Have you guys heard this news about Arctic Cat?

[ClutchMaster]

Question.....We all know that Yamaha is a multi faceted world wide company that doesn't like to lose money. We also know that their Snowmobile division makes up a pretty small slice of their overall sales pie. They've had their Snowmobile R&D center in Minocqua, WI for over 20 years. That place has to cost them a fair amount of coin with paying their engineering staff and whatever other costs are involved in keeping the lights on in Minocqua.

They've got some pretty qualified people working there along with some talented contracted workers their in the past.

Why would they keep pouring in the dollars to keep that place open if they're not going to stay the course in the snowmobile business and make a profit?

If you've been a long time sledder you still might have a hard time accepting the fact that Arctic Cat and Yamaha are working together, but in the shrinking marketplace their partnership seems to be working out with both companies looking at the future of the sport.

VX,
The Minouqua facility is used for more than just snowmobiles, I’m sure you know that. They also test quads, dirt bikes and UTV’s.

Are you in this forum whining too? ? jeeze man take a breath.

So your saying this is what you really wanted?

Most, if not all, of the speculation online is BS. The companies clearly say "we're in this!" And have R&D and public outreach etc. Then some random guy on the internet projects and criticizes something using totally subjective reasoning about how it's not his vision playing out. Most of the bellyaching falls apart over time.

Time will tell, seen this game played before.

PS. Anything said, good or bad is pure speculation. Belly aching is two words and will never really fall apart, someone is always going to complain. I think a 100% Cat rebranded to a Yamaha is a pretty good upset. M2C

 

[jjmoneysauce]

Agree that there will always be whine and cheese. But time proves a lot of the pooh poohing wrong. I’m not even sure who exactly or why one would look back and crow about having predicted a motorsports company's failure based on interpreting their product development cycles. We have no idea what goes on in their strategic plans. So a “Called it!” is kind of a broken clock. I mean don’t get me wrong, a little speculation is fun and healthy.

It comes back to fundamentals. I look forward to seeing the new stuff every year. I’m super excited about mid size, because it’s exactly what I want.

 

[Deeppow16]

The scoot is 6k.

I don't know where you came up with 6K but according the Yamaha's website your not even close...

 

[Deeppow16]

I have some comments I would like to make on these new cat sleds. First comment I would like to make is on the mountain version of the Blast. Great sled IMO but that 400 at elevation is going to struggle. The sled is around 400lbs dry which is the same as a full size RMK 800(408lbs dry). I would have liked to see at least a 500 for the mountain use. For lower elevation I think the 400 will be fine for putting around . Again these are just my comments from what I cant see online. My next comment is more about this being a "beginner" sled. I have rode sleds from the age 6years old. Started on a 120 kitty cat. After that I started riding in front of my dad on the 500 ski-doo he had. As I got older I started to drive it and by the age of 12 I was riding that sled all by myself without any issues. I never once felt I couldn't handle it. By 15 I moved on to a 600. Again I never felt I couldn't handle that sled either and by 18 I was on a Nytro MTX. No I was not a big kid. I was an average size kid. Basically what I'm getting at is I think a 400 is a little to small for a beginner sled. I think at least they should have put a 500 in it and if they wanted to governed it down to 65hp they could do that just like the EVO. Other then those 2 things I think the sleds are a great way to fill a gap.

 

[SumpBuster]

HELLO is it DOLLY PARTON on your avatar!

(slightly OT..)
I think the Hollies summed it up best:
'A pair of forty fives made me open my eyes
My temperature started to rise
She was a long cool woman in a black dress
Just a five nine
Beautiful
Tall
With just one look I was a bad mess
Cause that long cool woman had it all.'
LOL!

Well, I give Cat credit for making something no one else has at this time. Just hope one isn't in front of my sidewinder on the trail...I hate bug juice!

 

[Allan]

We have one complete Arctic sled in Yamaha line up now. Even the clutching in from Arctic cat.

Yamaha 600 arctic engine for $14499
https://www.yamaha-motor.ca/products/details-build-price.php?model=5246&group=SM&catId=119


Same sled from arctic cat with the 8000 engine. For $13195
https://arcticcat.txtsv.com/snow/sport-utility/norseman


So If Yamaha comes out with these sleds I this all there going to have is the Yamaha sticker.

 

[CooperT]

We have one complete Arctic sled in Yamaha line up now. Even the clutching in from Arctic cat.

