5 cheapest, most powerful and fastest snowmobiles

Buran-A

The cheapest snowmobile is also considered a high-quality utilitarian one. The equipment comes from the Soviet Union. In the 60s of the 20th century, the population of the north decided to create a new means of transportation to move through the snowy expanses instead of the then usual snowmobiles. The prototype was the equipment of the Canadian manufacturer Bombarder, which produces the most reliable snowmobiles.

Already in 1971, they began to test the first Soviet snowmobile. This was a failed option, which they experimented with, and the modified version was put on the conveyor belt. As of 1986, the plant produced 100,000 Buran snowmobiles. Today, technical indicators have improved - the engines have become more powerful, the chassis has become more durable.

The modern line includes four versions of the snowmobile. The equipment is equipped with an electric starter and soft seats. The truck has a 4-stroke engine with a capacity of 29 horsepower.

The manufacturer of this brand is Russian Mechanics. In addition to transporting people directly on board the motorcycle, it is possible to tow a trailer with cargo.

The design consists of one rotating ski at the front and two tracks at the rear. This option gives minimal pressure on the surface and allows you to easily pass through deep snow. Engine displacement – 0.635 liters. Designed not only for AI-95, but also for lower quality gasoline grades 76-80, due to the low compression ratio. Acceleration of at least 60 km/h.

Buran-A is considered a budget option and will appeal to anyone with limited financial resources. The price of a snowmobile ranges around 230 thousand Russian rubles. It is possible to buy used equipment and save a lot. On the secondary market, the cost starts from 150 thousand.

In Naryan-Mar, a Buran snowmobile was installed as a monument in 2022.

Ways to increase speed

Many people wonder how to make snow machines faster. This problem can be solved if you follow the instructions for re-equipping the domestic model of the snowmobile “Buran”.

Stage ?1. Install the centrifugal regulator assembly from “Taiga”. To do this, you need to make a cone adapter. The size of the internal part should be taken from "Buran", and the cone itself should be taken from "Buran". from ?Taiga?.

Stage 2. Increased engine power by increasing the number of purge valves. It is worth knowing that the crankcase manufactured by manufacturers is characterized by versatility. Therefore, old type cylinders with two channels are suitable for it. To increase engine power, it is necessary to mill the channels and remove all irregularities. After which it is advisable to install a Mikuni carburetor, since it has a diffuser diameter of 38×40 mm.

Stage ?3. It is necessary to remove the standard muffler. The air filter also needs to be redone. To do this, you need to attach a metal mesh with a fine mesh to the carburetor.

The speed will change significantly if the bearings in the track rollers are replaced with analogues marked 205. This will maintain the highest torque by preserving lubrication.

Stealth V800

Recently, Chinese products have become increasingly popular. The Land of the Rising Sun is famous for its inexpensive but high-quality equipment, such as the Stealth V800 snowmobile.

The development of the device was carried out by the Chinese in collaboration with the Russian one. In appearance and internal equipment, the snowmobile is no different from similar equipment in Japan or Canada. Speaking of the exterior, the comfortable double seat catches the eye.

It has a support for the driver's back and a backrest for the passenger, which also plays a role in safety - after all, during a jerk, the person sitting behind will not fall. Behind the back there is a spacious trunk, into which store-bought products or other necessary items and equipment can be easily stored.

An LED headlight is installed at the front. You won’t find this in the basic configuration from any manufacturer. The optics allow you to clearly see the road 50 meters ahead with the low beam on and 150 meters with the high beam on.

The plastic body kit has smooth, streamlined shapes, without protrusions or recesses in which snow or dirt can become clogged. The wind deflector is made in such a way that the driver does not need to bend down, which means his back will not hurt when covering several tens of kilometers.

Since the snowmobile is intended for travel in winter and used in cold weather, the Stealth is equipped with a steering wheel and heated seats. And if the equipment gets stuck in a snowdrift, the built-in winch will help pull it out. The Stealth has a protective bumper at the front and a tow bar at the rear, allowing it to pull a 300-kilogram trailer.

Specifications

The weight of the snowmobile is 370 kg, and the maximum speed is 80 km/h. We managed to fit two 12V batteries under the seat.

