OEM Agreement Between Yamaha & Textron

[Farmer 73]

I am betting the Yamaha loves the Textron deal. Think about it, Yamaha is first and foremost an engine design and build company. Now that they have a tie to Textron through Cat look at all the Textron owned "toys" and airplanes that Yamaha could potentially supply engines for!!! They have their foot in the door and am betting Yamaha is smart enough to know how to kick it open.

True, but if Textron stops building sleds where does that leave Yamaha when it comes to snowmobiles?

 

[whitedust1]

I know it is nothing new, but that article is what really has me worried! If the Cat sled business doesn't show enough of a profit, why would Textron keep it going? They are a big corporation, they have a lot of bean counters that make the decisions. Profit before loyalty! I think we were lucky at Yamaha and had a few loyal top brass that liked sleds. Which in turn kept the sled division going through the years before the Cat partnership. With Yamaha building the engines and the Cat partnership they could justify staying in the sled business! If Textron pulls the plug on sleds and the partnership ends, what then?

Yes no idea if Textron wants to build sleds for Yamaha.....not enough profit for Textron to care...imo... and Prolly why neither Corp has renewed or gone public with a new contract. Textron owns Weber and use Weber engines in their ATVs. The whole Yamaha OEM relationship hinges on if Textron wants to be in the OEM biz or would rather apply the company to inhouse suppliers? So far no indication from Textron of what they intend to do or not do with Yamaha. Their must be a date line in Yamaha's mind so they can plan their sled mfg future.

 

[ViperBill]

As I understand it the mutual supply agreement was 5 years model years 14 through 18 so I think their decision has been made well in advance they may have wanted to continue to sell engines to ac and the sale might interfere with that. But I think as far as Yamaha sleds are concerned that is already been determined I really think there will be 19my sleds but not certain who will build them

 

[4strokeluvr111]

What happens next with the Textron /Yamaha OEM Agreement is a BIG question that needs answers ASAP. The lack of public disclosure between the 2 is very curious indeed!!

With sleds being such a small market for them, I doubt that Yamaha feels the sense of urgency that you do. The passionate Yamaha owners care, but it's obvious that Yamaha cares very little if at all about what the owners want. Textron certainly won't say anything before time is absolutely right.

 

[Sasquatch]

With Yamaha becoming an engine builder rather then a sled manufacture and dropping all thier eggs in the Cat basket now owned by textron. I guess its whether they had have a plan past 2018! Looks to me like Yamaha is giving up on trying to design anything other then one engine and one skid. The last best sled they designed is reported to be done. Even their Venture is now a Cat! I'd say Yamaha is done and its time for the fork or its time to move on and build something of their own. So its either sh$t or get off the pot time!

 

[whitedust1]

With Yamaha becoming an engine builder rather then a sled manufacture and dropping all thier eggs in the Cat basket now owned by textron. I guess its whether they had have a plan past 2018! Looks to me like Yamaha is giving up on trying to design anything other then one engine and one skid. The last best sled they designed is reported to be done. Even their Venture is now a Cat! I'd say Yamaha is done and its time for the fork or its time to move on and build something of their own. So its either sh$t or get off the pot time!

Yeppers and Textron could be the one to chase Yamaha from the weeds with non renewal of mfg agreement and still use Yamaha engines in their Cats. Imo the ball is in the Textron's court and Yamaha is waiting on Textron. The Apex and Vector are done we do know that and Phaser is doomed as well. So we know what will NOT be produced but no idea what WILL be produced but we can speculate that Yamacats are done as well without a renewal agreement.

 

[TrueBlue]

Yeppers and Textron could be the one to chase Yamaha from the weeds with non renewal of mfg agreement and still use Yamaha engines in their Cats. Imo the ball is in the Textron's court and Yamaha is waiting on Textron. The Apex and Vector are done we do know that and Phaser is doomed as well. So we know what will NOT be produced but no idea what WILL be produced but we can speculate that Yamacats are done as well without a renewal agreement.

I have read in a lot of posts & yamaha website that they said they will not build the Apex next year but nothing was said that the Vector wasn't going to be built.

 

[Sasquatch]

I have read in a lot of posts & yamaha website that they said they will not build the Apex next year but nothing was said that the Vector wasn't going to be built.

I've only seen posts here on TY that the Apex is done, I have seen nothing on the Yamaha site! I'd love to see a link! The Vector hanging around would surprise me if the Apex is done. Apex, Vector same sled same chassis get rid of the Apex and try to force the holdouts over to the Sidewinder. Get rid of the Vector and force them to the Viper. But Yamaha does seem to be holding on to three Touring sleds with tripple power. The Cat version moving into the sidewinder price range and 2 grand more then the Venture TF with the same engine. Makes the Venture TF the best choice in a touring sled by far!

