Yamaha RE-tooling for 2020

[20/80]

This addresses the overstock problem but it doesn't solve the problem. IMO the reason there are dealers with excess inventory is because there is not enough demand for the product being sold at the price they are asking for it. I'm not opposed to changing the way sled are bought, but it has been a huge challenge for Yamaha in the past even have brochures available and the show and none at the dealers weeks later. Accessory catalogs or availability have been slim to none. Organizing a demo day at a dealership not knowing when they will have snow will be hit or miss at best. Asking questions to the dealer or salesman who typically know less about the sleds than an educated consumer without having the ability to actually look at the sled does not inspire me to put $15,000 in a dealers hand. If what you describe becomes reality, there will need to be lots of changes at a lot of levels and we all know people are really opposed to change.

I think introducing the new sleds in the fall for delivery in the following fall would help significantly. The dealers only would have demo sleds before they are available to the consumer during winter after the fall season introduction. This way manufactures would have to have everything ready to go the fall before you would actually take delivery of the sled. Brochures would be done and accessories designed. Sled specifications completed (subject to change based on feedback from dealer demos). You would have to place order by April 1st for delivery in fall. This would require the manufacture to "get their #*$&@ together" before requiring the consumer to plunk down lots of money for a product they have not been able to see/ride.

I hear ya, nobody likes change but its change that is happening, the smaller dealerships that has questionable snow seasons the last few seasons are hit the hardest, bigger dealerships in the snowbelt area's can display a line up in their showrooms they move a lot of sleds, my dealership has dropped the snowmobile side of his business all together he just had to many leftover sleds still in crates from the year before and was taking a loss big time, he can get you a new Yamaha sled anytime but you won't see one on display on his showroom floor, I guess this is where going to a demo would help some costumer wanting see and test ride a sled, there is a lot of dealers down sizing their showrooms, weather and the amount of snow in your area has a lot to do with selling sleds, this area up to about 3 years ago was in the snowbelt and great sledding, not anymore, crazy temps swings then snow to rain wash rinse the snow away then flash freeze, just awful, total miles on my sled this season......3

 

[WillowAce]

I luv my Yamaha dealer but didn’t like the Viper at all and I’ll add risers , STs, bags ,windshields and prestudded tracks but I don’t clutch or add aftermarket turbos not interested not a wrencher at my age. Tray I don’t know how old you are but I’m in my 70s and time to tone it down. That’s difficult to do with 200 hp under my thumb I’ll use it andwould rather not. For what ever reason I felt more comfortable on the SW than the Viper but I’m not paying for all that hp when I don’t want it. Viper not for me maybe sometime new for 2020????

Whitedust, I understand that you don't want to wrench. There is also a way to modify the stock exhaust, I believe taking some of the fiber filling out. There are three speed killers on a stock Viper, suspension setup, shift out, and the design just doesn't breathe well. I would never turbo a Viper, if I wanted that I would just buy a winder. What I dis and would do again is change how cold air get in and exhaust out.

 

[Turtle]

Agree - the small dealerships will have a tough time with a ‘spring order only’ business model. My dealer stoped selling Yamaha sleds altogether because Yamaha’s inventory reduction plan left him with nothing to sell this season. He had no new sleds to sell and sold off all remaining used ones he had. And with no new sleds to sell, he wasn’t able to bring in any new trades. He has zero sleds to sell and winter has turned out to be awesome. He may be switching brands.

 

[Monster Max]

When I talked to my dealer, he had not money sleds in stock, but he looked up non current available sleds through Yamaha and there was lots to chose from. Whatever I picked, he would have brought in. It was just like buying a truck.

 

[Red Hornet]

My dealer which knows how to sell really well has zero units in stock for a month and is very popular with Yamaha. I just checked a few popular cat dealers across the country and they seem to have a good handle on old inventory with the good winter we are having. Just really don’t get this starving program they both have going on. Doo and Polaris are laughing their asses off selling sleds at cost but sell pistons rings clutch parts a- arms t shirts windshields oil oil oil spark plugs bulkheads shortblocks springs gloves tracks stickers etc.... My feeling is this will never work. Look at GM and Ford. Get rid of cars because you have bad designs and are not making enough so you let Kia and Hyundai become big enough to make Large SUV’s . Soon they will make trucks and you will be dead. Being passive in this industry will be the end.

 

[T-Bone]

My dealer which knows how to sell really well has zero units in stock for a month and is very popular with Yamaha. I just checked a few popular cat dealers across the country and they seem to have a good handle on old inventory with the good winter we are having. Just really don’t get this starving program they both have going on. Doo and Polaris are laughing their asses off selling sleds at cost but sell pistons rings clutch parts a- arms t shirts windshields oil oil oil spark plugs bulkheads shortblocks springs gloves tracks stickers etc.... My feeling is this will never work. Look at GM and Ford. Get rid of cars because you have bad designs and are not making enough so you let Kia and Hyundai become big enough to make Large SUV’s . Soon they will make trucks and you will be dead. Being passive in this industry will be the end.