In front there is an information panel with a tachometer, speedometer and other important elements. The unit is equipped with a two-cylinder engine with a volume of 800 cm3 and 67 horsepower. Fuel is distributed using an EFI injection system. A manual transmission allows you to drive not only forward, but also, if necessary, to move in reverse. The device consumes 12 liters of AI-92 gasoline per 100 km.

The frame is made of high quality steel using welding and rivets. The suspension operates on hydropneumatic shock absorbers with a stroke of 150 mm at the front and 170 mm at the rear. The caterpillar is made of rubber on a fabric base with a width of 500 mm.

The price of a Chinese-Russian snowmobile on the primary market is from 450 thousand rubles. Of course, you can find a used one for less money, but this is not easy and will take a lot of time, because the Stealth V800 model is new.

What should a driver do in emergency situations?

Even on a leisurely ride over a short distance, a rider may encounter various unusual conditions. We'll tell you how best to deal with them.

Snowmobile buried in snow

You can get stuck if you drive into too deep loose snow and try to slow down there, or, conversely, sharply accelerate. You can also get stuck if the track is damaged.

The most important rule, if the snowmobile is already stuck, is not to try to turn the gas to maximum. If the move is lost, you can only bury yourself deeper.

We proceed as follows:

if you were traveling with a passenger, the passenger gets off;
if there was any cargo on the snowmobile, it needs to be removed;
we shovel the snow around the snowmobile (if there is no shovel, you can do this with your hands, or swing the snowmobile left and right);
not necessary, but also possible: with your hands, with the engine turned off, remove the snow from the track (both on the sides and inside).

After this, you can either pull the snowmobile from the front by the suspension arms or bumper, or, if it is not heavy and you were not riding alone, you can simply lift it and take it out of the hole. Also, after digging, you can try to simply drive out on your own, especially if the snowmobile is not buried deeply.

Snowmobile falls on its side

If the snowmobile begins to fall on its side, the ideal option is to jump in the direction opposite to the fall. Even light equipment without a load weighs under 200 kg, and if it falls on your leg, at best there will be a bruise. It is especially dangerous to fall when driving on a slope.

Riding with a passenger

When riding with a passenger, the snowmobile will accelerate more slowly, its top speed will be lower, and it will be more difficult to maneuver. The main rule is that you need to take turns even more smoothly.

The passenger sits upright, holding with both hands specially designed handles on the sides

When driving fast, it is advisable for the passenger to press his body against the driver and wrap his arms around him. This way the passenger can lean with the rider in the direction of the turn. In other cases (if you drive slowly, without sudden maneuvers), the passenger should hold on to the handles.

Driving with a load in tow

The first rule is that you cannot brake sharply even at low speed, otherwise the load will simply drive into the snowmobile from behind. Secondly, you can’t take turns sharply either. The load may fly off the road and crash into something. Or, if the load is heavy enough, it may pull the snowmobile and spin it around.

Movement in a group

In a group, it is important to move in a chain - with a leader and a trailing one - and maintain a safe distance between snowmobiles. Before the start, all participants must know the planned route and destination. If the route is well known, an experienced rider should tell you about the speed limit and dangerous sections, if any.

It can be seen that snowmobiles are moving in a chain one after another

If all group members do not have a headset in their helmets, signals are transmitted by hand:

left hand raised up - stop;
left arm extended parallel to the ground - turn to the left;
arm bent at the elbow at a right angle, parallel to the ground from shoulder to elbow - turn to the right.

Signals must be transmitted along a chain - because due to the distance (as well as due to road turns, slopes, poor visibility), not everyone will see the leader, but only the rider following him. For example, if the leader decides to stop and raises his hand up, this gesture must be repeated by all group members.

Arctic Cat ZR900

The most expensive snowmobile was produced by Arctic Cat. The cost of the device exceeds 15,000 US dollars. The price is justified by the technical characteristics.

The engine for the ZR900 was specially developed by the famous company Suzuki. This is a powerful and at the same time reliable 4-stroke turbocharged engine with a volume of 1056 cm3, offered as standard with 177 horsepower. With such power, he can easily accelerate equipment in a matter of seconds to colossal speed. Therefore, you should not thoughtlessly pull the trigger all the way.

