New 2017 Yamaha Sleds...

[MadMax]

Too big... too much hp... cat looking for low hp with big miles per gallon like their old 660 engine is my guess. Not sure who made old 660 either.

It was a sussie car motor..................MM.

 

[gytr done]

I doubt a Yamaha version too...but hey they could put Yamaha clutches on it!

Why would AC need Yamaha clutches, when they now use Team clutches.

 

[Sasquatch]

I agree with that as well. They probably need 2 different chassis to accommodate everyone. I also understand that there are people who the Apex caters to. But again, market share dictates everything. In order to remain competitive and in the business, they must go where the market is. There are more people buying viper like machines than Apex like machines. Yamaha didn't give me a sled everyone screamed for, Arctic Cat did. I want to buy a Yamaha chassis, but they don't produce anything in house that meets my needs. This is why I settled on thee viper which was partially a medical decision to stay in the sport with a bad back and partially due to my not liking how the Apexes ride in the twisties and off trail.

I also think the viper has gotten a bad rep from "pure Yamaha guys". I was extremely hesitant to buy an Arctic Cat chassis. There are some things that I don't care for in the build, but I have yet to see a perfect sled from factory to include the Apex. There have been lots of improvements in quality after 2014 as well. At the end of the day, I'm very happy with the Viper. Only time will tell if it will hold up like a Yamaha. In the mean time, I have no problem recommending a Viper or an Apex depending on what one is looking for in a sled.

I'm curious Sasquatch, do you ride any rough trails? Never rode that far north and don't know what your grooming is like... I think I may try to get to Manitoba next year. I hear its beautiful country.

I think Yamaha needs to build a Viper and an Apex. And yes even I who rode Cats from 98 to 2005 am not jumping onto a Viper/Catamaha. To be far though I would not ride a Nytro either! Neither interest me. I have not rode a Viper but have rode a new Cat, Not my style of sled. Rides handles well and if that was all I wanted then Id jump ship. Not however my style of seating and bar setup. To high to far forward and above all it hurts my knees. To damn cold and I hate hand guards. Market share means what, that people like the Vipers many versions? Yep they do! If GM only sold what most buy the Cadillac and Corvette would be gone long ago. Apex is flagship and it is the best high speed touring sled out there, I only wish they build a Venture version of it. Id buy that tomorrow! See the biggest problem is you say everyone screamed for the Viper, but not everyone did! Its the internet thing! Viper is new, sales are high they are pulling from all manufactures. Even Cat sales of the Yamaha powered sled are way up. I think though they have had less problems with the Cat version then the Yamaha version.

I guess maybe Im one of those guys who want a pure Yamaha machine. Are Yamaha's perfect? No they are not we all know that nothing is perfect! My Apex XTX is the closest to perfect Yamaha has built however. You can not compare it to the last generation Apex or the RX before it. Its biggest draw back would be that it rides stiff, but the harder you pound the rough the softer it rides. It doesn't like the stutter bumps though and will beat up your kidneys on those, that is the main reason people put in the Star kit. It eats hyfax the 12 is supposed to be better but Duponts last for 3,500 miles with a fat guy on its back and the idler wheels are stock and do not touch the track on a flat floor with new hyfax. So nope not perfect rides rough and burns hyfax.

You ask if I ride rough trails. If you ever crossed 60 miles of Eagle Lake when she is rock hard drifts that you launch on every one then you would have to say yes I ride rough trails. The XTX loves that stuff and I have only had the Ski-Doo r motion stay with me in it. The Apex is a misaligned sled (mostly by the competition) that is a bit portly but that is mostly due to Yamahas style of overbuilding everything. The competition builds on the edge of breakage just strong enough don't push it. Yamaha could build their sleds with one screw holding something instead of 4 bolts, Bare gas tank instead of a half dozen cover pieces, you only have to look at the way the sled is built and see its over engineered. But I have come to like that about the Sleds, my 350 pds has not managed to break the RX in 18,000 miles and the Apex in 8,000. I fear the fragile lightweight sleds and they should fear me!

Manitoba is a nice place to ride I ride there every year. Manitoba has many trails that are built with the Apex in mind but don't worry they have many built with the Viper in mind as well. Nice place, nice sledders, good trails! I like Saskatchewan trails as well, ah hell I just like trails. Not like my Brother who only wants to play in the steep and deep. He don't want Yamaha's or Cats hes a lightweight Doo guy now. 400pds 160hp straight up the hill! Weird!

 

[4strokeluvr111]

I think Yamaha needs to build a Viper and an Apex.

If Yamaha would build the (a) Viper complete, I'd probably be on one next year. I'll spend my money on 4S longevity and chassis/drivetrain durability. Right now only Yamaha offers this in the marketplace. Yes I know Doo has various 4S offerings but they do not have the PROVEN, long term reliability that the Yamaha's do.

