Thank you.
You weren't planning on going anywhere fun without us, were you?
Hello, and welcome to the ever-growing group of fun-loving people
who've chosen to ride Ski-Do snowmobiles.
We at Ski-Do Ski-Do Division would like to thank you for your purchase.
As part of our way of saying thanks, we're providing this video
exclusively to new Ski-Do owners like you.
Follow along, and we'll show you a number of ways to help maximize
both your satisfaction with your new Ski-Do sled
and your safety while riding it.
The first segment of this video will provide you with important information
on the basic operation of your sled and how to ride it responsibly.
Next, we'll demonstrate just how easy it is to adjust your sled suspensions
to achieve its best ride and handling in a variety of conditions and styles.
As you probably already know, snowmobiling is a great winter sport
that deserves all the positive recognition it can get.
Now, we can all share in the good times by following a few
common-sense rules of riding.
Rule number one, snowmobiling and drinking do not mix.
Snowmobiles are powerful machines that require your complete concentration.
Don't endanger yourself and others by riding irresponsibly,
such as driving too fast for conditions,
jumping your sled, or following too close behind others.
Don't ride a snowmobile that's beyond your level of experience or skill.
Know the basic operation of your sled and keep it well maintained.
Finally, respect the environment.
The woods, fields, lakes, and mountains are for everybody's enjoyment.
Don't litter.
Don't destroy.
What only nature can create.
Respect private property, and above all, obey the law.
Come on along.
I'll only need a few minutes of your time,
and what you'll learn can make all the difference
once you have a better understanding of how to ride right.
Everybody who rides, and we do mean everybody,
must know how to play it safe while snowmobiling.
So let's start with the basics of proper protective clothing.
It can get pretty cold over the course of a ride,
and when you consider how low the windchill can drop
while you're moving on a sled,
proper protective clothing becomes more than a convenience.
It's a necessity.
The ideal clothing for snowmobiling
must allow you to move comfortably without restriction.
It must keep you both warm and dry.
It must also protect against cold air seeping into your clothes
and warm air escaping.
When you dress for snowmobiling,
start from the inside and work toward the outer layers.
By layering your clothing,
you can keep warm in the coldest temperatures
and still stay comfortable when the mercury rises
by removing a layer of clothing and storing it aboard your sled.
First, put on some long underwear, like this advanced micro-fleece.
Next, add an in-between layer that could include a turtleneck,
a sweater, or a fleece jacket.
Now you're ready for the outside layer,
like this wind- and water-resistant high pants and jacket,
or a one-piece snowmobile suit.
The proper insulating socks and water-resistant boots are essential,
as are a face mask or balaclava to protect your face,
head, and neck from exposure in extreme cold.
Of course, proper protective clothing must always include a helmet,
approved by DOT and other standards.
Protect your eyes from low branches and flying debris
by keeping the visor down or wearing goggles when you ride.
Now put on some warm gloves or mittens,
and you're ready for just about anything.
Your authorized ski-do dealer carries a complete line of snow gear clothing
designed specifically for the needs of snowmobilers.
He'll be happy to show you the proper clothing for the way you ride.
Now that you're dressed right, it's time to check your sled.
Make sure you know your snowmobile thoroughly before you begin to ride it.
Pay particular attention to the warning labels on your sled and obey them.
Read and understand your operator's guide and safety handbook
to familiarize yourself with your new snowmobile.
Be sure you know the location and operation of all your sled's controls,
including the brake, parking brake, emergency shutoff switch, and throttle.
Always check to see if the throttle operates freely before you start your sled.
Make sure there's adequate tension on the brake lever.
Always attach the emergency shutoff tether to your body when you're riding.
Your snowmobile is powered by a two-cycle engine
with separate tanks for gas and for oil.
Make sure you have adequate levels of both.
If not, you could run out or even damage your engine.
Now you're ready to ride.
But before you head out, make some important final checks.
Be sure that your tool kit is stowed on board.
Always carry spare spark plugs and an extra belt.
It's also an excellent idea for at least one person in your party
to bring along a first aid kit, as well as food and provisions
if you're traveling longer distances.
