Will Yamaha EVER be competitive in snocross?????

[Red2003]

Just got this months American Snowmobiler mag. They got a little article entitled "Yamaha enters Snocross. Its an artical about Jesse Strege (condolances) and the pimped out Nytro (if you can still call it a Nytro. Nothing left but the engine and Yammi stickers) running at Eagle River. Old news, I know. That sled is running the Pro Open class. WHAT? At 480 lbs and 130 HP, it stands no chance. That sled wouldn't be competitive in the Pro Stock class, let alone Pro Open. Holy CRAP. It's way heavy and down 50+ HP to the rest of the field. By the first corner it'll be 100 ft. behind the pack sucking snow roost. Why get back into snocross with a sled that has no chance of even running close?? The Phazer, well that's out too. Besides the fact that its underpowered and too heavy to run in even the 500 fan class, it isn't even legal to compete with the gear reduction. WTF, will we ever see a competitive Yammi in snocross. They should have kept the Viper around, put a suspension under it and give it a whirl. Atleast it would be in the weight / HP ballpark of the other 3 Manufacturers. Yammi isn't even in the parking lot at this point.

 

[ReX]

To me it's less important right now that they win. Just entering they will learn so much about what it takes to have a suspension soak up insane bumps and hold together. Yamaha has been lacking in their suspension department for years - but they are getting better.

I also believe eventually they should be able to become competative one way or another.

One day I'm sure there will be a 4-stroke class of snow cross too. Yamaha will be way ahead when that happens.

I for one would like to see them keep at it even though they have serious uphill battle ahead if they want to become competative.

 

[Yamahnator]

I could see the phazer being able to compete in the 440 class (which is being phazed out) fairly easy if they made a rule change. I think you'll see Yamaha become a presence in snowcross next year. That's when the Nytro/vector line is probably due to be updated.

Snowcross sells sleds lets face it. But personally I'm more concerned with Crosscountry results than snowcross. It's what you'll face on the trail, not some token sled that's made for a 1/4 mile track and isn't very trailable.

 

[FormulaPro]

Think about when MotoX was all 2 strokes... and Yam came in with their 4 thumper. Wasn't competitive for the first few years then cleaned up! Now most of the MFG followed suit and enter 4 strokers.

I have a feeling history will repeat itself in the snowmo world!

 

[MR.HAPPY]

Watching them at Lk Geneva was a disgrace to all YAMAHA owners & employees, period!!!!!!!!!!

Yugi was first to the top of the hill at the start of one of his races, but fell like a rock after that!

I think there is more problems with real drivers than with equipment!!!

Why bother if you're not going to get real people to make your company look good!!!

VERY SAD TO ME, A YAMAHA LOVER FOR 30 YEARS!

BR

 

[jimmie d]

Does anybody over 20 really care anymore?

Jim

 

[MR.HAPPY]

I'm over 40!!!

BR

 

[Oak Hill]

Hold on a minute guys. Your throwing in the towell before the season starts. Yamaha has been testing these past 2 years. I will bet you that next year at this time you all will be singing a different tune. Yamaha knows what it is going to take to be competitive. They will be ready. I truly believe everyone and I mean everyone will be supprised next season. Why would Yamaha show all of thier cards this season and give it away to the competition. Believe me the competition is worried. Go Yamaha!

 

[Red2003]

Hold on a minute guys. Your throwing in the towell before the season starts. Yamaha has been testing these past 2 years. I will bet you that next year at this time you all will be singing a different tune. Yamaha knows what it is going to take to be competitive. They will be ready. I truly believe everyone and I mean everyone will be supprised next season. Why would Yamaha show all of thier cards this season and give it away to the competition. Believe me the competition is worried. Go Yamaha!

They have already announced that they WILL be running the Nytro next year. No way will it be competitive against machines that are 50 lbs lighter and have 50 more HP. I don't care who's riding the thing. If Yammi had something up their sleeve, they should have waited to debut a machine that didnt' make a laughing stock out of a company that already had a bad rep in snocross. I love Yammi, but I want to watch snocross and be able to route for MY brand, and that has just never happened.

 

[7 skulls]

Its not competitive in this season's open class but with the shift to 600 class rules next year, the gap will be alot closer.

 

[YAM182]

Yamaha could compete and do well-- if they wanted to.

Remember Chris Vincent won the 600 class before.
Remember Nathan Titus lead and almost won the
pro open class.

Yamaha builds sleds for trails-not for racing.
The new Phazer may be a start.Except for the motors power
it appears this trail sled is capable of snow-x racing more so than recent models.

You may see a bigger engine shoehorned into a reworked
front end.
For racing or in the future as a new model.

Yamaha won`t dump money into snow-x or R+D just to be competitive
and then have the rules changed by others so they can`t compete.
The rules need to get set first.
If they think they can compete with what they got then somebody will give it a shot.


--Booted out the V-Max 4`s on Knapp after he(Yamaha) started winning alot.

--In the 90`s Bender won F-III championships many times and then rules
changed so the Yamaha sleds could not compete.

Yamaha has been shafted bigtime before!!

 

[RJH]

 

[QCRider]

Does anybody over 20 really care anymore?

Jim

Not me. Cross country racing is much better. The problem is that it is not a good TV or spectator sport.

Now on to the original question. Yes, Yamaha will eventually be competitive because the rules will change much the same as motocross to account for the differences between 2 strokes and 4 strokes and allow both to be competitive.

 

[5280ft]

Yam182...what corporate cookie cutter did you come out of...
Your argument is the same one corp. yammie has been hanging its hat on for the last 20+ years...

If yammie actually gets into smb racing seriously it is because there has been a change at the helm and a new person is driving the ship, but from my experience (which may have cost me my career at YMUS) the direction will be low budget, make a "flash" presence and give the loyal yammie customers something to relate to.
Believe me, I on was on the inside when Chris Vincent and Nathan Titus were competitive...and it was all in their own personal drive and ego at stake. They rode way-sub-par sleds to a level that 98% of the field could never achieve. It just shows the incredible talent of those to drivers.
Remember the other excellent drivers that could never perform on a Yamaha...? D.J. Eckstrom, Tim Maki, Carl Schubitzki, Browny, Strege just to name a few...
If I had to hang my hat on it, I wouldn't hold my breath or you'll be as blue as their racing color.

 

[JDKRXW]

The Phazer, well that's out too. Besides the fact that its underpowered and too heavy to run in even the 500 fan class, it isn't even legal to compete with the gear reduction.

What makes you think a snowX Phazer will have a gear reduction (or even a low powered twin for that matter)?
I think there are going to be some huge surprises coming in snowX