Yamaha 600 arctic engine for $14499
https://www.yamaha-motor.ca/products/details-build-price.php?model=5246&group=SM&catId=119


Same sled from arctic cat with the 8000 engine. For $13195
https://arcticcat.txtsv.com/snow/sport-utility/norseman


So If Yamaha comes out with these sleds I this all there going to have is the Yamaha sticker.

plus, you can get the Norseman for around $10k during snowmagedon event

 

[Tarzan]

We have one complete Arctic sled in Yamaha line up now. Even the clutching in from Arctic cat.

Yamaha 600 arctic engine for $14499
https://www.yamaha-motor.ca/products/details-build-price.php?model=5246&group=SM&catId=119


Same sled from arctic cat with the 8000 engine. For $13195
https://arcticcat.txtsv.com/snow/sport-utility/norseman


So If Yamaha comes out with these sleds I this all there going to have is the Yamaha sticker.

Exacly,ju must be stupid if you buy that cat for 14499,- just for the Yamaha stickers when you can buy that cat from a AticCat dealer for thousen of dollars less. And i bet if you buy parts to it from Yamaha they cost more.

 

[pdiddy]

Even if the Yamaha decals were made with gold leaf it would only justify a couple hundred extra!

 

[OVR4D]

Question.....We all know that Yamaha is a multi faceted world wide company that doesn't like to lose money. We also know that their Snowmobile division makes up a pretty small slice of their overall sales pie. They've had their Snowmobile R&D center in Minocqua, WI for over 20 years. That place has to cost them a fair amount of coin with paying their engineering staff and whatever other costs are involved in keeping the lights on in Minocqua.

They've got some pretty qualified people working there along with some talented contracted workers their in the past.

Why would they keep pouring in the dollars to keep that place open if they're not going to stay the course in the snowmobile business and make a profit?

To avoid import tariffs. Why do you think Canadians have to pay more for sleds? At least part of the reason is because Canada taxes the Sh*t out of companies when they import products. Same thing happens when a foreign company imports its products into the U.S. If Yamaha has a base in the U.S., some (but not all) of these import tariffs can be avoided, simply because Yamaha can claim that the products are being manufactured in the States. Lots of foreign car manufacturers do this for the same reason. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was supposedly drafted to eliminate these tariffs between Canada, the U.S and Mexico, but it resulted in lots of manufacturing operations being moved outside the U.S. Now Trump is trying to incentivize manufacturers into moving those operations back to the States, with more taxation for imported products. So even though Yamaha builds their engines in Japan (or where ever they're made), the fact that the final product is assembled Stateside allows Yamaha to save a boatload of money that would otherwise be spent to pay import tariffs.

 

[Monster Max]

I think that blast M is going to be a lot fun for new riders...In the day Phazer II mountain lite was one of the better mountain sleds you could get and would go anywhere and they were at the 60 hp mark with carbs. I brought my 12 year a few years ago up to Allen Creek in Valemount with a modified Phazer I built and he had no problems getting around. In fact all of us old guys rode it and had a blast! I couldn't imagine how much fun it would have been with fuel injection and a alpha skid...

 

[VX1R]

To avoid import tariffs. Why do you think Canadians have to pay more for sleds? At least part of the reason is because Canada taxes the Sh*t out of companies when they import products. Same thing happens when a foreign company imports its products into the U.S. If Yamaha has a base in the U.S., some (but not all) of these import tariffs can be avoided, simply because Yamaha can claim that the products are being manufactured in the States. Lots of foreign car manufacturers do this for the same reason. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was supposedly drafted to eliminate these tariffs between Canada, the U.S and Mexico, but it resulted in lots of manufacturing operations being moved outside the U.S. Now Trump is trying to incentivize manufacturers into moving those operations back to the States, with more taxation for imported products. So even though Yamaha builds their engines in Japan (or where ever they're made), the fact that the final product is assembled Stateside allows Yamaha to save a boatload of money that would otherwise be spent to pay import tariffs.

Just to clarify...the Yamaha R&D center in Minocqua, WI that I mentioned in my post has nothing to do with the manufacturing process.

 

[Grimm]

RAM mounts are awesome! Multi adjustable, sturdy and you can mount them anywhere with the correct parts.

 

[sxr70001]

I have a RAM mount ball on my riser. Lake effect risers used to come with that as an option, but anyone could drill and tap their riser and put one on themselves.

 

[biffdotorg]

RAM mounts are awesome! Multi adjustable, sturdy and you can mount them anywhere with the correct parts.

Where did this off topic comment come from?

I mean if you want to get off topic, would it be appropriate for Larry Enticer to be the spokesman for the new ET 400/500? Maybe a new Klim/Yamaha Jacket in Denim?