TY Rides 06s today in Minocqua

[SledderSteve]

Thanks Tom, you put together a great team and an even greater report. You had the tough job, we just got to sit around and flap our gums.

People are going to spend in the area of $10,000 on a new sled. So Ya I'll be critical/judgemental.

That's exactly right and you're speaking for many others when you're being critcal/judgemental.

I could just picture Tom's face getting a bit red when he saw your response after putting all those hours into creating that report so I had to jump in there. I've no doubt that he would have similar answers to mine if we were all just sitting around a table discussing the sleds. Oh wait, that's exactly what we did to prepare for this fun.

Tom tried to pick a cross section of riders who he knew had different styles in order to answer the questions from the folks with those varied interests.

I had little interest in seeing how far I could jump the Nytro off the driveway approach so I'm glad NOS PRO Terry was there to do it for the group. He likes doing that. 8)

Bluebyyou2000 Matt isn't concerned about the wind protection but respects the thoughts of folks like me who are concerned.

As we go forward, I see forums such as TY becoming more and more the norm for people to use in making their buying decisions. There were many times in the past when I read the mags and wanted to ask the test riders questions before plunking down thousands of hard earned dollars on a machine I wasn't able to ride first.

I'm sure some at Yamaha might have been a bit apprehensive about turning their expensive prototype machines over to a bunch of hoodlums from the internet but I think they're now seeing TY as an interactive media outlet.

Ok, that's enough, I do have a day job, Really!

 

[QCRider]

I don't mean to minimize the work that goes into writing the report that Tom wrote, but seriously, that could have just as easily been written by Yamaha's sales department. That's what happens when you take a site that was developed on it's own and start to get corporate involvement in it. Now Tom feels obligated to write a good review since Yamaha was so nice as to provide a chance for you guys to ride them. I am not accusing anyone of anything, so don't get all bent about this, but I would have rather seen a review from a lifelong Arctic Cat or Ski Doo rider than from a bunch of Yamaha die hards.

 

[kenlacy]

[quote="welterracer]Ive ridin with 5 separte F sleds.... They handle better than the 05 and previuos RX sleds handls down out of the box...... even with skis and 13mm swaybar my sled handled maybe as good as them..[/quote]

Welter, I wasn't saying that the F-series handled better or worse than the RX1. What I was eluding to was the fact that the ZR corners flatter than the F-7, doesn't handle the bumps as well, but has a cornering advantage.

Same with the elder MXZ and Rev. There is more ski lift with the rider forward sleds vs their ancestors.

 

[MrSled]

ALL I can say QC, is you are wrong....I gave you my honest report....the sleds that we rode are that good...If I am being honest I would also have to say you are quite a gem to have on this site....being open minded just is not an option with you. I work my bud off to help Yamaha guys and to give my honest opinion of others products so who are you to judge. Yamaha is on the site but I dont get anything from them for this....I wish

If you think this site has come to this then why are you here????

 

[byoffcr]

QC I am not a loyal any sled rider . I drag raced the PRO circuit for many years. I ran Cats, Polaris , Doos what ever we felt would win that year. Even old Thunder Chickens and Rupp Nitros ,so I,m dateing myself. At this point I do not feel it is fair to say any thing Tom or the crew says is not correct. Until I test to day and find out for my self I will take all of there info as fact. I have nothing else to go on and I dont think Tom or any of the guys would mislead us to keep Yamaha happy.This site is to important to Tom and all of us for him to do that. Just my @ cents but Ill stick by it. Not bashing you either. .

 

[jimmie d]

Yamaha has offered a great opportunity, due to Tom, to review and HAVE input into their products. I don't think anyone is going to plop down over $10 grand based on the review. Rather the reviews provide insite and answer many initial questions that may lead us in a direction to make a decision based upon further information. I think the information will impact the fence sitters but is not enough alone to get a guy to rush to the dealer.

I would rather read it here from fellow riders than read impressions from some magazine jockey who does not have a clue.

Thanks to all you guys and hope you had a great time.

Jim

 

[NOS-PRO]

I do not lie!

I have owned every typr of sled, and all I can say is that I love what Yamaha has come out with in the last 3-4 years. Way ahead of everybody, and focussing on trail sleds.

As far as your post QC, I have no comment!

I know what I like, and don't want to express my real feelings on your post. We tried our best to give the honest results, and now you make us look like paid reps for them. If that was the answer, then why am I at my day job right now!

 

[buddah]

QC,

The other guys have danced around your comment but I'll tackle it head on. It's very unfair and/or uninformed of you to characterize the report as being written by Yamaha's marketing division. We all sat down at a table after riding all of the sleds and discussed each and every point about each sled in the lineup. We spent a good 90 or so minutes doing this when we could have been lobbying for a second chance at the sleds.........which, in fact, did happen for the other guys but I had to leave.......4+ hrs. drive home and other concerns, which have been chronicled elsewhere on here.

