2019 release

[hognit09]

No stock Viper has all the power and then some of My stock Apex trust me on that! They will hang with me to 70mph and then its like they dropped an anchor and fade back into the distance.

The RX and the Apex that followed changed the rules in that you didn't have to trade it in like a disposable lighter every second year. Its why so many jumped onto Yamaha's 4 stroke, tired of things that just don't last. I left Cat for Yamaha based on that fact. I was way tired of having to trade off every couple years! The DB and the Apex engine are one tough combo! To bad we are now back into the disposables and justify it with moving on the new tech!

I love sleds and have rode them for 50 Years starting out on a Polaris! I rode sleds that most have never heard of! I have owned and rode ever brand of sled that is left today as well. My favorite sled from the old Days is a 190 Snow-Jet with a 19hp Hirth engine! So a sled of any brand even a Polaris is rideable and enjoyable. When you drop 20,000 on a sled nowadays you want it to last and you want it to meet your standards of a sled. That changes from person to person and that is as it should be. Enjoy your next sled as the Viper is now 4 years old in an even older dated chassis by your criteria its definatly time to move on to newer tech!

I wish I could move on the summer toys and get my outdated old tech Yamaha Royal Star Venture S out for a nice long tour! Planning a 3,000 mile camping tour to visit my kids this summer but with waist deep snow that is a ways off! Maybe go ice fishing instead!

I’m sorry but a viper will hang all day with an apex on the trail easily. On the lake no,but how often are you on a lake.

 

[zr7cat]

Your "viper" makes more power than an Apex? Lol. You mean "Hurricane Performance Turbo" makes more power. Everyone on here knows that viper was a turd when you bought it. Therefore all your mods. Big ole CAT TURD.

Cat Turd? Yami power pushing that thing. I was hoping for an apex motor in the cat chassis, but not looking like it. Yamaha is turning out to be nothing more than an engine supplier. Days of a Yamaha built sled are over. Good thing there is 13 years of used apex's out there.

 

[earthling]

Saying that a viper can beat an apex or vice versa on the trails (easily/all day/everytime/when one driver loses the key) is pointless conjecture. Its like saying a Winston cup car can beat a formula 1 car. Under the right circumstances it will be true but there is always the other case and even then, you are discounting the pilot, familiarity with the vehicle, tuning for conditions, trail knowledge, and a million other variables. The only comparison you can make is for your own style and preferences. Can we go back to just bashing/praising Yamaha for the decisions that the engineers/management did or didn't make given that we have one leak, one teaser, and a lot of unknowns.

Personally, if Yamaha snowmobile engineering has a leash on their budget due to corporate decisions then I feel like they made the best possible choice. Being able to show some resurgence in growth (take share in marketing terms) will be the only way that they can convince corporate that there is any viability for further investment. Partnerships can be great levers for commercial success due to shared R&D and production costs. Supply chain efficiency can be amplified as well. Marketing differentiation becomes a bit more difficult but AC just made that much easier by choosing those color schemes and the fact that they are even worse at marketing than Yamaha also helps. So, if you are a brand loyalist, what you can hope for is enough product differentiation (branding or physical) that Yamaha takes some market share away from the others and that the resulting success creates a new opportunity for renewed engineering budget in the future. If you are not a brand loyalist and you just want best of breed, then given the choices I am not sure what else you could ask for except perhaps some greater involvement with the smaller, more innovative vendors in the market.

 

[mikextx]

Yeah. Turd. 600 class chick sled

 

[zr7cat]

Yeah. Turd. 600 class chick sled

I agree its no thrill seeker sled, they just need something in the middle between the viper and sidewinder I think. I'm still running 02 viper, way out of the mix when it comes to new sleds. My next new to me sled will be an Apex.

 

[crk1333]

At this point I think this thread could be moved to the HCS site. It's about on par with what you see there.

I recently bought my kids a 600 Ace. It's amazing how easy that thing is to drive. I personally would like to see Yamaha come up with something like that. I had a 2009 Phazer for one season. There is no comparison on the drivability between the two.

 

[mikextx]

We have an 02 viper in our group, tripple pipes, aftermarket head, 1 inch track. That thing hauls #*$&@. One of the fastest in the group. Great sled. Funny that those old Yamaha 700s will eat those new yipercats alive. On the TRAILS.

 

[mikextx]

Not trying to be all HCS. Lol. Just have to call B.S. when I see it. I agree with you on the Doos. They are gonna take alot of Yamaha guys that don't want to ride a cat away from Yami. I know of a couple already

 

[zr7cat]

We have an 02 viper in our group, tripple pipes, aftermarket head, 1 inch track. That thing hauls #*$&@. One of the fastest in the group. Great sled. Funny that those old Yamaha 700s will eat those new yipercats alive. On the TRAILS.

Heck ya!!! I love this thing!!!

 

[Motorhead]

Heck ya!!! I love this thing!!!

Have owned 4 2 stroke Vipers. well they were my wife’s and daughters sleds. The trick is keeping it together once piped!!

Ask me how I know.

 

[Doc Harley]

Guys whom criticize the Viper are doing so with fogged goggles.

Let's compare it back to back to the 600ace.

I think it would make a great trail sled for most. Including me.

I would prefer it to the Skidoo 900.

 

[Sasquatch]

I’m sorry but a viper will hang all day with an apex on the trail easily. On the lake no,but how often are you on a lake.

Depends on definition of trail, if I was to run from here to Sioux for the most part the first section I would agree! Then we hit the powerline and numerous lakes! My 2000 600 Cat will hang all day with either sled on the twisty trails. As far as lakes, pipelines and powerlines go we got a ton of them. I can think of one that is 100 miles with 60 miles lake and 20 miles pipeline. I think though a drag race was the point in question and the NA 3 hole has a lot of grunt and does very well to 70mph, past that its just missing something! It is however an excellent trail sled and a poor lake racer! Not everyone wants to hit the triple digits at will! Anyone looking at the Apex or Turbo 998 does! The stock Apex XTX will hit 110 to 115 and the stock turbo a bit past that! Way past the Vector Viper stock! My buddies turbo Viper will hang out at Apex speed as long as the run is not to long!

 

[Sasquatch]

My disapointment so far with the 19 release is of course without saying no Yamaha sled. Now thats out of the way I'm disappointing no Crosstour 146 9,000 in the Cat lineup after one year only! Will have to see if Yamaha still has it. Sadly though it came with more options standard equipment as a Cat then as a Yamaha and was cheaper to boot! Other then the T-Cat, (I just love the name) the cross tour 9,000 was the only sled that peaked an interest, no brainer with the Apex engine but interesting without!

 

[Big_Phil]

We have an 02 viper in our group, tripple pipes, aftermarket head, 1 inch track. That thing hauls #*$&@. One of the fastest in the group. Great sled. Funny that those old Yamaha 700s will eat those new yipercats alive. On the TRAILS.

Sure, Untill you hit a bump and break your back and your w-arm on the 02 viper. LOL

 

[mikextx]

It's lasted since 02. Not everyone starts their name with "Big". Lol