Apex lovers?? Is this the end??

[Sasquatch]

Stop.. please. Deep breaths and move on.

Smiles Tom! I meant it in a good way! As we move into the Cat/Yamaha family to which Yamaha has taken us, the family has grown larger. We can not then look at Cat in disdain and run down one without running down the other. This is the trouble that many die hard Yamaha guys have. They dislike Cat and find the merge of the two sleds into one puzzling and not to their liking. Hard to like a sled you poked fun at and maybe more. They are intertwined and the same, This opens even more possibility's in sled choice. I like both the T-Cat and even more the ZR 9000. Like the colors mostly but the T-Cat Name is iconic.

I rode Cat for years and loved my T-Cat 1000 triple powered Pantera. The Cat/Yamaha sled of today may not be my first choice in the sled I wish for but it has opened up more possibility's. I still long for a true Yamaha sled with my Apex engine in it but dare I hold my breath? Hence maybe my overuse of sarcasm to which I will apologize. It is hard getting used to going back to the company I left from to go to Yamaha.

To those who think the Apex is dead, it could well be but I see the Apex engine as a choice between the 130 triple and the 180 turbo. 130, 150, 180 makes sense to me.

 

[Sasquatch]

I am afraid that the 4-cyl engine is out. Yama dont need that engine anymore. Thats very bad.
people that havent drived a 4-cyl 4-stroke yama-engine in a sled, they dont know what we are talking about. No other engine have simular power in the middle. No other engine is so fun to drive. If you compare all n/a engines delivered in sleds, the apex engine feels best. The funny thing is. If you compare aftermarket boosted sleds with simular hp, the apexengine feels like the most powerfull. I have driven a lot of 300hp sleds, nytro turbo, 1200 turbo, apex turbo. Apex has the best and most powerfull engine.
But I am pretty sure its over soon. I will keep my 2011 Apex XTX, but i will probably buy a Sidewinder also.


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I still ride my RX Warrior and its still a blast to ride. My 2011 XTX will be around for a long long time, just way to much fun to ride. No Sidewinder in my future that I can see. Will wait till 2018 and see about a new Apex XTX or pick up a 2017 if there is none in 18.

 

[cobrajet ltx dx]

Here is the problem with the apex.
Every thing around the MOTOR is so outdated, talking about Rider position,transition from sitting to standing and chassis as a whole compared to the other manufacturers.I felt like I was riding my old Indy 400 from the 80's. With that being said, if Yamaha puts this NA MOTOR in a up to date chassis then I'll be all over it but I believe it's not going to happen anytime soon. I could be very happy with the sidewinder for a long time because once you go turbo with this power you don't look back.

 

[sxr70001]

I really hope the Apex is not dead. I love my Viper, but next to a real Yamaha the build quality is noticeably different. I think everyone is focused too much on top speed. The Corvette is faster than the Cadillac, but the Cadillac is still GM's flagship brand. Hopefully Yamaha sees the need to still provide a world class sled for sit down riders that ride long distances on wide sweeping trails and lakes. Where I ride the trails are tight and rough and the Viper suits me better, but if I lived in Canada or even the UP the Apex would be a great sled to own. I don't pretend to know how the numbers pan out, but I would like to hope that there is still enough market to continue to improve the Apex for those who love it.

 

[staggs65]

I get how you guys feel. I wouldn't give up my SRX'S and hotrodded SX Viper forever because the newer stuff didn't do it for me. I finally bought a 06 Apex (I know it's not as good as the 11 ups), it just wasn't the sled to change my mind. The 4 holer is definitely the best sounding 4 stroke out there and power is good but the sled as a whole wasn't for me. Then the SR Viper came out and it was the first new sled to really peak my interest, but the low power and dismal speeds still couldn't change my mind. Then the turbo kits started coming out and I finally broke down and bought one. It's the sled that finally put my smokers up for sale. Now I full well understand that if a sled doesn't do it for you then it just doesn't do it for you, I was there, but what I never did was come on here and complain about the sleds that so many of you love because they hadn't made my sled yet. You guys think you've had it bad waiting for a new Apex, try waiting from 2002 to 2015

 

[cobrajet ltx dx]

I have to tell you, I did just over 2000 miles this year in Quebec, New Brunswick, Maine and thank god I was on my viper because of the ever changing trail conditions and the half #*$&@ reroute situations that occurred.

