by Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 08/97) - Even Harley Davidson sold a snowmachine. In 1973, it built a model 440. A standard -- probably with the classic Harley sound.

But today, Bombardier, Polaris, Arctic Cat and Yamaha currently make up the industry's Big 4.

This year's big gun comes from Arctic Cat -- the Thundercat 1,000. It's price tag is also big, about $12,000. Powered by a 999-cc engine, it generates 172 horsepower, 16 more that last year's Thundercat 900.

"We emphasize safe driving with buyers. It's part of warranty registration," Hay River-based Northern Metalic Recreation general manager Drew Clark says.

One of the biggest changes for snowmachines has been, and continues to be, suspension, he says.

Better suspension equals better handling, better stability and more comfort.

These developments mean snowmachines are gaining popularity for families looking to tour.

"The latest and greatest thing is suspension," says Mike Sherman, general manager of the Baffin Snowmobile Repair Shop.

"Just about all of them come standard with thumb and hand warmers. You can even control the warmer. There's even grip warmers for passengers," he says.

Doug Witty, manager at Force One in Yellowknife, says Yamaha has come out with a "radically new power valve system this year."

It allows the engine to exhaust more efficiently, giving more horsepower, he says.

Alex Gauthier, co-owner of Lou's Small Engines & Sports in Fort Smith, says debate continues to centre on horsepower versus to

torque.

This year, Ski-Doo has changed its frame to accommodate a redesigned three-cylinder engine, he says.

Asked how fast big cc machines go, Gauthier says: "You're guess is as good as mine, it's more a question of how fast you want to get there."

Snowmobile insiders don't like to talk about speed.

Though there will always be a market for machines with more speed, the older, slower models are generating their share of interest.

Antique snowmobile clubs are gaining in popularity, Clark adds.

It's matured as an industry with its own culture

since Canadian Joseph-Armand Bombardier invented it.

No mention of the snowmachine's history would be complete without including Edgar and Allan Hetteen, brothers who founded Polaris in Minnesota. Edgar would go on to found Arctic Cat.