In light of the new accident posts, and the new ski doo freestyle post I have decided to make a little post of my own on my thoughts, so bear with me.

MY ORIGINAL POST (in the freestyle thread)
Of course they arent built to go out and tear up the trails or climb the big hills but how many adults are using their sled for something other than its intended use? I know i trail ride my mountain sled, and i know guys who try and hill climb their trail sleds.

I know I won't want to throw my 100 pound kid on a 440 thats got the balls to yank the skis with me on it, but a 120 definatly wont cut it for following me up the trails.

I think you are all looking at this wrong, worry about the kid and not the sled, if the kid is mature enough let him ride, but teach him how to ride. I started riding at 15 on a piped and clutched 700 summit 151". If the Kid is mature enough, smart enough and respects the sled and what could happen if he/she screws off I dont see the problem.

Bottom line Is it safe yes, are some of the people that will ride them, no, but what about all the adults that ride their sleds under the influence? I'd probably rather have a 10 year old kid coming head on at me on his 300 freestyle then a drunk ####### on his 800 or 900 sled.
Thats just me.

Let me expand on my Last post and the respect aspect of snowmobiling. I didn't start riding sleds until I was 15, but I have grown up watching my dad drag race my whole life, so I'm gonna use that as an example.

* Growing up around a dragstrip, gaining knowledge and RESPECT for the cars out there is probably the best tool I have. My dad has a 70 dodge challenger.*

This summer my grandpa, my dad and I went to the race track for test and tune, my dad pulls back to our pit spot off clicking off another 11 second pass and tells me to go take his car down the track. to say the least It shocked me, this is my dads big investment, hes owned the car for near 20 years, done all the work himself, and he just told me, his 17 year old kid to take it and go hammer on it.

Now At the time i was just all like cool woohoo I get to go race my dads car, a big step up from my 14 second street car. His only words of advice were "keep it off the wall" said with a smile.

So I made my pass clicked off a 13 something taking it EXTREMELY easy to get a feel for the car. Got back and he told me to go really hammer on it this time. So I went again, still took it easy, short shifted and went 11.97 @112mph.

The next few days I was still all excitied and happy as what I had done ( being the fastest kid in school is pretty cool).

Looking back on it now that it has been almost 6 months ago, to think that he trusted me that much makes me feel good, and thats whats its all about. To think that he really respects me and trusts me that much feels good, and I believe our relationship has grown because of it. We are more open with one another.

So back to the whole point of this post, Its up to the parents to decide if and when their kid is ready for things. I have done things at my age that my older brother never got to do.

Respect is Key, whether its as a kid being respected by your peers, your teachers or your parents. And so on up through the business world, with your boss' or subordinates.

Sorry if this hasn't made any sense, but i tried

Sincerely,
Dustin Ward

Your post makes perfect sense!

If all snowmobilers possessed the same amount of respect, we wouldn't have landowners complaining about excessive noise, trespassing, etc.

Now you need to get yourself a stock MachZ and set it up for ashpalt and beat your dear old daddy!
Must have been a rush to get behind the wheel of the 70 Mopar!

Wow, I thought this thread would get more replies than this. . .

I totally agree with you. I got my first dirtbike when I was 3. A little Jr. 50. I was taught to respect the machine and others around me when I was on the bike. I remember one time going through Quebec, I was doing 120 km/hr in my car, and someone on a crotch rocket street bike passed me and catwalked the bike. I figure he was doing about 140 km/hr when he pulled the front wheel off the ground. I personally would NEVER think about doing something THAT stupid! Especially on a VERY busy highway! I consider myself a very good bike rider, as like I said, I was on my first dirtbike at 3, and been on bikes ever since. And I'm sure I'm very capable of catwalking a bike at 140 km/ph. But what about the person in the small car beside that rider? Are they capable of not panicking and losing control of thier car when someone scares the crap out of them by screaming past on a street bike on one wheel? Or how about the person ahead of the rider who's changing lanes and doesn't double check his/her blind spot for a smaller vehicle comming up from the rear?
Snowmobiling is the same thing. I've had 2 encounters which could have proved deadly if it weren't for that fact that I was paying attention. Unfortunately, both encounters were caused by grown men with pre-teen children as passengers on the backs of their sleds. So now I wonder how those kids will drive thier own sleds some day.
I have personally never had a close call due to my stupidity. And I'm sure I NEVER will. Not because I'm a better rider than anyone else, but because I have a respect for the power underneath me. I circle check my sled before and after each ride, and make sure all is safe. When I'm comming to an intersection I begin to slow down well in advance, and I've actually had a brake cable snap on me while slowing down. I still came to a complete stop 10 feet before the intersection, and was going slow enough that I could have comfortably put my sled in the rubarb without getting hurt if I had to.
it's unfortunate that a few people have to ruin it for the rest. I watched a "tourist" put his sled in the rubarb and roll it breaking his cab and windshield because he was run off the trail. He ended up with a sore ankle, and I helped him situate his sled back on the trail. But the rider who ran him off the trail didn't even stop. This tourist could have been seriously injured and the "Idiot" couldn't even have the decency to stop and make sure medical attention wasn't needed. Then the rest of us get to enjoy a 400% insurance premium hike.

Originally posted by Moparboy@Jan 20 2005, 06:52 PM
Wow, I thought this thread would get more replies than this. . .
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Don't sweat it ..... your message is getting across, last I looked there were over 156 views.