shiny side up we were wrong once once

Do you have four kids of varying ages who all like to snowmobile? Then a SnoScoot is the answer! It was back in the mid-1980s for our family, and it is again today. Back then, it was the original Yamaha SnoScoot. In our extended family (cousins too), I think we had something like 4-6 of them. Some of us older kids were past our “prime SnoScoot years,” but we all still took turns having a blast on those little wonders.

Since then, all the brothers and cousins have grown up and been trying desperately to buy old, used SnoScoots to refurbish for our kids! I can’t count how many fireside chats we grown men have had, recalling times we accidentally (or intentionally) traded paint on the 250 and 300cc sleds of our youth … and, of course, talking about SnoScoots. Now, Yamaha and Arctic Cat have answered our prayers with new ¾-size sleds for the next little sledders.

It’s been a long time coming, but the new ZR 200 from Arctic Cat, the Yamaha SnoScoot, and another soon-to-be-named sled from Rival Motorsports were desperately needed amongst the “hot rodders” and extreme Monster Energy and Red Bull-chugging Travis Pastrana wannabes. The ¾-size sled is more than just a stepping stone for young riders moving from 120cc sleds to big sleds. It also keeps people grounded in the sport, proving sledding is mostly about family, friends and shared experiences.

My own experiences with the original SnoScoot shaped how I view snowmobiling and the lifestyle of our sport in general. It was – and is – a great time for snowmobiling! Now that a true ¾-size sled is back, it almost feels like everything is right once again with the snowmobile world.