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LinQ URBAN BAG

Staff Report
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LinQ URBAN BAG

This versatile, heavy-duty LinQ Urban travel bag from Ski-Doo is the perfect solution for transporting important items you want to protect from the elements.

Thanks to its stylish design, superior construction with high-quality zippers and water-resistant shell, the LinQ Urban Bag will give you peace of mind knowing your essential personal items will remain safe and protected once you reach the end of your trip.

The easy-access roll-top opening allows you to conveniently reach in the bag whenever you need to get inside and smartly designed features like integrated key holder, waterproof liner with integrated pocket and laptop storage make this bag a must-have for anyone who needs to carry items of such significance.

The backpack option includes adjustable, removable shoulder system, ergo fitted back padding and lightweight shoulder system design. Fits on all LINQ with 16-inch base.

Ask for the LinQ Urban Bag at your local Ski-Doo dealer.

CAT’S 900 TWIN!

Kent Lester
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CAT’S 900 TWIN!

The 900cc engine displacement level has always represented a “line in the sand” statement for 2-stroke snowmobiles.

Back in 1993, Arctic Cat debuted its first Thundercat with a 900cc 2-stroke triple under its hood. At the time, this was the biggest engine in the business by 150 cubes and its incredible straight-line performance got a lot of attention.

Although there were doubts an engine this big could be reliable because of cooling challenges – and about a dozen other questions it raised, the 900 T-Cat proved to be a strong, acceptably durable icon for Cat.

Move ahead a few years and Arctic Cat was back at it again. This time it was with a monstrous 900cc twin!

The new ZR 900 twin landed in 2003 and it was a completely different animal than the 900 Thundercat. By then, consumer demand had taken big displacement snowmobiles to a place where weight was a priority and snowmobile engines needed to generate high levels of torque compared to the screaming high RPM triples of the 90’s that obliterated lakes.

The new 900 twin was a vibrating, raw-edged performer that was an absolute blast to ride! We used to say if you left the sled idling beside the trail and couldn’t find it a few minutes later, it had likely vibrated itself into the ditch.

Vibes aside, suddenly, the rider’s biggest challenge was finding enough traction. The ZR 900 could break the track loose at any speed – yes, even at the top of the speedometer – and demanded the rider’s 100-percent attention!

Scroll ahead again to today and Arctic Cat has the opportunity to blow the lid off the biz with another boost in displacement. Certainly, Polaris and Ski-Doo’s 850cc engine size has established a strong foothold in snowmobiling and many have asked the question: Do we really need bigger 4-strokes than 850s? Good question really, and the eye-popping performance of the current crop of 850s on the market is a good argument for going full-stop on larger 2-strokes.

However, Arctic Cat is in a unique position. The company’s current largest 2-stroke is a very good SDI 800 that churns out power north of 160-hp – not far off what the 850s offer. The challenge comes when potential customers visit showrooms.

For those snowmobilers who are looking for the maximum, outwardly at least, it looks like Cat is about 50ccs short. We would argue Cat’s current 800 is fast enough and still delivers power results right in the wheelhouse of the 850s.

However, we don’t make the rules and in the history of snowmobiling it’s been proven the share of the spoils on the sales charts usually goes to the brand with the biggest engine. If Cat has bitten down on this theory and wants to establish itself as the performance leader, a 900 SDI powered 2-stroke makes sense.

It may turn out to be fairly economical, too… there may be no need to recast a whole new design. There’s a possibility that by increasing the bore and stroke of the current SDI 800, Cat could get the displacement up closer to 900ccs – say 870 or so – enough to brand the engine as a 900 and ring the bell with dealers and consumers alike without spending millions on a completely new engine. Note: The original 900 twin was an 862cc engine – and nobody argued about its sub-900 displacement).

By using current 800 technology and expanding it a bit, maybe with the use of a vibe-reducing counter-balancer, Cat could market a sled with perhaps more sizzle than the competition – an interesting possibility when you shine the spotlight on Cat’s ability to build trend-setting powerful engines.

WHY A LONGER TRACK?

Kent Lester
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WHY A LONGER TRACK?

It started two years ago, really.

The most powerful sleds from Arctic Cat and Yamaha – the SRX and 9000 Series turbocharged trail models, unashamedly were offered with 137-inch tracks, not 128-inchers.