It is worth mentioning separately about the suspension, the design of which is taken from sports snowmobiles. At the front, double wishbones are used in conjunction with air shock absorbers. The vertical travel is 25.5 cm. At the rear, 34.5 cm is provided by the Slide-Action system. The suspension of the device is adjusted perfectly, which has a noticeable effect when driving on snow-covered hills.

The developers did not forget about comfort. Thanks to the special shape and heating of the seat, it is comfortable to spend long periods of time on the move. By the way, it is installed slightly higher than usual, which gives the driver a better overview. For various small items, such as gloves or keys, there is a glove compartment heated by the motor. The dashboard has all the necessary options, as well as the ability to switch from analog to digital display or vice versa.

By purchasing the Arctic Cat ZR900, the buyer will receive a cool production snowmobile with a powerful engine, thanks to which it is possible to reach a speed of 200 km/h without noticing. Due to this, the ZR900 is called the fastest snowmobile in the world.

How much does a snowmobile cost?

In Russia you can find snowmobiles for several hundred thousand or a couple of million. When choosing, the easiest way is to focus on your budget.

Up to 400 thousand rubles

. There are two options in this range: either buy a new snowmobile from a domestic one or Stels, or find used equipment from an imported brand. Buying a snowmobile second hand should be done with caution: not every snowmobiler will be able to independently check the condition of the equipment. Plus, even for 400 thousand rubles, most likely, the choice will be very small.

400-700 thousand

. With such a budget, you can already look for used snowmobiles from world-class brands: there will be more choice, and the condition will be fresher. You can also try to look for new equipment from imported manufacturers - perhaps some showrooms still have last year’s models left. However, if they are found, the assortment can be counted on one hand. Therefore, if you take new equipment, it is better to aim at the top models of the same “Russian Mechanics” (like Vector) or Stels (they have about a dozen models in the range of 500-700 thousand rubles).

From 700 thousand to 1 million

. You can already take a closer look at new imported equipment. This range will include snowmobiles from Arctic Cat, Yamaha and entry-level models from Ski-Doo, Lynx and Polaris. If you are looking for a simple utility vehicle or a “tourist”, then this money will be enough to spare.

1-1.5 million

. A budget that already allows you to choose models from new model years of import brands like Ski-Doo, Lynx, Polaris, Arctic Cat, Yamaha. In this range you can find powerful equipment for the most difficult conditions: for example, to deliver firewood and food from a store to a remote village in the northern regions.

Over 1.5 million

. This budget is enough for the most powerful snowmobile in the top configuration. Typically, the maximum price tag for most models is in the region of 2-2.4 million rubles.

Snow Fly

The lightest snowmobile weighs only 80 kg. We are talking about a compact device designed specifically for country walks with a cheerful company. The device looks like a children's car, and the dimensions correspond to 145*80*85 cm. The engine is 4-stroke, with a volume of 400 cm3 and a power of 6.5 to 9 hp.

The design of the little Snow Fly is so simple that no additional maintenance costs are required. You can do all the manipulations with it yourself. The advantages include:

Economical. Due to the light weight and power of the engine, little fuel is required;
Power. Capable of towing a trailer weighing 150 kg;
Cheap price - about 60 thousand rubles.

Taiga Varyag 500

The leader in the budget snowmobile category is the inexpensive domestic Taiga. The RMZ engine installed on it is 500 cc with a power of 43 hp. quite enough for hunting medium game.

The Varyag model is also compact. Weight is only 273 kg, which significantly increases control. True, it also lost an electric starter, so starting is only manual.

The weak side of the Varyag is its stiff and short suspension. Ease of control suffers partly from this.

Pros:

Price.
Components from Dukati and Minuki.
Good maneuverability.

Minuses:

Unstable quality.
Stiff suspension.

Price – 300,000 rubles.

YAMAHA RS VENTURE TF

It has established itself as fast, reliable and, most importantly, economical in terms of fuel. Equipped with a three-cylinder engine, the volume of which is one liter. Thanks to this and 120 horses, the device quickly accelerates to hundreds.

The Genesis 120 power unit, which the popular manufacturer Yamaha uses on all modern snowmobiles, deserves attention. Makes the device economical, with powerful torque, allowing you to drive at low speeds with smooth acceleration.

