We got our first visible (on the ground) snow last night, although it’s gone today. Even so, this time of year always makes me think of vintage snowmobiles like the ones I grew up with. Although they weren’t vintage back then, they were just, you know, snowmobiles. The seller has this 1974 Raider Eagle listed here on Facebook Marketplace in Menomonee Falls, WI and they’re asking $2,600. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Lothar… of the Hill People for the tip!
We’ve seen eight of these unique twin-track Raider snowmobiles over the last eight years here on Barn Finds, or nine since a post two weeks ago had two of them for sale for $2,500 each in very nice condition. I like things original spec so I’d want to source an original spec engine that would have been in this model, since vintage vehicles for me are all about reliving the past. That isn’t for everyone and that’s ok.
That being said, I’m sure the replacement engine is great for power and it sure looks cool, and a person could always try to source an original one if they really wanted to. Not that a lot of these sleds are sitting on the lawn at Pebble Beach…
For the 1974 model year, Raider changed the nomenclature a bit and offered three models: the base model was the Hawk, then came the Eagle as seen here, and the top dog was the Double Eagle. We’ve seen three or four of those, they’re gold and really stand out, not that a white Raider twin-track snowmobile doesn’t stand out.
Here’s the engine, which the seller says is a 488-cc Polaris (Fuji) two-stroke fan-cooled twin with most likely somewhere around 80 horsepower, a far cry from the 8 to 12-hp snowmobiles we typically had growing up. The seller says it runs and rides great and is a lot of fun. Let’s hear those vintage snowmobile stories out there!
This one will move down the trail. Keep it in a straight line.
I see the site is opening up the “Scotty Files”, and always fun stuff. From “Me-no-money-Falls”, my old stompin’ grounds, a suburb of Milwaukee, home of the HD plant, soon to be abandoned,,,
. The Raider( or “Rader” as the Asians spell it, apparently) was a poor sled. It incorporated everything that would spell doom. The ( worn ) tracks( try and find another) were unstable, the machine itself was clumsy to operate, they are heavy and snowmobiles need to be light and agile. and the original engine was a CCW, I believe, and wouldn’t give you a plugged nickel for one. I never cared for the Polaris motor, and a bit optimistic on the HP. I think 488s made about 60hp. Arctic Cat had a better setup( Kawasaki, then Suzuki, and realize the blasphemy of that on a machine made in Minnesoty) and the Polaris motor here does nothing for me. Snowmobiling is the most fun you can have with your clothes on, lots of clothes, but I think someone buying this will get a bad experience and that’s a shame.
Raiders had a nice run and sold quite a few sleds. They are fairly common in the vintage hobby and collectible. For some time, there was still a lot of new parts out there, but they have to be drying up now. I think most or maybe all of them had CCW’s?? Keeping it CCW would be a better choice for collectability, but the sportier Polaris motor may make it more fun to ride.
As an impressionable adolescent I thought these were beyond cool. Never so much as seen one in person. However we did have Polaris sleds. A ’70 Challenger and a ’73 TX340. Maybe not as nimble as others but would lead the way busting through snow drifts and making short work of open stretches. As long as you had fuel. That TX loved gasoline mix. As a side note it was pretty much a match for my brother’s elTigra 440. Only about a length behind at around 80 when his went POP! Towed him home and we both went off to work.
The 488 Fuji twin was a great engine and mostly came in the Indy Trail. It had 56 Hp. A good engine won’t improve the Raider because of its deficiencies that I’ve already commented on.
as a avid motorcyclist and quad rider here’s what ive come to know about polaris…..
Parked
On
Lawn
And
Repair
In
Spring
nuff said