There was no alternate choice, either. You couldn’t special order a shorter tracked model or move down the product brochure to get a lower priced one with a 128-inch track.

This year, when Ski-Doo debuted the new Mach Z with an ACE 900 Turbo R putting out 180-hp, there was no alternate one offered with a 128-inch track.

What seems interesting here is the fact a heavier turbo model inherently adds some handling compromise because of the increased weight it’s carrying over the skis. Compound that with extra track length and it would seem to be a formula to deter handling precision. Looks like a bad engineering decision, right?

Although it’s pretty hard to do anything about the extra mass of a large displacement 4-stroke, a turbocharger and about a half mile of added-in plumbing, it would seem at a glance the designers would try to optimize handling by using at least a 128 – or even a 121-incher instead of a track length that was once the exclusive domain of off-trail, deep snow sleds.

You’ve probably already guessed the answer by now, but the whole long-track philosophy is based on traction.

The fact is, any sled that can spin the track freely on demand at virtually any speed, is more challenging to handle and actually may not turn as precisely as a shorter one being driven by a rider who doesn’t like this kind of ball bearing, sliding around riding style. The rider needs to be prepared to ride the sled in a different way than most other high performance sleds and that goes for any track length.

Before you get upset here, let me clarify. There are certain highly skilled riders who can make a 180-hp rocket handle better with a 128. However, not every rider who buys an SRX, Mach Z or a Thundercat is prepared for the intensity that kind of power generates at the handlebars.

Actually, by slowing down the handling a small measure it makes those sleds easier to steer and safer for a larger percentage of the people who buy them. It goes without saying, the biggest benefit is the straight-ahead acceleration gain you get with a longer track.

Also, remember this and don’t minimize it: The performance reputations of these sleds rely on the kind of straight line performance you get running lakes and meadows, not how crisply they handle on a 40-mph trail.

We think the availability of 800 and 850 2-strokes will also be dependent more and more on 137-inch tracks. It wouldn’t surprise us to see all models in the 160-plus range going strictly to longer tracks sooner than later. Although the handling of lighter 2-stroke, 160-hp, 137-inch sleds is undoubtedly better than the heavier turbo models, it’s very noticeable there’s not much difference with the extra nine inches of track (actually less than 4-inches gained on the snow) on these lighter sleds.

Case in point: Now most snocross race sleds are going to 137-inch tracks – and closed course racing with its tight corners and chicanes, demands absolute handling precision.

There is a caveat here. If you add traction studs to a 137, there is a noticeable difference in handling compared to a studded shorter tracked sled. Although the straight-ahead performance gain is immediately improved, along with braking and even side-slip, initial turn-in is never quite as good as it is with an unstudded track.

Whether or not this presents a problem for performance riders, we’re not sure. It just makes sense that riders who buy 160-180-hp sleds will want to maximize acceleration at any cost. Studs are the best answer, no arguments. And, with super-powerful turbocharged sleds offering pretty shallow 1.25 and 1.0-depth tracks, you gotta have as much bite as possible – on all kinds of snow and ice.

TAIGA GETS IT!

Mark Lester
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TAIGA GETS IT!

I gotta say, these folks at Taiga are smart. At one point in time when we first reported the existence of an electric snowmobile OEM a fairly substantial backlash of cynicism was felt throughout the industry.

I mean, how could anyone be seriously thinking about building electric snowmobiles? We and just about every other media group reporting on electric power sang the same song. “Won’t work until range, time to recharge and availability of recharging equal a gasoline powered ride.”

And you know what – those three issues are still at the heart of developing true credibility for electric power in the powersports biz.

Here’s what is both interesting and very telling about the minds behind Taiga. The company’s Phase 1 strategy sidesteps all three of these universally accepted detractors to electric powered snowmobiles. Taiga is focusing its efforts on commercial fleet sales of the new Atlas and Nomad models. The plan is (and it is working) to sell Taiga sleds to the likes of large ski resorts for use as service vehicles on the slopes. The other target is large rental operators in snowmobile tourism areas of the North American snowbelt.

This “Phase 1” strategy is on top of the many Taiga dealers which have signed on to retail the sleds when production ramps up next year. By the end of October 2021, accelerated product demand for Taiga snowmobiles and watercraft amounted to 2,632 pre-ordered units compared to 1,246 at the start of 2021. The split between snowmobile and watercraft is virtually even with watercraft representing just slightly over 50% of orders.

