gytr done
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HD snowmobile, LMAO!
Snowaddict
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- mstahl88
Don't laugh too hard, they actually used to make them at one time. From 1971-1975. Wasn't anything special or much different from other brands at the time, though.
john10toe
Pro
Harley Snowmobile 40th Anniversary
A Harley snowmobile? Yes! 40 years ago, Harley-Davidson started selling snowmobiles. They were advertised as “a new brand of excitement” as AMF guided them to expand their horizons for better or worse.
Today, the Harley snowmobile that was billed as “a machine so right only Harley-Davidson could make it” is a collectors item.
Harley-Davidson made snowmobiles from 1971 to 1975. Like the Harley-Davidson scooters and mopeds from the 1960’s, the snowmobile adventure was short lived. Even though they were not a huge success, and overall the Harley sleds were not radically different than the competition, a Harley-Davidson snowmobile in good condition today can fetch a decent price. They are not worth a ton of money, but they are sought after by collectors and folks that restore vintage snowmobiles.
Forty years later, the Harley snowmobile still is cool, at least we at Motorcycle Information think so.
When their snowmobile was introduced for 1971, Harley advertised their “exclusive new transmission/drive unit with a 4.5:1 ratio for explosive acceleration of the mark” and their “10 inch disc brake”. While they did have a twin cylinder engine, it was not the famous Harley v-twin that we all know.
A 2-stroke parallel twin engine powered the Harley sleds. It was fairly similar to other popular snowmobile engines of the day. The 1971 model had a 398cc Harley-Davidson engineered and manufactured engine that was advertised as producing “30 spirited horsepower”.
The skis had “exclusive Harley-Davidson-designed hydraulic damping”. A few years later, Harley came out with the 440cc model, actually a 433cc, but named 440 since that was the common class for large-engined snowmobiles back then.
Snowmobiles became very popular in the late 1960’s through the mid-1970’s. It is amazing to look back now at how many companies were making them. Famous manufacturers like Massey-Ferguson, Johnson, Evinrude, John Deere, and Suzuki might surprise some folks. These companies, like Harley-Davidson, are normally associated today with other types of vehicles.
By the way, if you plan to do any work on these old Harleys or any of the others from that era, our recommendation is to get the Clymer Snowmobile Service Manual 1962-1986. This is a huge book (512 pages) and covers Harley-Davidson and loads of vintage snowmobiles.
The Motor Company jumped on the “sled” bandwagon too, even though it turned out to be a short-lived venture. With advertising slogans like “when it snows we reign”, Harley snowmobile owners probably expected H-D to stay in the snowmobile business longer than they did.
Even though 1975 was the last year of a Harley snowmobile, their ad for ’75 proclaimed “Count on us” and “we’re here to serve and satisfy you with the finest snowmobile made”. We’re not knocking H-D for this since all of this obviously coincided with their infamous AMF years.
Model designations for Harley snowmobiles were the Y-398 and Y-440. Buyers had the option of electric start or pull start.
In the Harley spirit, a line of snowmobile clothing and accessories was available from Harley dealers to go with your Harley snowmobile. They even sold Harley-Davidson “Sno-Oil” two-stroke engine oil. A cigarette lighter was another available accessory, which in modern times is known better as a power outlet.
If you wonder about the value of any of this stuff today, a pair of original Harley snowmobile gloves from 1972 was on eBay with bids of over $100 at the time of this writing!
A Harley snowmobile? Yes! 40 years ago, Harley-Davidson started selling snowmobiles. They were advertised as “a new brand of excitement” as AMF guided them to expand their horizons for better or worse.Today, the Harley snowmobile that was billed as “a machine so right only Harley-Davidson could make it” is a collectors item.
Harley-Davidson made snowmobiles from 1971 to 1975. Like the Harley-Davidson scooters and mopeds from the 1960’s, the snowmobile adventure was short lived. Even though they were not a huge success, and overall the Harley sleds were not radically different than the competition, a Harley-Davidson snowmobile in good condition today can fetch a decent price. They are not worth a ton of money, but they are sought after by collectors and folks that restore vintage snowmobiles.
