Yamaha Cutting Production for 2019

[Wannaviper]

Actually that is HUGE NEWS! What and how did you hear this???

I agree, those two "tidbits", especially when tied together would be HUGE news. Please, more details with a hint as to the sources, no matter how unreliable or speculative they might be!

 

[sk-rx1]

Actually that is HUGE NEWS! What and how did you hear this???

I was told that this was info from a district rep. But I really dont know if it's true, or even if a district rep would know. I agree it could be huge, just don't really trust the whole situation. Seems odd, but it seems like anything is possible in this situation. Textron has their own 4 stroke, maybe they want to use it. Or maybe not.

 

[Farmer 73]

Think about it people. I might be way off base here with a lot of hope full thinking! Yamaha has it all in place. Lets take the Nytro for example. The people on this site has done all the R&D for them. You put the steering relocate on and convert the 121 to a 128 or 129, leaving the XTX at 141! Now you put a taller seat on like a WRP! Then fix the front end with the 43+2, (might be the most expensive R&D). Then the final part, the Nytro chassie fabricated out of the carbon fiber reinforced composite that they have pattened already! Motor wise, take your pick, they have plenty of variations on the shelf! Okay what do you think, how crazy am I?

 

[whitedust1]

I was told that this was info from a district rep. But I really dont know if it's true, or even if a district rep would know. I agree it could be huge, just don't really trust the whole situation. Seems odd, but it seems like anything is possible in this situation. Textron has their own 4 stroke, maybe they want to use it. Or maybe not.

Well.. Textron will want to use Yamaha engines no doubt about that fact.... what is at play is does Textron continue to build Yamacats out of TRF for Yamaha??? I suspect yes but for how long and what does Yamaha do about a new Apex and hole in the product line? Partner with Textron or replace Apex from Japan? Whatever happens I suspect it will be somewhat different from the prior OEM Agreement ...just the fact Textron is calling the shots for AC will change the OEM Agreement.

 

[Teamblue4]

I heard the the OEM agreement was not renewed. Who knows if that's true,or if so what it means.

That's the best news in all 31 pages.

 

[Sasquatch]

That's the best news in all 31 pages.

If that means Yamaha would be building sleds again, Im all for it! If it means Yamaha is buying Cat and building their own 4 stroke sleds based on a refined Cat chassis while building two stroke sleds for Cat to keep thier dealers alive, thereby creating a Yamaha specific brand one can be proud of! Hey I'll dance a jig! Poorly but I'll give it a shot!

I love dreams! Reality can and is so brutal!

 

[sk-rx1]

Well.. Textron will want to use Yamaha engines no doubt about that fact.... what is at play is does Textron continue to build Yamacats out of TRF for Yamaha??? I suspect yes but for how long and what does Yamaha do about a new Apex and hole in the product line? Partner with Textron or replace Apex from Japan? Whatever happens I suspect it will be somewhat different from the prior OEM Agreement ...just the fact Textron is calling the shots for AC will change the OEM Agreement.

Does Arctric Cat/Textron really need the 7000, they have a very nice 600 2 stroke. What they dont have is a decent smaller motor, like a good 4 stroke to compete with the SkiDoo ACE which seem to sell very well. Textron has 4 stokes for ATVs, no idea if they are any good. Just don't know. Actually, as most here I have no idea what's going to come next. If the agreement is no more it seems like it would be well known by now. Whatever is coming for 2019 will be shown to all in about 6-8 weeks.

 

[20/80]

Yamaha always keeps a tight lip on things, but lets a few leaks out now and then.

 

[journeyman]

Ok I’ll bite please gives us some detail to this post if nothing more than your uncle has a friend and his buddy knows this guy that said WHAT????

Oh it's not one of those deals, have you forgotten I knew about the Sidewinder a year in advance? I just don't press him, if he's willing to leak a little he does. This was all I was told this time. Last time I knew Yamaha had a turbo charged machine based off the YXZ1000r SxS 4 wheeler, that it was in a Cat chassis and it was faster than anything ever produced by a long shot. That part is history now but I do believe I posted that first here at the time.

 

[journeyman]

That's the best news in all 31 pages.

First I have heard of this but who knows......?

 

[whitedust1]

Oh it's not one of those deals, have you forgotten I knew about the Sidewinder a year in advance? I just don't press him, if he's willing to leak a little he does. This was all I was told this time. Last time I knew Yamaha had a turbo charged machine based off the YXZ1000r SxS 4 wheeler, that it was in a Cat chassis and it was faster than anything ever produced by a long shot. That part is history now but I do believe I posted that first here at the time.