Why do I think these moves mean Taiga “gets it”? Taiga knows there is precious few recharge facilities on any of the myriad trail systems across North America. To behave like a Tesla and start capitalizing trail-based recharge centers would be financially untenable.

Obviously, the snow-mo-biz is not the automobile business in terms of unit volume. However, a ski resort or a snowmobile rental operation could easily afford chargers for a small fleet of Taiga’s initially and expand the availability of charging incrementally over the next few seasons.

Time to recharge and range are the other two bug-a-boos with electric powered snowmobiles. In Taiga’s Phase 1 plan both range and time to recharge become non-issues. A rental operator in a market like West Yellowstone could easily cycle Taigas through their operations recharging units as they return from rides into the Park.

The range issue goes away when you consider many rental operators “chaperone” customers on their rides to prevent accidents and mayhem. In other words, ride (and range) distance is carefully controlled.

So here’s the deal. Taiga has already taken more than 130 multi-unit, fleet snowmobile and Orca electric Personal Watercraft (PWC) orders coming from their Phase 1 target market. That is an impressive accomplishment. As this whole electric snowmobile thing moves forward with the intro of both Ski-Doo and Polaris electric powered sleds, more Taiga dealers are sure to emerge.

There’s no doubt in our minds here at Supertrax and SnowTrax Taiga will continue to expand sled sales through current branded snowmobile dealers in both the US and Canada. As battery technology allows and charging centers become more common, Taiga will surely increase its market reach to include all of us.

Take The Pledge Seriously

Mark Lester
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Take The Pledge Seriously

I’m not sure if I can recall in my numerous years commenting and editorializing on this sport, any of the OEM’s top brass making personal appeals to the snowmobiling public. That’s exactly what’s happening and it’s dead serious.

The cover of the current issue of Supertrax Magazine broadcasts the issue with these three words: “Trouble in Paradise?”. I want to assure you, there is in fact, serious trouble in paradise. To be specific “snowmobile paradise”.

The trouble we’re speaking to has nothing to do with supply chain issues and late delivery of 2022 sleds. It’s way bigger and way more serious. It’s about the continued, unbridled, unrelenting, irresponsible, selfish and stupid actions of a minority among a legion of responsible snowmobilers.

The issue? Riding off groomed and mapped snowmobile trails criss-crossing our states and provinces in the winter. Violating the trust landowners extend to snowmobile clubs to keep everyone on the prescribed, permission-granted trail route is the issue.

Supertrax Magazine and SnowTrax Television have been outspoken proponents of staying on the trail and only riding off-trail when it’s 100-percent okay. We’ve written reams of articles and covered in great detail how blessed we are to enjoy our amazing snowmobile trail network as a result of the good graces extended to us by private landowners. Don’t forget this network is unparalleled in the off-road industry.

Here’s what’s happening right now: Get ready for your first ride on your fave trail system this winter. Way too many of us are going to discover gates, fences and otherwise immovable barriers stopping access to the formerly beautiful, exhilarating and interconnected trails you (and us) love riding. I’m not kidding.

This issue is off the rails right now and the volunteers who maintain and manage our hard-fought trail systems are telling us they are at the end of their collective ropes. Good hearted land owners are done with outlaw snowmobilers ripping up crops, flattening re-forested trees and generally running amok in the name of “boondocking” or “free riding”.

Time for everyone – but more particularly those who know they have participated in trespassing and tearing up private land – to stop this ridiculous behavior and get with the program. Get with the pledge – right now.

As a fraternity who have enjoyed amazing success developing tens of thousands of miles of groomed and marked snowmobile trails for over 50 years we surely can fix this! Can’t we?

Remember when impaired riding was enemy number one of the continued existence of snowmobiling? When hundreds of snowmobilers were killed each winter as a result of impaired operation, the general media called us out – asking why snowmobiles should even exist.

To a large degree we won this battle making the reduction of impaired operation of sleds a peer group/leadership issue. The number of serious injuries and deaths on snowmobiles today is dramatically lower than 25 years ago.

Our existence and access to trails has never been threatened to the degree it is right now. If those among our number don’t stop this illegal and irresponsible activity responsible snowmobilers are going to grind off a set of carbides every weekend riding roads to circumvent closed trails.