Forty years later, the Harley snowmobile still is cool, at least we at Motorcycle Information think so.When their snowmobile was introduced for 1971, Harley advertised their “exclusive new transmission/drive unit with a 4.5:1 ratio for explosive acceleration of the mark” and their “10 inch disc brake”. While they did have a twin cylinder engine, it was not the famous Harley v-twin that we all know.
A 2-stroke parallel twin engine powered the Harley sleds. It was fairly similar to other popular snowmobile engines of the day. The 1971 model had a 398cc Harley-Davidson engineered and manufactured engine that was advertised as producing “30 spirited horsepower”.
The skis had “exclusive Harley-Davidson-designed hydraulic damping”. A few years later, Harley came out with the 440cc model, actually a 433cc, but named 440 since that was the common class for large-engined snowmobiles back then.
Snowmobiles became very popular in the late 1960’s through the mid-1970’s. It is amazing to look back now at how many companies were making them. Famous manufacturers like Massey-Ferguson, Johnson, Evinrude, John Deere, and Suzuki might surprise some folks. These companies, like Harley-Davidson, are normally associated today with other types of vehicles.By the way, if you plan to do any work on these old Harleys or any of the others from that era, our recommendation is to get the Clymer Snowmobile Service Manual 1962-1986. This is a huge book (512 pages) and covers Harley-Davidson and loads of vintage snowmobiles.
The Motor Company jumped on the “sled” bandwagon too, even though it turned out to be a short-lived venture. With advertising slogans like “when it snows we reign”, Harley snowmobile owners probably expected H-D to stay in the snowmobile business longer than they did.
Even though 1975 was the last year of a Harley snowmobile, their ad for ’75 proclaimed “Count on us” and “we’re here to serve and satisfy you with the finest snowmobile made”. We’re not knocking H-D for this since all of this obviously coincided with their infamous AMF years.
Model designations for Harley snowmobiles were the Y-398 and Y-440. Buyers had the option of electric start or pull start.In the Harley spirit, a line of snowmobile clothing and accessories was available from Harley dealers to go with your Harley snowmobile. They even sold Harley-Davidson “Sno-Oil” two-stroke engine oil. A cigarette lighter was another available accessory, which in modern times is known better as a power outlet.
If you wonder about the value of any of this stuff today, a pair of original Harley snowmobile gloves from 1972 was on eBay with bids of over $100 at the time of this writing!
VX1R
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WTF just happened?
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HD over load. Lol
I second that, I love my Harley.
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journeyman
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No offense to the HD riders but if someone gave me any Harley I would immediately sell it. They don't do anything for me. To each their own though, that's why we have choices in life.
One thing I find ironic is you never see a HD rider pulled over for excessive noise. If my car or truck made that much racket I would expect to get one.
I do find it interesting that there is a rumor that AC is up for sale.
One thing I find ironic is you never see a HD rider pulled over for excessive noise. If my car or truck made that much racket I would expect to get one.
I do find it interesting that there is a rumor that AC is up for sale.
super_rash
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HD's have something that not much other bikes have.. some sort of aura that makes them fun to ride, but the reputation is also built around it but then again most successfull sports machines have some sort of reputation attatched to them be it true or false... this being said, the HD's i don't want personnally but i understand what the fun factor is in them...this being said...I DON'T KNOW IF YAMAHA IN TORONTO means good or bad for their futur., but maybe they want to be closer to their buyers so decisions are more connected to what sledders want, wich would be good , like not taking 7 years to fix handlebars that don't heat for example...we will see...
journeyman
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Kind of the first thing that I was thinking. Though the Made in Japan Yamaha snowmobiles have been pretty stellar when it comes to reliability, they have been slow to change to the market needs and fixes. Canada is in my mind a good spot too being you can't get a much better snowbelt outside of the mountain areas.
gytr done
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Because we need something that's heavier, ill handiling and slower than what we have now. LMAO. Keep your stories of HD grandeur at the bar.
biffdotorg
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Back to the original topic, the rumor mill on this move over on HCS is crazy. BTW, if you care to get your #*$&@ handed to you in a forum, go post in the AC Turbo 4-stroke forum on HCS. As soon as they see you own a yamaha in your profile, they label you as a troll and harass you till you leave. OMG, what a bunch of crybabies in that group. In fact, just posting this here will probably get me banned over there. It would not matter if I have a Wildcat in my garage or had two TRF made Vipers over the past couple years. Or even if I had a Thundercat or Sidewinder on order, I would be labeled as a troll.
