Ride with the Champs

General topics related to John Deere Snowmobiles
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400brian
Posts: 5652
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:00 am
Real Name: James T. Kirk
Location: South Central Wisconsin

Ride with the Champs

Post by 400brian »

We are one month away from the Ride with the Champs event in St Germain.

No trails open up there yet. You have to go up to Lake Gogebic in the UP, before anyone is riding. Hoping for a weather pattern change later this month.

The first sled is in the garage for some TLC, just keeping the faith.
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jan 12 sled in garage.jpg

'09 Vintage Challenge Survivor, and I wasn't late for supper!
'10, '11, '12, '13,'14,'15,'16,'17, '18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Vintage Challenge Survivor !
72 400 restored, Father bought new in '71
73 X8 restored
'74 340 green machine
'74 X8 9 time VC finisher
'78 Spitfire in progress
2 '75 340S 1 running, one on deck
'78 LF 440 future CC clone
'73 Skiroule RTX 440, 500 mi.
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jep_800
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Real Name: Jason
Location: Grand Forks, ND

Re: Ride with the Champs

Post by jep_800 »

Finally got some snow at home so a test run was in order. Took a little fresh gas to make sure everything was working as it should, but the 800 ran great! Will try and get the Cyclone out in the next couple of weeks too, as these will be my main riders in St. Germain. Praying to the snow Gods to help us out in that department.
IMG_0825.JPG
1975 John Deere 800
1975 JDX8 (VC Finisher 2019)
1976 440 Cyclone (VC Finisher 2022)
1974 El Tigre 440 (Sold)
1996 Arcitc Cat 440Z
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nick80lf
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Real Name: Nick
Location: The snow free zone of Ohio

Re: Ride with the Champs

Post by nick80lf »

I just saw a report that St. Germain received 4.5", at least there's a little progress in the right direction.
80 Liquifire (purchased 1996 ~ Running)
80 Liquifire (purchased 2010 ~ Running....Now)
80 Liquifire (purchased 2011 ~ Not running - I officially have a problem now)
83 Snowfire (purchased 2014 father/son restoration project)
78 Spitfire ~ sold (should have been shot for this)
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JoeRainville
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Re: Ride with the Champs

Post by JoeRainville »

They are opening up the trails in St. G tomorrow (Jan 17th) but calling them "early season conditions"... hoping they get more snow before mid-Feb.

We have a room for a full week at the Whitetail...if there is snow. Guess I have about have a dozen sleds to service, rebuild repair, etc before then. Maybe I will replace the bulkhead in a Liquifire just for the fun of it.

-JDJR
Honorary Tech Editor

Chuck Norris doesn't get frost bite. He bites the frost.
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400brian
Posts: 5652
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:00 am
Real Name: James T. Kirk
Location: South Central Wisconsin

Re: Ride with the Champs

Post by 400brian »

The date is getting closer! Reports are that the trails that have opened in Vilas county are rideable if not great. North up into the UP, the snow depth gets deeper the closer you get to the lake. Around Bergland ( on the north end of Gogebic ) the trails look quite nice.

Here in south central WI, we have gotten just enough to make the ground white. Right now the temps are very cold, with no big warm ups forecast.
Still hoping for the pattern change my weather guy keeps teasing me with, that would bring snow storms up through the state from the southwest. The little clippers that come out of the northwest are too dry, and the snow they deliver is just fluff.

'09 Vintage Challenge Survivor, and I wasn't late for supper!
'10, '11, '12, '13,'14,'15,'16,'17, '18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Vintage Challenge Survivor !
72 400 restored, Father bought new in '71
73 X8 restored
'74 340 green machine
'74 X8 9 time VC finisher
'78 Spitfire in progress
2 '75 340S 1 running, one on deck
'78 LF 440 future CC clone
'73 Skiroule RTX 440, 500 mi.
User avatar
400brian
Posts: 5652
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:00 am
Real Name: James T. Kirk
Location: South Central Wisconsin

Re: Ride with the Champs

Post by 400brian »

Three weeks out!

I have the wife's Cyclone in the garage. I have the 2 year old gas drained out, have the battery charger on the battery, and have installed a 78 era rubber bumper on the bumper brace. I am sick of listening to the pipe banging on it, and there is a very worn spot in the brace as well.
Attachments
Cyclone pipe bumper.jpg

'09 Vintage Challenge Survivor, and I wasn't late for supper!
'10, '11, '12, '13,'14,'15,'16,'17, '18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Vintage Challenge Survivor !
72 400 restored, Father bought new in '71
73 X8 restored
'74 340 green machine
'74 X8 9 time VC finisher
'78 Spitfire in progress
2 '75 340S 1 running, one on deck
'78 LF 440 future CC clone
'73 Skiroule RTX 440, 500 mi.
User avatar
400brian
Posts: 5652
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2005 12:00 am
Real Name: James T. Kirk
Location: South Central Wisconsin

Re: Ride with the Champs

Post by 400brian »

Next week the Deere crew will begin migrating north towards St Germain for the Ride with the Champs week.
Attachments
thumbnail (88).jpg

'09 Vintage Challenge Survivor, and I wasn't late for supper!
'10, '11, '12, '13,'14,'15,'16,'17, '18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Vintage Challenge Survivor !
72 400 restored, Father bought new in '71
73 X8 restored
'74 340 green machine
'74 X8 9 time VC finisher
'78 Spitfire in progress
2 '75 340S 1 running, one on deck
'78 LF 440 future CC clone
'73 Skiroule RTX 440, 500 mi.
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