If it is a Phaser replacement I get it to off set the Ace but meaningless to me. I want a new 4s platform in the 16o hp to replace my Apex xtx.

 

[journeyman]

If it is a Phaser replacement I get it to off set the Ace but meaningless to me. I want a new 4s platform in the 16o hp to replace my Apex xtx.

I got the feeling it is a lower HP model but the made in Japan is all I got.

 

[Nytros rule]

It took me a while to move from the "darkside"; when it came to sleds, I was all Polaris and all 2-stroke until I rode a 2011 Vector with the 1049 cc 4-stroke and realized that a 4-stroke engine could be fun in a snowmobile. Now, like most on this site, I "bleed blue," and I want to be able to look at Poo's and Doo's, knowing my sled is as good or better than anything they make. I was not devastated by the Yamaha-Arctic Cat agreement, or the fact that my Viper is really an Arctic Cat pro-cross chassis with blue and white paint; it still has that 1049 engine that made me fall in love with Yamaha in the first place. The difference between my old Vector and my Viper is that my Viper is an absolute blast to ride, and I come in at the end of the day with a big smile rather than a sore back. Whatever "fit and finish" issues Arctic Cat may have, they designed a great chassis that handles and rides better than anything that ever came out of Japan. So, I am not setting my hopes on an all-new "Japan Sled." My hope is that the engineers at Thief River Falls have something new and even better than the pro-cross on the design table, and that it will be built from the ground up to fit a Yamaha 4-stroke, maybe even the vaunted Apex motor! As long as I ride a sled that handles and rides as good as the Poo's and Doo's, and it has a Yamaha 4-stroke engine that puts a smile on my face (with Yamaha stickers on the chassis) I will be a happy man.

I did not come from "the dark side" I've been riding Yamaha since 1973 but I too was not devastated by the Yamaha-Arctic Cat agreement. The Cat pro cross chassis is undeniably better than the Nytro chassis I came off (XTX to XTX)ride, handling, seating position are all better than the Nytro. Engine performance/starter/ECU issues do bring us back to Cat DNA. Maybe there should have been more Yamaha for something wearing the Yamaha name. I do believe from what I have seen of Cat chassis these sleds will out last or cost less to keep out on the snow than POO or DOO, I know of Cats with over 30,000 miles, I can not say that of either Poo or Doo. I too would love to see a made in Japan sled/sleds, but I do hope Yamaha engineering has learned something from AC about chassis/suspension weight and design. If the Yamaha Cat agreement is not dead than I hope Yamaha becomes an equal and has more control over the products they are selling

 

[journeyman]

I did not come from "the dark side" I've been riding Yamaha since 1973 but I too was not devastated by the Yamaha-Arctic Cat agreement. The Cat pro cross chassis is undeniably better than the Nytro chassis I came off (XTX to XTX)ride, handling, seating position are all better than the Nytro. Engine performance/starter/ECU issues do bring us back to Cat DNA. Maybe there should have been more Yamaha for something wearing the Yamaha name. I do believe from what I have seen of Cat chassis these sleds will out last or cost less to keep out on the snow than POO or DOO, I know of Cats with over 30,000 miles, I can not say that of either Poo or Doo. I too would love to see a made in Japan sled/sleds, but I do hope Yamaha engineering has learned something from AC about chassis/suspension weight and design. If the Yamaha Cat agreement is not dead than I hope Yamaha becomes an equal and has more control over the products they are selling

I was just discussing that with my dad today who hung up riding just a few years ago. Anyways I mentioned testing the Viper 4 stroke just before it was released. As we know the Viper engine is all Yamaha but the ECU is Cat. My buddy used to have a Nytro and it had much more zip than the Viper's do. IMHO they were detuned with Cat's ECU. Getting back to riding the prototypes the season before....Yamaha had one test mule Viper in their fleet I drove that went very well. It felt completely different. The rest felt like the ones on the showroom floors. I wonder to this day if that one Viper had either the timing advanced or it maybe even had Yamaha's own ECU/ignition....I may never know...

 

[yamajammer76]

I heard the the OEM agreement was not renewed. Who knows if that's true,or if so what it means.

Well if that's true that would mean Viper, Sidewinder and SnoScoot all gone for 2019.

So either Yamaha has a whole new line of sleds they are building themselves (doubtful) or they are getting out of the sled business and possibly just selling engines to AC.

I haven't heard anything, but I assume that Yamaha is still expected to introduce a 2019 model line in about a month or so. Right?

Also it's possible the original 5 year Viper agreement has not been renewed, but the Sidewinder and SnoScoot have their own agreements in place. If that's the case we might see a new "600 class" sled to replace the Viper.

We should find out soon.