2014

[pete24]

just doing my part to get this up to 100 pages, heres a wild guess thats probably mechanicly impossible, wonder if they got the four stroke motors to spin backwards?

 

[Heritage]

Yamaha has already had a hydro drive sled..go look at a 1973 we....granted that was along time ago...and the tech has changed...but hydro drives do make sense on 4 strokes....back then...it made sleds heavier and slower.....who knows?

This getting interesting

 

[Heritage]

Yamaha has already had a hydro drive sled..go look at a 1973 we....granted that was along time ago...and the tech has changed...but hydro drives do make sense on 4 strokes....back then...it made sleds heavier and slower.....who knows?

This getting interesting

 

[Sleddineinar]

They are due for a big year. I hope this is it! Of course a lighter is better.

 

[ccrider]

Hmmm a clutchless drive system. That sounds interesting because the current variable ratio transmission system is inefficient and that is where most of the efficiency is lost getting hp to the track. Also, belt drives have been around for years and years. I think Olav Aaen was the pioneer for that system when he worked for Evinrude. I think I read that 20 years ago in his clutch tuning handbook. Correct me if I am wrong.

So with that being said, the Jap engineers would surely try to focus on that number one area of hp loss to make it better. Imagine the weight loss of no clutches alone??? Of course all the extra room under the cab. Lots of room to have a front exit exhaust to get away from tunnel icing etc. I like it, but I don't believe it!

I have been saying for a few years now that the next leap in technology for sleds needs to be in the clutch....or lets call it the "power transfer function." These new 150+ HP sleds have exceeded the modern day's clutch ability to handle it. The Apex has to use a heavy gear box to get it right. The Doo 800R ate belts for breakfast, lunch and dinner just like the new Cats. The brutal torque and power that these new engines put out....combined with the constant efforts of manufacturers making sleds lighter which ultimately means less stiffness...you have the recipe for belt eaters.

Clutch tech would be a great area for one of the OEM's to step up to the plate. Historically...Polaris has always been the masters of this. And to this day, their sleds are still the best clutches around.

 

[DigitalFusion]

Pro Tip: When the site doesnt seem like its responding, dont hit submit multiple times

 

[Bluebullet]

I hope they don't waste the " Viper Name" like they did the toy "SRX". Still find that move un real!

 

[RW06GT]

Pro Tip: When the site doesnt seem like its responding, dont hit submit multiple times

There's probably only fifty pages of unique posts!

 

[cjjeeper]

i'm in

I'm in on the big thing being the new drive system...that would fit with what we are hearing and seeing

Chris Reid specifically called out "GENESIS" as being a keyword for the new stuff and by golly that would be a reset/restart of the snowmachine industry as we know it.

It would be big enough of a change to genuinely have the ad campaign that they have going and not look like idiots if it turned out to be a 3.5" finger track or something like that...

Yamaha definitely has the engineering props to do it. And they have the discipline and resources to test and test it and test it to make sure it works.

It would explain the BNGs for all these years. All the money and effort was going toward getting the drive system (whatever it is) right.....

Fits the ad tag line like others have pointed out.

Yeah, I'm in...nice call.

 

[AKrider]

I think some of you guys are getting your expectations way, way too high. I don't know anymore than anyone else but look back at history and how Yamaha overhypes things. They claimed power steering was a game changer. Yeah, the other OEM's sure fell over each other trying to copy that.

Think about the hype with the Viper. What did you have? A V-max chassis with a different hood and Lego style tail light. I think one of its huge innovations was a high output stator with rare earth magnets. WOW!

Look at the RX-1, aside from the motor is was an unremarkable sled. It wasn't until '06 and the Apex did they really build a nice sled.

If all the new sled is, is a Cat with a Yamaha motor, some people are going to be very disappointed. But, if you keep an open mind and ride one, you will find it is leaps and bounds better in ride and handling than any current Yamaha and that would be revolutionary for Yamaha sled standards.

 

[cjjeeper]

And

AND that would be something EASY to hide in a current model.

And it would be necessary to hide that from a business perspective. That would be a true technological and competitive advantage.

 

[DigitalFusion]

RW06GT - Your avatar makes me sad. I almost want to report you for having an offensive image!