You are so right. We only have a couple more days to find out what their plan is for 2020. My dealer in WNY has 40 new sleds remaining in inventory. Five of them are Yamahas. Two mountain sleds, a Phazer, and two Ventures. For those who don't know, we don't have deep snow riding mountains in Western New York. This dealer has been in Yamaha inventory reduction for several years because they don't sell. The passive approach and sleds that the masses don't want is not a good formula for success.

 

[whitedust1]

I’m more confused than ever Yamaha 3 cylinder NA engine dropped from AC 2020 line up??? No public announcement from Textron with 2020 release regarding OEM agreement with Yamaha! Nothing from Yamaha either maybe gagged until Yamaha 2020 release. I’m sensing separation. Maybe Yamaha will let some info out???

 

[STAIN]

I’m sensing separation.

I agree. Seems like its heading that way.

 

[T-Bone]

I’m more confused than ever Yamaha 3 cylinder NA engine dropped from AC 2020 line up??? No public announcement from Textron with 2020 release regarding OEM agreement with Yamaha! Nothing from Yamaha either maybe gagged until Yamaha 2020 release. I’m sensing separation. Maybe Yamaha will let some info out???

Apparently AC feels their two-stroke 600 fills that spot. No need for the Yamaha NA engine. Remember when the agreement started, the only thing Yamaha has to offer in return for the chassis was their 3 hole NA engine and maybe the promise to share the 998 T when completed. Yamaha also provided assembly QA too. The AC 7000 series of sleds was a plus for AC but it was a Frankenstein where the engine was fit into an existing chassis. I’m sure they feel the 600 is better cause it’s lighter and sits lower in the chassis and has comparable performance.

 

[geez150]

I bet Yamaha is still a 4 stroke engine supplier to Cat, but Yamaha builds it's own sled and motors going forward. That or the shared sled continues and you see cat 2 strokes wrapped in Yamaha plastic for the mountain / cross over guys. But no matter what I believe they are linked together going forward. Just isn't enough market for four OEMs, unless Ski-Doo gives up a good chunk of the pie.

 

[murdered141]

I bet Yamaha is still a 4 stroke engine supplier to Cat, but Yamaha builds it's own sled and motors going forward. That or the shared sled continues and you see cat 2 strokes wrapped in Yamaha plastic for the mountain / cross over guys. But no matter what I believe they are linked together going forward. Just isn't enough market for four OEMs, unless Ski-Doo gives up a good chunk of the pie.

They just did, doo and poo guys are jumping ship for the new alpha one, I'm thinking about it too!

 

[whitedust1]

I think

I bet Yamaha is still a 4 stroke engine supplier to Cat, but Yamaha builds it's own sled and motors going forward. That or the shared sled continues and you see cat 2 strokes wrapped in Yamaha plastic for the mountain / cross over guys. But no matter what I believe they are linked together going forward. Just isn't enough market for four OEMs, unless Ski-Doo gives up a good chunk of the pie.

I think the relationship is ending Textron probably wants to incorporate their own engines in snow products over time only wants the Yamaha turbo for Thundercats for now and closing out 7000s. Only other possibility is Yamaha offers 4s version of pro cross AC 2s no dual branded sleds except Thundercat and SW. They both learned about saturation the hard way.

 

[whitedust1]

I think

I bet Yamaha is still a 4 stroke engine supplier to Cat, but Yamaha builds it's own sled and motors going forward. That or the shared sled continues and you see cat 2 strokes wrapped in Yamaha plastic for the mountain / cross over guys. But no matter what I believe they are linked together going forward. Just isn't enough market for four OEMs, unless Ski-Doo gives up a good chunk of the pie.

I think the relationship is ending Textron probably wants to incorporate their own engines in snow products over time only wants the Yamaha turbo for Thundercats for now and closing out 7000s. Only other possibility is Yamaha offers 4s version of pro cross AC 2s no dual branded sleds except Thundercat and SW. They both learned about saturation the hard way.

 

[WillowAce]

I think

I think the relationship is ending Textron probably wants to incorporate their own engines in snow products over time only wants the Yamaha turbo for Thundercats for now and closing out 7000s. Only other possibility is Yamaha offers 4s version of pro cross AC 2s no dual branded sleds except Thundercat and SW. They both learned about saturation the hard way.

I think that is the case. I started to wonder when I saw AC drop prices on the 2019 7000 limited with iAct and all bells and whistles to under $10,000. I'm thinking the relationship continues, but with Yamaha taking over the trail segment with 4 stroke offerings and AC the crossover and mountain segment with 2 stroke offerings. If that happens Yamaha is getting the short end of the deal with the segment struggling the most.

 

[geez150]

It's only struggling because of lack of consistent snow and I feel that's why the industry as a whole is in the red, more so then prices. If there was 2 or 3 good old fashioned winters in a row for the mid west and the east, people would buy new sleds no problem and we would not be talking about this. But I truly feel it's a smart move for Yamaha in 19 and cat in 20 and im going to assume yamaha in 20 as well to build only what people buy first. Until the snow comes back there is no sense in building anything else.