Mar 15th, 2016: Snowmobile

xoxoxoBruce · 03-15-2016, 01:11 AM

♫ Dashing through the snow, in a 15 horsepower open sleigh. ♫
One of the pleasures of living in Rochester, NY, is playing in the winter snow.
One of the penalties of living in Rochester, NY, is coping with the winter snow.

The secret is attitude... ♫ Always look on the bright side of life... ♫

100 years ago Theodore Woods converted his motorcycle in to a snowmobile. It looks scratch built
rather than powering some horse drawn contraption, with home made runners and fork replacement struts.
Straddling the rear wheel must have been interesting, and I'm fascinated by the little wheel of death
mounted low beside him in the first picture. At first I thought it was an auxiliary traction wheel,
but looking more it might have been a crazy brake. However it might have been a Ben-Hur or
James Bond defensive rig against squirrels who take one look at this rig and decide he's a nut.

After considerable navel gazing, I've a hunch the motorcycle was a Pope, but your guess is as good as mine.

Griff · 03-15-2016, 06:13 AM

It's been a snowless winter here, but still snowmobiles are in the news. Mr. Sarah Palin apparently had a bad crash and some a-hole slammed into a couple Iditarod sleds.

Snakeadelic · 03-15-2016, 07:26 AM

While things mechanical are most definitely NOT my specialty, I have to say I think Bruce is right about the original make on the motorcycle--good eye, man! I'll have a biker I know (30+ years on 2 wheels, 1 and counting on 3) take a look and see what he says other than "HOLY MOTHER OF--they put passengers on it???"

glatt · 03-15-2016, 07:55 AM

And that rear tire had enough traction to move 5 passengers through snow?

Elspode · 03-15-2016, 06:12 PM

Todd got off easy.

03-15-2016, 01:11 AM	#1
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Mar 15th, 2016: Snowmobile ♫ Dashing through the snow, in a 15 horsepower open sleigh. ♫ One of the pleasures of living in Rochester, NY, is playing in the winter snow. One of the penalties of living in Rochester, NY, is coping with the winter snow. The secret is attitude... ♫ Always look on the bright side of life... ♫ 100 years ago Theodore Woods converted his motorcycle in to a snowmobile. It looks scratch built rather than powering some horse drawn contraption, with home made runners and fork replacement struts. Straddling the rear wheel must have been interesting, and I'm fascinated by the little wheel of death mounted low beside him in the first picture. At first I thought it was an auxiliary traction wheel, but looking more it might have been a crazy brake. However it might have been a Ben-Hur or James Bond defensive rig against squirrels who take one look at this rig and decide he's a nut. After considerable navel gazing, I've a hunch the motorcycle was a Pope, but your guess is as good as mine. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

03-15-2016, 06:13 AM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	It's been a snowless winter here, but still snowmobiles are in the news. Mr. Sarah Palin apparently had a bad crash and some a-hole slammed into a couple Iditarod sleds. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

03-15-2016, 06:12 PM	#5
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	Todd got off easy. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

03-15-2016, 07:26 AM	#3
Snakeadelic Banned Join Date: May 2015 Posts: 660	While things mechanical are most definitely NOT my specialty, I have to say I think Bruce is right about the original make on the motorcycle--good eye, man! I'll have a biker I know (30+ years on 2 wheels, 1 and counting on 3) take a look and see what he says other than "HOLY MOTHER OF--they put passengers on it???"

03-15-2016, 07:55 AM	#4
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	And that rear tire had enough traction to move 5 passengers through snow?

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