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Cool Snowmobiles views: 3110

A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled, is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including frozen lakes, or driven on paths or trails. Usually designed to accommodate a driver and one passenger, their use is much like a motorcycle and an all-terrain vehicle (ATVs) intended for winter use on snow-covered ground and frozen ponds and waterways. They have no enclosure except for a windshield and their engine normally drives a continuous track or tracks at the rear; skis at the front provide directional control.

2012 Yamaha RS Venture GT yamaha rs venture gt 2012

Yamaha doesn’t make changes just for the sake of doing so. When Yamaha makes changes, they are doing it because they have found something better to offer then what’s already out. For the 2012 Yamaha RS Venture GT, that involves taking the snowmobile’s overall characteristics up a few notches higher.
The new Venture GT is about as comfortable and user-friendly as any snowmobile in the market. On top of that, it’s got some serious performance capabilities too, the highlight of which is the 1,049cc four-stroke, three-cylinder, twin-valve, liquid-cooled engine. With 120 horsepower on tap, the RS Venture GT represents an attractive snowmobile option for performance-minded riders who also demand no less than the ultimate in comfort.
Further adding to the appeal of the RS Venture GT is a suspension set-up that features the company’s new wishbone design front suspension that sets the A-arms more closely together. Yamaha engineers also use high-pressure gas shocks to control the GT’s 8.5" of maximum travel, which is actually a half-inch less than with last season’s non-EPS front end.
For everything that people have said about the Yamaha RS Venture GT, the biggest thing about this snowmobile is that it comes at a pretty reasonable price of just $12,699.
2012 Yamaha Venture Lite yamaha venture lite 2012

Now that winter is fast approaching, snowmobiles are starting to become en vogue again. So what better way to spend your upcoming bonuses than to splurge on a snowmobile that offers you fun times streaking in the snow.
That’s where the Yamaha Venture Lite comes in. Powered by the Sport Performance Genesis 2-cylinder engine, the Venture Lite offers silky smooth power that can be best enjoyed as a solo rider or with a passenger on board.
More than just its impressive powertrain, the Venture Lite also comes packed with plenty of amenities. It’s got a tall windshield, heated passenger grips, and a cargo rack, among other things, providing you with plenty of bang for your hard-earned buck. The seat was designed to be comfortable for more than just one rider and comes with a forward front pilot configuration that allows excellent positioning when you’re sitting upright and ready to roll. There’s also a raised lip at the back to help keep you stationed properly while a slightly elevated passenger level that tapers slightly into a winged backrest. A passenger footrest platform and handgrips are also part of the package, as is a digital gauge that sits centered so you quickly can read the large digital numerals as they flash your miles per hour.
Going back to the snowmobile’s Sport Performance Genesis 2-cylinder engine, it’s not so much the power that makes the Venture Lite stand out. Relative to it’s size, the snowmobile’s modern high-revving 4-stroke engine delivers upwards of 30 percent more power than its competition while also boasting of a sophisticated electronic fuel injection system. To ensure superior handling, the Venture Lite was also fitted with quite basic KYB gas cell shock absorbers, and a rear suspension that features a simple flip lever to vary torsion spring rates for enhancing ride comfort.
Homemade snowmobile from Russia

Take a look at what appears to be the upgraded version of Santa’s sled. It was built entirely from scrap by a Russian retiree from the city of Kirov and turns out this rather strange snowmobile is ideal for the Russian steppes.

First thing first, the single-cylinder engine comes from an old Yamaha dirt bike and it transmits power to a huge rear wheel instead of a track, like on classic snow ravishing machines. But there’s nothing regular about a junkyard build and this project comes to strengthen the rule furthermore. For instance, the fiberglass seat is from an old carousel and the gear shift lever looks like a wooden Coca-Cola bottle. Other important parts are the low friction skies and the frame.

This junkyard project took one year to complete, but it looks like it can last a lifetime.

Snowmobile concept needs a condom

The “Snowmobile” is a concept belonging to British Designer Evangelos Gicas, who drew it as a combination between current snowmobiles and MotoGP racing bikes. This is only in theory because our friends at Gizmodo practically see it as a “Sperm-Shaped Snowmobile” and while we have to admit that the human machinery was always a trendsetter, urgent protection methods are required.
Long, low and sleek, the Snowmobile concept will supposedly offer a riding position similar to that of a supersports motorcycle, but we can’t see how this can be an advantage considering the fact that, unlike its inspiration sources, this thing doesn’t offer riders the possibility to lift themselves in a fairly upright riding position when braking or, in this case, trying to see and avoid dangers in time. Still, it looks like it can start an avalanche from a standstill and that’s why we like it so much.
CIV The Closest Thing To A Bike Going Across Antarctica CIV – the closest thing to a bike going across Antarctica.

Hands up who can’t get his eyes off this piece of machinery. Yes, it isn’t your regular winter commuter, but a machine built especially to traverse the harsh Antarctic terrain as part of the Moon Regan Trans Antarctic Expedition. Sounds serious? It certainly is as we’re talking about 3000 miles than need to be covered starting November 2009.
Designed and engineered by Lotus Engineering to run over ice and snow, the Concept Ice Vehicle (CIV) is fitted with all-round independent suspension and even features an Ice Penetrating Radar (IPR) unit which detects hidden crevasses.
The power source is a supercharged BMW 1150 engine adapted to run on E85 bio-ethanol so the motorcycle similarities are there. Furthermore, the top speed is a more than decent 84 mph and at only 360 kg, the thing can be easily pushed on ice and snow by a single man.
With a minimum of moving parts, the CIV performs excellent in severe conditions and has that cool airplane look too.

Just an idea I resonate with: “If you can run bio-fuels successfully in the most harsh and extreme environment in the world, then there is no reason why you can’t use them to get to the supermarket!” Andrew Regan.

Image sources:

- http://elklakeworknplay.com/media/1381/2012_rsventuregt_black_action_3.png
- http://www.mthmarina.com/pics/2011_Venture_lite_DSC_0072.jpg
- http://www.instablogsimages.com/images/2010/04/15/russian-homemade-snowmobile_idEwu_1292.jpg
- http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/jpg/200910/snowmobile-concept-n-3w.jpg
- http://autogreenmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ice.jpg