YAMAHA - EASY WAY OUT

[journeyman]

I wonder if Yamaha will re-enter into ISOC racing again with this new sled....

I have heard they are. We'll see..........

 

[00-NUKE]

You might want to scratch the unique Yamaha display off your list, unless you consider the decal saying Yamaha at the bottom versus Arctic Cat at the bottom to be unique. lol

OOPS! Your Right, it's a Cat display.

 

[00-NUKE]

You might want to scratch the unique Yamaha display off your list, unless you consider the decal saying Yamaha at the bottom versus Arctic Cat at the bottom to be unique. lol

OOPS! Your Right, it's a Cat display.

I fixed it. Thanks!

 

[sledhead23]

For the fans who want a pure Yamaha, I don't think we have to worry too much. There will probably be a true blue coming down the pipes soon (well, in the next couple years). I believe Yamaha did this b/c 1) quick and easy development 2) allows them to hold onto their market share while still doing R&D. I read somewhere that the reason Yamaha has been hurting in the snowmobile market is b/c they focused most of their R&D resources on motorcycles and other larger segments of their company. But, now "the winds have changed" and should be seeing some great stuff in the future. I was thinking along the lines of a 1049cc DOHC DI.

 

[journeyman]

For the fans who want a pure Yamaha, I don't think we have to worry too much. There will probably be a true blue coming down the pipes soon (well, in the next couple years). I believe Yamaha did this b/c 1) quick and easy development 2) allows them to hold onto their market share while still doing R&D. I read somewhere that the reason Yamaha has been hurting in the snowmobile market is b/c they focused most of their R&D resources on motorcycles and other larger segments of their company. But, now "the winds have changed" and should be seeing some great stuff in the future. I was thinking along the lines of a 1049cc DOHC DI.

Hah, I have hear that one before. Yamaha was the #1 seller by 1986, was winning all the big races with their sleds during the Vmax,SRV and Phazer era and then they just fell asleep in this market to focus on the superbike wars.

 

[sledhead23]

Thats just what I read. But it seems logical though, b/c of the recession, Yamaha as a business would probably want to focus on bigger markets.

 

[Frozenstiff]

Hey Sledhead, How long do you think we should wait for Yamaha to do R&D ? Don,t you thing 8 years is enough ? LOL How big is their R&D group, anyways ?

 

[MUSKIE]

Where do I start?????
I went to the fist showing in Minneapolis last night for the 2014 Yamaha's and have NEVER been so disappointed in a Manufacturer. I talked with the Yamaha rep for about 30 minutes and you could tell that he was trying desperately to retain peoples belief in Yamaha's. He stated that the Viper chassis was almost nothing like the AC 1100 chassis. He had also stated that there are members of Yammaha working up in Thief River Falls and that AC is having a tough time maintaining Yamaha's "stringent" assembly criteria.

IMO: I't's all a load of hoo-ha. After going through the Viper from nose to tail, I found the following........
1. Cat Ski's
2. Cat Plastics
3. Cat Skid
4. Cat Track
5. Cat Chassis
6. Cat Spindles
7. Cat Display
8. Yamaha Clutching
9. Yamaha Yamaha Gears
10. Yamaha Windshield
11. Yamaha Engine

I guess I might have felt even a little better if Yamaha would have added some of their own looks to this sled or at least found a way to keep the tip in the rail of the XTX. No wonder they were able to keep in under the radar for so long. All they had to do was leave th dang thing green until it's release. What a JOKE! My last works were "the proof is in the pudding" as I pointed at the ski with a blue ski loop and it had "Arctic Cat" molded in the plastic.

Well said !! Its a Cat with a Yam engine..WOW....

 

[RobWarrior]

Where do I start?????
I went to the fist showing in Minneapolis last night for the 2014 Yamaha's and have NEVER been so disappointed in a Manufacturer. I talked with the Yamaha rep for about 30 minutes and you could tell that he was trying desperately to retain peoples belief in Yamaha's. He stated that the Viper chassis was almost nothing like the AC 1100 chassis. He had also stated that there are members of Yammaha working up in Thief River Falls and that AC is having a tough time maintaining Yamaha's "stringent" assembly criteria.

IMO: I't's all a load of hoo-ha. After going through the Viper from nose to tail, I found the following........
1. Cat Ski's
2. Cat Plastics
3. Cat Skid
4. Cat Track
5. Cat Chassis
6. Cat Spindles
7. Cat Display
8. Yamaha Clutching
9. Yamaha Yamaha Gears
10. Yamaha Windshield
11. Yamaha Engine

I guess I might have felt even a little better if Yamaha would have added some of their own looks to this sled or at least found a way to keep the tip in the rail of the XTX. No wonder they were able to keep in under the radar for so long. All they had to do was leave th dang thing green until it's release. What a JOKE! My last works were "the proof is in the pudding" as I pointed at the ski with a blue ski loop and it had "Arctic Cat" molded in the plastic.

