2021 Yamaha Snowmobiles - Jaret Smith, Snowmobile Product Manager Discusses Line Up And Strategy

[MrSled]

2021 Yamaha Snowmobiles - Jaret Smith, Snowmobile Product Manager Discusses Line Up And Strategy

 

[Thunder Products]

 

[WinderFab]

 

[WinderFab]

Thanks Mr Sled, gave me some entertainment while driving up into northern Ontario.. so depressing to think this might be my last ride of the season on the 998, I just can’t get enough of the sidewinder..

 

[northern srx]

Well, that clears up many questions on the Yamaha snowmobile division direction.

 

[sxr70001]

I think it makes sense that Yamaha wants to give their dealers something to sell to all the different customer niches out their. I know a lot of us on this forum are super offended by using non Yamaha products to fill certain slots in the product lineup, but this makes a certain kind of sense and keeps Yamaha snowmobile dealers viable and in business in the near term. Let's face it most of the people I ride with and see on the trail have no idea that my Viper is mostly an Arctic Cat. And as long as Yamaha's snowmobile division lives on their is hope for the future. Without life there is no hope. I am wondering what that Venture would look like with sporty seat and a custom wrap though.

 

[20/80]

Just a couple of questions... Why has Ski Doo and Polaris gained in market share, what are they doing different? Why has Yamaha lost market share, what are they doing different and why have they lost market share over the years? Yamaha were leaders in market share, in racing, and producing unbelievable engines, 4 stroke and 2 stroke, what happened?

 

[yamajammer76]

Just a couple of questions... Why has Ski Doo and Polaris gained in market share, what are they doing different? Why has Yamaha lost market share, what are they doing different and why have they lost market share over the years? Yamaha were leaders in market share, in racing, and producing unbelievable engines, 4 stroke and 2 stroke, what happened?

What happened? Yamaha went 4 stroke for the entire line, but the other manufacturers and more importantly consumers never followed. Also the mountain market became much larger and 2 strokes dominate that market. If they wanted to be a leader in the industry today they really needed a good 2 and 4 stroke model mix. On top of that they just didn't have a very good chassis for most trail and off trail riders until the joint venture with AC. Sure the old deltabox was fine for long, smooth straight trails, but it just didn't work for how 75% of riders use their sleds today. They attempted a more versatile chassis with the Nytro in '08, but that just never worked right from day #1 and forced the move to the much better Procross/SR chassis.

Anyhow those are all the reasons and on top of that the entire snowmobile industry is way down in sales compared to the 1990s and before. I think they are smart to get back into some 2 stroke sleds even if they have Cat engines. They have to provide more options for loyal Yamaha customers.

 

[20/80]

What happened? Yamaha went 4 stroke for the entire line, but the other manufacturers and more importantly consumers never followed. Also the mountain market became much larger and 2 strokes dominate that market. If they wanted to be a leader in the industry today they really needed a good 2 and 4 stroke model mix. On top of that they just didn't have a very good chassis for most trail and off trail riders until the joint venture with AC. Sure the old deltabox was fine for long, smooth straight trails, but it just didn't work for how 75% of riders use their sleds today. They attempted a more versatile chassis with the Nytro in '08, but that just never worked right from day #1 and forced the move to the much better Procross/SR chassis.

Anyhow those are all the reasons and on top of that the entire snowmobile industry is way down in sales compared to the 1990s and before. I think they are smart to get back into some 2 stroke sleds even if they have Cat engines. They have to provide more options for loyal Yamaha customers.

