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Twin Cities snowmobile sales plummet with snow elusive this winter

By
Published  January 10, 2025 5:17pm CST
Minnesota
FOX 9

Snowmobile sales in MN cold this winter

A lack of snow the last two winters has dulled a once revved up snowmobile industry, with many dealers reporting dozens of unsold inventories still this winter.

The Brief

    • Snowmobile sales are down because of scant snow.
    • Leo’s South in Lakeville said it sold 11 units this season, with 55 still in stock.
    • This marks the second consecutive winter with limited snowfall.

(FOX 9) - Snowmobile sales have nosedived this winter, with many dealerships in the Twin Cities metro struggling to unload their inventory - ultimately blaming the sales slump on limited snowfall this season.

Snowmobile sales decline

The backstory:

Snowmobile sales have declined sharply this winter, something dealerships blame on limited snowfall.

Randy Bedeaux, who co-owns Leo’s South in Lakeville, said he only sold 11 units this season, though he ordered 66.

At roughly $15,000 apiece, that comes out to about $1 million worth of inventory, most of which is in stacked crates in the back of his store.

"If it means discounting or throwing parts of accessories in – we do what we can to make sure that we move some units," said Bedeaux. 

Polaris, Arctic Cat struggles

What we know:

In November, Arctic Cat announced layoffs and paused production, blaming lower consumer demand.

In October, Medina-based Polaris reported an 81% third-quarter earnings drop, citing similar factors.

The Source: Leo’s South; St. Boni Motor Sports; Polaris; Arctic Cat

MinnesotaWeatherEntertainment