Topic: Customs Rant

[winnipeg550guy]

 Sorry folks but I gotta vent, I was supposed to head down to Duluth, MN tonight after work and turn right around and head back home,( 14-15hr round trip),to pick up a newer snowmobile I got off Ebay and was looking forward to checking out some bike stuff at http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/index.html while I was down in Duluth.

 I did all the necessary steps to get things ready, checked for any recalls on sled, faxed info to US customs at Pembina, ND to do a title search for export clearance(need 72hrs before). ONE tiny little thing I forgot to do....... called after fax was sent to verify they got it.

 I call down to US border services just before I was going to leave tonight to make sure It's been cleared,(72 hr period has passed), Sure enough they couldn't locate the original fax that I sent, good thing I took anger management course recently. I bit my tongue, resent the fax right from work and this time I verified they got it.
 Man what a pisser' I was so looking forward to a road trip towing a good sized trailer you never know what you'll come across.

[mattcb350f]

It's a good thing you had the foresight to call. It would have been a tad worse sitting at the border.

What kind of sled did you buy anyway?

BTW, I plan to head out to the Peg to do some flight training around October. I'll have to get in touch a get the downzie on the city. Maybe I should bring the Bike? 

 Matt.

[winnipeg550guy]

I picked up a 94' Artic cat EXT. 580, nothing special but when you take into consideration the newest sled I've got/owned is a 1976 Ski Doo and a 1966 Johnson Skee Horse. This was by choice of course I like the old stuff but my back was starting to complain over the lack of suspension. This will be a major improvement.

 As far as the Winnipeg go's the main thing to remember here is when you park your vehicle don't leave anything in plain site inside, take it with you or lock it in the trunk(assuming you drive a car). We've got a bad problem with break in's and auto theft, especially Dodge models. Mostly in he Downtown area, which of course is where most of the good hotels are situated. 

 Actual Ford Ad from back in January 08' raised quite a stick around here, Damn funny I think

[mattcb350f]

I doubt 20 year old Volkswagens are hot on their lists 

We've even had an increase in car thefts/breakins out in rural Ontario too.

So you got a 94' Cat eh    Two years ago I upgraded from a 77' Olimpique 340 to a 93' prowler 2-up 440. I kept the old Ski-doo but ride the Cat the most.

Have a good look at the front swing arm area of the rear suspension. I had to weld a few cracks around there, particularly around the front shock lower mounting is.

I also upgraded to Steel shafts from aluminium for the swingarm cross shafts after a bolt rattled loose.

 Matt.

[tramp]

good thinking on your part
good luck riding

[winnipeg550guy]

 Cool, thanks for the heads up on the suspension, I'm keeping the old Ski doo even though I barrel rolled it last winter at about 80 kmh, I flew about 40 feet got up flipped it over gave it a pull and it fired right up, hood & windshield disintegrated but it's reliable and simple to to work on when problems do occur.
 I'm doing a slow resto on the 66' Skee horse right now.

[DarkRider]

Good choice in sleds...I used to have a couple newer ones at one point a 1994 Ski Doo MX-Z 470 and a 1996 Arctic Cat 580 Powder Special. Enjoyed owning both sleds especially the 580. Bought it new and had a dud motor in it...turned out it was assembled incorrectly at the factory and within the first 80 hours of riding it it siezed up. But due to it barely even being broken in it got rebuilt under warrenty and even got a factory overbore kit  bringing it up to 600 cc. But other then that it was the best sled i ever owned.