SNOWMOBILE DIGEST

NEW POLARIS RECALL: 11,560 SLEDS
Polaris Industries, Inc., Medina, Minn., is recalling approximately 11,560 snowmobiles the company says have a wiring harness that may be routed in a way that could disconnect the engine stop switch and the throttle safety switch connector.
Models include the 2005 Polaris 900 Fusion, 900 RMK and 900 Switchback with serial
identification numbers S05PL8DSD, S05PM8DS(A)(B), S05PN8DS, S05PS8DS, S05MP8DS(A)(B)(C), S05PL8DS(A)(B)(C). If the connector becomes unplugged, the engine stop and the throttle safety switches will no longer function, which could pose a possible crash hazard. However, Polaris says the keyed ignition switch will continue to function and will shut down the vehicle when the key is in the OFF position.
Polaris received one report of the switches becoming disconnected. Manufactured in the United States, the sleds were sold by Polaris dealers nationwide from August 2004 through February 2005 for between $8,882 and $10,999.
Polaris says it has notified consumers directly about this recall. Consumers are asked to contact a Polaris dealer to schedule an appointment to install a jumper wire and secure the existing wiring harness.

N.Y. STUDENTS WIN CLEAN SNOWMOBILE CHALLENGE
The State University of New York-Buffalo won top honors in the sixth annual Society of Automotive Engineers’ Clean Snowmobile Challenge, held at Michigan Technological University’s Keweenaw Research Center.
Teams from 13 engineering schools around the country attended the Challenge, modifying ordinary machines to make them quieter and less polluting. The SUNY-Buffalo team attained top honors with a Polaris chassis mated to a turbocharged 600cc four-stroke engine from a Honda Silverwing.
Judging was based on several different categories, including an endurance run, emissions testing, acceleration and objective handling.
Another New York team, from Clarkston University in Potsdam, claimed second place. The two leaders were followed by the University of Wisconsin at Madison, the University of Maine and Kettering University in Flint, Mich.

TWO MEN TRAVERSE CANADA ON SLEDS
Two Connecticut men, Donald Gaskell, 65, and Randy Allevo, 40, recently completed a 4,300-mile trek across Canada on snowmobiles. Gaskell has owned snowmobiles for 37 years. Allevo bought his first sled a decade ago.
The two entered Canada from Fort Kent, Maine, on Feb. 3 and rode 150 miles per day until Feb. 28 when snow ran out at Lac Le Biche, Alberta, 600 miles short of their goal.