Essential Tips for Riding Your Performance Sled
With fresh snow on the ground, you’ve probably pulled out your performance sled to hit some of your favorite trails. After all, these snowmobiles are built for high performance and a good time. But if you’re relatively new to riding, or if your skills are a little rusty, there’s a lot to figure out when you’re sitting behind the handlebars. That’s why Road Track & Trail has provided some tips for riding your performance sled. Check them out for yourself and then ask our experienced staff about some of their tips. You’ll find us in Big Bend, Wisconsin, serving Milwaukee and Waukesha, as well as our neighbors in Chicago, Illinois.
Some Basic Information
There are a few basic tips that we can impart to help both newbies and returning riders navigate their performance sled a little more easily:
Take a Class
Look around for snowmobile riding classes that can pair you with a professional instructor and give you a place to hone your skills. This can help you push past some of the more confusing or frustrating beginner hurdles, and make you a safer and more confident rider.
Practice Makes Perfect
Reading about riding tips isn’t enough. You need to apply them and get some real experience. We suggest starting in a snowy parking lot to get a good feel for the sled and then move on to easy trails that won’t present challenges you aren’t ready to handle.
Safety Gear
Safety is essential. Even if the snow looks soft, you don’t know if there’s a rock or a tree branch just below the surface. Some of the basic gear will include a helmet, waterproof layers, and reflective gear. For more information, check out our piece on snowmobile safety.
You’ll also need to bring along some avalanche gear, such as transceivers and a collapsible shovel. We also have a piece on avalanche safety, which we highly recommend you check out before hitting the trails.
Tackling Hills
Hills can be a little tricky for any powersports vehicle, but they require some particular skill when you’re on a snowmobile. The good news is, performance sleds are actually more well-equipped to handle this challenge than other models. Still, it’s helpful to know what to do when you’re facing a slope:
- Traveling Uphill - Shift into a kneeling position and lean forward. Use your momentum to your advantage, increase the throttle, and don’t let up until you reach the top.
- Traveling Downhill - Sit as far back in the seat as you can. Switch to a lower gear. Pump the brakes as opposed to slamming on them at any point. Keep your speed low.
- Side Hilling - Shift into a kneeling position and lean into the hill with your body. Use countersteering (steering into the incline) to stay balanced and in control.
What to Do When You’re Stuck
It happens even to the best riders. Sometimes the snow is just a little bit deeper than you think or you power through terrain that your performance sled isn’t necessarily equipped to handle. Prepare now so you can get yourself out of a sticky situation more easily later.
Firstly, pull out the collapsible shovel you packed for avalanche emergencies and start digging your snowmobile out. Start in the front and, if needed, create a pathway in front of the nose to make it easier to get moving again.
A performance sled is all about having a great time out on the snowy trails of some of your favorite recreational areas. Don’t let inexperience and a lack of confidence behind the handlebars ruin that for you. If you still need the right performance sled to get you started, contact Road Track & Trail and let us help you find the snowmobile that’s right for you. We welcome all those from Big Bend, Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and Waukesha, Wisconsin, as well as those in Chicago, Illinois.