VIPER 600 class
Apex. 700 class
Sidewinder 800 class
All modern chassis

YAMAHA WILL BE NUMBER 1 in the snow biz!!!!!!!!

 

[journeyman]

As a very happy owner of 2 Apex's, 08 LTX and a 09 LTXGT, one with over 10K and the other with over 9K. They are great turn key sleds. Basic maintenance and go ride. The new Sidewinder looks interesting and sounds good on the videos, but, the Apex is a proven premier sled. So today my dealer made me a deal I couldn't resist and I updated to a 16 XTX. Overall same basic sled but totally different. Can't wait to log some (s)miles on it.

You'll live the power steering but good luck with that Singleshot skid.

 

[journeyman]

I used to be a new sled every year or two guy until my life got so busy raising kids. I hung onto my 2 stroke Viper forever. I wanted a 4s Apex when they came out but found with the lousy winters here I was riding less and less and couldn't justify the price tag. My dad was my big ride partner too but he was getting old and wouldn't travel to find snow anymore. I started going to Michigan with some friends I met at a dealership. My Viper still looked and ran great but was starting to nickle me with nearly 10,000 miles so just a couple seasons ago I bought a clean Attak GT from Pat's.

I love this sled and yes the motor is a Swiss watch. For a sled that's now 10 yrs old it still looks great. That's the thing we love about the Made in Japan Yamaha's, they look good for a very long time. Seeing a guy go 99,000 plus miles on vitually the same chassis but step down engine gives us the reality that these Apex's could probably do the same.

I agree the Apex has its place, long mileage trail rides, saddle bag trips, turn the key and go. That's me in my life today. The SW is way cool but unless I suddenly fall into a boat load of cash and free time (yeh right) I'll sit back and listen to the stories. I hate to see the Apex go but in the end total sales criteria for Yamaha will win out. I will be shocked if they do anything more with this engine....

 

[Redbeard]

I think these are pretty exciting times! In a few years, my son will be old enough to hammer the trails with me and I'll need a new sled! As mentioned earlier, my 4-banger(s) aren't going anywhere, but this new 998 turbo sounds pretty damn sweet! I am curious, however, to see if the 150 hp segment fades away or hangs around in the future?

 

[steiner]

Apex is a purpose built sled. Its not built to go smash the moguls or skip over driveways like a stand up back packer on a Ditch Pickle.
Look at the Bravo. Same sled for the past 100 years. I here no one saying its the end for the it.
Does the Apex have a future?? You bet it does. Does Yamaha realize this? You bet they do. Does it make good business sense to keep it?
Well that one will be up to us, the buying public.

 

[nbsledder]

Apex is a purpose built sled. Its not built to go smash the moguls or skip over driveways like a stand up back packer on a Ditch Pickle.
Look at the Bravo. Same sled for the past 100 years. I here no one saying its the end for the it.
Does the Apex have a future?? You bet it does. Does Yamaha realize this? You bet they do. Does it make good business sense to keep it?
Well that one will be up to us, the buying public.

Ahh....The bravo is gone and has been for awhile. Lol

 

[Nytros rule]

Smiles Tom! I meant it in a good way! As we move into the Cat/Yamaha family to which Yamaha has taken us, the family has grown larger. We can not then look at Cat in disdain and run down one without running down the other. This is the trouble that many die hard Yamaha guys have. They dislike Cat and find the merge of the two sleds into one puzzling and not to their liking. Hard to like a sled you poked fun at and maybe more. They are intertwined and the same, This opens even more possibility's in sled choice. I like both the T-Cat and even more the ZR 9000. Like the colors mostly but the T-Cat Name is iconic.

