Many people consider snowmobiling an expensive sport, given that snowmobiles prices are very high, especially for a brand new snowmobile and adding that to the additional gear cost, the numbers can add up pretty fast. But is snowmobiling expensive overall?
Let’s take a closer look into this and see how much does a snowmobile cost and how expensive is the gear. Then, let’s compare the results with other winter sports.
In general, snowmobiling is an expensive sport and lifestyle. It is by no means as cheap as skiing, snowboarding or ice skating. Winter sports tend to be more expensive than the usual outdoor sports. Additional gear and equipment are needed and most often we need to travel a bit to get the snow we want.
Unless you are living in a place where you get a lot of snow nearby going snowmobiling is not an easy task: you need to plan the trip, get the snowmobile on the trailer or in the truck, get the gear etc.
Also, motorsports tend to be more expensive. For skiing or snowboarding, there is almost no equipment that breaks often. With so many moving parts, a snowmobile, especially an older one, can get stuck and the repairs are not so cheap. You also need to do a lot of maintenance on the parts: engine, tracks, skis, clean the gas tank for storage, make sure you have oil etc. Compare that to the necessary maintenance of skis. It’s nowhere near close!
A new snowmobile is pretty expensive. Of course, it depends on the type of snowmobile and brand. Here are the most popular models for 2018 and their prices
New snowmobile price range
- 2018 Ski-Doo MXZ® 600R E-TEC – 13,199$
- 2018 Ski-Doo Expedition® SWT 900 ACE – 12,849$
- 2018 Arctic Cat XF 9000 High Country Limited 153 2.25 Lug – $16,899.00
- 2018 Yamaha Sidewinder S TX DX 146 – $16,599.00
- 2018 Yamaha Sidewinder S TX DX 137 – $16,199.00
- 2018 Yamaha Sidewinder B TX LE 153 50th – $16,949.00
- 2018 Yamaha Sidewinder B TX SE 153 1.75 – $15,999.00
- 2018 Yamaha Sidewinder X TX SE 141 – $15,799.00
- 2018 Yamaha Sidewinder X TX SE 137 – $15,999.00
- 2018 Yamaha Apex X-TX LE 1.75 50th – $16,149.00
As you can see, the average price for a new snowmobile is quite high. Getting a new snowmobile will save you some trouble with the maintenance though. New snowmobiles don’t break so often as used sleds.
Ways to save money
Rent
This is the best way to start, if you never went snowmobiling before, I suggest renting one for a few hours or a full day to see how it is. Maybe you will like, maybe you
Snowmobile Renting
won’t. But if you won’t like snowmobiling you can save a lot of money instead of going and directly buying one.
Snowmobile renting is also expensive, I don’t think you can get a snowmobile for a whole day for less than 200$. This obviously depends on the area and the provider.
Quick tip: if you really want to try snowmobiling, convince your friends to come with you. Most providers will get you a discount for the group. If you are more than 5 people you can get a significant discount. Also, there are many areas where you will need a guide, you can get that for free if you are a group.
You can also try to find a friend who owns a snowmobile. For a 6-pack he could let you try the snowmobile for an hour. And you will also learn some tips and tricks from him.
Get a used snowmobile
Usually, the best way to get going with snowmobiling is getting a used sled. You can’t compare the feeling of an older sled with a new one, but if you are a beginner, you won’t really feel the difference. I just looked on eBay to see how much does a pretty new snowmobile cost. These snowmobiles only have 2-3 years at the moment of writing, and they are already much cheaper than a new one.
You can save some big money, but be careful, not all used snowmobiles and in good shape. Some of them will need maintenance that can cost you. I advise getting an expert advice when buying one.
- 2015 Yamaha SR Viper DX Snowmobile Black – like new condition – $6,999.00
- ARCTIC CAT Z1 TURBO – $4,800
- 2016 Polaris Switchback Pro-S 800 – $8,500
My advice is to avoid sleds that are sold for less than $3000-4000$. In my opinion, they are not worth it because they will be broken constantly.
Of course, if you can afford a new one the life gets easier, you won’t spend much money on the maintenance and you will be given a warranty for most parts.
Getting used parts as replacements
Getting used parts is another way to save some money. New parts can get expensive, and sometimes you can get the parts for a decent price on eBay.
Share the snowmobile
If you can find a friend or relative who is passionate about snowmobiling but you don’t synchronize with his vacation schedule you can buy a snowmobile together. This way you will split the cost.
Gear – don’t overlook it
What equipment do I need? How much it costs? Those are the two most often asked questions by beginners.
