Apex Quality

[whitedust1]

The 1200 Doo needs a triple throttle body header setup (ie a SS model) and why Doo holds back on that I can only guess but they don't want competition with their two stroke models. Getting 15hp more out of a 1200 is not hard which brings it up to Apex power and the Doo has a better skid. Maybe if they Drop the Apex Doo might see a market!

Dealers I talk to see the market for a doo 150hp+ 4s and know doo could easily release an Apex type sled. My local dealer was convinced 2 years doo had the 150 4s and invited me to Munising for spring test ride. When the 150hp 4s was not released I cancelled out and many doo dealers were disappointed is what I was told after doo dealer meeting. I think doo knows we want a 150hp 4s but BRP is forcing the 850s on that market niche for now. 850 2s is not what I want maybe doo will see the market and not force 2s on 4s market.

 

[Sasquatch]

Dealers I talk to see the market for a doo 150hp+ 4s and know doo could easily release an Apex type sled. My local dealer was convinced 2 years doo had the 150 4s and invited me to Munising for spring test ride. When the 150hp 4s was not released I cancelled out and many doo dealers were disappointed is what I was told after doo dealer meeting. I think doo knows we want a 150hp 4s but BRP is forcing the 850s on that market niche for now. 850 2s is not what I want maybe doo will see the market and not force 2s on 4s market.

Yep no more two strokes for me. I love my kids 600 Cat but that was and is the last one I buy. I agree they don't want the in house competition. My Buddy was drooling thinking a 1200SS was in the works, so again he modified his with aftermarket parts. While it works the 1200 needs a triple throttle body and only Doo can do that. Again if Yamaha drops the Apex, Doo has the chance to fill it with a 150hp four stroke. Would I go to that? Hmmm still a three but 150hp and no turbo with arguably the best rear skid out there does entice! The jump would be then to a NA Cat/Yamaha 130hp or a Doo 150. Not that hard to decide!

But I digress as Yamaha is building a new Apex for 2018! They are still a sled builder, right?

 

[yamadoo]

Yep no more two strokes for me. I love my kids 600 Cat but that was and is the last one I buy. I agree they don't want the in house competition. My Buddy was drooling thinking a 1200SS was in the works, so again he modified his with aftermarket parts. While it works the 1200 needs a triple throttle body and only Doo can do that. Again if Yamaha drops the Apex, Doo has the chance to fill it with a 150hp four stroke. Would I go to that? Hmmm still a three but 150hp and no turbo with arguably the best rear skid out there does entice! The jump would be then to a NA Cat/Yamaha 130hp or a Doo 150. Not that hard to decide!

But I digress as Yamaha is building a new Apex for 2018! They are still a sled builder, right?

I hope they do build more Apexs I will be going back, perfect trail lake sled for a big guy who wants to smoothly cruise with power speed in comfort.

Oh, I love my Viper, I really do, miss my Apex

 

[Rich Kay]

I am so glad that I have had the patience to just sit back and enjoy my apex for all these years...While it has been cool to see all the new models evolve and the new SW come out I still see no need to replace my apex.... its been that good to me. I have thoughts of of a longer track and 15ohp class sled 4stroke with a nice shock package in the future though. Just hard to except the cost of a new sled!

 

[whitedust1]

Yep no more two strokes for me. I love my kids 600 Cat but that was and is the last one I buy. I agree they don't want the in house competition. My Buddy was drooling thinking a 1200SS was in the works, so again he modified his with aftermarket parts. While it works the 1200 needs a triple throttle body and only Doo can do that. Again if Yamaha drops the Apex, Doo has the chance to fill it with a 150hp four stroke. Would I go to that? Hmmm still a three but 150hp and no turbo with arguably the best rear skid out there does entice! The jump would be then to a NA Cat/Yamaha 130hp or a Doo 150. Not that hard to decide!

But I digress as Yamaha is building a new Apex for 2018! They are still a sled builder, right?

I not convinced Yamaha Japan is done building sleds....yet. Big hole in the current Yamaha product line between 130HP and 200HP and both those choices are cat chassis. The Vector line might might be gone foreced to take a Viper and many of them but the Apex can still address what the core wants. A new robust trail sled at 150-160 HP with a strong but lighter chassis. If Yamaha does NOT release a new Apex or rebrand it something else this Spring they are done building sleds other than AC chassis with Yamaha engines. If that happens they are indeed an engine OEM supplier & all hell could break loose if AC is sold lets say to HD. In that case I would think Yamha would back away quickly and let the lawyers deal with closing out the agreement. That would not be pretty for anyone but would force Yamaha to withdraw or comitt to the snowmobile market. I think Yamaha has something for us..... 50th is a milestone and time to release a new Japan built new Apex. If Yamaha sits on their hands again this Spring I have little hope for anything new from Japan and my waiting is over just nothing to continue waiting for imo.

