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Mid Sized Sleds... and Cain's Quest


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as much as I and others here laud them, Jeff Steenbakker as usual puts a better spin on things.  Of the many of the online ragazines, Jeff resonates with me more than the others.  still think sub $10k is ludicrous for not quite a f/s sled though.

 

Edited by Crnr2Crnr
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  • Crnr2Crnr changed the title to Mid Sized Sleds... and Cain's Quest

If you factor in Inflation, The blast is less expensive than much of the 1970 AC lineup, and there is no way it isn't a better machine in any shape or form. than any of them (none came with electric start and reverse IIRC. (part of the reason the 4 cylinder king kat is so rare, it had an msrp of 2500 ish, which is over $19k today)

Edited by krom
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19 minutes ago, krom said:

If you factor in Inflation, The blast is less expensive than much of the 1970 AC lineup, and there is no way it isn't a better machine in any shape or form. than any of them (none came with electric start and reverse IIRC. (part of the reason the 4 cylinder king kat is so rare, it had an msrp of 2500 ish, which is over $19k today)

how are they selling? 

haven't seen one b-Last, Venom, Neo or Evo on the trails around here once since they came out... but I have a limited perspective and aren't open minded.  :)

but, the blue Venoms actually look... good

funny how we now have (edit) $6k, $10k, $15k, $20k and basically $25k sleds today.  factor in 1980's/1990's peak market sales and I don't feel there was such a wide divergence between top of the line and bottom of the line.  or, I'm just wrong.  :dunno:

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11 minutes ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

how are they selling? 

haven't seen one b-Last, Venom, Neo or Evo on the trails around here once since they came out... but I have a limited perspective and aren't open minded.  :)

but, the blue Venoms actually look... good

funny how we now have (edit) $6k, $10k, $15k, $20k and basically $25k sleds today.  factor in 1980's/1990's peak market sales and I don't feel there was such a wide divergence between top of the line and bottom of the line.  or, I'm just wrong.  :dunno:

pre-order only has killed the sales of them IMHO..  Its one of those things that people who aren't really into the sport won't buy without seeing, touching and at least sitting on, If it checks any of the boxes of somthing they are looking for, a ride usually seals the deal.

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8 minutes ago, krom said:

pre-order only has killed the sales of them IMHO..  Its one of those things that people who aren't really into the sport won't buy without seeing, touching and at least sitting on, If it checks any of the boxes of somthing they are looking for, a ride usually seals the deal.

good perspective... seems for now the days of floor planning sleds for people to sit on and walk around are a thing of the past.  idk if those days will come back though, you?  

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1 hour ago, AK440 said:

I’m not sure I understand how the Jeff guy doesn’t understand that the Blast is just a regular Procross chassis with different body work? It’s not a smaller chassis.

It’s the mountain bulk head with a shitty one piece stamped tunnel. The skid is mounted higher in the tunnel to make it sit lower. You can tell they made it as cheap as possible. It would be a good sled for ice fishing or a kid 

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3 hours ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

good perspective... seems for now the days of floor planning sleds for people to sit on and walk around are a thing of the past.  idk if those days will come back though, you?  

Yes they will. When the manufacturers aren’t pre selling enough shit they will go back to inventory based programs. I bet you see a lot of floor inventory on motorsports stuff starting this summer 

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I saw one Blast last winter and one this winter.  Now that I think about it, I have not seen a single Riot on a trail, other than mine.  Lots of ZR's, but they vary in age.

I like Jeff's show, also.  Besides doing his own overhauls, he's as interested with the old stuff as the new stuff, his segments aren't all just a paid ad for a sponsor.

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32 minutes ago, Not greg b said:

Yes they will. When the manufacturers aren’t pre selling enough shit they will go back to inventory based programs. I bet you see a lot of floor inventory on motorsports stuff starting this summer 

I agree, and I think we're close.  As soon as production passes demand, the factory reps will be calling dealers with programs and incentives.

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15 minutes ago, p51mstg said:

I agree, and I think we're close.  As soon as production passes demand, the factory reps will be calling dealers with programs and incentives.

We are at the point. My work hit it the middle of January other than a few products. 90% of our stuff is in stock. In September we had a year lead time for new orders 

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6 hours ago, p51mstg said:

 

I like Jeff's show, also.  Besides doing his own overhauls, he's as interested with the old stuff as the new stuff, his segments aren't all just a paid ad for a sponsor.

it's a well rounded show and the old triples compilation over the past few years has been interesting to watch.  to me he seems more grass roots and grounded than the rest.

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I've seen blast on the trails in the 3 years or so they've been out. They've sold out every year but that doesn't mean much since textron can't or won't make many of them. Agree they would sell a lot if they were allowed to sit on a dealer's floor. Family is up riding and wouldn't it be nice to get something newer for the kids to ride? I almost bought an evo one year in July that way. Wish I would have. I'm not a doo guy but I think the neo is a better concept at the price point but I haven't ridden either.

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27 minutes ago, Art Vandelay said:

I've seen blast on the trails in the 3 years or so they've been out. They've sold out every year but that doesn't mean much since textron can't or won't make many of them. Agree they would sell a lot if they were allowed to sit on a dealer's floor. Family is up riding and wouldn't it be nice to get something newer for the kids to ride? I almost bought an evo one year in July that way. Wish I would have. I'm not a doo guy but I think the neo is a better concept at the price point but I haven't ridden either.

