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10 Best Suggestions And Rumors: A 29-Year Flashback

Almost 29 years ago, in what was then Snow Goer’s annual 10 Best issue (cover date, March 1994), editors at the time penned the article below to offer their “10 Best Suggestions For The Manufacturers” and “10 Best Rumors.”

Looking back now, it’s interesting to see what they suggested, and what came to fruition. An M-10 in a stock sled? Check. More hydraulic brakes? Check. Arctic Cat building ATVs? Check. A stock factory turbo? It took awhile, but check? Kawasaki returning? Uhhhh… no.

The lists are shown below in their entirety, as printed in the March 1994 issue of Snow Goer (which also featured our Snowmobile of the Year pick: the 1994 Arctic Cat ZR 440).

10 Best Suggestions For The Manufacturers

Somebody once said that opinions are like rear ends: Everyone has one and they all stink. Well, given this, you could say our suggestions for the manufacturers are lousy. You could say that, but we prefer that you keep your remarks to yourself here. We’ve thought long and hard about this category and we truly believe these are good suggestions that the OEMs should consider. Call us crazy, but we think these suggestions would vastly improve the sport.

  1. Yamaha should built its snowmobiles in the United States so its dealers and customers won’t be subjected to price changes brought on by currency differences.
  2. Somebody should hook up with FAST Inc. and put an M-10 in a stock trail snowmobile.
  3. Standard temperature gauges on all liquid-cooled snowmobiles.
  4. Someone besides Polaris should build a baby triple.
  5. Ski-Doo should put DSA front suspension on all of its sleds.
  6. Put hydraulic brakes on all machines larger than 580ccs.
  7. Make tunnel protectors standard equipment on all snowmobiles above 440ccs.
  8. Build a more accurate stock speedometer.
  9. All of the manufacturers should expand the use of low-maintenance EFI.
  10. All four manufacturers should increase production of key models.

10 Best Rumors

Psst, did you hear? Boy there’s nothing like a good rumor, except maybe for a good fact. It seems like a day doesn’t pass when a rumor about the latest snowmobile crosses our desks. Most of them are complete B.S., but some of them are very close to the truth. The following are things we’ve heard the past couple of months. We wouldn’t be surprised if many actually became reality.

  1. Polaris is going to start building its own engines in the next two years.
  2. Ski-Doo will build and entry-level, SnoScoot-type machine for newcomers.
  3. Arctic Cat is going to start manufacturing ATVs.
  4. Someone is going to put a turbo into a stock sled.
  5. Yamaha will introduce an IFS on its 1995 machines.
  6. Ski-Doo will produce a baby triple 580cc snowmobile.
  7. Yamaha will come out with a smaller four-cylinder machine.
  8. Kawasaki is going to re-enter the snowmobile market.
  9. Yamaha will come out with a 440 gears toward cross-country racing.
  10. Polaris will really come out with an XLT with pipes.

Editor’s Note: Every Snow Goer issue includes in-depth sled reports and comparisons, aftermarket gear and accessories reviews, riding destination articles, do-it-yourself repair information, snowmobile technology and more. Subscribe to Snow Goer now to receive print and/or digital issues.

2 thoughts on “10 Best Suggestions And Rumors: A 29-Year Flashback

  • Speaking of flashbacks, it would be nice if Snowgoer brought back the Lic. plate frames. I’d buy two for sure!

    Reply
    • Avatar for Snomanco

      Sign me up for 100.

      Reply

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