Compared to what lumber prices were doing, and are still at, seems like a deal in comparison (% wise).

Wish I knew more about the sport to make a informed decision on used market options. Always tough when getting into a new sport/hobby and not have if a solid foundation of knowledge. That, coupled with the pending recession/glut of lightly used machines coming on the market (?) makes this complicated. With the inventory limitations maybe there won’t be a glut of inventory coming and this is just the new normal.

edit: 12 month warranty is pretty weak by default

 

Gotta pay to play these days I guess

Well - as your FIRST sled, I would consider looking at something middle of the road to start with. A Expedition Sport will take you anywhere you want to rind in Minnesota, Wisconsin or the UP and do it just fine. It's nearing 100hp, is light (show me another 154"x16" two up sled that is 505lbs), has a lot of track, and is a two up. And is $9800. You can invest there, ride it two years, and if in love with sledding, upgrade and have her ride it or sell it. The two up backrest is removable FYI

I think a big detriment to this sport is the need for everyone to feel like they have to have the top notch stuff. Buy middle of the road and spend the money on hotels and travel for riding.

Nothing wrong with used either - no tax

 

Marty9876,

Your cabin is the snow belt of MN, just go get one and after you do, don't over think it! (Funny "I" typed that. . .?)

Not being rude, just getting you to move before it snows, used sleds are about gone and price goes up! (Then again, if it does not snow, folks will want to sell or back out on the late spring order, dealers will have tons of sleds and the price will drop!)

This over thinking thing must be catchy, stay up north and away from me, I have enough "issues" in my head already!

JUST KIDDING!

It can be lot's to think about but in the end the worst thing that will happen is you have to sell it for a loss, if your not willing to put some $$ at well, I hate to tell you, you are not going to like this "sport" very much. . .

 

A Renegade etec 600 (2 stroke) or Renegade 900 Ace (4 stroke) with a removable 1+1 passenger seat would be a great choice. Backcountry's are nice sleds but there aren't a lot of good places to ride off trail (legally) in northern MN. Most of the land is either privately owned, dense forest or covered in boulders. As a beginner with a wife and young kid, and an endless number of trails available to explore, my bet is that 98% of your riding will end up being on trail or on lakes and the Renegade is perfect for that.

Also if you're new to snowmobiling you should be aware that the back country has an uncoupled skid. This allows it to lift the skis easier upon acceleration which is a good thing for riding in deep snow, but not a good thing for a new rider coming out of the corners on the trail (less ski pressure on the ground = loss of steering in the corner). Experienced riders can overcome this, but it's not ideal for trail riding and not what I would want my wife on if she was new to snowmobiling. The back country also has a narrower stance which makes it easier to tip up on its side, which again is great for off trail deep snow, but not ideal for trail riding. Everything is a compromise with sleds so you just need to be honest with yourself about how you're likely to end up using the sled.

 

I've been riding up at the border of MN/Canada for 40 years and I think Ben48 nailed it. There are not a lot of opportunities to ride off-trail in northern Minnesota other than the lakes. I would stick to a Renegade 137" or a 129" model which I prefer to ride in the trails.

Appreciate the input - would logging trails/side access ATV trails (spur routes to get to the formal sled trails as shown on maps) be considered off trail or are those all manageable via the Renegade models?

 

I've been riding up at the border of MN/Canada for 40 years and I think Ben48 nailed it. There are not a lot of opportunities to ride off-trail in northern Minnesota other than the lakes. I would stick to a Renegade 137" or a 129" model which I prefer to ride in the trails.

 

The spur trails tend to be snowmobile club managed trails (vs state trails) and are groomed. Not sure about the others mentioned. The big thing to keep in mind is that most of these snowmobile trails/ATV trails etc are crossing over private land and the landowners have agreed to allow seasonal on trail access only. The land is still privately owned and any off-trail or out of season use is both illegal and highly unethical.

A 137" Renegade will easily handle any normal riding that you'll do in MN.

 

The spur trails tend to be snowmobile club managed trails (vs state trails) and are groomed. Not sure about the others mentioned. The big thing to keep in mind is that most of these snowmobile trails/ATV trails etc are crossing over private land and the landowners have agreed to allow seasonal trail access only. The land is still privately owned and any off-trail use on private land is illegal and highly unethical.

A 137" Renegade will easily handle any normal riding that you'll do in MN.

Apologies for the newbie over analysis here... I might be using the word 'spur' a little formally here. Basically I've got ~ 8 miles to go before before I hit a formal snowmobile trail (Tomahawk Trail). To get there I'd envision a collection of gravel roads, ditches (? not really a thing up there often), logging roads and/or informal (non-formally designated) ATV trails across state land. Just trying to get an idea is the Renegade is fine for that.

I'm assuming formal ATV designated trails are off limits in the winter so that's removes that from consideration. Totally understand not cool to go ripping things up on private land.

This is my first summer up there, about the only thing I've really learned is there are trees and rocks everywhere

 

I would contact the Finland Snowmobile/ATV club (Finland Snowmobile and ATV Club Home Page ) and ask about your specific route. If there are other cabins in the area, chances are that there's a local route that others are using.

 

Tomahawk Trail | Minnesota Trails | TrailLink

Tomahawk Trail spans 72.6 from Taconite State Trail (Ely) to North Shore State Trail (Superior National Forest). View amenities, descriptions, reviews, photos, itineraries, and directions on TrailLink.

www.traillink.com

Does lake effect bring snowbackyour way from Superior?

 

Aplogies for hghjacking your thread

I'm origionally from that neck of the woods. We lived in Camp 6, Forest Center and spent time in Ely. My parents got engaged at Dee's. I spent my highschool years in Tomahawk, WI

We started coming up to Ely in the 1990's for long weekends, fishing and relaxing.