Agreed. A year like this in the midwest with snow hitting around Christmas, a family might be apt to buy the kids a sled if the dealer had one sitting there instead of ordering it in spring.

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Spring ordering only appeals to a small number of hardcore enthusiasts in the sport. Every single year guys get burned on it and yet there they are, back again next spring or a year later. I’m laughing at how many snow check only sleds are sitting on dealer floors right now. The OEM’s need to get away from all this baskin robins option crap and go back to selling sleds like they did in the 80’s and early 90’s. One model of each, no color choices, it is what it is take it or leave it. They can’t make timely deliveries with what they are doing now. Just simplify things, lower the prices and get people their sleds by October. Offer a longer warranty or X amount in accessories if you snowcheck. That’s it, no other options.

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1 hour ago, AK440 said:

Spring ordering only appeals to a small number of hardcore enthusiasts in the sport. Every single year guys get burned on it and yet there they are, back again next spring or a year later. I’m laughing at how many snow check only sleds are sitting on dealer floors right now. The OEM’s need to get away from all this baskin robins option crap and go back to selling sleds like they did in the 80’s and early 90’s. One model of each, no color choices, it is what it is take it or leave it. They can’t make timely deliveries with what they are doing now. Just simplify things, lower the prices and get people their sleds by October. Offer a longer warranty or X amount in accessories if you snowcheck. That’s it, no other options.

you just described every Arctic Cat since... gosh, IDK.  Take it or leave spring ordering.

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20 hours ago, Crnr2Crnr said:

you just described every Arctic Cat since... gosh, IDK.  Take it or leave spring ordering.

Ufff! That kinda hurt. But then again, I think Cat is the only brand without crates of crates of unsold sleds stacking up in dealer lots or on showroom floors right now. 

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24 minutes ago, AK440 said:

Ufff! That kinda hurt. But then again, I think Cat is the only brand without crates of crates of unsold sleds stacking up in dealer lots or on showroom floors right now. 

my point was Cat offers what they offer for snow check and that's it.  if you order a Polaris you can pick out a color, engine, TRACK, with or without estart, the windshield, and a half dozen other niknaks... then wait until February for it to arrive and have it's first recall performed prior to taking delivery in March.  :)

BRP has also become far more 'what would you like to purchase?' friendly... if you want a snowmobile designed for elves, dwarves and leprechauns that randomly tips over even at the sight of a corner.  but hey... Now you can get a big gay ride light straight from the factory to match your oxygen helmet and SkiDouche branded gear.   :roflcrying: 

Edited by Crnr2Crnr
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I think the past two seasons have shown the OEM’s that offering so many little options and changes creates too many production delays. It’s a great idea if it works but it hasn’t worked. I don’t even know how Doo does things because I find their website to be a pain in the ass to click through. 

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7 minutes ago, AK440 said:

I think the past two seasons have shown the OEM’s that offering so many little options and changes creates too many production delays. It’s a great idea if it works but it hasn’t worked. I don’t even know how Doo does things because I find their website to be a pain in the ass to click through. 

The website requires at least 3 working brain cells to configure a machine.  The issue is with supply chain due to a scamdemic not because of options and just because you want one model in one color does not mean every other buyer wants that.

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2 hours ago, jdsky said:

The website requires at least 3 working brain cells to configure a machine.  The issue is with supply chain due to a scamdemic not because of options and just because you want one model in one color does not mean every other buyer wants that.

If the OEM’s had more than 3 working brain cells they’d have pared down their options in both ‘22 & ‘23 so guys could have received their snow checked sleds before the next season’s models were introduced. The pandemic started hitting hard in March of ‘20. Supply chain problems were a new thing in spring of ‘22 for snowcheck. 
 

The many month delay in getting a preordered sled were unacceptable. Now it’s come back to bite the OEM’s in the ass big time. No one should have been getting a ‘22 sled AFTER the 23’s were unveiled. 

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I think that people who have a hard on for hating midsize snowmobiles or really any sled that doesn't appeal to them is ignorant, closed minded, or narcissist at best.  But probably just a loser.

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On 2/23/2023 at 3:02 PM, AK440 said:

I think the past two seasons have shown the OEM’s that offering so many little options and changes creates too many production delays. It’s a great idea if it works but it hasn’t worked. I don’t even know how Doo does things because I find their website to be a pain in the ass to click through. 

Except that had nothing to do with the delays.  In fact the opposite.  Had Poo offered only the 7s and no simple gauge they would have delivered way less sleds.

9 hours ago, mnstang said:

I think that people who have a hard on for hating midsize snowmobiles or really any sled that doesn't appeal to them is ignorant, closed minded, or narcissist at best.  But probably just a loser.

Considering your hate for non-Cat stuff this is a telling post.

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18 hours ago, Deephaven said:

Except that had nothing to do with the delays.  In fact the opposite.  Had Poo offered only the 7s and no simple gauge they would have delivered way less sleds.

Polaris is the worst. Way too many models, color choices, options, etc. People who snowcheck don’t want their brand new sleds in February or March. Reduce the options and models, make them easier to produce and let the buyers customize the sleds themselves after they get them. The way winters have been going, the majority of new owners will have way more time to spend fiddling with the sleds in the garage than actually riding them. 

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