I’m not kidding. It’s 11:59 my friends. If you want to continue to enjoy this amazing off-road activity – take the pledge at SnowmobilersPledge.com. More importantly, live it!

WHERE’S MY SLED?

Mark Lester
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WHERE’S MY SLED?

Last spring, every OEM’s early order program went nuts with record numbers of deposits paid on 2021’s.

Not only were there record numbers of new sleds reserved but trade-in values went through the roof (and remain there) as dealers scrambled to sell trades before the season ended. Strangely, the season didn’t end.

In most North American snowmobile markets the sale of used sleds remained insanely strong throughout the summer of 2021. In fact, in many markets the sale of snowmobiles remained strong right into the fall.

The snowmobile biz became a year-round, not seasonal, business. Honestly, I haven’t seen this phenomenon in the modern era.

MISSING PIECES

So, just to make things a little harder to understand and just a touch crazier – along comes the issue of supply chain shortfalls. I don’t mean the supply chain crisis we’ve witnessed in October with dozens of container ships anchored outside North American ports. I mean supply chain problems going back to the early summer involving everything from ECM chips to instrument clusters to ski-hoops to oil tank caps.

Some are saying the worldwide move to just-in-time manufacturing (JIT) contributed greatly to the aforementioned problems. Let me simplify this. All sophisticated manufacturers of just about everything do not stockpile components to be assembled into finished products. Most often, componentry arrives JIT to be emptied directly onto production lines and back out the door to be shipped to dealers as a finished product.

When vendors encounter shortages of materials to make components, the final production line can come to a screeching halt. My description here is pretty basic but generally speaking, this is what’s behind the slowdown in new sled deliveries.

SO, WHERE’S MY SLED?

Early order/early deposit programs are most often participated in by hardcore, vocal snowmobilers. These highly informed sledders know precisely what they want and count the days (literally) to when their new ride will arrive. Often, early order sleds are the first to land at dealers in September and October with some limited production new sleds arriving in November.

This year there’s a difference. Because supply chain issues are rampant, not only in the sno-mo-biz but just as prevalent in the ATV/SXS/Motorcycle/outboard/PWC biz, powersport dealers are reeling at the lack of product they’ve received through late 2020 and all of 2021. There is so little unsold inventory in the powersport business many dealers have been unable to meet strong in-season demand.

Here’s a quick roundup of what we’ve been told is happening. There’s a lot disinformation swirling around right now so we will try to provide accurate info here. That being said, things are changing regularly and you need to be in touch with your dealer regularly to stay on top of delivery timing. We intend to update this information later in November.

SKI-DOO

Ski-Doo is shipping 2021 Spring Break sleds right now. Some larger volume dealers we spoke to while assembling this info claimed they have actually received as much as 30% of their preseason ordered sleds. Dealers are mostly concerned with the delivery of preseason ordered snowmobiles and expect in-season sleds to arrive later. Ski-Doo has shipped some of these Spring Break ordered snowmobiles without some parts. Specifically, things like engine ECMs, digital tethers and gauge clusters.

Why have they done this? For sure this is a smart move on Ski-Doo’s part. If these units just piled up outside the factory there wouldn’t be enough trucks in North America to get them delivered in a reasonable amount of time. This way Ski-Doo dealers will be shipped the necessary parts and install them immediately upon receiving them. Keep in touch with your dealer on specific details surrounding the arrival of your Spring Break sled.

POLARIS

Polaris is also shipping snowmobiles throughout the fall, however, some of them are missing parts which your dealer will install when received from Polaris. We’ve heard things like ski-hoops and other trim pieces may be shipped separately throughout the fall.

Polaris is committed to getting Snow Check sleds shipped as soon as is logistically possible. Again, you should stay in contact with your dealer. Snow Checkers may also receive communication directly from Polaris regarding their new sleds. Polaris is working to look after their valued Snow Check customers first with in-season production coming after early ordered sleds are built.

YAMAHA

Yamaha has been navigating challenges similar to the other OEMs throughout the 2021 model year. Interestingly, Yamaha has had a strong line on its customer’s expectations and have been working to ensure that they both supply Spring Power Surge, early order, deposit-paid-sleds and that they do this in as timely a manner as possible.

