Yamaha Cutting Production for 2019

[Wannaviper]

Yami isn't any worse then Ford Chevy etc. or any other thing were it's made here there everywhere then put together over there or here.. sold as Yami etc.
I want to buy a Vector XTX as my last sled before I get too old.. been riding an Attak for 10 yrs.. I'm 69 yrs now.. it would be my last sled and "made in Japan".. rugged machine ..don't care about turbos or any of the other stuff.. love the attak.. 18k miles of great joy.. power steering would be just the icing on the cake for me.. know anyone selling 2 vectors new? ltx and xtx? wife and I would love to upgrade..local dealers are pushing the hybrid stuff here only. don't want to deal with vectors,etc.

I think 2015 may have been the last year for the Vector LTX, so it may be hard to find a new one. They made the Vector XTX in 2016 & 2017, but not in 2018. They are still making the RS Vector with the 129" track. My local dealer up in Jackman (Maine) has a pair of 2016 leftover Vectors for sale, an XTX , and a 129. I think the XTX has the 1.75" lugs. I don't know how far that would be for you to travel, but we sure see a lot of NH sleds riding up there!

 

[rtx moose]

so what were the downfalls of the nytro platform,I just thought they were ugly as hell to the point of never looking into buying one..

 

[DGZRT]

so what were the downfalls of the nytro platform,I just thought they were ugly as hell to the point of never looking into buying one..

Never thought they were Ugly! just the swing of the Handle bars and the front suspension was not correct and the rear needed some new valving on the shocks . Other wise it was light for a 4 stroke , awesome seating position , easy to work on, very reliable , still is the best throttle response of almost any 4 stroke. Wish they would have revised it ! not just change a few things.

We had several 12,000 mile Nytro's in our group and they never had any major problems !

 

[CaptCaper]

I think 2015 may have been the last year for the Vector LTX, so it may be hard to find a new one. They made the Vector XTX in 2016 & 2017, but not in 2018. They are still making the RS Vector with the 129" track. My local dealer up in Jackman (Maine) has a pair of 2016 leftover Vectors for sale, an XTX , and a 129. I think the XTX has the 1.75" lugs. I don't know how far that would be for you to travel, but we sure see a lot of NH sleds riding up there!

not good 1.75 for my conditions here. Wife likes the 136" we had the short tract and she didn't like it..it fished around alot on her with the power.

 

[Wannaviper]

not good 1.75 for my conditions here. Wife likes the 136" we had the short tract and she didn't like it..it fished around alot on her with the power.

My first Yamaha was the Vector LTX 136", coming from a short track Polaris. I now have both a 137" and a 141" Viper; I have no desire to go back to the shorter track!

 

[stevewithOCD]

so what were the downfalls of the nytro platform,I just thought they were ugly as hell to the point of never looking into buying one..

I felt like i was gonna fall off the front just sitting still. I rode one of the first ones that had updated shocks, but it scared me. I know they revamped front end, but i rode it, got off and never got back on. Just a bad feeling for me...

 

[STAIN]

I had an 09 Nytro XTX. Rode it 5300 miles. Fun sled for the most part. It was the sled that made me love the 3 cylinder Yamaha. Great motor, rear skid wasn't bad, gas tank was too small and the front end sucked. I would have kept it if I could have got the front end to behave properly. I did every thing I could to that front suspension==springs, skis, shock valving, I even tried some lower spindles a guy on here was selling. Nothing worked to my satisfaction. Traded it for an Apex( which made me love the 3 cylinder even more), which I traded for a Viper.

 

[DVW]

On a clear day I think I can understand Yamaha’s next step. My clear day came last spring at a Arctic Cat product show. In the line up was a VK 540 rebadged as a Bear Cat model. Arctic Cat does not needs another Bear Cat unless they want a product for Northern Europe and Russia. But why would they try to go up against Yamaha in Russia with a identical product? The answer to that question was telling.
Sadly I think Yamaha is going to stop selling snowmobiles. With this in mind it makes sense for Yamaha to prop up sales with private label products until they pull the plug. Arctic Cat has been motivated to give Yamaha a good supplier agreement. Yamaha customers are buying and riding Arctic Cats. When Yamaha pulls the plug Arctic Cat will be well positioned to fill the void both here and in now in Russia. The rebadged VK 540 is the last piece of the puzzle.
In my opinion, exit is Yamaha’s next step. I hope I am wrong but I fear not.