I've been on several canoe trips in the BWCA. I noticed some interesting metallic markings on the rocks on various fall/rapids. Heavier marks than an aluminum canoe would leave.

I rolled the thought over of coming up to that area and trying out the trails myself.

Forest Center | Heart of the Continent

Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Ontario offer epic outdoor adventures and authentic cultural experiences in a region steeped in natural beauty and rich history. Through the Heart of the Continent Geotourism Program, National Geographic has partnered with local organizations, businesses, and...

traveltheheart.org

https://bwca.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=forum.thread&threadId=1121696&forumID=12&confID=1

 

PDF link, don't click this on a slow connection.

Tomahawk Trail map

Forest Center FB page

 

PDF link, don't click this on a slow connection.

Tomahawk Trail map
Forest Center FB page

Both links take me to the Tomahawk trail PDF

 

OP, Don't wait on finding a route to the mail trail, if your taking ditches, drive along them or even walk some of it right now to see what your going to hit once the snow hides it. Remember to stay on the high side, left or right of any driveway, or approach in the ditch. (Culverts are at the low spot of the ditch, if you stick a ski in there you will know how expensive parts are!) MN Law allows you to ride the road right of way but not all land owners agree. (Try not cross asphalt driveways carbides make makes no matter how cold, thinking you won't find many but if there is one there I'm willing to bet the owner is willing to make an issue of it)

As to snow in that area, Thinking it is more elevation change for systems moving east rather than LES. The shore on Lake Superior forces everything up so it compresses and dumps. (What do I know, I'm not a meteorologist)

What I do know is the area is almost always the first and last with snow!

 

OP, Don't wait on finding a route to the mail trail, if your taking ditches, drive along them or even walk some of it right now to see what your going to hit once the snow hides it. Remember to stay on the high side, left or right of any driveway, or approach in the ditch. (Culverts are at the low spot of the ditch, if you stick a ski in there you will know how expensive parts are!) MN Law allows you to ride the road right of way but not all land owners agree. (Try not cross asphalt driveways carbides make makes no matter how cold, thinking you won't find many but if there is one there I'm willing to bet the owner is willing to make an issue of it)

As to snow in that area, Thinking it is more elevation change for systems moving east rather than LES. The shore on Lake Superior forces everything up so it compresses and dumps. (What do I know, I'm not a meteorologist)

What I do know is the area is almost always the first and last with snow!

Appreciate the input! I grabbed a demo of OnX, no trails from my cabin I don't already know about. I'm getting hung up on the details and I know it - it's north eastern MN I'm pretty sure snow and a way to the trails is a pretty safe bet.

As...phalt.... what is this mythical substances you speak of? I'm literally 28 miles from the closest asphalt I know of and I've looked! It's awesome up there.

I've officially, pending my dropping off the check, switched the deal to a Renegade (sticking with the 600R). Figure can't go wrong there, will be on trails more than I think and it's a great sled to end up for the wife while I figure out what I like/don't like and then Spring check somehting full on stupid.

 

Ok, next most important question... Helmet, gloves, bibs, boots and all that jazz - worth it to buy that stuff at the dealer @ 20% off or is it always just silly expensive for that stuff there?

 

Ok, next most important question... Helmet, gloves, bibs, boots and all that jazz - worth it to buy that stuff at the dealer @ 20% off or is it always just silly expensive for that stuff there?

Check out Dennis Kirk can sometimes find close out gear for a decent price.
Nice thing is you should get it the next day if ordered before 8pm living in Minnesota. Also free returns on all apparel. Helmets, coats, bibs, shirts. Not sure on gloves.
I’d buy what ever you can at the dealer if getting 20% off especially oil or things you know you can’t get aftermarket


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Remember this, keep your better half warm and dry or you will be riding alone quick. . . Seating on a wet hind end then getting cold because of it is not fun for anyone, dry seat will also help prevent the rest of the core from getting cold.

Jackets can always have a layer added under to make up for a jacket issue but hard trail side to add more under your bibs. (I did grab a set of "basketball" warm up sweats as they have buttons down both legs so you can add/remove without taking your boots off)

 

Dennis Kirk is a great place for gear. It's also in Rush City, MN so very fast shipping if in MN or WI

 

I **** pre-seasin saleson last year's newin the box SALE stuff.

Jacket - Choko (Klim, pronounced climb if you have money)

 

Just to give some internet closure to this thread-

made it to the end of the driveway… need new helmet (used atv one) and goggles now!

 

Congrats, nice sled

Like already mentioned happy wife, happy life. Keep her warm and dry and things will be good.

If possible it's best to try on clothing, helmets, gloves in person to get sizing. 20% from your dealer isn't a bad deal, also look for closeouts on last year styles on the net, check out is skidoogear.com for closeout merchandise on the Doo Line.

 

Nice sled! Good for you! How long is your driveway?

Don't be afraid to get snow on them, it will melt off!

 

about 1/4 mile - technically I made it all the wait to turn neighbors!

Instead of getting snow on it I took it all apart, I really should have just paid the shop to install my add on junk. I got the 2up seat on, got the heated handles for it and after taking the hood and all that stuff off I gave up (not feeling well, I can tell when I’m getting over my head). Put it all right there, need to figure out how the console/gas tank comes off for the 2 up heated handle and heated visor port install.

Got the kid and myself fancy new module helmets and wool base layers. Trying my best to balance getting the gear ought to have vs going crazy before not knowing what all we really need.

Those storage linq storage packs sure seem nice but I recokon a backpack and bungy cords will work for a time too!