Snowmobiles are very important to Yamaha even if just for the fact it gets people into the dealerships to buy parts and such in winter.Ever walk into a Honda dealership in winter?Probably not but if you did its a very lonely place.I think Yamaha will stay in sled market for a long time.They just have to be smart about it.That approach is what we all really want since for most of us we bought Yamaha for the long term.
whitedust1
TY 4 Stroke God
That gets us no where more same old same old. Need something new & that appeals to both Nytro & Apex riders & can forget 128 track min track 136.
I know.It will happen.
cannondale27 said:
This is dead-on. All you guys theorizing that Yamaha will stop making sleds are looking at the micro view rather than the macro view. I doubt Yamaha makes a profit on the snowmobile division itself - BUT - it's an important part of the over-all company. It gets people into the dealership in the winter time as noted above. It also adds to the ability of the company to get customers that are brand loyal by being able to supply all of their power-sport needs. The snowmobile division isn't going anywhere.
stevewithOCD
Yamaha, Make me Come Back
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This is a great topic with some real insightful commentary so far with great points. We know Honda for years contemplated getting into sleds just to get people in during winter. So even if Yamaha breaks even on sleds it's still worth making them. We also know Arctic Cat shopped for 4-S engine builders including Honda, Yamaha & even Kawasaki. If Yamaha could just sell motors & not have to deal with rest of sled; their headaches would go way down considering their engines are incredible & don't have many issues. AC would benefit putting in the the most reliable engine that's tested & proven in snow. Just points to ponder since sled is taking it's summer nap...
Heritage
Expert
I beg to differ with those of you who say "yamaha needs" snowmobiles to draw customers to their show rooms in the winter time...my local yamaha dealer probably sold more 4 wheelers than snowmobiles this winter...and...I noticed quite a few dealers in southern wisconsin, and the twin cities area are HUGE multi-brand dealers...I doubt..not having yamaha snowmobiles would effect them much.
I think a cat yamaha merger...makes perfect sense....they need an engine supplier...who else could they go with??? Sure honda and kawi are out there...but why not go with a company that already makes PROVEN snowmobile engines. Cat, as I mentioned earlier may just want yamaha's HPDFI tech...to add to their own domestic twins.
I hope yamaha doesn't stop making sleds...it would be a very sad day for me, and my family...the first sled my dad ever bought was a 1972 SW433..bought right off the showroom floor...that was a great machine.
Let's be honest though...if you have ridden other brands like me (ski-doo, and Cat)...you know yamaha is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to handling, and suspension calibration....if you are honest you know the truth. NOBODY buys a yamaha for their ride or handling
...we buy them for their engines, reliability, and quality (especially fit and finish)...now just imagine....that vector 4 stroke in a new cat chassis (provided the bugs are worked out...lol)....A yamaha powered machine, that handles and rides excellent, and was 50-75 lbs lighter??? Ski-doo would be in BIG trouble. I know for a fact there are alot of people riding yellow colored sleds that would jump ship in a hurry for a CAT with BLUE BLOOD 
I know I would
I think a cat yamaha merger...makes perfect sense....they need an engine supplier...who else could they go with??? Sure honda and kawi are out there...but why not go with a company that already makes PROVEN snowmobile engines. Cat, as I mentioned earlier may just want yamaha's HPDFI tech...to add to their own domestic twins.
I hope yamaha doesn't stop making sleds...it would be a very sad day for me, and my family...the first sled my dad ever bought was a 1972 SW433..bought right off the showroom floor...that was a great machine.
Let's be honest though...if you have ridden other brands like me (ski-doo, and Cat)...you know yamaha is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to handling, and suspension calibration....if you are honest you know the truth. NOBODY buys a yamaha for their ride or handling
...we buy them for their engines, reliability, and quality (especially fit and finish)...now just imagine....that vector 4 stroke in a new cat chassis (provided the bugs are worked out...lol)....A yamaha powered machine, that handles and rides excellent, and was 50-75 lbs lighter??? Ski-doo would be in BIG trouble. I know for a fact there are alot of people riding yellow colored sleds that would jump ship in a hurry for a CAT with BLUE BLOOD I know I would
yamaha1973
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Heritage said:I beg to differ with those of you who say "yamaha needs" snowmobiles to draw customers to their show rooms in the winter time...my local yamaha dealer probably sold more 4 wheelers than snowmobiles this winter...and...I noticed quite a few dealers in southern wisconsin, and the twin cities area are HUGE multi-brand dealers...I doubt..not having yamaha snowmobiles would effect them much.
