Introduction

     I love snowmobiles!!!

     I started riding snowmobiles when I was about seven years old. I have my own snowmobile that is a 400 Arctic Cat. My dad goes riding on snowmobile trails with his friends, and I sometimes go riding with him. 

    I love the sound of snowmobiles! It's kind of like a high-pitched sound that reminds me of a tea kettle whistling.

     Keep reading to find out all about how snowmobiles work. 

How Snowmobiles Are Like Motorcycles

     Snowmobiles are very similar to motorcycles. The engine is in the same spot. 

     But if you drove a motorcycle in the snow, it would sink and slide all over. To fix this problem you could add skis in the front to spread out the weight. That's kind of how a snowmobile is designed.

First Snowmobile

     The snowmobiles that you commonly see riding in the snow today are designed to hold one or two people. But going back in time, many snowmobiles used to be much bigger. Some early types of snowmobiles in the 1940's held 17 people!

     People used to make snowmobiles by adding parts onto cars and trucks like a Ford Model T.

     Back in 1913, lots of cars were being sold but they couldn't drive over snow.  Virgil White changed a Ford Model T by putting tracks in the back instead of wheels. This became the first snowmobile.

Ski-Doo

   Ski-Doo was started by a man named Joseph Armed Bombardier. He built his first snowmobile when he was a 15 year old kid in 1922.  When he was an adult, he invented the Ski-Doo snowmobile in 1959. 

Polaris

 In 1956, David Johnson made the first modern snowmobile. He worked for a company named Polaris that made farm equipment. Now Polaris is known for snowmobiles.

Arctic Cat

      Another popular brand of snowmobile is the Arctic Cat. The first Arctic Cat snowmobile was built in 1962 by Edgar Hetteen. It was called the Sno Pro.

     Arctic Cat built this first snowmobile that could go in reverse in 1971.

Safety 

     There are many body parts to protect when riding a snowmobile. You need a helmet for your head, goggles for your eyes, gloves to protect your hands from frostbite, and a jacket to stay warm. All of these items help us to stay safe.

     You can go snowmobiling on trails, parks and resorts to have fun.  There are signs with rules for snowmobiles and speed limits to be safe.

Private Property

    It is dangerous to ride on unmarked trails or private property that does not belong to you. Stay on the trails. You should not trespass on other people's property. 

     It is also dangerous to ride through fields or property that you do not know. You could drive into barbed wire fencing that seriously injures or kills you. Or you could run into bumps or holes that make you flip.

Parts of a Snowmobile

     There are many parts of a snowmobile such as a handle bar, windshield, body, track, skis, studs, wheels, and chassis.

Tracks and Skis

   The track of a snowmobile has sharp bumps or studs on it that grip the snow or ice to help the snowmobile move.

     Did you know that a snowmobile has wheels? Cars and trucks have tires on the wheels, but on a snowmobile the wheels turn a track instead. The track is like a belt that goes around the wheels.

     Snowmobiles have skis at the front to glide across the snow. The skis also help steer the snowmobile.

Conclusion

     I was inspired to create my website because I love snowmobiles. Riding snowmobiles is my favorite thing to do in winter time. 

    Even though I already knew some information about snowmobiles from my personal experiences, I learned a lot of new cool information. 

     For example, I thought snowmobiles were a newer invention. I didn't realize that snowmobiles actually started being made way back in 1913. And I didn't know that the first snowmobiles could hold seventeen people.

Parts of a MODERN snowmobile