Snowmobiles For Sale in Michigan

Ski-Doo Renegade® Snowmobile in MichiganExplore your winter wonderland with our selection of snowmobiles for sale in Houghton Lake! With over 200 snowmobiles available, we are proud to be the snowmobile dealer of choice for Bay City, Flint, & Detroit, Michigan. Stop by and check out our huge snowmobile selection today!

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Snowmobile History

One of the most popular winter sports is snowmobiling. This wasn’t always the case, though, because snowmobiles as we know them have existed for less than a century. If you’ve wondered where your snowmobile came from, check out this history by Spicer's Boat City of Houghton Lake, Michigan.

Snowmobile Inventor

The first snowmobile came about fairly recently, even though humans have been traveling over snow for centuries. In 1909, O.C. Johnson built the first over-the-snow machine that used tracks and a one lunger engine to move over snow, albeit with some difficulty. Virgil White, a New Hampshire-based Ford dealer, decided to convert a Model T Ford to travel on snow with a track and ski unit. He was the first to apply the term “snowmobile” to his machine. In 1922, J. Armand Bombardier, a teenager, built a wind-driven sleigh with a Model T engine. He would go on to design many more snowmobiles over the next decades. 

But true success came in 1954 when David Johnson of Polaris Industries® built a successful snowmobile and showed it to the Hetteen brothers, who headed the company. They disliked it because their focus was on farm equipment, but once Johnson successfully sold his vehicle, the company had to service it that winter. Johnson convinced the others to build a second snowmobile to assist in pulling the first one, and Polaris® finally turned their manufacturing from farm equipment to snowmobiles during the late 1950s.

Snowmobiles Today

The snowmobile industry generates billions of dollars today, with 150,000 sleds being sold in 2015 alone. Snowmobiles are popular throughout the United States, Canada, and northern Europe, with over 3,000 snowmobile clubs existing worldwide. Modern snowmobiles are much lighter and faster than their prototypes, able to cross the snow with ease thanks to the constant innovation and new developments being employed in their assembly.

 

Snowmobile Accessories

Some important accessories for your snowmobile include warm protective gear and ways to carry it. A helmet is vital, so choose one that’s insulating with a visor that has anti-fog technology. If the visor can move so you can talk to others and eat and drink, so much the better. A GPS messenger can send a distress signal with your coordinates in an emergency and store waypoints in order to track your progress. Saddlebags that are heavy-duty and capable of being installed on your snowmobile will carry food, water, and other supplies. Skin care is an overlooked but essential part of snowmobile riding, since wind and cold can chap your lips and chafe your skin. Choose a lotion that provides a protective barrier and seals in moisture. Finally, a set of long underwear or thermal wear can give you the necessary insulation to stay warm under your snow or ski suit. Visit our dealership in Houghton Lake today to check out our sled and snowmobile selection. We also provide parts and repair services for your snowmobile if you find anything that needs maintenance. Spicer's Boat City serves all of Michigan, including the Detroit area, Bay City, and Flint.