In late 1976, Polaris rolled this machine out at a snowmobile racing trade show in Milwaukee. Numbered 34 and finished in the era’s bold blue, white, and red livery, it was one of the solid-front-end factory racers the company planned to campaign that season. At the time, the plan called for a dozen similar sleds in 250, 340, and 440cc versions, all running the rigid front end seen here.What Polaris didn’t mention was that they already had two independent-front-suspension (IFS) prototypes in the works. After testing in Alaska, the solid-front machines were quickly set aside. The IFS sleds could carry corner speed that the leaf-sprung chassis simply couldn’t match—something the factory riders discovered the hard way once the season began. Only three of the solid-front sleds were ever built. The factory ran them alongside the new IFS machines for the first five or six races before replacing them entirely.
All three have survived. Two recently crossed the auction block: Jim Bernat’s 440 triple brought $50,500, while Steve Thorsen’s 250 realized $38,800.
The sled in these photos started life as a 440 twin, built specifically for the Milwaukee show and the season’s promotional shots. Before it headed to Alaska it was converted into the one-and-only 340 triple—essentially a sleeved-down 440 triple with a different crank. The engine proved uncompetitive and was swapped for a 340 twin in Alaska. After Don Omdahl was injured early in the season, the sled received a 440 triple, the hood lettering was changed to Jim Bernat, and it ran at Ironwood. Bernat later fitted a 340 twin and raced it in Alexandria.
Same Machine – Fifty Years Later:
