Articat shutting down

[DranttelSS]

Actually I see some positive to come out of this …First it will slow growth, trails have become more and more busy with new riders, this should curb demand for increase production which should decrease prices as the market on all powersports starts to slow down… Over stocked units will find a home as prices fall and production slows… End result markets shrink..

Where are you riding that the trails are busy? In my 20+ years of riding, I would say traffic is on the decline.

 

[Doc Harley]

Hey guys, the writing has been on the wall for a while now.
Yamaha jumped ship years ago and just waited to pull the trigger. Did they eliminate any other sectors of Motorsports, the answer is no.
While our complete economy is mostly in chaos it's not a shock to me that the snowmobile industry would take the first hits.
Half of the youth today is sponging off the grandparents 401k. Not making fun, but I'm sure tax revenue is way down.
98% of the trails in Wisconsin never opened last year. All due to weather.
This year many businesses will be changing hands in the snowmobiling industry. Basically I consider that suicide.
Brick and mortar pharmaceutical companies are shutting down. I think Walgreens announced something. Stalantis motor company announced layoffs of well over a 1,000.
Advance Auto just announced they're shutting down over 700 stores... And the hits just keep on coming.
The United States has voted for change this last election but my fear is.... It's a little too late. It's going to take more than one term in office to correct this, and get this country back on track.

 

[Simplespeed]

Where are you riding that the trails are busy? In my 20+ years of riding, I would say traffic is on the decline.

Michigan mostly.. Lower Michigan in many area’s are busier and busier each year. Last year it was real bad when we only had good snow in several area’s for very short periods…

 

[Motorhead]

Michigan mostly.. Lower Michigan in many area’s are busier and busier each year. Last year it was real bad when we only had good snow in several area’s for very short periods…

Yes, snowmobilers will chase the snow. Here in Maine we've always seen many snowmobilers from other states doing that, for weeks or months at a time! And the past seasons have increased trail traffic in many locations because of the love for our sport, the lack of snow in southern regions, and the need to trailer, if you want to ride great trails! Have been in love with this sport since I was 12 (my first time on an Alouette) and have owned dozens of sleds since I was old enough to do so, and am now at 69 years old and still loving it. When I saw what Yamaha was doing back in 2017 with the Spring Surge, order only for LE sleds, and their partnering with Cat, I was hopeful that this could keep the Big Four in the snowmobile manufacturing industry. My thought was that this type of pre order only, was meant to stop the dealers from having too many sleds that were not selling for what ever reason, lack of snow, pricing, etc, and would help keep the used market from dropping further price wise! Well, as we all know now, it wasn't enough with Yamaha/yamacat in it's last year of sled production, and now Cat having to reel in it's manufacturing, partially because of Yamaha's departure, is my thought! Just hoping that we will see The Big Three for many years to come, but realize, we need snow, and our snowline has been moving North for the past many years!!

 

[GR8BBQ]

Trails haven't been that busy in the last few years..... Because there hasn't been much snow. I think weather is the biggest factor I see.

 

[Doc Harley]

Plain & simple. I hope things turn around soon

 

[canine170]

Arctic Cat is in trouble, let's face it, this is nothing new. When you run the same chassis from 2012-2024, it does help reduce costs of production, but it doesn't increase market share. Polaris is on pins & needles for this season as well and it's not all from just lack of snow, as atv & utv sales have plummeted too.

Overpriced garage toys won't survive in a prolonged bad economy.

 

[1nc 2000]

Good time for Yamaha to buy Artic Cat sleds division.

 

[KnappAttack]

Good time for Yamaha to buy Artic Cat sleds division.

That would be great, but that ship has sailed and never to return again I’m afraid.

Yamaha made the offer to Textron years ago but they wanted a stupid amount of money.

 

[blown apex]

hope we can get parts in the future

 

[Yamajon1]

hope we can get parts in the future

Read the article, they are only temporarily shutting down the production line for a few months. All other operations are continuing as normal.

 

[KnappAttack]

Read the article, they are only temporarily shutting down the production line for a few months. All other operations are continuing as normal.

Exactly. Its the dirt line not not running for the next couple months from what I understand too. Sleds are on the line and being built on time.

 

[DranttelSS]

That would be great, but that ship has sailed and never to return again I’m afraid.

Yamaha made the offer to Textron years ago but they wanted a stupid amount of money.

I wasn't aware of the offer to buy but will echo that Yamaha RARELY goes back after giving up on something.

 

[pdiddy]

Read the article, they are only temporarily shutting down the production line for a few months. All other operations are continuing as normal.

It always starts out as temporary, just like the original Yamaha/Cat agreement to get Yamaha "over the hump". When they look at a restart there's going to have to be a compelling reason ($$) to do so.

 

[biffdotorg]

It always starts out as temporary, just like the original Yamaha/Cat agreement to get Yamaha "over the hump". When they look at a restart there's going to have to be a compelling reason ($$) to do so.

What the article doesn't share is that AC shuts down annually for a retool for the next product. They also layoff with a rehire. This year will just be extended and the 65 layoffs have no rehire in the works. If the market shifts, this could all change. But this is no surprise and the internet is blowing it way out of proportion by not reading the announcement and say, "they are shutting down for a year" Which was never said.