I rode Cat for years and loved my T-Cat 1000 triple powered Pantera. The Cat/Yamaha sled of today may not be my first choice in the sled I wish for but it has opened up more possibility's. I still long for a true Yamaha sled with my Apex engine in it but dare I hold my breath? Hence maybe my overuse of sarcasm to which I will apologize. It is hard getting used to going back to the company I left from to go to Yamaha.

To those who think the Apex is dead, it could well be but I see the Apex engine as a choice between the 130 triple and the 180 turbo. 130, 150, 180 makes sense to me.

Look at the bright side in what you just said, the Apex the T CAT are iconic names not just to the faithful in each camp but in the industry.
I don't see the other two camps asking for some of their iconic names back, the Storm, the Fusion the Ultra, the Blizzard, even though the new Doo looks like a Blizzard thats been in an accident.

 

[biffdotorg]

I don't see the other two camps asking for some of their iconic names back, the Storm, the Fusion the Ultra, the Blizzard, even though the new Doo looks like a Blizzard thats been in an accident.

Blizzard was brought back for 2016 and the Fusion has a horrible past, so I think Poo put that one to bed. Poo did bring back XCR this year, and that name is very nostalgic for that camp. Heck the Poo riders have an XCR sub culture that has meet ups still. I was expecting a white and pink retro color option though!

 

[vodoo child]

Smiles Tom! I meant it in a good way! As we move into the Cat/Yamaha family to which Yamaha has taken us, the family has grown larger. We can not then look at Cat in disdain and run down one without running down the other. This is the trouble that many die hard Yamaha guys have. They dislike Cat and find the merge of the two sleds into one puzzling and not to their liking. Hard to like a sled you poked fun at and maybe more. They are intertwined and the same, This opens even more possibility's in sled choice. I like both the T-Cat and even more the ZR 9000. Like the colors mostly but the T-Cat Name is iconic.

I rode Cat for years and loved my T-Cat 1000 triple powered Pantera. The Cat/Yamaha sled of today may not be my first choice in the sled I wish for but it has opened up more possibility's. I still long for a true Yamaha sled with my Apex engine in it but dare I hold my breath? Hence maybe my overuse of sarcasm to which I will apologize. It is hard getting used to going back to the company I left from to go to Yamaha.

To those who think the Apex is dead, it could well be but I see the Apex engine as a choice between the 130 triple and the 180 turbo. 130, 150, 180 makes sense to me.

With my history with Cat I couldn't agree more Sasquatch! Not to bash, but like I've said from day one when the Viper was introduced. If I wanted a Cat I'd buy a Cat !!!

 

[TopGunn]

So they replace the Apex with a new one at 18k$ next year, you all complain it costs too much and everyone just keeps their old ones? Theyll never please everyone. ....... I love my Apex and would have loved to buy a viper for the newer better chassis, but the power just wasent there, short of buying a Turbo and bringing in a whole new set of possible issues.

I for one am happy to see Blue and Green working together, and truley believe if we can get them 100% working together they can make one hell of a machine for ALL of us. Cat has always had leading chassis designs and development, but lacked in quality and finish. Yamaha has always had awesome engines but lacked in good working chassis for anything but smooth roads and lakes...face it; its true.

If we could get a cat chassis GOOD and a yamaha powertrain GOOD and an overall machine up to our known and loved Yami specs and quality we ALL win. I feel the further the two companies intermingle and work together it would be THE best machine on the snow.

This is just what I needed to persuade me from my Apex, a mill with some balls that will pull harder than the Apex. Even the 1049 ran great loads of power down low fun from corner to corner but ran out of steam because its lacking the power over its smaller but bigger brother. Will I get rid of my Apex?...not a chance itll fit real nice next to my SRX. I feel all the guys knocking its not the 4 holer, how many of you have ridin this new machine to compare engines? Thats right only a select few have tried it out, so blindly saying this is not a replacement for the apex engine is dumb. I bet this thing rips the 4 holer apart in everything.

As for the handling issues, if you dont have it setup right of course its going to suck to ride. Every other post I see here is related to someone getting their Apex to handle, or it rides like crap but they love the engine so they keep it....... 99% of the buyers out there buy the sled and go ride it and wonder why it doesnt work like they said.....

Yam+Cat= good things to come