Valley snowmachine dealers gear up for season

There might not be any snow yet, but money is rolling in the form of Alaska Permanent Fund dividend checks and Valley residents' thoughts are turning to snowmachines -- shiny, fast, high-tech rides.

"It's prime time," said Randy Bedard, salesman with Valley CC, a Ski-Doo dealership in Wasilla. "Hampering some of the excitement has been the lack of snow … manufactures are praying for snow and customers are praying for snow."

But fueling even a somewhat dampened season are the speed, versatility and high-tech gadgets of the 2004 models. Dealerships are raving about electronic reverse and electric start that have become increasingly standard and machines that put the driver farther forward and provide a smoother ride.

"Technological advances during the past decade have just been tremendous," Bedard said. In his Ski-Doo line, Bedard said the hottest model is the "REV" -- short for revolution. It debuted last year as a trail riding machine and this year has been expanded into other segments, including a mountain riding machine.

"It's very adaptable to Alaska," Bedard said.

Over at Hartley Motors, the sales staff is equally revved up for the season. This time of year, customers are coming in to pick up their special orders placed last spring.

"They can basically design a sled set up from the factory the way they want it, with different options," said Brooke Clements, a Hartley Motors salesman.

Here in the Mat-Su Valley, Clements said, the Polaris Rocky Mountain King is one of the favorite models, and this year Polaris is beefing this model up with a chassis system the company describes as "industry leading," electric reverse and a roller drive clutch.

"They're good in deep powder snow," Clements said.

But if Polaris or Ski-Doo aren't your thing, don't worry -- every manufacturer has something new to snag your wallet on. Arctic Cat is pushing its King of the Mountain, the 2004 King Cat 900. With parabolic skis and a patent-pending track, its designed for climbing faster and higher. Standard with this machine are hand warmers, thumb warmers, electric start, reverse, higher windshield, passenger seat, and more.

Yamaha, on the other hand, is raving about its 2004 RX Warrior. With a wider footboard, advanced rear shocks and a new track designed to be lighter and more durable, Yamaha claims this machine is one of the best riding and handling in the business.

Another popular Yamaha model is the 2004 RX-1 Mountain, designed to conquer hills of all sizes with its gradual track approach angle, two-position suspension mounting and a narrowed ski stance.

While many customers remained devoted to one manufacturer or another, research will show you that many of the high-tech improvements are introduced by one but then quickly adopted by others.

"Almost 100 percent of the machines have hot grips, thumb warmers, electric start," Bedard said. "Taller windshields, plastic skis … that's all now pretty standard."

These relatively recent improvements to the snowmachine have contributed to what many have described as a revolution of the sport. Machines are now much lighter and faster, and with the seat pushed forward and the suspension increased, many of them look like they're designed for racing.

But that look and speed comes at a cost. Don't expect to get out of any dealership for much under $4,500, and for the bigger engines and high-tech accessories expect to pay up to $10,000.

And don't forget the hundreds of dollars you can spend on the gear to go with the machine. Space-age helmets with modular deigns and breath deflectors, which pipe your hot breath away from your face and keep your view clear, are all the rage, as are chest protectors and other safety gear.

If Clements were to promote any accessory, though, it would be the avalanche safety kit. Equipped with beacons, probes and shovels, these kits can mean the difference between life and death, and Clements said this is why they sell them at close to cost -- about $400.

Even these kinds of price tags, paired with dismal snow years, aren't slowing down the diehards.

"People are still definitely hopeful," Bedard said. He said the serious snowmachiners who, regardless of conditions, seek out the snow are still coming in.

"The enthusiasm is still there," he said.