Winters in Michigan are often a snowmobiler’s dream, with plenty of places to get out during the winter months. You have enjoyed the time you get to use your sled and are now considering whether you should buy a snowmobile trailer. They certainly are an investment in your hobby, but there are some great reasons why you should take the plunge.
More than Just a Snowmobile Trailer
First is the fact when you buy a trailer, you can use it for much more than hauling your sleds. If you purchase a covered trailer, then you can use it to stow some of your equipment for your adventure. Whether it is extra gas and some tools, or food and clothing for an extended journey, you have plenty of room.
Then there is the off-season uses. Of course, you can use it to keep your sled mobile and give you the ability to easily move it around as needed. You can also store the sleds in a barn or storage unit and be able to use the trailer for other purposes.
For instance, this is just about the right size for a small landscaping or lawn care operation over the warm months. If you are into dirt biking, you can also use some trailers to transport your bike as well.
Sharing Fun & Expense
Like many others, you may enjoy snowmobiling with a friend or some of your family. A trailer provides more opportunities to enjoy the sport as a group activity.
A trailer allows you to free up room in your truck bed, as well as haul multiple sleds, depending on the trailer. This means that instead of you and your friend each having to drive separately, you can load both sleds on a trailer, and share the haul vehicle. Beyond the extra time together, it also cuts down on the environmental impact of the trip and reduces travel costs.
Protect Your Sleds
Beyond actually hauling your sleds around Michigan, protecting them is at the top of the list of why you should have a trailer. During the winter, it protects them from collecting snow and moisture between uses. If you have an enclosed trailer, that also helps protect them from salt and road sludge while transporting them.
During the off-season, it plays just as important of a role protecting your sled. It will keep it off the ground, so if there happens to be minor flooding in your area, your sled will not be damaged. An enclosed trailer also protects your sled’s seat from the damaging solar rays that break it down.
Save on Expenses
There are a lot of extra expenses you incur when you are serious about your snowmobile. First, there is the cost to store it. Unless you have extra space in your garage or a pole barn to use, that means a storage unit. That alone can be up to nearly $200 per month for a larger unit.
If you have ever wanted to take your sled on an adventure, you have probably considered renting a trailer. These can rent for as much as $300 or more a week, plus you do not keep them in the off-season.
A trailer helps equalize some of these expenses, amortizing the cost over the entire life of your trailer. A properly maintained trailer will easily last 10 years, and sometimes much more.
That means that for a high-end enclosed trailer, you are looking at between $5,000 and $10,000. That means at most, you are looking at about $1,000 cost per year. This equates to a savings of about $1,400 just on the storage unit alone, plus you get to continue using it year-round.
Insure Against Winter Variability
One thing everyone who lives and travels around Michigan knows is how variable the weather is. You may be used to getting a lot of snow near where you live, and then one year you have none. Your favorite sledding spot may have been completely missed by the snowstorms when you are ready to ride.
There is nothing more depressing than not being able to take it out after investing hours and money into preparing your sled for the season. A trailer provides an insurance policy against the variability of where snow will hit.
When you are loaded and ready to go, you can quickly find the places where you will have enough snow to ride. There is no more need to wait in the garage, hoping for a blizzard so you can enjoy some trail time.