Buddah

 

[Sled Dog]

I don't mean to minimize the work that goes into writing the report that Tom wrote, but seriously, that could have just as easily been written by Yamaha's sales department. That's what happens when you take a site that was developed on it's own and start to get corporate involvement in it. Now Tom feels obligated to write a good review since Yamaha was so nice as to provide a chance for you guys to ride them. I am not accusing anyone of anything, so don't get all bent about this, but I would have rather seen a review from a lifelong Arctic Cat or Ski Doo rider than from a bunch of Yamaha die hards.

Where as you do make a good point about having an unbaised review to read from someone who does not ride yamaha all the time. I think it unfair to Tom and the others who rode them to judge them and say they sugar coated every thing. You can see they were concerned about the way the reveiw was going to be written unless it was nothing more than pure honest opinion and truth we would tear it and them a new you know what. They knew we would be putting them under the microscope. That is what they gave us their truthful opinions on each sled and how it rode and handled. There is no reason to not take the report as nothing else than a bunch of guys who anwsered a lot of our questions and gave us their honest opinions on each sled.

 

[kenlacy]

I thought it was an excellent review as well. I think what QC is getting at is that if anyone who is not a commoner to these boards was to read that review - they would say look at the sheep, they only have good to say about the sleds - no criticisms.

It would attain a higher level of credibility (not that it is not a credible, just would add to it IMO) if it actually pointed out any criticism what so ever. You tried with the windshield deal but you couldn't really do it and rather complimented how cool they look

Obviously Yami is not going to invite you if you are overly critical of their sleds, but I doubt at all they would mind a little criticism. And that is not to say Yami was leaning on you but common sense is going to say you will definitely slightly lean their direction out of Love for their products and loyalty.

 

[Sled Dog]

I thought they were very critical of the wind shield they all said it was an ornament not a working windshield. It looks cool but it does nothing to protect you from the wind.

 

[SledderSteve]

I am not accusing anyone of anything, so don't get all bent about this, but I would have rather seen a review from a lifelong Arctic Cat or Ski Doo rider than from a bunch of Yamaha die hards.

Well, I was sometimes the odd man out during the ride and I'm about to do it again. :roll:

I think QCRider has an excellent point and I'm willing to bet that we'll start seeing just this type of testing/evaluation going forward. I don't doubt that the other Mfgs. also read this site and I wouldn't be surprised if one or more didn't invite a group of Yamaha or other brand die hards to review their sleds at some point in the future.

We've all seen and heard the same type of comments directed to the magazines over the years when they give a glowing review of a particular brand of sled. "Well of course they're going to give that machine a great review, did you see the amount of advertising the manufacturer bought!" Heck, I was one of those guys until now I get to walk in the reviewer's shoes. :shock:

The real fun for us on the test crew will be seeing how close our evaluation comes to the ones given by the magazines, people who get paid to come up with unbiased evaluations.
:ORC

I for one am extremely flattered that our report is being compared to what's normally written by professionals. To the best of my knowledge, this was the first time any of us have done something like this and I'd like to think that we've created a pretty sound foundation for future evaluations.

 

[Tfin]

Great report guys, and a job well done.

No matter how hard you try, you're NEVER going to please everyone. There's always going to be one (or two) that will buck you no matter what you do or say. Its the world we live in. The thicker your skin (not your head of course 8) ) the better off you'll be.

Anyways I'd say you had an amazing oppertunity and I personally appreciate the well layed out report.

 

[kenlacy]

It is a good thing there are always people who don't see everything through rosey glasses or there would never be change. In whole it looks like Yammi did a superb job - but they can always do better.

 

[QCRider]

ALL I can say QC, is you are wrong....I gave you my honest report....the sleds that we rode are that good...If I am being honest I would also have to say you are quite a gem to have on this site....being open minded just is not an option with you. I work my bud off to help Yamaha guys and to give my honest opinion of others products so who are you to judge. Yamaha is on the site but I dont get anything from them for this....I wish

If you think this site has come to this then why are you here????

Hey, what are we supposed to think when there is not one thing about these sleds that you would like to see different? Apparently they are the perfect sled.

Anybody who questions Yamaha at all on this site is attacked immediately.

Like I said, I wasn't accusing you of anything, but there is no way you would have come back here and said that the sleds were terrible and that nobody should waste their money on them even if that was the truth.

Which by the way I sure it is NOT.

I'm sorry if I offended anyone, it was not intended and I thank you for your efforts and your report.