Thanks, one thing though, are you saying that Jaret and his team of engineers at Yamaha are not competent enough to build there own chassis for the true blues? that's why they hide behind the its not profitable enough excuse? Doo is competent enough to make their own chassis and motors and make profit, same with Poo, market share shows this clearly, why couldn't Yamaha follow their model? Cat has needed crutches to stand on their own to feet sense like... forever, so why have they chosen Cats Model? oh yeah... the mountain max has a Cat engine in it because its a... Cat

 

[yamajammer76]

Thanks, one thing though, are you saying that Jaret and his team of engineers at Yamaha are not competent enough to build there own chassis for the true blues? that's why they hide behind the its not profitable enough excuse? Doo is competent enough to make their own chassis and motors and make profit, same with Poo, market share shows this clearly, why couldn't Yamaha follow their model? Cat has needed crutches to stand on their own to feet sense like... forever, so why have they chosen Cats Model? oh yeah... the mountain max has a Cat engine in it because its a... Cat

Sure it's possible to build anything and do it well with enough cash investment, but that's the biggest problem. Throwing millions into a brand new homegrown chassis and then tooling up a line at a Yamaha facility either in North America or overseas to sell a few thousand of them? Yeah there is no way that passes at the corporate level when discussing ROI. Engineering and manufacturing has became a lot more complex today then in the 80s or 90s and much more expensive. I'm not even sure you would have ever seen the Blast/Venom sleds developed if Textron didn't have Yamaha as a partner. Right now they are spreading costs out to try and make some profit in this business.

I don't have an issue with the shared chassis and it might be the only way the two smallest builders can profitably stay in the game. I do wish however in the case of the Venom Yamaha would have at least offered the 500 4 Stroke engine and Yamaha clutches as an option. I suppose Cat might not have went for that because that sled with an 80 HP engine would probably outsell the model with a 65 HP single cylinder.

 

[20/80]

Yamaha is still set up for building their own sleds, MP Venture, VK PRO, VK540, They sell a load of these oversea's and quite a few here and up north, so as far as a manufacturing facility they have that, fact of the matter is I think they just cheaped out on north America True blues that bought their products over the years, let Cat build them for us now they say, 10 years ago a true blue wouldn't even think or dare throwing a leg over a Cat, we had pride and identity that was unmatched, other than Yamaha's engines, at most warming huts around here where there is a crowd we are the laughing stock of the industry, not only that.. Cat engines are now migrating into what's left of our line up, I just pray Cat does not migrate over to the ATV/UTV side of Yamaha.

 

[yamajammer76]

Yamaha is still set up for building their own sleds, MP Venture, VK PRO, VK540, They sell a load of these oversea's and quite a few here and up north, so as far as a manufacturing facility they have that, fact of the matter is I think they just cheaped out on north America True blues that bought their products over the years, let Cat build them for us now they say, 10 years ago a true blue wouldn't even think or dare throwing a leg over a Cat, we had pride and identity that was unmatched, other than Yamaha's engines, at most warming huts around here where there is a crowd we are the laughing stock of the industry, not only that.. Cat engines are now migrating into what's left of our line up, I just pray Cat does not migrate over to the ATV/UTV side of Yamaha.

I don’t know what else to tell you other then leave and purchase another brand. No one laughs at my Viper and if they do I could care less. Maybe you can travel to Japan and present a business case to upper level management? I’m not sure what else to say. Yamaha has decided that the joint venture with Cat is the most profitable way to offer their dealers a winter season product to sell and service at the current time.

 

[20/80]

I don’t know what else to tell you other then leave and purchase another brand. No one laughs at my Viper and if they do I could care less. Maybe you can travel to Japan and present a business case to upper level management? I’m not sure what else to say. Yamaha has decided that the joint venture with Cat is the most profitable way to offer their dealers a winter season product to sell and service at the current time.

uh.. I can't speak Japanese!!

 

[sxr70001]

Give it a rest already!

 

[pdiddy]

They attempted a more versatile chassis with the Nytro in '08, but that just never worked right from day #1 and forced the move to the much better Procross/SR chassis..

I believe the Nytro was the way forward for Yamaha at the time and they just pooched it. They could have recovered but failed to make enough changes fast enough to save the model's reputation. I'd speculate there were plans to put the Apex motor in it eventually that had to be scrapped. The current 998T would likely fit in there too with some crowbar work.