Finally, inspect the condition of your sled.
Make sure all the parts are in good working condition.
Follow the regular maintenance intervals recommended in your operator's guide
to help keep your snowmobile running right.
Ski-Do snowmobiles are engineered to be so easy to use
that you may just want to hop on and go.
But before you do, take the time to learn a few basic riding techniques.
In most riding situations, you'll prefer the sitting position
for its comfort and mobility.
Place your feet on the footrests, both hands on the handlebars,
take a comfortable sitting position, and away you go.
But if you're riding over rough, ungroomed areas,
you can absorb the bumps easier by switching to a knees-flexed position.
Always shift your body weight in the direction you're turning
to keep your sled well balanced.
The same riding techniques apply if you ride with a passenger,
or as snowmobilers like to call it, two-up.
Both the driver and passenger should always stay seated when riding two-up.
The passenger should match the driver's body movements in turns
or over varying terrain to help the sled stay balanced.
Remember to be even more careful when riding with a passenger.
Slow down, avoid the harder bumps and deeper snow,
and always make sure your passenger is wearing the same protective equipment you are.
Practice until you master all these basic riding skills.
The more you learn to become a part of your sled,
the easier your sled will be to control.
But remember, know your limitations.
Do not attempt any maneuvers performed by experienced or advanced skills riders.
Always play it safe.
Be sure to register your snowmobile in your state or province,
and get a permit before riding in other areas if required.
To snowmobile safely, you must know the law.
Different states and provinces have different laws,
so always make sure you're familiar with local regulations before you ride.
Now you're ready to enjoy the beauty of nature in winter,
as well as the camaraderie of snowmobiling with family and friends
over the almost 200,000 miles of groomed trails in North America.
While traveling these trails, it benefits everybody to remember a few simple rules of etiquette.
Never ride alone.
Always keep a safe distance between sleds.
Keep your place in line.
Don't try to pass while on the trail.
If you and your group decide to stop,
pull off the trail to the right side in a highly visible area
where other riders can see you well in advance and get by easily.
Always stay to the right of the trail,
allowing sleds coming from the opposite direction plenty of room to pass.
Be particularly careful in staying to the right around corners,
as riders coming from the opposite direction may not see you until you're very near.
And please ride smart.
Snowmobiles are no place for irresponsible riding.
Many trails have posted speed limits that must be obeyed.
Never ride on railroad tracks,
and know the local laws before riding on roads or in roadside ditches.
While riding, basic arm signals provide an effective way
to alert others when turning, slowing down, or stopping.
To stop, raise your left arm straight up.
To turn left, extend your left arm straight out.
For a right turn, place your left arm out and bend it at a 90-degree angle upward.
While this arm signal indicates to riders behind you that sleds are approaching
and your group should bear to the right of the trail.
Make sure you give the proper signal well in advance to give fellow riders time to react.
In addition to hand signals,
almost all snowmobile trails are clearly marked with signs that you should know.
Some are identical to road signs.
Other signs tell you whether snowmobiling is permitted in the area, or not.
Some signs alert you to potential hazards,
while directional markers help you follow the proper trail.
There are signs to direct you toward food, lodging, bathrooms, and other conveniences.
And there are even signs to make you think.
Make sure you check with the local DNR or DOT office or snowmobile club for the correct signage in their area.
One sign that's particularly important to respect is this one.
Snowmobiling is both an enjoyable and safe sport when you practice proper caution.
And there's no place where caution is more important than when riding on or near bodies of water.
This simple rule must be obeyed.
Never ride onto a frozen lake or river until you are positive the ice is thick enough to be safe.
If you're not familiar with ice conditions,
check with local law enforcement or conservation officials before going ahead.
If there is any doubt, stay off the ice.
Remember, just because there are tracks on the ice doesn't make it safe.
Don't endanger yourself and fellow riders by not taking the proper precautions.
Wherever you're going, always ride smart.
Riding responsibly and safely is more fun.
Use common sense and courtesy.
So get out there and enjoy yourself.
But wait.
There's more you should know about your new Ski-Doo sled before getting started.
Here's something many people don't know.