They could give two $$%$ if you owned an AC product and had not put it in your profile. One of those yahoos actually posted the week before this announcement, that Yamaha is going to announce that they are getting out of snowmobiles and will only be an engine supplier. And they ran with that rumor to this day as if it was gospel. And even after the announcement of the move to Canada, they pumped the rumor again as this is so that they can be an engine supplier and everyone believed that it was set in stone that there would be no more Japanese Yamahas. Who knows, it may turn out to be true. But the posts from then on all revolved around how sad they were about the death of Yamaha snowmobiles and how it will be bad for all consumers. As if they had already put a fork in it. A BIG TUNING FORK.
A few went on to start slamming folks here at TY, and could not believe that TYers think that Yamaha has anything to do with the production of the Viper/Sidewinder other than handing over an engine. They even go to the extent to start making comments that AC's involvement in the design of the 998/998t is way more than the turbo and Yamaha is taking too much credit for it's claimed performance.
All I know, is don't go to the AC forums on HCS for any actual facts on this HQ move. As much as our opinions may be bright and cheery for Yamaha's new focus on sleds in North America, they look at it as the demise of Yamaha sleds in North America and actually just an office to ink engine supplier deals out of.
They could give two $$%$ if you owned an AC product and had not put it in your profile. One of those yahoos actually posted the week before this announcement, that Yamaha is going to announce that they are getting out of snowmobiles and will only be an engine supplier. And they ran with that rumor to this day as if it was gospel. And even after the announcement of the move to Canada, they pumped the rumor again as this is so that they can be an engine supplier and everyone believed that it was set in stone that there would be no more Japanese Yamahas. Who knows, it may turn out to be true. But the posts from then on all revolved around how sad they were about the death of Yamaha snowmobiles and how it will be bad for all consumers. As if they had already put a fork in it. A BIG TUNING FORK.
A few went on to start slamming folks here at TY, and could not believe that TYers think that Yamaha has anything to do with the production of the Viper/Sidewinder other than handing over an engine. They even go to the extent to start making comments that AC's involvement in the design of the 998/998t is way more than the turbo and Yamaha is taking too much credit for it's claimed performance.
All I know, is don't go to the AC forums on HCS for any actual facts on this HQ move. As much as our opinions may be bright and cheery for Yamaha's new focus on sleds in North America, they look at it as the demise of Yamaha sleds in North America and actually just an office to ink engine supplier deals out of.
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yamadoo
Yamadoo is a snowmobile ' aholic'.
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That is why I like TY, want help, got reliable info or something funny ......your welcome, want to INSULT and type/talk tough or stupid usually the same thing NOT COOOL on TY. I'll stay thanks
journeyman
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2lapsdown
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lol!
whitedust1
TY 4 Stroke God
Yep AC stock down ripe for someone to come along & buy them & easy to do right now. IMO those that could buy AC will wait as won't get better and price goes down with each day & month. AC not a healthy company , dealers know it &, imo, Yamaha waiting,watching, thinking of alternatives & what could happen with new owner whoever that could be. Anybody that thinks Yamaha is casting a blind eye to all this is foolish....no one knows anyone better than your OEM partner. I have been there with OEMs for 35 years and the conversation gets to the point of please...please ...please buy us!!! Not much there ,imo, for Yamaha to purchase techwise that they don't already have so I don't see a buy for now when Yam could buy AC for next to nothing off bone pile in a year or 2. My question is more of how bad will Yamaha let AC get if interested?? Maybe just waiting to make offer for snomo products only and let rest of AC become dust in the wind is my best guess.