 

[Sasquatch]

2 laps you really don't think it would be good for anyone if Yamaha stopped selling sleds even if they are just Yamaha powered cats?

I think it would be better if Yamaha built those sleds they are selling! Feeding their dealers with the competitors sleds is something done all across the industry just before closing the doors! Sure there have been partnerships but not to this degree of totality. With the demise of the Apex and the Venture moving over to the Cat chassis it looks pretty dismal for the Brand name Yamaha. Cat is swallowing Yamaha's identity! Yamaha is a brand only on paper,(or a sticker) on the snow its its all Cat! Yamaha sled company has lost their mojo! Yamaha motor company is doing quite well! Go Cat!

 

[Sasquatch]

For all these guys saying Yamaha needs a 160hp N\A triple, why do you think this engine would be any lighter than the turbo 998 motor? Maybe save 5 lbs? Its like when people say a 600cc sled is lighter and more nimble than an 800 of the same model. Makes no sense.

The nytro/viper motor can make more power if you rev it higher, but then you would need a gear reduction like the apex to keep the clutch rpms down. This adds weight/cost. Never going to happen.

Now this is funny because the Apex engine is 8 pds heavier then the three. The three by the way without the turbo! With the turbo and inter cooler? Put the 4 in and hell even I might ride a Cat! Well at least try one!

 

[cannondale27]

I think it would be better if Yamaha built those sleds they are selling! Feeding their dealers with the competitors sleds is something done all across the industry just before closing the doors! Sure there have been partnerships but not to this degree of totality. With the demise of the Apex and the Venture moving over to the Cat chassis it looks pretty dismal for the Brand name Yamaha. Cat is swallowing Yamaha's identity! Yamaha is a brand only on paper,(or a sticker) on the snow its its all Cat! Yamaha sled company has lost their mojo! Yamaha motor company is doing quite well! Go Cat!

Of course it would be better. But that's not what I said. Would you rather have them quit selling snowmobiles is what I said.

 

[Sasquatch]

looking forward to 2019 is all i can say,yamaha is still very much in the sled business

I'll dream a little dream with you! Its nice to escape reality from time to time!

 

[Sasquatch]

Of course it would be better. But that's not what I said. Would you rather have them quit selling snowmobiles is what I said.

I would have to say they have! But I think what you are alluding to is selling Cats keeps Yamaha doors open! This has been done before but when both doors where owned by one company, both selling the same product! In the end one set of doors closed and that is what I foresee! There are many company's who shared a line or two from each other but still had a core base of their own product, Pooling of tech worked for them. Now though we have a company that is dissolving its product line and has no core product left. When you look down that tunnel you see two company's selling identical product. Please explain how one does not swallow the other?

 

[Sasquatch]

My guy at the dealer is well informed and keeps up with what Yamaha has coming down the pipeline, he new about the new 998 turbo being tested before it was released as a sidewinder and Yamaha is pretty tight lipped about that kind of stuff.

Now if I had a dollar for every time I heard that one! There is so much disappointment on this site based on what was coming cause of someone in the know! People cried buckets over what was supposed to come, I was one of them! Now look where we are! I have a very well informed person in the know as well, Yamaha is dead as a sled manufacture and I double dog, no triple dog dare them to prove me wrong!

 

[Sasquatch]

It's too heavy, too expensive, too much power for the trail, too blue....waaa waaa waaa

I've had a few "brilliant" conversations with some naysayers in the day. Just a few years back a guy told me Yamaha leans their sleds out & blow up. He was referring to the 80's V-Max! Can you believe that? Another said Yams were ALWAYS the heaviest. I had to remind him of the SRX days when Yamaha's triple was lighter than the 2 cylinders.

It's too non-american, too high tech, no race team, too blue....waaa waaa waaa

Hence the hate for the Apex and why Yamaha is selling Cats!