Most new Ski-Doo snowmobiles have suspensions that adjust
to deliver a great ride in a variety of conditions and riding situations.
And these adjustments are so easy to make that if you can change a spark plug,
you have enough expertise to quickly change the setup of your suspension for a more comfortable ride.
First, it helps to know a little background on our snowmobiles.
When we say Ski-Doo snowmobiles are engineered for the way you ride, it's not just a slogan.
It's a commitment to provide you with a sled that's ideally equipped for your style of riding.
That's why our lineup is divided into distinct groups,
including high-performance formula sleds for aggressive quick cornering,
easy-handling red formula snowmobiles for fun on the trails,
and MXZ sleds for the ultimate in mogul-gobbling cross-country performance.
We also offer grand touring snowmobiles for incredibly comfortable two-up riding,
and touring sleds for family fun on a budget.
Our Scandic and other sport utility sleds are designed to work all week and play all weekend,
while our Summit snowmobiles were the first sleds specifically engineered for high-altitude,
deep-powder mountain riding, and they're still the best.
Finally, our Mach muscle sleds are engineered for adrenaline-charged throttle response
and straight-line performance.
These sleds are strictly for experienced, competitive riders.
Almost all of these ski-do sleds feature adjustable suspensions
that further enhance the style of riding they're designed for.
For example, Mach, Formula 3, and Grand Touring SE models
feature a 3-shock C7 rear suspension.
Named for its seven levels of comfort, the C7 offers greater power to the track
and comfort to the rider in its performance applications,
while it also provides a supremely smooth two-up ride on the Grand Touring SE.
Most other ski-do sleds include a version of our long travel SC10 rear suspension,
SC10 representing super comfort, 10 inches of travel.
Every version of the SC10 includes two shocks and 10 inches of travel,
but each is calibrated differently to meet a certain style of riding.
For example, our MXZ sleds include an SC10 cross-country rear suspension
that's ideally set up to handle aggressive cross-country mogul riding,
while Formula Z and Formula SS sleds feature an SC10 high-performance setup
calibrated for bumpy trail riding and aggressive cornering.
The Formula STX, SLS, SL, and S, as well as the Touring E,
offer an SC10 sport suspension for comfortable fun on the trails.
All our two-up Grand Touring and Touring sleds, except the Grand Touring SE,
offer an SC10 touring suspension engineered for outstanding two-up trail riding comfort.
The Formula STX LT2 also features an SC10 touring suspension.
Our Scandic 500 and 380 include an SC10 touring suspension
that's calibrated for working applications.
Finally, all Summit sleds now include an SC10 mountain rear suspension.
Its 10 inches of comfort is geared specifically for aggressive riding
in deep powder and through bumpy trails.
The suspensions on all these sleds are easily adjustable to enhance the style of riding
they're already suited for, allowing you to change your setup for greater comfort,
different loads, and different riding conditions.
And all you'll need is one or more tools found in your sleds toolkit.
For example, you can change the ride comfort of any sled equipped with a C7 or SC10 rear suspension
by performing a few simple adjustments.
As a general rule, you'll get your most comfortable ride on a C7 equipped sled
when the rear compresses from one to two inches after you board it.
Here's how easy it is to adjust your C7 suspension for the proper ride height.
Locate the cams near the top of the rear shock absorbers.
Each cam has seven preload settings.
Preload indicates the degree of firmness in the shock or spring.
If your sled compresses too much when you climb aboard,
use this tool from your toolkit to turn the cams on each side to increase preload, like this.
If the suspension doesn't compress enough when you climb on,
decrease the preload by adjusting in the opposite direction.
Adjust one setting at a time on both sides and test your sled until you've found its proper ride height.
Remember to adjust both rear shocks at the same setting.
If the settings are right, you should be completely satisfied with the ride comfort of your sled.
It's equally easy to find your most comfortable ride on sleds equipped with an SC10 suspension.
Again, see how far the back of your sled compresses when you sit aboard it.
It should decline from two to three inches.
If you need to change your ride height, take this tool from your toolkit
and use it to move these cams on either side of the suspension into one of four positions.
