If you have ridden a snowmobile before, you already know how much fun they can be. For those of you that haven’t, we expect you plan to, or why else would you need to read this guide? Our complete guide will help you approach snowmobiling with the caution it deserves so you can enjoy your machine and the countless hours of fun it provides. These tips are not meant to impede your enjoyment. Instead, they will improve your experience and ensure you remain safe while riding.
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Know the Local Laws
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Snowmobile Clothing
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Snowmobile Maintenance Checklist
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Snowmobile Riding Tips
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Carry Safety Supplies While You Ride
Know the Local Laws
Like any motorized equipment, state and local laws often regulate snowmobile use. If you live in a state with little to no snow, there will be fewer laws on the books. On the contrary, if you live in a state that gets snow every year, your state, county, and city likely have ordinances on the books that regulate the use of snowmobiles.
Much like the following tips, these laws are not meant to reduce the fun you have but to protect you, the rider, and the rights of property owners. Snowmobiling laws typically include things like age restrictions and equipment requirements. In addition to rider restrictions, you can guarantee some laws regulate where and when you can use a snowmobile. If you plan to ride on state-owned trails, you likely have to have a permit. It may go without saying, but if you plan to ride on private property, you need permission beforehand. Failing to abide by such laws can result in hefty fines.
Snowmobiling laws will differ from state to state and can even be different between neighboring counties. You, as the rider, have a responsibility to learn the local laws and abide by them. You can likely find everything you need online, but if you have trouble doing that, contact your county sheriff for more information.
Snowmobile Clothing
Layering is the name of the game when it comes to dressing for a session on the sled. More than simply being uncomfortable, improper clothing will leave you cold and miserable and can even be catastrophic if you stay outside too long. Layering with quality snow apparel will trap your body heat and keep you warm through hours of snowmobiling fun.
In addition to the protection from the elements, winter riding gear also offers protection against accidents, branches, rocks, and other things you may encounter while riding. For more information on how to get ready for a ride, reference the Christmas Story scene where Randy is getting dressed for school.
In addition to winter clothing, you absolutely must wear protective equipment. Most states require this by law, but you’ll wear it regardless if you value your health and safety. The Motomentum apparel shop has all the helmets, goggles, gloves, and boots you need for a safe and comfortable ride.
Snowmobile Maintenance Checklist
Maintenance is critical for keeping a safe and reliable snowmobile. Not only will it ensure your machine runs longer, but it will protect you against unexpected and potentially harmful equipment failures. Every sled owner should know how to perform essential maintenance or, at the very least, recognize when something is wrong.
Annual Maintenance
If you own a snowmobile, you must perform routine maintenance at the beginning of every season. Seasonal maintenance will ensure your engine runs as it should and prevent costly failures. Annual engine maintenance includes an oil and filter change, spark plug replacement, air filter maintenance, and a new fuel filter. This type of maintenance is relatively easy, but if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, you should take it to a reputable shop.
Purchasing maintenance materials at a shop will be more expensive than buying them yourself. If you want to save money on oil, filters, coolant, and other shop supplies, we recommend checking out the online Motomentum maintenance shop.
Routine Checks
In addition to annual maintenance, you should give your snowmobile a once-over before every ride to ensure everything is working as it should and isn’t in danger of failing in the middle of a session. Don’t skip the routine check! It should only take a few minutes to ensure your throttle, brakes, lights, tracks, and skis are working and look as they should. Failing to check these before a ride could result in costly equipment failures or harmful malfunctions.
Snowmobile Riding Tips
The number one thing for beginner snowmobile riders to remember is that if it seems reckless, it probably is. Don’t take unnecessary risks, and don’t do anything out of your comfort zone. Keep the sled on the ground, and whatever you do, don’t give in to peer pressure.
As your confidence grows, you will feel more comfortable trying riskier trails and hill climbs, but if you’re hesitant, just avoid it altogether. If the obstacle is unavoidable, but you don’t feel comfortable doing it, ask a fellow rider to do it for you. We recommend you avoid carrying passengers until you feel comfortable riding your machine. The most important thing is to use common sense and not ignore your gut.
Carry Safety Supplies While you Ride
Even if you’re meticulous about snowmobile maintenance, unexpected things can happen anytime. For this reason, we recommend you always carry an assortment of safety supplies and tools. You never know when an accident or equipment failure may occur; when it does, you will want the necessary supplies to address the problem. As the old saying goes, it is better to have and not need than to need and not have.
At the very minimum, you should always carry first-aid and basic tool kits. These two things will suffice for most snowmobile excursions. However, if you plan to go on an extended several-day trip, pack additional survival supplies, including flares, extra food, and radios. Check out our blog, 10 Snowmobile Safety Tips, from our #snowmobilesafetysunday series for some additional tips on staying safe! We’ve also compiled a list of top snowmobile accessories we would recommend to riders to make your ride as comfortable and as enjoyable as possible.
Now Go Have Some Fun!
We know that’s a lot of information to take in, but it’s all crucial. If you feel like you’ll forget any of the abovementioned snowmobile tips for beginners, make yourself a checklist to go over at the start of each season and before every ride. Now go have some fun!