Well said !! Its a Cat with a Yam engine..WOW....

Good, because I've been wanting a Yamaha that handles and rides like a Cat since I bought my 04 Warrior...now it's here and I'm all over it, you guys keep crying about how Yamaha is pulling the wool over your eyes and I'll ride a Viper next year. Most of us asked for it and now we have it so quit bitching.

 

[MUSKIE]

LOL... Best of luck and have fun !! Let us no how you make out.. -why not just buy a Cat if thats what you wanted..

 

[Yamahnator]

Where do I start?????
I went to the fist showing in Minneapolis last night for the 2014 Yamaha's and have NEVER been so disappointed in a Manufacturer. I talked with the Yamaha rep for about 30 minutes and you could tell that he was trying desperately to retain peoples belief in Yamaha's. He stated that the Viper chassis was almost nothing like the AC 1100 chassis. He had also stated that there are members of Yammaha working up in Thief River Falls and that AC is having a tough time maintaining Yamaha's "stringent" assembly criteria.

IMO: I't's all a load of hoo-ha. After going through the Viper from nose to tail, I found the following........
1. Cat Ski's
2. Cat Plastics
3. Cat Skid
4. Cat Track
5. Cat Chassis
6. Cat Spindles
7. Cat Display
8. Yamaha Clutching
9. Yamaha Yamaha Gears
10. Yamaha Windshield
11. Yamaha Engine

I guess I might have felt even a little better if Yamaha would have added some of their own looks to this sled or at least found a way to keep the tip in the rail of the XTX. No wonder they were able to keep in under the radar for so long. All they had to do was leave th dang thing green until it's release. What a JOKE! My last works were "the proof is in the pudding" as I pointed at the ski with a blue ski loop and it had "Arctic Cat" molded in the plastic.

Uhh have you guys actually looked at a procross? It looks a heck of a lot like a Nytro from the side, and a few other sleds lol. Either way, yamaha motor, clutching and gears and driveshaft changes? That's kind of a lot. One might even say the heart of the sled.

I get aftermarket ski's anyway and idc about a display as long as it shows the right stuff. Other than that it's a solid chassis and the problems mostly lay in what yamaha is contributing.

I understand that people bleed "blue" and translate this as not being blue enough but to me it's the best of both worlds and I'm not brand loyal to the point where I'll ignore a good thing.

 

[RobWarrior]

LOL... Best of luck and have fun !! Let us no how you make out.. -why not just buy a Cat if thats what you wanted..

Not a big fan of the 1100 NA twin and really didn't want to Turbo...never going bat to a 2 smoke either so for me this is what I would have come up with if I was given 2 sled to make one out of. I figure with 3 year warranty it's not a real risky move? Hey, if the thing falls apart I'll find out where the service department is!

 

[sledhead23]

#1apexrider, I do agree with you 8 years is too long, I would like to see new innovations/ideas every 4-5 years with minor upgrades in between. But, Yamaha has had obstacles other manufactures haven't faced (decrease value of yen and the tsunami) then you combine that with a global recession, slowing sled sales (from lack of snow from past couple of years); it would be more beneficial to put your resources into a market that has a higher return. I have changed my mind about the viper and am not against it but I don't see yamaha relying on AC. Peter Smallman-Tew even said they "will be developing snowmobiles and engines in the next five years"

 

[Rich Kay]

We all know that this could be a very good combo (Cat/Yamaha) but I still say this is another merge that will really only benifit the top board members we see this every day,I can smell it. And I hope the sleds you guys are seeing at the shows are way "rough" from the real run of production.....if they have been working on this for up to two years this scares me. I will gladly turn the key a couple more years on my Apex and watch what comes out the door for now because they reserve the right to change spec's without notice .... but Iam hopeing for the best...

 

[Grimm]

Yup, I feel the same...beginning of the end to an all Yamaha sled, well I mean an all Japanese built sled anyways. All the talks seem to be focusing on is building new engines, likely in Japan, but not chassis...all talk about moving into North America.

I remember reading on Chris Reid's sled blog and he had previously mentioned that Yamaha needed to simplify it's snowmobile line by using one chassis (ahem...AC ProCross), and modifying them to accommodate several engines and classes of sledding. As this move happens, more sleds will be built in Arctic Cat's factory. It's possible that Yamaha will remain separate from Arctic Cat and build their own factory eventually, but you will say goodbye to the QDR that Yamaha has been reknown for.

Let's just hope that Yamaha is actually doing some R&D and is actually developing their own chassis and release it for their 50th Anniversary for the 2018 model year...until then, I think all we are going to see a ProCross, er Viper chassis modified for trail, mountain, cross country and touring.