If your ride is too soft and the back of your suspension bottoms out too easily,
you'll want to increase spring preload for a higher ride height.
To do so, simply turn the left cam to a firmer position.
Then adjust the right cam.
Remember to always set both rear cams in the same position.
And if your sled rides too harsh and doesn't compress enough when you climb on,
just turn each cam in the opposite direction.
Adjust each setting one notch at a time and test your sled
until you're completely satisfied with the comfort of your ride.
If you have a two-up sled, remember that you'll need to make adjustments whenever you add a passenger.
Two-up sled should be set at or near a minimum preload for a single rider of average weight
and near maximum preload for a comfortable ride with two adults aboard.
If you have a Grand Touring SE, you can also adjust the amount of damping or stiffness
in its multiple valve adjustment rear shocks for an even smoother, more comfortable ride.
If your damping is set too low, your sled may bounce too much over the trail.
Or if your ride is too stiff, you may need to decrease damping.
To find your proper damping, simply use a regular screwdriver from the toolkit
to adjust settings located here on both sides of the suspension.
Turn the screw in the plus direction to increase damping
and toward the minus sign to decrease damping for a softer ride.
While the back shock or shocks on rear suspensions influence ride comfort,
the center shock on all our suspensions affects steering effort and cornering ability.
The center shock is adjustable on liquid-cooled 96 Ski-Doo models.
On other Ski-Doo sleds, the center shock is preset at the factory for a particular style of riding
and cannot be adjusted.
C7 equipped sleds provide seven adjustments at the center preload to refine handling,
which you can adjust using the same tool as the rear settings.
While sleds equipped with SC10 suspensions featuring center preload adjustments
offer five different settings to choose from.
Again, you'll find the right tool to adjust your handling in your toolkit.
What's the right setting for the center preload?
Well, that depends on how you like to ride and the conditions you're riding in.
For example, you'll want less preload to place more weight over the skis
to let your carbides bite in while riding on hard pack or ice.
Or you may choose a firmer center preload adjustment for easier steering in deeper snow.
Center preload adjustments are easy to make,
so if you're not satisfied with the way your sled is handling, try another setting.
Experiment with a couple of different settings to help you decide
which best suits the way you're riding and the conditions you're riding in.
Many liquid-cooled 96 Ski-Doo sleds also allow you to change the length of the stopper strap,
also known as the limiter strap.
Adjusting the stopper strap raises or lowers the front of your rear suspension,
providing greater weight transfer if you want better traction while accelerating
or more weight over the skis if you'd like greater steering control.
On C7-equipped sleds, you can adjust stopper strap length simply by turning this knob.
While on SC10-equipped models offering an adjustable stopper strap,
all you need to do is loosen this nut,
turn the knob to tighten or loosen for the ride you want, and tighten the nut back up.
Other Ski-Doo models have stopper straps, but the adjustment is a little more complicated
and should only be performed by your authorized Ski-Doo dealer.
If you have a liquid-cooled 96 Ski-Doo sled, you can also adjust preload settings for the DSA front suspension.
Once again, the front shocks on our fan-cooled sleds are preset at the factory and are not adjustable.
The right preload setting for the way you ride will provide a combination of good handling and comfortable steering.
If the preload settings are too soft, your front suspension will bottom out too easily.
If the settings are too stiff, your sled will be harder to steer.
Again, take your handy preload setting tool and adjust until you find the handling setup you like best.
And remember, the preload for both front springs should have the same setting.
If you'd like some additional information, consult the suspension adjustment section in your operator's guide.
And your Ski-Doo dealer is always eager to answer any questions
or help show you how to perform these simple suspension adjustments.
Well, that about does it. But before I go, I'd like to leave you with a few final thoughts.
Now that you know how easy it is to adjust your suspension,
we hope you'll find even greater enjoyment with your new Ski-Doo Snowmobile.
We made our suspensions very adjustable simply because we want you to be very happy with your sled's comfort and performance.
Finally, we hope that you'll take all the information about riding responsibly to heart.
Remember, every time you ride, you serve as a representative for everybody who participates in this great sport.
We're counting on you to help us demonstrate how much fun it is to ride right.
We'll see you on the trails.
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