June 13, 2011 – U.S. snowmobile sales see first increase since 2002

Figures released this month by the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association show U.S. snowmobile dealers sold 3,197 more units this year than last year. This reverses a trend in which total sled sales had fallen every season since 2002. Figures are based on warranty registrations from Arctic Cat, Polaris, Ski-Doo and Yamaha.

For model year 2011, 51,796 sleds were sold at an average price of $8,397; 48,599 machines were retailed for model year 2010, fetching an average $8,514.

Worldwide, 123,063 new machines were sold, which is up from 111,492 in 2010. Canada had 40,878 new-sled sales; Europe and Russia combined for 30,389 retail sales.

U.S. snowmobile license registrations were up 50,000 compared to last year. Renewals are heavily impacted by snowfall. When it doesn’t snow, people don’t bother to register their sled, said ISMA president Ed Klim, but because most of the country had snow cover in December, owners were quick to purchase license tags for their machines.

Klim presented the figures at the International Snowmobile Congress in Calgary this month.