YAMAHA MOTOR DESIGNATES NORTH AMERICA AS SNOWMOBILE GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS

[Off Trail Mike]

Good news me thinks.....
I've been saying for years that Yami's Japanese snowmobile manufacturing was doomed due to the high value of the Yen. Better to do it here where the majority of the market is and you can do it competitively. Engines are different. They'll stay in Japan as Yami's engine plants make many more than just snowmobile powerplants.

I suspect they'll take it back in house if they can gain market share, something that Yami continues to struggle with but the AC deal has definitely helped in that department.

I do laugh at the size of world wide sled market. Yes US/CAN is the the biggest and a very mature market but you gotta think Russia, South America and southern Europe still have huge potential.....maybe wishful thinking LOL.

I think the re-org is good for Yami and here's to hoping the 50th anniversary sled is all theirs.

OTM

 

[journeyman]

Some may have seen my post on the TY Facebook page today. I feel more apt to post here than on there about too much. A guy I work with lives next to Arctic's own magazine writer. Apparently he has serious ties with AC, I've met him once. The fella I work with obviously gave me this info 2nd hand but he pretty much said Yamaha is all done building their own sleds. Pretty much a motor supplier at this point. Claims they really don't want to be in this low market business. If true I just hope they continue what they are doing and don't bow out completely.

 

[MrSled]

Some may have seen my post on the TY Facebook page today. I feel more apt to post here than on there about too much. A guy I work with lives next to Arctic's own magazine writer. Apparently he has serious ties with AC, I've met him once. The fella I work with obviously gave me this info 2nd hand but he pretty much said Yamaha is all done building their own sleds. Pretty much a motor supplier at this point. Claims they really don't want to be in this low market business. If true I just hope they continue what they are doing and don't bow out completely.

I hope that's not he case but what can I do about it?? absolutely nothing.

 

[journeyman]

I hope that's not he case but what can I do about it?? absolutely nothing.

I hear ya, not what I wanted to hear...

Only 4 mfg's left and one or more dropping out isn't good for the sport.

 

[Dusty Dan]

I hear ya, not what I wanted to hear...

Only 4 mfg's left and one or more dropping out isn't good for the sport.

I have read that news release several times and I just do not see that they are getting out of the business. For instance, why would they need to do this if they are only going to supply engines?:

"The new North American Snowmobile Division will take the lead in managing Yamaha’s worldwide snowmobile business, including product development, business planning, and marketing. The objective is to bring greater focus to North America by increasing speed of product development, improving coordination and efficiencies with industry partners, and better research and product planning decisions due to closer proximity to the market."

In this statement they say that NA has taken more responsibility for the last few years which means they were probably responsible for the Viper and Sidewinder, a couple of really crafty moves that have certainly generated a fair bit of excitement.

"“For the last few years, Yamaha Motor US and Yamaha Motor Canada have been taking on additional responsibility for the snowmobile market,” commented Peter Smallman-Tew, North American Team Leader. “Yamaha Motor Co. has been encouraged with our progress and we are excited to accept this new challenge. We are confident that these changes will help us serve our North American dealers and customers better.”

If they are getting out, why did they do so many improvements to the VK Professional II? Why the carbon fiber patents? Just to turn them over to AC? I have always considered them to be long term planners, not prone to quarterly report panic as some are. What would that do to their dealers? I personally think that if they were getting out, they would have crafted a much different release. Hey, I could be dead wrong but I just can't see them doing it. Time will tell.

 

[journeyman]

I have read that news release several times and I just do not see that they are getting out of the business. For instance, why would they need to do this if they are only going to supply engines?:

"The new North American Snowmobile Division will take the lead in managing Yamaha’s worldwide snowmobile business, including product development, business planning, and marketing. The objective is to bring greater focus to North America by increasing speed of product development, improving coordination and efficiencies with industry partners, and better research and product planning decisions due to closer proximity to the market."

In this statement they say that NA has taken more responsibility for the last few years which means they were probably responsible for the Viper and Sidewinder, a couple of really crafty moves that have certainly generated a fair bit of excitement.

"“For the last few years, Yamaha Motor US and Yamaha Motor Canada have been taking on additional responsibility for the snowmobile market,” commented Peter Smallman-Tew, North American Team Leader. “Yamaha Motor Co. has been encouraged with our progress and we are excited to accept this new challenge. We are confident that these changes will help us serve our North American dealers and customers better.”