 

[vodoo child]

I not convinced Yamaha Japan is done building sleds....yet. Big hole in the current Yamaha product line between 130HP and 200HP and both those choices are cat chassis. The Vector line might might be gone foreced to take a Viper and many of them but the Apex can still address what the core wants. A new robust trail sled at 150-160 HP with a strong but lighter chassis. If Yamaha does NOT release a new Apex or rebrand it something else this Spring they are done building sleds other than AC chassis with Yamaha engines. If that happens they are indeed an engine OEM supplier & all hell could break loose if AC is sold lets say to HD. In that case I would think Yamha would back away quickly and let the lawyers deal with closing out the agreement. That would not be pretty for anyone but would force Yamaha to withdraw or comitt to the snowmobile market. I think Yamaha has something for us..... 50th is a milestone and time to release a new Japan built new Apex. If Yamaha sits on their hands again this Spring I have little hope for anything new from Japan and my waiting is over just nothing to continue waiting for imo.

X2' I've heard rumblings from a few dealers that 2017 is the last year of performance sleds from japan. Being its there 50th anniversary in 2018, and if they have no new ""BUILT IN JAPAN"" 4cly. sled coming then they are relegated to just another engine supplier for cat! Same as (cough) KYMCO!! I got flamed for this comment in the spring but I'll repeat it. ""Just cause you put a Ferrari engine in a Kia, its still just a Kia!"" And being an old school muscle car guy I also said this, ""How would it look if Chevy contracted Ford to build the Corvette !"" To the guys that bought Vipers and Sidewinders good for you, have fun and enjoy them. I'm not knocking you or the sleds at all, But as an ex bleed green Cat guy and now Yamaha purest (like most of us in the Apex forum) don't tell me there Yamaha's!!! So ""FLAME ON!!""

 

[jminor1]

I'm coming off a procross turbo I had boosted to the hills and yes it needed alot of work but I did love the sled. For me the merger is interesting, I have the same love through the years for yammie and cat,it's been srx then firecat then cfr1000 then apex etc etc so I don't totally hate what's going on but I tend to agree that it's not the best thing for yammie guys much more to gain in the cat camp. The differences through the years between what the manufacturers put out was large and it will suck if yammie just pulls the pin on everything. I sold my procross last season and have just bought an 11 apex, to be honest I've had an 06 and 08 pex plus a couple rx's and I feel the chassis /motor is a dodo so why I went back I don't know maybe I will be pleasantly surprised with this 11 but other than EPS I think the rest is lipstick on a pig.. Only way I see Yamaha wanting to stay in the game at this point is lose the apex and 4 banger, keep the cat chassis across the board , keep their Na and boosted 3 holer and build their own 600 and 800 2stroke.. It would be awesome and they would sell, brp has proven that with motors that dont rack up miles, I know I'd take a hard look at a tuning fork 800!Sadly I don't see it happening, Yamaha has so many irons in the fire as a corporation why bother.. Just my take..

 

[Rich Kay]

Ya.... Yamaha really does not need to build sleds at all.

 

[whitedust1]

Ya.... Yamaha really does not need to build sleds at all.

I can see Yamaha tooling up for an Apex replacement sled not an entire product line as Vipers & Sidewinders are selling. I don't like the sitting position of Cat Chassis everyone else has more knee clearance even Polaris. Apex riders do not want to be plastered to the cowling. Yamaha dealer told be they are selling knee pads for many Sidewinders so more than me complaining about lack of knee clearance.

 

[Teamblue4]

I can see Yamaha tooling up for an Apex replacement sled not an entire product line as Vipers & Sidewinders are selling. I don't like the sitting position of Cat Chassis everyone else has more knee clearance even Polaris. Apex riders do not want to be plastered to the cowling. Yamaha dealer told be they are selling knee pads for many Sidewinders so more than me complaining about lack of knee clearance.

Same here, don't like the Cat chassis.

