SuperStroker!
Pro
Now we must be smart enough to put asside our petty "brand loyalist" afflictions (kind of like we owe a snowmobile manufacturer our loyality) and select a brand based on true technological advancement!
The next deciding factor is and always should be "our value for our rather significant investment required to purchase a snowmobile". Anyone who buys a sled today, lays down the 8k it costs to get the "top of the line" and buys because they are "Brand Loyal" and their jacket matches the snowmobile is a darn fool!
There is one thing that Yamaha Motor Company has always delivered to the snowmobile market and that is "A Very High Quality Product, well thought out and in most cases, Yamaha snowmobiles have proven to be the high mileage champs of the industry". I know of a V-Max-4 that has 38,000 miles on it and the engine has had rings and pistons replaced once...that's high mileage!
Unfortunately, Yamaha IMO, failed to consistently deliver on chassis and engine performance, not engine reliability but power and speed! Yes ther are examples of sleds that ran hard, like the SRX's but in general, it has always cost the owners quite a bit more money in aftermarket purchases to make a Yamaha snowmobile run as fast and ride as good as the rest! Like the V-Max-4 with 38,000 miles on it...I wonder if the guy that owns that sled can still walk, after the beating he must have taken to put on those miles!
This is my point...I believe Yamaha has delivered, for the 1st time in its history, 2 snowmobiles that have it all, in the perspective market segments they compete in. Those two sleds are the 2005 RX-1 and the 2005 Vector models from Yamaha. Perfect, no but as close to perfect as anyone has ever come in executing a product and making it right in almost every catigory!
If we search our souls after riding these sleds (regardless of what brand we presently ride) in the conditions they were intended and designed for, we cant help but be impressed! Those two sleds are smooth, fast and reliable. They handle and ride extremely well and insite a feeling of "solidness and precision" I have never experinced in this sport.... Quality? exceptional!
With the technology advances Yamaha will announce on Monday, I will be buying a Yamaha Snowmobile for myself, for the 1st time since 1997, when Yamaha released the 700 triple! I have been a Yamaha loyalist and have supported Yamaha snowmobiles since I was 18 years old. Frankly, I haven't been too excited with anything anyone has produced in the last 10 years. I believe the big twin cylinder 2-stroke engines the industry has all gone to (except Yamaha) is, has and will continue to be a mistake for a trail/trail performance consumer snowmobile. It doesn't matter what style wrapping paper it's presented in, big twins destroy clutches, chassis and have very short service lives...it is inherent in the 180 degree engine design and cannot be over-come! (but can be over-come in a 4-stroke twin package).
On Monday, take a close look at the technology Yamaha will present. Think about how well the 2005 RX-1 and Vector have performed for guys this season. Add that to the new stuff Yamaha will deliver to the line and to me (us)...
The choice is simple!
This is honestly how I feel and I'm having fun getting excited about snowmobiles again!
The next deciding factor is and always should be "our value for our rather significant investment required to purchase a snowmobile". Anyone who buys a sled today, lays down the 8k it costs to get the "top of the line" and buys because they are "Brand Loyal" and their jacket matches the snowmobile is a darn fool!
There is one thing that Yamaha Motor Company has always delivered to the snowmobile market and that is "A Very High Quality Product, well thought out and in most cases, Yamaha snowmobiles have proven to be the high mileage champs of the industry". I know of a V-Max-4 that has 38,000 miles on it and the engine has had rings and pistons replaced once...that's high mileage!
Unfortunately, Yamaha IMO, failed to consistently deliver on chassis and engine performance, not engine reliability but power and speed! Yes ther are examples of sleds that ran hard, like the SRX's but in general, it has always cost the owners quite a bit more money in aftermarket purchases to make a Yamaha snowmobile run as fast and ride as good as the rest! Like the V-Max-4 with 38,000 miles on it...I wonder if the guy that owns that sled can still walk, after the beating he must have taken to put on those miles!
This is my point...I believe Yamaha has delivered, for the 1st time in its history, 2 snowmobiles that have it all, in the perspective market segments they compete in. Those two sleds are the 2005 RX-1 and the 2005 Vector models from Yamaha. Perfect, no but as close to perfect as anyone has ever come in executing a product and making it right in almost every catigory!
If we search our souls after riding these sleds (regardless of what brand we presently ride) in the conditions they were intended and designed for, we cant help but be impressed! Those two sleds are smooth, fast and reliable. They handle and ride extremely well and insite a feeling of "solidness and precision" I have never experinced in this sport.... Quality? exceptional!
With the technology advances Yamaha will announce on Monday, I will be buying a Yamaha Snowmobile for myself, for the 1st time since 1997, when Yamaha released the 700 triple! I have been a Yamaha loyalist and have supported Yamaha snowmobiles since I was 18 years old. Frankly, I haven't been too excited with anything anyone has produced in the last 10 years. I believe the big twin cylinder 2-stroke engines the industry has all gone to (except Yamaha) is, has and will continue to be a mistake for a trail/trail performance consumer snowmobile. It doesn't matter what style wrapping paper it's presented in, big twins destroy clutches, chassis and have very short service lives...it is inherent in the 180 degree engine design and cannot be over-come! (but can be over-come in a 4-stroke twin package).
On Monday, take a close look at the technology Yamaha will present. Think about how well the 2005 RX-1 and Vector have performed for guys this season. Add that to the new stuff Yamaha will deliver to the line and to me (us)...
The choice is simple!
This is honestly how I feel and I'm having fun getting excited about snowmobiles again!
Riceburner
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Good post.