Paired with the engine is a CVT transmission. In addition to the electric starter, the developer played it safe and installed a mechanical starter. Disc brakes are ventilated and hydraulically operated.

As for comfort, the snowmobile model has height-adjustable seats and backrests. Heated steering wheel and passenger grips. The front suspension smoothes out nervousness when driving, which has a positive effect on comfort on long journeys. The Pro comfort suspension is designed for movement on loose snow, branches, potholes, and ruts.

In this case, the snowmobile will not lose stability. The high windshield copes well with any flow of snow that tries to get into the driver’s face. In Russia, the cost of a new Yamaha RS Ventura ranges from 1 million 200 thousand rubles.

Comparison of speed capabilities

Many craftsmen make vehicles for traveling on snow from old motorcycles and even walk-behind tractors. As a rule, such vehicles have high maneuverability, maneuverability and simplicity in design. They are capable of achieving fairly high speed performance.

But, despite the listed technical criteria, homemade devices do not achieve the parameters that are included in factory-made models. This is especially true for speed of movement. If the same level can be achieved in terms of cross-country ability and fuel consumption, then the speed remains far behind due to insufficient engine power. [ads-pc-2]

Technical characteristics of the Yamaha Viking Professional

Genesis four-stroke, three-cylinder engine with a displacement of 973 cubic centimeters.
Liquid cooling system.
KEIHIN carburetor fuel system with liquid heating.
Fuel tank capacity is 40 liters.
Transistor ignition TCI.
YVXC transmission with high and low gears.
Brake system with mechanical parking brake, four-piston caliper and hydraulic drive.
Independent front suspension with Gas Cell and Hydraulic shock absorbers.
ProComfort rear torsion bar suspension with Piston shock absorbers.
The length of the snowmobile is 3260 millimeters.
Width - 1220 millimeters.
Wide Blow Mold skis.
Camoplast Ripsaw track.
Weight - 360 kilograms.

Movement over different terrain

The driving style greatly depends on where exactly you need to drive: on a flat field, a forest with densely growing tall trees, or on steep mountain slopes.

Forest

The snow in the forest is usually deep and untouched, the lighting is often dim even on a sunny day - due to trees blocking the rays. You need to drive through the forest carefully: slowly, carefully looking ahead and driving around (or stopping and checking) suspicious areas.

Tall and densely growing trees block the light, so even on a clear sunny day the forest can be dimly lit, so the rider moves with the headlights on

The reason for such caution is that the untouched snow may hide:

stumps;
fallen tree trunks;
bumps and holes.

Snowmobile track

There are many specialized snowmobile trails in Russia. It’s safe to drive along them: you can look at the route in advance, find out its length and be sure that there will be no dangers (from tree stumps to a tractor coming around a bend). Snowmobile trails are specially prepared: they are cleared of excess snow and surrounded by fences. They are ideal for those riders who simply ride a snowmobile for the sake of it. They are also good for beginners who want to master control not in a small area near the dacha, but in a long area.

But there are also limitations. One of the main ones concerns the speed limit: depending on how busy the route is, the number and steepness of turns, the maximum permitted speed may be set on the routes.

Non-snowmobile road

An empty, wide, well-trodden road somewhere in the forest just begs to turn up the gas. But you should do this with caution, at least when you first get acquainted with the route. If such roads are located near residential settlements, fences can be placed on them to prevent cars from driving along them, and such a fence can be driven at high speed (especially if it is a low concrete block that can be covered with snow). You can also see a timber truck or tractor on them.

Places near housing, construction sites, landfills, highways

They are dangerous because anything can be hidden under the snow - from garbage to pipelines. Therefore, you should be careful when riding near places where people live and work or cars drive.

Mountains

Riding in the mountains is a vivid and unforgettable experience, but it requires experience and concentration, as well as a mountain snowmobile (such models are light in weight, have a powerful motor and a narrow, long track with a large lug).

On mountain slopes, the rider has to move more actively on the seat and lean the body in order to more safely enter turns on the slopes

When driving, difficulties can be created by bright sunlight, the possibility of avalanches, slopes of varying degrees of steepness, as well as cliffs that can be hidden behind each ridge, and stones under the snow.

