The Snowmobile Hall of Fame located in St. Germain, Wisconsin has announced that the Ride
With The Champs, which is part of the day-long event leading to the ceremony for the annual
Hall of Fame inductions, is sponsoring a new trail ride called the Vintage Yamaha 100.
This ride is in addition to the Swamp Challenge and Vintage Challenge rides that take place
Saturday of the Induction. The past several years the Ride With the Champs event has grown
and we have had increased participation from the vintage John Deere fans along with a fair
amount of Arctic Cats and a few Yamaha’s here and there each year states Jon Bertolino leader
of the Vintage Yamaha 100. The event has modern and vintage rides but the vintage rides have
been growing year over year. With Yamaha having been the number one selling snowmobile
brand for all of the 1980’s the Hall of Fame thought that the fans of Yamaha snowmobiles would
enjoy participating in a guided ride that challenges the rider to complete 100 miles on their
favorite Yamaha that is more 20 years old.
The sponsored ride will be 100 miles. There will be gas stops, and a chase trailer in the event that
some owner forgot to tighten a bolt down before taking to the ride. The ride is part of the Ride
With the Champs event at the Snowmobile Hall of Fame, which means when you register you
get breakfast, lunch and dinner in addition to admittance to the evening autograph session and
induction ceremony at the White Tail Inn in St. Germain, WI.
Interested riders are invited to come on Friday the 17th to “test” and “tune” your sled on a poker
run or guides ride that day. Turn-out for the Friday ride and evening fish fry has been very
popular.
The Challenge is to run your vintage Yamaha for 100 miles. The Hall of Fame “Challenges” the
Yamaha fan base to aim for a hundred registrants! One hundred vintage Yamaha guys, one place
proving that their favorite snowmobile can complete the ride with-out breaking down. Sounds
easy right? Jon Bertolino, Author of Yamaha’s 40th Anniversary of the Snowmobile book, will
be leading this ride. He has done the other rides every year and has always made it home -but
not with-out a few close calls. Carbs gummed up, idler wheel falling off, recoil breaking, but he
has always made it back – will yours! Can the Vintage Yamaha snowmobile be the lead brand at
this event this year with the most representation? Email the Hall of Fame if you have questions.
Pre-register for the event. Book your hotels fast. There will be special colored bibs, possibly
other surprises for registrants as well.
Mark your calendars: February 17th and 18th, 2017