 

[F7 Racer]

Hmmm a clutchless drive system. That sounds interesting because the current variable ratio transmission system is inefficient and that is where most of the efficiency is lost getting hp to the track. Also, belt drives have been around for years and years. I think Olav Aaen was the pioneer for that system when he worked for Evinrude. I think I read that 20 years ago in his clutch tuning handbook. Correct me if I am wrong.

So with that being said, the Jap engineers would surely try to focus on that number one area of hp loss to make it better. Imagine the weight loss of no clutches alone??? Of course all the extra room under the cab. Lots of room to have a front exit exhaust to get away from tunnel icing etc. I like it, but I don't believe it!

I have been saying for a few years now that the next leap in technology for sleds needs to be in the clutch....or lets call it the "power transfer function." These new 150+ HP sleds have exceeded the modern day's clutch ability to handle it. The Apex has to use a heavy gear box to get it right. The Doo 800R ate belts for breakfast, lunch and dinner just like the new Cats. The brutal torque and power that these new engines put out....combined with the constant efforts of manufacturers making sleds lighter which ultimately means less stiffness...you have the recipe for belt eaters.

Clutch tech would be a great area for one of the OEM's to step up to the plate. Historically...Polaris has always been the masters of this. And to this day, their sleds are still the best clutches around.

I've been saying that for years. There needs to be a better system for all this HP we are now dealing with.This is the same clutching that was used when the biggest sleds made were Indy 600's with 95hp.

An you are so right about the chassis and all the problems its caused Doo and now Cat......

 

[ccrider]

Hmmm a clutchless drive system. That sounds interesting because the current variable ratio transmission system is inefficient and that is where most of the efficiency is lost getting hp to the track. Also, belt drives have been around for years and years. I think Olav Aaen was the pioneer for that system when he worked for Evinrude. I think I read that 20 years ago in his clutch tuning handbook. Correct me if I am wrong.

So with that being said, the Jap engineers would surely try to focus on that number one area of hp loss to make it better. Imagine the weight loss of no clutches alone??? Of course all the extra room under the cab. Lots of room to have a front exit exhaust to get away from tunnel icing etc. I like it, but I don't believe it!

I have been saying for a few years now that the next leap in technology for sleds needs to be in the clutch....or lets call it the "power transfer function." These new 150+ HP sleds have exceeded the modern day's clutch ability to handle it. The Apex has to use a heavy gear box to get it right. The Doo 800R ate belts for breakfast, lunch and dinner just like the new Cats. The brutal torque and power that these new engines put out....combined with the constant efforts of manufacturers making sleds lighter which ultimately means less stiffness...you have the recipe for belt eaters.

Clutch tech would be a great area for one of the OEM's to step up to the plate. Historically...Polaris has always been the masters of this. And to this day, their sleds are still the best clutches around.

I've been saying that for years. There needs to be a better system for all this HP we are now dealing with.This is the same clutching that was used when the biggest sleds made were Indy 600's with 95hp.

An you are so right about the chassis and all the problems its caused Doo and now Cat......

You got it. Trust me...I have painfully dealt with this. I have been sporting a Doo 800R for 5 years now. Had to put $1k into clutches and doo had to come up with a harder compound belt before I could get it to stop eating them up. But I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE riding the sled. It is so light and dynamic. That is what I want out of Yamaha! I grew up on Yamaha's. Everything we had growing up was a Yam....my Dad, Uncle and Grandpa would have nothing else. They lost me in recent years....

My fingers are crossed. Would love to come back...but the fun factor of their sleds are sub-par to others in their current state....in my opinion of course. But thats why I'm here hammering away at this thread. I'm pulling for Yam!

 

[blueironranger]

I REALLY doubt it will be a hydro system, go look at Hydrostatic efficiency, it somewhere in the 50-60% range which is worse then belt drive. I COULD see them using a "manual-o-matic" like the Honda Rancher 420 has which is a dual clutch "racing" style gearbox that is very efficient. With the wide torque range the 4 strokes have it could be very effective with only a 3 or 4 speed transmission. The ability to manually control which gear is was in would also help fuel efficiency by lugging the engine in the top gear at slower speed too. You could also lock it in 1st for well controlled deep power play.