If they are getting out, why did they do so many improvements to the VK Professional II? Why the carbon fiber patents? Just to turn them over to AC? I have always considered them to be long term planners, not prone to quarterly report panic as some are. What would that do to their dealers? I personally think that if they were getting out, they would have crafted a much different release. Hey, I could be dead wrong but I just can't see them doing it. Time will tell.

Hoping you are right. I am fine now with the relationship with Cat and hope it continues to grow at this point. I do find it funny that there are a few Cat riders and Cat employees that still seem to have a bitter pill of too much Cat's Pride to give Yamaha any positive light. There's a hint inside that last sentence.

 

[journeyman]

Well I can put water on this fire for now. Kind of ironic that I ran into that writer for Arctic's magz last night. I am an avid mountain biker and also the trail steward for my local singletrack trail system. We have high school mountain bike racing teams here in the bigger metro high schools and this guy is also one of the coaches. I went out to my park last night to ride and the HS team was practicing. I went up to him (writer/coach) and introduced myself, he knows me by name mostly because I post trail conditions all the time on our trail system forum.

I asked him about what he supposedly told my co-worker as mentioned above. He said, "I never told him that." He claims all he told him is what we all know about closing the office in Wisconsin and moving main operations to Toronto. He said, "heck they just built the new utility sled in Japan and still produce the Apex and Vector lines". He even said I can't honestly tell you how long the Arctic Cat deal is going to go, just said I sure love their motors.

So today I had the guy from work back peddling after I told him I ran into the guy face to face. I have another die hard Yamaha rider that's a machinist here in our shop that rides the SRX machines and his uncle is the former Hayday's tech and now does speed runs. This co-worker had him all worked up too about Yamaha pulling out of the biz.

So for now, just another guy stirring the pot from what I can make of it.

 

[MrSled]

Well I can put water on this fire for now. Kind of ironic that I ran into that writer for Arctic's magz last night. I am an avid mountain biker and also the trail steward for my local singletrack trail system. We have high school mountain bike racing teams here in the bigger metro high schools and this guy is also one of the coaches. I went out to my park last night to ride and the HS team was practicing. I went up to him (writer/coach) and introduced myself, he knows me by name mostly because I post trail conditions all the time on our trail system forum.

I asked him about what he supposedly told my co-worker as mentioned above. He said, "I never told him that." He claims all he told him is what we all know about closing the office in Wisconsin and moving main operations to Toronto. He said, "heck they just built the new utility sled in Japan and still produce the Apex and Vector lines". He even said I can't honestly tell you how long the Arctic Cat deal is going to go, just said I sure love their motors.

So today I had the guy from work back peddling after I told him I ran into the guy face to face. I have another die hard Yamaha rider that's a machinist here in our shop that rides the SRX machines and his uncle is the former Hayday's tech and now does speed runs. This co-worker had him all worked up too about Yamaha pulling out of the biz.

So for now, just another guy stirring the pot from what I can make of it.

I think most of the comments out there are pure speculation to create drama and doubt in the industry so I am reserving my comments until I hear it from the horses mouth.

 

[VX1R]

Here's an interesting read that I just found regarding Yamaha'a latest announcement: http://www.snowmobile.com/manufacturer/yamaha/the-yamaha-conundrum

I really hope that they stay in the sled business for the long haul but he brings up some interesting past history to ponder in his article.

His article pretty much mirrors what MrSled just said in his previous posting.

 

[journeyman]

Thanks Don! This is a good one, nice work.

 

[Farmer 73]

After reading all this, I believe the future of Yamaha sleds will depend upon the sales success of the sidewinder. We all know that they are one of, or, the best model to buy on the market! The question is, will they sell enough of them to keep the bean counters satisfied?

 

[Bigbluemachine]

With all of this discussion as to what is going to happen I wonder about the attachment included. Why would they press on with carbon fiber innovation if the plan was to scale back.?

 

[nb-sledder]

I have been hearing that Cat is in trouble financially and that Yamaha is considering buying Arctic Cat and operating it as a leg of the company. All roomers but maybe there is some merit too it. I feel that that Yamaha is the bigger winner in their current arrangement. Cat definitely needs a restructuring of some sort if they are gonna survive. Too many pigs at the trough.

 

[SXRider7Hundo]

Downsizing, yes. But you gotta get lean and get your house in order before you can change direction and grow your product. I see good things coming from this.

This! ^^^

The trend in manufacturing right now is to be a lean, mean low cost provider with ample process capability. Money is being saved using palette-swapped kitties with yammie souls. I think one day we will still see a new Yamaha that is pure Yamaha chassis and powerplant.