 

[jminor1]

Im not a Polaris guy but having Sat on all the manufacturers sleds I love the way the axys riding position seems to be, I have no riding time on one however

 

[Sasquatch]

I'm coming off a procross turbo I had boosted to the hills and yes it needed alot of work but I did love the sled. For me the merger is interesting, I have the same love through the years for yammie and cat,it's been srx then firecat then cfr1000 then apex etc etc so I don't totally hate what's going on but I tend to agree that it's not the best thing for yammie guys much more to gain in the cat camp. The differences through the years between what the manufacturers put out was large and it will suck if yammie just pulls the pin on everything. I sold my procross last season and have just bought an 11 apex, to be honest I've had an 06 and 08 pex plus a couple rx's and I feel the chassis /motor is a dodo so why I went back I don't know maybe I will be pleasantly surprised with this 11 but other than EPS I think the rest is lipstick on a pig.. Only way I see Yamaha wanting to stay in the game at this point is lose the apex and 4 banger, keep the cat chassis across the board , keep their Na and boosted 3 holer and build their own 600 and 800 2stroke.. It would be awesome and they would sell, brp has proven that with motors that dont rack up miles, I know I'd take a hard look at a tuning fork 800!Sadly I don't see it happening, Yamaha has so many irons in the fire as a corporation why bother.. Just my take..

Trust me its not just lipstick on a pig but its still an Apex!

 

[greatwhite89]

X2' I've heard rumblings from a few dealers that 2017 is the last year of performance sleds from japan. Being its there 50th anniversary in 2018, and if they have no new ""BUILT IN JAPAN"" 4cly. sled coming then they are relegated to just another engine supplier for cat! Same as (cough) KYMCO!! I got flamed for this comment in the spring but I'll repeat it. ""Just cause you put a Ferrari engine in a Kia, its still just a Kia!"" And being an old school muscle car guy I also said this, ""How would it look if Chevy contracted Ford to build the Corvette !"" To the guys that bought Vipers and Sidewinders good for you, have fun and enjoy them. I'm not knocking you or the sleds at all, But as an ex bleed green Cat guy and now Yamaha purest (like most of us in the Apex forum) don't tell me there Yamaha's!!! So ""FLAME ON!!""

Well said. I was a diehard Polaris guy until I bought my 2016 Apex XTX. Now I'm a Yamaha built in Japan purest as well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Sasquatch]

X2' I've heard rumblings from a few dealers that 2017 is the last year of performance sleds from japan. Being its there 50th anniversary in 2018, and if they have no new ""BUILT IN JAPAN"" 4cly. sled coming then they are relegated to just another engine supplier for cat! Same as (cough) KYMCO!! I got flamed for this comment in the spring but I'll repeat it. ""Just cause you put a Ferrari engine in a Kia, its still just a Kia!"" And being an old school muscle car guy I also said this, ""How would it look if Chevy contracted Ford to build the Corvette !"" To the guys that bought Vipers and Sidewinders good for you, have fun and enjoy them. I'm not knocking you or the sleds at all, But as an ex bleed green Cat guy and now Yamaha purest (like most of us in the Apex forum) don't tell me there Yamaha's!!! So ""FLAME ON!!""

I used the analogy that Dodge put a Cummins in their truck but its still a Dodge! I do wonder sometimes if Yamaha remembers the RX, Apex line and what it did for the company and the industry! It turned it upside down and every manufacture built a four stroke to compete some of course bashed the fourstroke to no end putting weights from a bar bell set on the hood and everything, but in the end even they admitted defeat and built one then a second one. The Doo guys don't know what to do anymore and just stopped bashing four strokes but the Apex is to heavy revolution continues to this day. To heavy for ditch bashing, to heavy for hill climbing and to heavy for deep snow (the latter is questionable with the 144 or 146 it floats well enough to go where 136 800's get stuck)! They omit that its perfect for on trail touring and doubles as a high speed sweeper with awesome stability well past the triple digit on the speed-o. Its durability both engine and chassis wise is both racing Thoroughbred and Class 9 Truck tough, they never talk about that!

Warrior with 18,000 miles and only one rivet replaced in the chassis. 11 Apex XTX 10,000 miles and everything as tight as new. Both with a 350pd rider and close to half those miles with additional luggage and somehow the thought is that must go to compete with the disposable sleds. Maybe so many of the guys complaining of the Apex largely never bought one for the right reason! The 11 up Apex is one awesome sled will it die and the legacy of Yamaha with it or is a new Apex in the works? I think the latter because of some of the things I've heard, but hey I dream a lot! I think the second biggest question is if they build an Apex who will build it? They proved they can build a motor package in Japan. Now how about a Yamaha specific chassis with the 4 in it, I will accept no less!

 

[slimjim2525]

20k miles on my 2011 with no problems. Enough said.