When it’s minus 20 degrees outside and you ride at 70 km an hour it can get quite cold. What you wear on a snowmobile is pretty important and if you ride in deep snow it’s more than important to have good gear.
You will want to buy decent gear because the cheap Walmart won’t cut it. Investing in a really good snowsuit, boots, gloves can be better than spending money just to figure out that they aren’t good.
- Snowsuit (jacket + bibs/pants) – A decent suit will cost from 250$ to 600$.
- Boots – Decent Boots will cost from 100$ to 300$
- Gloves – Walmart gloves won’t work. A decent pair will cost 50-80$
- Helmet (maybe heated) – 70$ – 230$, from 100$ and up you can get a heated one
- Layering – Micro Fleece etc. Don’t over-insulate your self because you will sweat. Extra equipment for layering can cost from 50-150$
- Balaclavas/Facemask – From 12$ to 30$
- Protective gear – 70 to 150$
- Googles – From 21$ to 160$, I suggest reading some reviews before getting cheaper ones.
- Maintenance stuff and shovel for riding in deep snow
If you want some recommendations for equipment you can check the Recommended Gear page. You will find the best gear which I recommend for beginners and mid-level riders.
Transportation
If you don’t have a truck that can fit the snowmobile well, you will also need a trailer. The prices can vary and they start at $500 for a usual trailer but can go up to$3000 for an enclosed trailer. You can find used trailers cheaper than new ones. But keep in mind that used trailers will probably need some new tires.
If you have a nearby location where you can do snowmobiling that’s great. You will save some fuel money, which is great. The average trip to do snowmobiling is around 200 miles.
Other costs
Some of the equipment will last you many rides, and that’s valid for the snowmobile too (except that will need some maintenance). But there are also recurrent costs or costs at every ride: insurance, trail passes, licenses, and registration etc. Also, consider fuel and maintenance too. Having a snowmobile on the back of the truck will clearly increase the fuel consumption.
MN registration 48.50
MN trail pass 31.00
1-gallon of oil 30.00
Fill sled tank 20.00
Trailer tire 76.00
Total 205.50
Cost per mile to ride
Based on a 65-mile daily ride.
Truck fuel- 3 gallon X 4.20 = 12.60 Thankfully I live close to riding.
Sled oil- 1/6 gallon X $48 = $8
Sled fuel- 10-11 gallon X $3.80 = $41.80
Sled Depreciation- $1.25 per mile X 65 mile = $81.25 (based on $5000 depreciation, riding 4000 miles)
Insurance- $5 per day (riding 65 times a year)
Clutch belt- $11.70 per day ( if the belt lasts 1000 miles)
QD belt- $6.50 per day ( if the belt lasts 2000 miles)
Total- $166.85 per ride, $2.57 per mile.
Plus clothing, goggles, helmets, etc.
“Opportunity cost of the money you tied up in the trailer and sled, 1 full qt of oil per 10 gals gas, depreciation of the truck driving 200 miles per trip, maintenance of truck, maintenance of sled @$100 per trip, time spent maintaining the sled.
Here you can also add the cost of gear: helmet, jacket, bib, boots, gloves, backpack, shovel. And for the Pro RMK owners, a tow rope and tow and steel driveshaft = $565.
Nobody gets 65 trips in a year unless they live in the mountains. It is closer to 10 to 20 trips per year.
You are looking at closer to $10.00 per mile.” (Source)
Other winter sports – Skiing, Snowboarding
Compared to skiing or snowboarding, snowmobiling is much more expensive. Of course, the gear is almost the same, except the helmet and boots let’s say. But that’s a one-time payment. Skiis and snowboarding don’t use gas, don’t need oil and they require little to no maintenance.
The acquisition cost is also much cheaper. For new top-notch skis, you will pay between $300-$500 top. Compare that to the cost of getting a snowmobile, even an older one. Good snowboards are less than $300 too. These are top quality skis and snowboards, you can easily find good enough ones for cheaper and you can always rent them for a cheaper price than a snowmobile.
But, of course, snowmobiling is fun! For me, and other people skis can’t replace a ride with the snowmobile. It’s expensive, but if you can afford it, it’s totally worth it.
Conclusion
It’s not always cheap to have fun. Snowmobiling is a great experience and if you can afford it, it is worth it. There are several tips presented that can help you get a cheaper ride. If you are not so passionate about snowmobiling you may be better of renting it for a few days every season. This way you can save a lot of money and maintenance headaches.