How about the 15 guys with no Kashima or Hy/lo on there shocks along with crazy low gearing. How about the 16 guys who either got or didn't get a whole new motor than they expected? Us 14 guys just got wrong specs in manual. That was a good year since nobody knew what to expect with a new model. My point is this is normal course of spring buy since arrangement with cat.
stevewithOCD
Yamaha, Make me Come Back
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Do you guys think this is a communication snafu between Cat & Yamaha? I don't want to blame Cat, but i don't recall these problems with pure Yamaha. Maybe those people that got laid off were the ones that were suppose to follow up on details.
yamahaex50
Extreme
Sounds like I really need to take a look at the sled when I go to pick it up!
Mighty
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I sat down with the GM at my dealership yesterday and asked him point blank if he thought I was making a big deal out of nothing. He's a straight shooter and said NO. That we were short changed getting the standard rear skid when everything he could dig up shows that we were suppose to get the beefed up rear skid. He then went on to tell me about issues that they had last season with a Cat with the standard rear skid. They had one particular customer that had to have his rear rails replaced multiple times. His opinion is that the rails are too thin to span 137 inches. I could care less about some damn goggle holder and if they do indeed send me one, I'll leave it out allowing a place for more heat to escape. But I will continue to push for Yamaha to step up on the rear skid issue.
Back in 14, I wasn't sure about the Yamaha/Cat joint venture and ordered a 1200 Doo. The day after I ordered it, a high ranking official direct from Japan visited my dealer. He was curious how the viper was being received and my dealer told him about me; a Multi Yamaha product owning consumer who they lost to Doo because of the merger. My dealer said that he asked him to reach out right then and see if there was anything that could be done to get me to change my order to Yamaha. Well, that was one of the few times I didn't answer my cell as I was in with a client all day. I wonder to this day what he might have done to try and keep me. He's going to try and reach out to him again (if he can find his card) and let him know that Yamaha succeeded and got me back because of the Sidewinder. Only to F__K me up the A$$ with this bait and switch BS.
I personally think the rear skid will be fine for my riding style. And if it performs like my 2016 ZR9000 performed, I'll be very pleased. But it's the principle of it all now.
Back in 14, I wasn't sure about the Yamaha/Cat joint venture and ordered a 1200 Doo. The day after I ordered it, a high ranking official direct from Japan visited my dealer. He was curious how the viper was being received and my dealer told him about me; a Multi Yamaha product owning consumer who they lost to Doo because of the merger. My dealer said that he asked him to reach out right then and see if there was anything that could be done to get me to change my order to Yamaha. Well, that was one of the few times I didn't answer my cell as I was in with a client all day. I wonder to this day what he might have done to try and keep me. He's going to try and reach out to him again (if he can find his card) and let him know that Yamaha succeeded and got me back because of the Sidewinder. Only to F__K me up the A$$ with this bait and switch BS.
I personally think the rear skid will be fine for my riding style. And if it performs like my 2016 ZR9000 performed, I'll be very pleased. But it's the principle of it all now.
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Mighty
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It appears the 182 HP sidewinder dynoed by evo was an anomaly. After seeing D&D's dyno numbers of the Thundercat and Sidewinder being dynoed back to back and coming within .2 HP of a HP of each other at 205 HP each, I'm confident that we are getting a 200+ HP engine stock.
SE and DX have not race drilled one. That was always that from day one... only LE package have one.
So your sw DX are correct
Silkysmooth3popper
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You will also find out like I did the other day that if you want to add any more idlers like I did on my 14 viper, that the holes in the rails are too small for the bolts to go through. They will need to be drilled out larger, so I decided not to at this time. I will just add a 4th wheel kit.
What the XXXx I added a wheel in every position posssible using the Cat kits. My skid looks like a tank skid. None of the holes were too small. Thats not right.
As far as the Blame Game I put the changes themselves on Cat. They make our sleds. The communication is 100% a Yamaha problem. There is a very good system out there to communicate all these changes as soon as they are known for sure. They dont use it anymore till well after the fact! Yamaha also is doing a half assed effort of Manual,Parts,Brochures and promotional publishing. I am stating this knowing that this could be the last year of any Yamahas so am thankful for what we do get. Maybe the Sidewinder coming off the success of Viper is enough to get Yamaha to stick with at least selling sleds and grow forward with more involvement with Cat. Preferrably buying them! Yamaha is the best OEM out there product wise,Warranty wise and Organizational wise. However with the Cat made sleds they need to grab the cat by the tail and show them how its done Business/Organizational wise. Tricky balancing thing though since last thing I would want them to do is interfere with the Cat way of quick changes and Performance/Race development and manufacturing. So if they bought Cat and got rid of those that have never touched a sled or a tool and never been in direct contact with the dealers or public. It would be a perfect storm! My fingers have been crossed for this the last 4 years. Maybe next year will be the year!
AXR
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If they don't intend to give us the advertised skid they should warranty the one we get regardless of how much warranty we have/buy. Just like the viper starter problem. I still can't wait to see what the 129's have in them. Anyone know if any of 129 cat's have started showing up?
Hey if anyone wants me to "Test" thier Sidewinder 137 skid I volunteer! Will even go to PA and hammer it with my buddies there!
AXR
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Amen!!! With all of today's current technology there is no reason for all the miscommunication. They clearly knew all of this stuff back at spring order time per Chris Reid's blog. So it is 100% false advertising. It was not a 'subject to change'. IT WAS CHANGED. Total BS to keep the lie going. (it's even still going now). It has been a long time since Yamaha has had a good verity of accessories/apparel also. God it would be good to get the choices Cat and Doo have. But till the other OEM's offer the support Yamaha offers, it would be a hard switch.
Mighty
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that's exactly what I told my dealer. I told him that yamahas reply would be that it's a durable skid to which I said; let them prove it and extend the warranty on the skid. If they are correct and it's a durable skid they have nothing to lose because we won't need to use the warranty.
Did anyone actually measure the width of the 137 Rails yet?
The upper and lower shafts at front of skid would also be a easy change for dealers or buyers. Relatively inexpensive also.