While supply chain issues for all the OEMs are an inescapable reality in 2021, Yamaha has placed priority on satisfying its snowmobile customers who stepped up and put deposits on new sleds last spring. Yamaha has also made it abundantly clear each snowmobile it has shipped is one hundred percent complete and ready to ride and they are working to continue this through the remainder of production.

ARCTIC CAT

The official word from Arctic Cat on the delivery of early season ordered, deposit paid “Snowmageddon” sleds is as follows: We are committed to those customers that pre-ordered during Snowmageddon, and subsequently we have prioritized those units in our production schedule with the intent to deliver as many as possible by year end.

Clearly, Arctic Cat is focused on satisfying and meeting the expectations of its early order customers in the midst of a fall production season which has been plagued – industry wide – with supply chain issues. It’s again important for early order buyers to stay in touch with their Arctic Cat dealer as things have been changing across the entire snowmobile OEM landscape – weekly.

One thing we’ve picked up on when assembling this story is the advantage early season buyers have in terms of actually getting a new sled for this season. It’s pretty clear the production and delivery of in-season snowmobiles for dealer inventory is a completely different story with much different timelines. Stay tuned.

YAMAHA’S HIGH PERFORMANCE 2-STROKE TRAIL SLED

Mark Lester
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YAMAHA’S HIGH PERFORMANCE 2-STROKE TRAIL SLED

I’ve been doing this editorializing thing for over 35 years. Over that time I’ve come to expect certain responses to comments I make. I mean I can often predict what you, our valued readers and viewers will say about my highly informed, insightful and enlightened opinions.

Here’s an up-to-date example: A couple years ago, when we first rumored Yamaha might be readying a 2-stroke mountain market sled, our channels lit up like Christmas trees. To say the potential (at that time) arrival of a 2-stroke Yamaha was at the top of a good many readers and viewers minds was an understatement we actually underestimated. It wasn’t just the Yamaha faithful who had opinions, it was myriad yellow, blue and green afficionados who took a kick at agreeing (and disagreeing) with our prediction.

Now that the once-rumored 2-stroke Yamaha mountain sleds are a reality, we’ll jump in with both feet with another prediction: How about a 2-stroke Yamaha trail sled using the same 800 SDI twin putting out 160-ish HP? You don’t have to be a marketing expert to see Yamaha has a pretty large hole in its engine lineup on the trail side of the ledger.

The jump from the Viper’s 1049cc 4-stroke triple’s 130 ponies to the SideWinder turbo’s 180 ponies (cough) is a big one and it begs for an answer – particularly when Yamaha is doing much better in the sno-mo-biz than most predicted just three years ago.

Here’s another undeniable reality. The all-new entry level Venom, powered by a 400cc 2-stroke single sourced from AC is a complete twist in the road. Yamaha has had good success with this new model, carving out a new segment for this engine and chassis combination.

The new Mountain Max 800s have been an instant hit with few exceptions and have produced an impressive lack of horror stories surrounding engine performance and durability. Most of you know this; but for those who don’t, the 800 twin used by Yamaha is made by Arctic Cat. The engine is a good performer, efficient and tough. Yamaha has very high standards for everything it makes or buys from vendors. This engine is proof positive of these high standards.

Here’s what I’ll say about the potential for a high performance Yamaha 2-stroke trail sled – basically an SRX 137 with an 800 twin under the hood. If it happens, don’t look for a Yamaha-built engine. There are not the economies of scale for an engine manufacturer the size of Yamaha to tool and build a completely fresh 2-stroke engine profitably for a market this size.

Yamaha is a $15 billion (give or take a few million) engine OEM that builds engines to supply its own specific businesses. For example, did you know among Yamaha’s largest businesses is designing, engineering and manufacturing outboard engines? 4-stroke outboard engines. I’m afraid Yamaha’s entire snowmobile unit production would barely blip the meter on its total business profile.

I’m not saying I don’t think a 2-stroke trail sled powered by the Cat-derived 800 SDI twin is an impossibility. However, I will say you’re not going to see a Yamaha-built, 2-stroke snowmobile engine. Don’t even think of reminding me the VK 540 is a 2-stroke Yamaha. That engine was tooled over 35 years ago and is old, non-EPA-compliant technology.