I think a cat yamaha merger...makes perfect sense....they need an engine supplier...who else could they go with??? Sure honda and kawi are out there...but why not go with a company that already makes PROVEN snowmobile engines. Cat, as I mentioned earlier may just want yamaha's HPDFI tech...to add to their own domestic twins.
I hope yamaha doesn't stop making sleds...it would be a very sad day for me, and my family...the first sled my dad ever bought was a 1972 SW433..bought right off the showroom floor...that was a great machine.
Let's be honest though...if you have ridden other brands like me (ski-doo, and Cat)...you know yamaha is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to handling, and suspension calibration....if you are honest you know the truth. NOBODY buys a yamaha for their ride or handling
This would not help yamaha sleds AT ALL. who would buy a yamaha then?(other than me)
If yamaha did that they could not stay in the sled business because nobody would buy thems70897b
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More to the rumor- sounds like joint venture chassis built at AC with a YAMAHA 4 stroke. Then each company would fit it with their own plastic. Ill keep you posted.
jaydaniels
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s70897b said:
Lol, no rumor there. It already happened. The 120 class.
s70897b
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jaydaniels, read the third post of this threadjaydaniels said:
09nytro
TY 4 Stroke God
We will see....I will have to go back to polaris I guess,,,,had one cat and will never have another one....
whitedust1
TY 4 Stroke God
yamaha1973 said:Heritage said:I beg to differ with those of you who say "yamaha needs" snowmobiles to draw customers to their show rooms in the winter time...my local yamaha dealer probably sold more 4 wheelers than snowmobiles this winter...and...I noticed quite a few dealers in southern wisconsin, and the twin cities area are HUGE multi-brand dealers...I doubt..not having yamaha snowmobiles would effect them much.
I think a cat yamaha merger...makes perfect sense....they need an engine supplier...who else could they go with??? Sure honda and kawi are out there...but why not go with a company that already makes PROVEN snowmobile engines. Cat, as I mentioned earlier may just want yamaha's HPDFI tech...to add to their own domestic twins.
I hope yamaha doesn't stop making sleds...it would be a very sad day for me, and my family...the first sled my dad ever bought was a 1972 SW433..bought right off the showroom floor...that was a great machine.
Let's be honest though...if you have ridden other brands like me (ski-doo, and Cat)...you know yamaha is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to handling, and suspension calibration....if you are honest you know the truth. NOBODY buys a yamaha for their ride or handling
This would not help yamaha sleds AT ALL. who would buy a yamaha then?(other than me)
EXACTLY!!!...... back to the profitable core business of producing engines! Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet deal for Yamaha in my view & let AC deal with warranty & other marketing headaches & costs. To me Yamaha would jump all over an OEM engine deal with AC. 8-12% of snowmobile market is total PITA for Yamaha & why we get same old same old every year until Yam drops the line. Think of it this way no Yamaha sleds or engines in snowmobile market or Yamaha stops producing turnkey sleds but supplies AC with 4s engines? I'll buy an AC /Yamaha 4s snowmobile in a New York Nanosecond!
Seems like at least 3/4 of Cat riders want a two stroke. I do not really see this happening. Who knows though...
whitedust1
TY 4 Stroke God
vector06 said:
Then why did AC proclaim they were the leader in 120HP 4s sales over Poo 600 2s Rush by a wide margin? The AC 2012 market question is/was the 1100 4s going to be a hit or miss? It was a hit & does not seem the market missed another injected 2s 600 nightmare. AC 800 2s is a good as any but 1100 & 1100 Turbo 4s was their bread & butter engines in 2012. I do think an OEM needs both to compete for both 2 strokers & 4 strokers to give a choice but I think there will be more 4s after next 2016 EPA mandate. To me not worth the ROI for AC to mess around with any 2016 non compliant 2s engine for a couple of years. If AC brings any new 2s to market it must be very close to 2016 EPA requirements or won't happen. IMO it won't happen short term & long term is risky considering high warranty costs of injected 2s engines. AC does not have luxury of failing in snowmobile industry it is a matter of survival for them.