When I look at the lineup what I see is a huge push to the Sidewinder with 18 models available. 5 Viper models 6 if you include the Venture DX 7 all Yamaha models with 2 to 4 on thier way out. 2 work sleds left. I also see dealers all over with Sidewinders and a few older Vipers for sale left in inventory. I can see dumping the Apex and the Vector because of competition on the Cat models. I can see the Phazer staying. Why they have so many touring models maybe just cause they are clearing inventory.

Yamaha at this point is as close to dead as they can get. Long Live Yamaha!

 

[Bt04f250]

I've only seen posts here on TY that the Apex is done, I have seen nothing on the Yamaha site! I'd love to see a link! The Vector hanging around would surprise me if the Apex is done. Apex, Vector same sled same chassis get rid of the Apex and try to force the holdouts over to the Sidewinder. Get rid of the Vector and force them to the Viper. But Yamaha does seem to be holding on to three Touring sleds with tripple power. The Cat version moving into the sidewinder price range and 2 grand more then the Venture TF with the same engine. Makes the Venture TF the best choice in a touring sled by far!

When I look at the lineup what I see is a huge push to the Sidewinder with 18 models available. 5 Viper models 6 if you include the Venture DX 7 all Yamaha models with 2 to 4 on thier way out. 2 work sleds left. I also see dealers all over with Sidewinders and a few older Vipers for sale left in inventory. I can see dumping the Apex and the Vector because of competition on the Cat models. I can see the Phazer staying. Why they have so many touring models maybe just cause they are clearing inventory.

Yamaha at this point is as close to dead as they can get. Long Live Yamaha!

I was told at a sneak peak event by Yamaha rep last year for the Apex. So take that as you wish. I do not have anything on paper to prove this though.

 

[pdiddy]

I could see the Vector going another year or two to use up the Delta Box chassis inventory. Spring order only Apexs will help Yamaha perfectly calculate how many 4-cyl engines to build on the final run. When you order Yamaha rivets for your replacement snowflap and they come individually wrapped you know that they are obsessive bean counters for sure!

 

[blueironranger]

One of the Sled Magazines said this was the last year for the APEX also, must be running low on chassis parts. Same for the Phazer, probably just keep building them until chassis parts dry up. I'm actually wondering how long before Yamaha actually does what they do now in the Outboard market, eliminate "model year" and just tack on a suffix letter ever time there is a significant change in the model. The viper doesn't have any significant changes so all would just be called SRViper A and would be a lot easier for dealers to move "old stock" since they would only be selling SRVipers instead of 14' viper, 15' viper, ect. Same for the current Apex, which would be Apex B due to Exup and HP change. And its not just Yamaha sitting on older sleds, My Viper came from a Yamaha/Cat dealer and they had 15' 16' Cats also and the Local Poo/Doo/Yamaha dealer still has 14/15/16 Doo's and Poo's in stock, and a few 16' Yamaha left

 

[whitedust1]

I have read in a lot of posts & yamaha website that they said they will not build the Apex next year but nothing was said that the Vector wasn't going to be built.

If the Vector is available it will be to use up Apex chassis parts and make the most of the parts bin. No nothing offical but horse sense says Vector gone or about to be gone force selection back to Yamacats. This seems to be the Yamaha direction but very possible Textron wants out of the OEM mfg biz and that throws a monkey wrench in the contimued production of Yamacat sleds. The only other option is for Yamaha mfg their own sleds...somewhere? It would be very possible for Yamaha to buy and build the Cat chassis but that will be outdated soon too.

 

[Sasquatch]

I was told at a sneak peak event by Yamaha rep last year for the Apex. So take that as you wish. I do not have anything on paper to prove this though.

Yamaha reps! All in the know and all over the map with what they know!

 

[Bt04f250]

Yamaha reps! All in the know and all over the map with what they know!

Agreed. Typical of most any salesman. They tell you what they think you want to hear lol

 

[kviper]

A couple of my thoughts. Yamaha obviously had a plan for future sled building before the Cat deal came along because the Sidewinder motor and i'am pretty sure a new chasis was in development before the Cat deal came about. I was told Yamaha places there order for sleds with Cat then when the order is delivered in the fall Yamaha rights a check, no leftovers, no money tied up for Cat! I would think with the prophet ability of the snowmobile industry this will look pretty inviting to Textron! I also know that the Textron deal does not have Yamaha concerned for some reason. I'am quite confident that if Yamaha don't have a deal with Textron to build sleds they will have a Yamaha built sled ready to go. A quote I herd was, Yamaha is not getting out of the snowmobile business!