So, I won’t say there isn’t hope for a high performance trail 2-stroke Yamaha, particularly when Yamaha has chosen to market the Venom with a 400cc 2-stroke and the Transporter lineup with a 2-stroke SDI 800 from AC. I don’t think it’s much of a leap from the utility market (Transporter) to the trail market – or to even the X-Over market.

One thing is for sure; there is a different attitude toward 2-stroke power at Yamaha in 2021. This new attitude makes me reluctant to make any absolute proclamations regarding what Yamaha might or might not do next with its continued access to a full-on, high performance 800 2-stroke engine.

POLARIS INDY VR1 OR INDY XCR?

ADVERTORIAL
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POLARIS INDY VR1 OR INDY XCR?

***ADVERTORIAL***

With the arrival of the new MATRYX platform, the Polaris faithful and those shopping Polaris for the first time may find they need some direction weighing out the features and benefits of this revolutionary Indy chassis.

Find The Right Indy For You!

What’s A VR1?

It’s not difficult to identify and understand an XCR. Its name is synonymous with legendary Polaris handling and rough trail prowess. Frankly, the label “XCR” is legitimately iconic. So how do you rationalize the Indy VR1 and come to an understanding of what makes it uniquely different from the XCR? Let’s cover off what’s different and what’s the same.

The VR1 comes with premium trail-calibrated WER (Walker Evans Racing) rebound and compression adjustable Velocity Shocks all the way around in a fully coupled ProCC skidframe with rail doublers. There’s also Polaris’ incomparable 7S gauge set with Ride Command, the amazing Group Ride feature and the ability to text your riding companions with or without cellphone service.

Polaris’ ergonomically correct SmartWarmers that automatically adjust grip temperature are also standard on the VR1. The VR1 shares identical rider ergonomics with the XCR, providing a 3-inch narrower seat at the critical seat/tank junction and a 4.8-inch width reduction at the console. Both the VR1 and the XCR can be ordered with choices of 1.25, 1.35 or 1.5-inch-deep tracks.

If you take trail riding seriously and appreciate predictable handling, near-telepathic turn-in and ultimate control at speed with razor clean response in the twisties, you’ll want the VR1!

Find The Right Indy For You!

What’s An XCR?

The XCR brand is synonymous with incomparable rough trail handling, big bump suspension compliance and rider-first control! It delivers those traits using top drawer Walker Evans Racing, 2-inch compression and rebound adjustable piggyback reservoir shocks in a coupled ProCC skid. The performance of these dampers under the most gruelling ditch banging and rough trail navigation has to be experienced to be believed!

The XCR comes factory-equipped with a full-on Polaris Race Technology larger diameter brake rotor, larger brake pads and a dedicated exterior brake cooling duct. The rear suspension includes a CNC machined rear coupler stop as well as rail doublers.

Every XCR comes with the 7S interactive digital display with Ride Command and Group Ride toggled three ways: You can control the 7S from the left side switchgear cluster by using a joy stick on the 7S gauge or by simply touching the screen. Again, the MATRYX XCR’s ultra-narrow rider ergonomics and incomparable underhood storage are included.

All XCRs come with Polaris’ new Magnetic Tether. If you get excited when you hear the trails were not groomed last night and quantify snowmobile ride and handling by how fast you can run whoops, ditches and portages, the XCR is definitely your ride!

Find The Right Indy For You!

Halfway Haven Reopening Averts Major Trail Closures

Craig Nicholson
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Halfway Haven Reopening Averts Major Trail Closures

Communities and businesses in Northern Ontario’s Algoma Country can join touring snowmobilers in breathing a sigh of relief. The owners of Halfway Haven have announced their re-opening, at least for the coming winter.

This good news averts the looming closure or disruption of almost 1,000 kilometres of the last remaining Algoma Country trail link between Sault Ste Marie and Hearst. It’s a link well-known to American snowmobilers as their gateway to the rest of Northeastern Ontario, and the Halfway Haven re-opening coincides with the re-opening of the international border, just in time to welcome American snowmobilers back to Ontario for the coming winter.

Halfway Haven is located north of Sault Ste. Marie, on a remote stretch of Trans Ontario Provincial (TOP) Trail D between Searchmont and Wawa. The fuel, food and lodgings available at Halfway Haven make it possible for groomers coming from Searchmont, Wawa and Chapleau (on TOP C101D) to do their long runs through this vast territory. Stopping at this iconic midway point also provides touring riders with the fuel essential to complete this breathtaking section of trail.

