2016 Models

[MikeWalters]

where were those photos sourced from?

 

[Francois Nadeau]

look like an Apex to me, not a vector, new suspension ?

 

[Francois Nadeau]

where were those photos sourced from?

French forum in canada, do not know where he got the pics from?

 

[MikeWalters]

there is a 2016 picture on the yamaha.com site, but its a sled thats blocked by a bunch of snow flying, cant see anything

 

[dfroster]

NOT SURE HOW LIGIT BUT HERE WE GO

The side panels and shroud is interesting. They don't look like the 2015's. Form or function?

 

[DeepFrz]

Here's the pic from the Yamaha website... You cant really see too much..

Digging through the page source on Yamaha's website, they don't have anything tucked away and hidden. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Does anyone have the link to the French forum?

 

[2000SI-G]

http://www.motoneigeauquebec.com/forum/showthread.php?179745-Yamaha-2016/page7
HERE YOU GO DEEPFRZ

 

[Redtailshark]

Does look like an Apex after taking a closer look. Notice only 2 idler wheels on each side....2015 has 3.

 

[DeepFrz]

Thank you, I'll do some more digging. Also that first picture is in fact an Apex. On the far side of the hood below the headlight the Apex decal is there, not to mention the name of the image on the other site is Apex.jpg

 

[Redtailshark]

Looks like the same exact paint and decals as 2015 but blue instead of red. Innovation! Ha ha. I don't mind if it hangs around, better than being replaced by cat-only chassis. BNG Apex and Turbo Viper would not be a bad spread. If there is an Apex skid update, it wouldn't be much different than the 2005 RX1 with the mono shock in terms of updates.......so maybe a ground up model in 2017 using the new skid?

 

[nytroxtx144]

I don't think there is ever going to be a new model from Yamaha japan...There just slowly bowing out of the sled biz...just powertrains in the very near future.

 

[MikeWalters]

Nobody knows s$%* about s$%*, and those who do aren't talking LOL. All the hype and leaked photos before vipers were out taught them a lesson I think. Just a few more days!

 

[gytr done]

 

[VX1R]

I was looking back at some of the quotes from Yamaha execs at the February 2013 dealer meeting when they announced the 5 year "supply agreement" with Arctic Cat along with some of their future plans and wonder just what "new" sled or engine we might see this year as part of their 5 year plan that they mention. Last year we saw the new Viper MTX models for the western market. I hope that they don't wait until MY2018 which is the snowmobile divisions 50th anniversary to release an all new Yamaha built sled. Remember that Arctic Cat first released the ProCross based sleds in MY2012 during their 50th anniversary year.

Here's a few of the quotes that I thought were most interesting:

Vice President of Yamaha Motor Canada & North American Snowmobile Leader Peter Smallman-Tew: “Today’s a very major turning point for Yamaha snowmobiles. In five short years we will be celebrating our 50th anniversary in snowmobiling. During that time, we’ve been innovators, we’ve been leaders, and lately things have been challenging, and we know that. … The North American snowmobile team has a very serious message, and we have a very serious mission. That mission is to reassure Yamaha as a force to be reckoned with in the snowmobile industry and let me tell you we will fight with everything we have to take back our fair share of the market. So how are we going to do that? We’re going to start with a long-term plan and a short-term plan. It all comes from what Mr. Kato said, Mr. Kato created the North American team and this team has a commitment, a commitment to engineering, a commitment to product development through our Minocqua plant, our mission in Minocqua is to develop a new snowmobile each year for the next five years. Partnering with YMC Japan, development is already underway on state-of-the-art four-stroke high-technology snowmobile engines, which will take us into a completely new dimension of performance, and new sled platforms. And did I mention that was engines, plural?”

Peter Smallman-Tew: “We’re fully aware and we deeply respect the challenges that our western, mountain and utility markets are facing, but let me tell you this: our North American team puts us in a much stronger position to develop products for all market segments going further, and like I said earlier, we will be developing snowmobiles and engines in the next five years, each year … We are committed to be a leader in innovation, performance, quality and customer appeal. What you’re about to see is only a small portion of Yamaha’s long-term vision.

Oh well, only a few more days until we find out........

 

[biffdotorg]

NOT SURE HOW LIGIT BUT HERE WE GO

The biggest indicator that this is an Apex is the rear end near the exhaust tips. It's an Apex seat, and exhaust. Unless they are bringing that over to the Vector.

One last animal that we have not predicted coming to yamaha yet would be the Pantera as a Venture replacement. That configuration with the spare fuel tank in the rear is a potential replacement. As much as two-up riders love the existing Venture, it is long for an upgrade as well.

As mentioned, we are all guessing. And those two spy pics of the viper are just BNG. They took it at a goofy angle to make it look fatter. Our dreams of a 4 hole engine are swaying judgement. We want to see it, but it's not fatter. The left leg in the foot well gives it a better perspective.

One thing that is there that everyone skipped over was the clothing that rider is wearing. Once again, we are going to see Yamaha branded clothing OEM'd by FXR! We haven't seen that in a couple years. And next to the Yamaha Gear OEM'd by Klim, the FXR stuff was pretty damn nice.

No new sleds, but the clothing catalog will grow. Just be glad it's not rebranded Arctic Wear!!! HA!!