 

[yama_rider]

Yes I know Doo has various 4S offerings but they do not have the PROVEN, long term reliability that the Yamaha's do.

It's true that Yamaha is the high mileage king but there are lots of 1200 Doo's around with similar miles. Riding buddy has an 09 with 13.5k miles, motor never been touched and it has the ECU reflash that makes it spin about 1000 RPM higher. As far as I know he has not had any other serious repairs with it. They are better quality than Cat or Polaris.

 

[ntm_08]

Fun fact. Arctic Cat is offering 3yers warrenty and 6000miles warrenty on the engine. They belive they are quality produckts with that kind of warrenty on a 2 stroke 800! Scandinavia

 

[GeFeldz]

Arctic Cat also only offers the Yamaha triple in the Pantera and Bearcat in Sweden, the others have the old Suzuki turbo or the two-strokes.

 

[Sasquatch]

It's true that Yamaha is the high mileage king but there are lots of 1200 Doo's around with similar miles. Riding buddy has an 09 with 13.5k miles, motor never been touched and it has the ECU reflash that makes it spin about 1000 RPM higher. As far as I know he has not had any other serious repairs with it. They are better quality than Cat or Polaris.

Only thing I have against the 1200 Doo is it just lacks the pizzazz of the Apex. Like the Yamaha triple it is underpowered for me and my tastes. If Doo put a header and triple throttle bodies on it and bumped hp up to 150 (very doable) then they would have something ( a SS model Doo guys are screaming for). As it stands its more like a truck engine then a sports car engine even the Yami triple is more high strung.

I ride with two of them every year and there is nothing the matter with the 1200.

 

[4strokeluvr111]

Only thing I have against the 1200 Doo is it just lacks the pizzazz of the VECTOR. As it stands its more like a truck engine then a sports car engine even the Yami triple is more high strung.

Changed something in your post. Just sayin', the 1200 Doo is not meant to be similar to an Apex motor. I don't hang out at DooTalk much so I honestly don't know much about the longevity of the 1200 motor. The longevity of the Yamaha 4S motors is now bordering on legendary.

The 1200 motor (on the sleds that I've ridden) is just a yawner of a motor. It's missing the punch of the Yamaha triple. Maybe with some mods (I'm not a modder) it could be better but in it's current form....YAWN!

Back to the topic. Give me Viper'ish ergo's on the Vector!

 

[Sasquatch]

Just sayin', the 1200 Doo is a better motor then the Apex motor. I hang out at DooTalk so much I honestly don't know much about anything. My sincere apologies to Sasquatch for implying he posted my thoughts!

In changing something in my post you implied I said something I didn't so I changed something in yours! Sorry I just couldn't resist!

 

[whitedust1]

Only thing I have against the 1200 Doo is it just lacks the pizzazz of the Apex. Like the Yamaha triple it is underpowered for me and my tastes. If Doo put a header and triple throttle bodies on it and bumped hp up to 150 (very doable) then they would have something ( a SS model Doo guys are screaming for). As it stands its more like a truck engine then a sports car engine even the Yami triple is more high strung.

I ride with two of them every year and there is nothing the matter with the 1200.

Exactly how I feel about 1200 & doo dealer agrees doo has nothing on the 4s side to compete with Apex. Not sure why doo doesn't offer a 150hp 4s but they don't mired in 130ish hp & down 4s which I have no interest. He offered me 2016 doo test ride in Munising last year but I didn't go 130 hp just not enough for me so advised him to give invitation to a real buyer. Doo releases a 150hp 4s & I'll be all over it otherwise they don't have the horse for the course.

 

[gytr done]

Where getting this for 2017

http://www.motortrend.com/news/rise-of-the-machines-yamaha-creates-motorcycle-riding-robot/

 

[tomanytoyz]

Where getting this for 2017

http://www.motortrend.com/news/rise-of-the-machines-yamaha-creates-motorcycle-riding-robot/

The robot is making me cold ..

 

[yama_rider]

Exactly how I feel about 1200 & doo dealer agrees doo has nothing on the 4s side to compete with Apex. Not sure why doo doesn't offer a 150hp 4s but they don't mired in 130ish hp & down 4s which I have no interest. He offered me 2016 doo test ride in Munising last year but I didn't go 130 hp just not enough for me so advised him to give invitation to a real buyer. Doo releases a 150hp 4s & I'll be all over it otherwise they don't have the horse for the course.

They do not make a 150HP 4s because they prefer to sell the 800 etec, which is cheaper to build (less parts) but charge more $$$ for it.

 

[ntm_08]

Make a more fuel efficient engine mabye?