Ski-Doo® Snowmobiles History
Ski-Doo® snowmobiles are some of the most popular in the world. They are widely considered one of Canada’s most iconic inventions, to the point that some people refer to the act of riding a snowmobile as “ski-dooing”. But where did this massively popular brand get its start? This article from Riderz Edson can tell you more about the history of Ski-Doo® snowmobiles.
Early Years of BRP
Canadian inventor Joseph-Armand Bombardier grew up in Quebec during the early 1900’s. Official government policy at that time was to clear only the primary roads, leaving the secondary roads covered in snow. This obviously made travel much more difficult, and Bombardier long dreamed of creating a vehicle that could quickly and efficiently transport people over snowy terrain.
Tragedy And Innovation
This came to a head in 1934 when blizzard conditions prevented Bombardier’s son from reaching a hospital in time to get treatment for appendicitis and the child died from the resulting complications. This spurred Bombardier to develop the B7, a snow coach that could seat seven people. These initial products proved so popular that Bombardier went on to found his own company, which would eventually come to be known as Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP).
A New Direction
In 1948, Quebec’s government passed new laws regarding snow removal. All roads would now be cleared of snow instead of just the primary ones. This resulted in a reduced need for snowmobiles, cutting into BRP's profits considerably. The company pivoted to producing other types of vehicles and began work on developing a 1-2 person snowmobile. Since this model was meant to replace dog sleds, it was initially called the “Ski-Dog”. However, an error resulted in the iconic name we know today.
The First Ski-Doo® Snowmobile
Ski-Doo® snowmobiles were initially popular among those who needed a way to quickly navigate Canada’s more remote areas where the snow was usually allowed to pile up. This included people like prospectors, missionaries, and surveyors. However, people quickly realized that fast and agile Ski-Doo® snowmobiles were perfect for racing around the trail. This caused a shift in the way people thought about snowmobiles, as they went from practical vehicles to recreational vehicles. It wasn’t long before BRP had to put limits on how much it promoted its Ski-Doo® snowmobiles just to make sure that the company didn’t accidentally crowd out its other products.
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