The closure of Halfway Haven, announced on their Facebook page last April 30th, would have resulted in trail closures this winter due to no gas availability in the area. It would also have cut off snowmobile access to many communities north of Halfway Haven.

Readers of Supertrax Magazine and viewers of SnowTrax TV are familiar of this amazing trail between Sault Ste. Marie and Hearst from previous coverage. If you need a reminder, check out their tour article and television episodes. They provide many good reasons why this remains a favourite Northern Ontario ride. So now that Halfway Haven is open, why not plan your own Algoma Country tour for this winter?

But the announced re-opening is only a stop-gap measure for the coming winter. It postpones a potential future closing of Halfway Haven by only a year. Hopefully, that will buy enough time for area stakeholders to champion a more permanent solution that takes the season to season guesswork out of Halfway’s shaky existence as the only viable service operation on this trail.

To help this happen and keep trails open, Supertrax Media is covering the story and has produced the Halfway Haven video below to emphasize its importance to snowmobiling in Northern Ontario. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that Halfway Haven survives beyond this winter and is with us for many more years to come!

RESURGENCE OF NORTH AMERICAN MANUFACTURING

Staff Report
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RESURGENCE OF NORTH AMERICAN MANUFACTURING

It’s easy to get caught up in the awfulness of the current pandemic the world is experiencing. The ongoing disruption in the supply chain, nearly two years of labor shortages, increased shipping costs and the shortage of energy supply in China is of major concern.

Sure, if we stop this story right here, the current picture looks pretty bleak – but depending on your point of view, there is a silver lining and there are some really epic good things happening in spite of all the bad news you might be hearing.

Some background: We’ve recently had a number of discussions with aftermarket companies about the current state of the industry. While on one side it’s disheartening to learn of the uncertainly they are facing; it’s equally encouraging to learn of what they are committing to ensure the continuing existence of their companies.

Here’s an example: One aftermarket company used to pay $3,500 for a shipping container. We’re talking about those jumbo-sized containers that fit onto a container ship for transport across the ocean from China or Asia to North America. Where the price was $3,500 not long ago, they have to pay $22,000 now. You can imagine the impact an increase like that has on the wholesale and retail prices of every item inside those containers.

This is just the start. Trucking fees have doubled and manufacturing operations in China are being curtailed due to the energy shortages there so factories are being forced to shut down for portions of the week. Add in COVID-19 related labor disruptions and there is no longer any advantage whatsoever for North American firms to outsource to China. As result, many of those North American companies are now resorting back to local production.

The good news is, in the big picture this situation is really good for North American manufacturing. More goods will definitely be produced on this side of the ocean and more people on these shores will be employed to work in those affected factories. Unfortunately, the same goods will undoubtedly cost more than they did a few years ago.

Get used to it, though. Incredible demand for goods has caused prices to jump upwards on all kinds of things – including automobiles, ATVs and snowmobiles.

Working in our favor are the quicker turnaround times we could be getting, as components can now be delivered to production lines much faster, and the fact engineering designs can be converted to final product in less time.

Let’s also not discount good ‘ol North American ingenuity. Increased efficiencies in manufacturing operations have been integral to the North American automotive sector remaining competitive and there is lots to benchmark.

Combine this with better quality products resulting in fewer warranty costs and it’s just a matter of time for the cost differential between offshore made goods to be less consequential.

Yes, in the short-term you can complain about the high cost of our sport – however, it’s simply a hard reality – and a sign of the times. The good news is this: if the movement towards more North American manufacturing continues, so will our ability of controlling our own destiny.

Are you a North American manufacturer facing the same challenges? Do you know of any more success stories of the return to North American Manufacturing? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.

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    SNOWTRAX has established itself as the most watched snowmobile TV series in North America.
    Each season, the SNOWTRAX crew guides viewers through informative and entertaining content; revealing the inside scoop on the latest snowmobiles, accessories and riding destinations that make snowmobiling winter's greatest adventure sport.
    SNOWTRAX can be viewed weekly during the winter season in Canada on City TV, Wild TV, REV TV and Sportsman Channel Canada and across America on Sportsman Channel.

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