Crossing roads

Near civilization, the driver may need to cross the road. In this case, you need to act approximately the same as when crossing a roadway on foot:

We are looking for a place where the road is clearly visible in both directions;
we stop, get off the snowmobile and inspect the area where we will cross the road: is there enough depth of snow on the road itself, are there any fences or ditches along the sides;
we drive up to the edge of the road, look in both directions again, and cross directly to the other side (not at an angle, so as to spend as little time driving along the road as possible).

Steering

The utilitarian snowmobile has light and simple steering, but it could use an electric booster. The perfectly adjusted rear balance of the runners greatly facilitates steering.

The model is equipped with plastic wide SUV skids and an independent Yamaha branded suspension with a triangular wishbone. The 23-degree front suspension travel is provided by the short axles of the design with curved and long A-shaped arms. The telescopic strut suspension developed in the 80s, used in the Yamaha Viking 540 snowmobile, is significantly inferior to the new suspension, which is a spare part " Yamaha Viking Professional. The front suspension of the snowmobile is equipped with curved arms, which protects the entire mechanism from damage in the event of a collision with debris, stones and branches hidden under the snow.

The central strap, extending from the straight handlebar of the snowmobile, when secured to the mountain runners, provides free space to the side of the wide footboard to transfer the rider's weight while maneuvering in loose and deep snow. Of course, the Yamaha Viking Professional is not as maneuverable as its competitors, but having a belt can be very useful.

Movement in different visibility conditions

Lighting is one of the main factors affecting driving safety. Moreover, both a lack of light and its excess can interfere.

Bright sunlight

It usually occurs in the mountains, and that is where it is especially dangerous - due to the bright lighting, you may not notice a stone or cliff. But even in an open field on a sunny day, you should also ride carefully: without accelerating too much if visibility is limited ahead, or if the route is not explored.

In addition to general caution, it is important to wear appropriate glasses. For a bright sunny day, bronze, brown or black lenses are suitable. But it is important to note that they impair visibility in normal or low light conditions. Therefore, if the sun goes down, you should change the lenses. A universal option is red glass: they allow you to clearly see the landscape even in medium light conditions.

Fog, twilight, snowstorm

For all these conditions, the rules are the same: reduce the speed as much as possible, turn on all the lights and put on transparent glasses. It is important to monitor the battery charge: in winter, finding yourself with a stalled snowmobile far from civilization, especially in a snowstorm, is at least unpleasant.

Movement on snow of different densities

Deep untouched snow.

Most often found in fields and forests. On it, the snowmobile can tilt from side to side, and in loose areas it can slip and “sink.” Therefore, you should hold control confidently and be ready to act quickly: lean your body, jump off the snowmobile, change the direction of driving.

Packed dense snow

. If the snowmobile is not intended for densely packed snow, it is advisable to drive slowly, without sudden acceleration and braking.

Soggy snow

. Soaked snow is heavy, easily crumpled, ice can be hidden under it, and if the snowmobile is loaded, you will have to dig it out while standing in the water. Therefore, such areas are dangerous for any snowmobiles. They can be identified by the darkened track that remains behind the skis and track. Even on wet snow, the speed decreases, since it is harder for the lug to throw away heavy lumps. Therefore, if you notice such a section ahead, we go around it. If this fails, or if you are already on it, we determine the shortest path to the “drier” snow, and drive in a straight line, ideally without slowing down.

Darkened areas easily reveal wet snow

Ice

. Ice should be avoided: neither the track lugs nor the skis are designed for it. Of course, they won’t break, and you can drive on ice, but driving a snowmobile on such an area will be much more difficult. The main rules are to drive through ice slowly, without making sharp turns, without accelerating, and under no circumstances allowing emergency braking.

Areas with asphalt or soil

. Driving in areas without snow can overheat the engine (because it is usually cooled by snow) and damage gliders and skis. And it’s almost impossible to control a snowmobile on asphalt and ground. Therefore, such areas need to be avoided. If this is impossible (for example, you need to cross a road without snow, or if you are completing a route, there is a thawed section ahead, and there is not enough gasoline to return the same way), you need to drive them in a straight line, without slowing down and, if possible, without turning the steering wheel.