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I've been curious about the S4, mainly because I think it's an attractive option for entry level riders and anyone who prefers a smooth, quiet, smokeless machine. I really wanted to test ride one this season, and actually got a coupon code from Polaris to ride one at any Polaris Adventures outfitter for an hour. Unfortunately, that doesn't look like it will happen now, even if we do recover from this warmup. Never say never, at least until April 1st, but I'm kinda bummed about that. I'll be watching the snow totals in Bemidji to see if their trails get groomed before the end of the season. It's never really struck me that Polaris was trying to compete with anyone when they introduced the S4. If they said so, I missed it. Instead, the vibe I get about the S4 is that it's there to fill a gap in their own lineup. While it's disappointing to hear that the Ski Doo outperforms it, is lighter and gets better fuel economy, I'm not entirely surprised. If Polaris wanted to compete against them, they would've been more focused on the 900 Ace numbers. The way it is, nothing matches up, and that's what makes me think their focus is elsewhere. That said, I do think we see an expansion of 4-strokes in the Polaris 2026 lineup. They don't actually need to turbo the S4, either. On the dirt side, they seem to be able to pull whatever hp they want to out of that engine, depending on what machine it's in.

That's a good video and Tom's a great guy. I keep wanting to ask him for a tour of his old sleds, but haven't gotten the chance.

Small business owners bank on having the trails open, and as much as I don't think he should've said that, I can't blame him, either. We're in that same boat here - trails are bare minimum rideable and small businesses are desperate (especially since last year's disaster of a season). Fortunately for us, the trails are open and people are riding on them. I'm actually surprised how good they are, considering how thin the snow cover is.

Learned a lot from his books. A real legend.

Tariffs are a negotiating tool. Unlike most political posturing, however, a Trump Administration threatening to actually implement tariffs isn't an empty threat. Nobody knows if Trump means it. That, in itself, is leverage that not too many people have. Other countries know that a Biden Administration can be reasoned with, but they're not sure about Trump. So, that gives us a great deal more leverage than we'd normally have. What that does is cause foreign businesses and countries to do things they wouldn't normally do. As an example, it might cause a company that might not want to buy Arctic Cat to take another look - having a US-based factory to build snowmobiles and ATV's that would otherwise need to be imported allows them to avoid tariffs and still send profits back to the motherland. Worst-case (for us) is a foreign investor who buys one or both of the factory(ies) makes something else and lets the actual Arctic Cat brand die.

You're right, I apologize for misreading your statement.

I would avoid the hardware store for stuff like that, because I'm never sure the hardness is correct from what I need. There is a fair amount of pressure on those 4 bolts, and tolerance/hardness is important. Expensive bolts holding spinny things together are often worth every penny.

Are the screws different than the previous Team secondary? I have both, but it never actually occurred to me that they could be different. I'm in the Rochester area about every other month now and it'd be fun to stop in Cannon Falls to see the BDX guys. Or, maybe I need to put together an order... better go check out their web site...

Yeah, and every time I've driven by there it's unsettling. First of all, I remember Bob's Small Engine in PI and miss those small dealerships who didn't have to look on a parts diagram when you came in with a question. But, I was also in the floorplanning business and developed an involuntary reflex any time I saw way too much inventory for the size of the dealership - I don't see an asset, I see money owed to a finance company.

And, it was the dirt side that Textron actually wanted, right? Now that they ran the dirt side into the ground, I sincerely hope Textron sells the entire thing to someone who will appreciate it more and actually commit to the brand.

This doesn't feel like they're tightening up the financials to get ready for a sale. It feels more radical than that. Cutting technical people also makes it feel like they aren't planning to be around much longer. Maybe I'm wrong, because I can imagine that Textron is riffing people to make the sale more attractive to a prospective buyer, but it doesn't feel that way to me. Things aren't looking much better at Polaris, but at least they're committed to the industry, where Textron isn't.

On my bucket list is to be at Split Rock Lighthouse when they light it up.

Call Thunder Products Clutching. Everyone else was stuck at higher elevations last year and needs a good season to get their flatland kits right. But, Thunder Products have a setup that's pretty dialed in - they did a lot of work with the racers last year and are well ahead of the aftermarket. Before you decide to wait, give them a call and actually talk to them in person to see what they can do right now. I don't have a relationship with them and have nothing to gain by recommending them, other than just trying to help you. 906-484-1650 sales@thunderproductsclutching.com

Can everyone please go out and buy a new Polaris out of dealer inventory? The share price of my Polaris stock is slipping......

$3,000 rebate on a T-cat is really tempting! I still kick myself for not buying a 2020 during the Snowmageddon, they were practically giving them away.