I agree, although I am still pretty fond of my Warrior. :^)
Still sticking with your projections for the 06 lineup you posted a while back?
I agree, although I am still pretty fond of my Warrior. :^)
Still sticking with your projections for the 06 lineup you posted a while back?
SuperStroker!
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Great Post....
MyOutdoors
Expert
I agree. I'm far from brand loyal and have always liked the quality of the Yamaha, bet the suspensions always kept me away. I own a 66o turbo and will never go back to a 2 stroke. I can't wait till tomorrow. I may just snow check something this spring. Good post.
Excellent post the only part I will comment on is where you said
While this is true i think it has been engineered that way, one thing Yamaha always seems to do is set there sleds up stock for extreme reliability not necessarily maximum performance. Anything pushed to the edge has a tendency to break as with the big twins you spoke of. I think you'll find that the stock Yamaha's outlast the modded ones for a reason I may be wrong but IMHO i believe thats one of the main reasons Yamaha has such an outstanding reliability record.
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Good Point Steve ....
SuperStroker!
Pro
Convert said:Excellent post the only part I will comment on is where you saidWhile this is true i think it has been engineered that way, one thing Yamaha always seems to do is set there sleds up stock for extreme reliability not necessarily maximum performance. Anything pushed to the edge has a tendency to break as with the big twins you spoke of. I think you'll find that the stock Yamaha's outlast the modded ones for a reason I may be wrong but IMHO i believe thats one of the main reasons Yamaha has such an outstanding reliability record.
I can't buy that...
All of a sudden they deliver the 2005 RX-1 and Vector....out of the blue? Aren't they examples of Yamahas engineering capability, when they want to apply it?
Yamaha has always had the resources to build quality and performance in one neat package, they just didn't bother (invest the capital in engineering for snowmobiles) because the margin hasn't been wide enough and the market is "unpredictabel" and risky.
But now Yamaha has positioned itself in such a way with marketing it's product, the majority of it's sales are centered in the high priced catigory, (Vector and RX-1) Yamaha now sees the possibility for very nice unit profits, coupled with the value of the US dollar at a very attractive low, (stronger Yen) it wants market share and it wants it now! Yamaha loves to sell sleds for 8K!
The winners in all of this are you and me!
Yamaha is quickly slamming the competition with products that are wicked nice and believe me, the rest are going to have to invest heavily to keep up and this brings them as competition, to their knees! Because the dollar isn't as strong internationally at the moment and even Polaris is buying Japanese parts for their domestic engines!
Mr Yamaha says; "we want to be number one in sales ASAP", thats why it's bringing advanced products to the market quicker than ever, in history.
I love it!
I can't wait to get my hands on my 2006 Yamaha Snowmobile...Its gonna be wicked nice!
peteracing
Expert
I think YAMAHA didn't built " most powerfull" "fastest" sleds(till now)
because there is no other japanese snowmobile manufacturer in
competition with them. Motorcycles,is a good example. If KAWASAKI still
made some, HONDA and SUZUKI, HONDA had a few prototypes and
SUZUKI sold a few in the ugly days
, you would certanly see a competition between big 4 . See how ferocious competition is between
them in motorcycle industry? , how fast technology was applied,etc.
If big 4 all made snowmobiles, injection, air suspensions,4 strokes,
reliability,handling etc. would be much better From a technological
point of vue, YAMAHA has probably laughed at paul-harris,arctic chatt,
and dooo for years but did not feel they needed to go with high-tech.
against them. What i like about there RELIABILITY aproach is the fact
that you can turbocharge the hell out of them and still be reliable
In 2003 when they unveiled the rx-1 everybody laughed but it is going
to be copied by everybody else
because there is no other japanese snowmobile manufacturer in
competition with them. Motorcycles,is a good example. If KAWASAKI still
made some, HONDA and SUZUKI, HONDA had a few prototypes and
SUZUKI sold a few in the ugly days
, you would certanly see a competition between big 4 . See how ferocious competition is betweenthem in motorcycle industry? , how fast technology was applied,etc.
If big 4 all made snowmobiles, injection, air suspensions,4 strokes,
reliability,handling etc. would be much better
From a technologicalpoint of vue, YAMAHA has probably laughed at paul-harris,arctic chatt,
and dooo for years but did not feel they needed to go with high-tech.
against them. What i like about there RELIABILITY aproach is the fact
that you can turbocharge the hell out of them and still be reliable
In 2003 when they unveiled the rx-1 everybody laughed but it is going
to be copied by everybody else
4Fighter
TY 4 Stroke God
I agree, without a doubt about Yamaha's engineering prowess and I will remain open-minded and optimistic...HIGHLY optimistic about the release of the '06's.
However, IMO: given some of our issues with component failures and lack of support, I think Yamaha could take customer service to a higher level. I think they should re-instate the standard 3 year warranty. Although it is pretty good compared to the others, I think they could further nail the coffin shut on the competition by standing behind the dealers and the customers allot better.
The best service I have received to date has come from the dealer, not Yamaha. Although the dealer does service and sell Yamaha's, I do not think Yamaha has provided the level of service I've received, covertly through the dealership either.
However, IMO: given some of our issues with component failures and lack of support, I think Yamaha could take customer service to a higher level. I think they should re-instate the standard 3 year warranty. Although it is pretty good compared to the others, I think they could further nail the coffin shut on the competition by standing behind the dealers and the customers allot better.
The best service I have received to date has come from the dealer, not Yamaha. Although the dealer does service and sell Yamaha's, I do not think Yamaha has provided the level of service I've received, covertly through the dealership either.
