2021 Yamahas
- Thread starter xsledder
- Start date
I have to agree with the Cat continuation with A/C.
Was in TRF last two days and every other person you talk to works at A/C or a family member does.
Two days in TRF chatting here and chatter tells me A/C NEEDS the business arrangement the way it is.
Employees and locals hear and hope it continues status-quo.
There is only 8,500ish people in TRF and most either work at A/C or Digi-Key..thats it.
Sidebar..
One cool thing, you can ride your sled to work, trail goes right on property. Even the business I went to staff can ride sleds too work.
Looks like they had open trails until a week ago, still a good base but need snow.
Bear
So buy a slightly used one...I did...1 yr old for 1/2 that...less than 1100 mi...that's barely broken in...
https://www.snowtechmagazine.com/2021-yamaha-first-ride/
"They did recognize how their four-stroke sleds were not what the mountain sled market was asking for, and responded. Now their dealers and brand faithful will have Yamaha branded sleds to ride and sell, with the support of the Yamaha dealer network and the Yamaha brand. While some might look at the product offerings and see little more than blue paint on sleds built by Arctic Cat, the company behind the blue sleds is very different, as is the marketing strategy and message. In fact, with the drastic reduction of the number of Arctic Cat dealers across the snow belt it would not surprise us to see some buyers who used to be team green switch over to team blue. Given the choice, many will come to the conclusion that team blue will do a better job at taking care of them as consumers, be it product support, parts availability, or likelihood of being here in ten years. They are all valid considerations. In a sense, as we are watching team green fade away we might be seeing team blue growing at their expense. Funny how things work out sometimes. Come back to Yamaha."
Don't have a dog in the fight but I thought this was interesting... Poor cat guys...
"They did recognize how their four-stroke sleds were not what the mountain sled market was asking for, and responded. Now their dealers and brand faithful will have Yamaha branded sleds to ride and sell, with the support of the Yamaha dealer network and the Yamaha brand. While some might look at the product offerings and see little more than blue paint on sleds built by Arctic Cat, the company behind the blue sleds is very different, as is the marketing strategy and message. In fact, with the drastic reduction of the number of Arctic Cat dealers across the snow belt it would not surprise us to see some buyers who used to be team green switch over to team blue. Given the choice, many will come to the conclusion that team blue will do a better job at taking care of them as consumers, be it product support, parts availability, or likelihood of being here in ten years. They are all valid considerations. In a sense, as we are watching team green fade away we might be seeing team blue growing at their expense. Funny how things work out sometimes. Come back to Yamaha."
Don't have a dog in the fight but I thought this was interesting... Poor cat guys...
I also found that to be a very telling quote..I do think Yamaha has a better warranty program than Cat does...I guess we shall see...Textron doesn't seem all that interested in the snowmobile line...very interesting indeed.
so true !!!! i'm embarrassed too
Yeah, well, I can maybe buy into that somewhat being so. However, there well maybe a lot fewer AC sled dealers as of now, but Yamaha snowmobile dealers are all but nonexistent! The last 4 to 5 years wiped them out! Yamaha not building their so called, "all new, all Yamaha" sled, but continually blowing out pure BS about it, screwed the Yamaha sled buyers, but by not doing what they said they would do, killed the Yamaha sled dealers. Stuck with multi years of left over stock. How did that work out? It didn't! You can only screw your customer base so far, and they leave, being done with you. Once they are gone, they most likely won't be back. Stick a fork in it, it's done. Sad to see, but so it is.
blown_apex
Member
im hoping for a power steering srx sidewinder some day
then i will give up my apex's
then i will give up my apex's
One thing that hasn't been mentioned in this thread is the diversity of the Yamaha product. Their dealers, without selling snowmobiles, do sell a host of other items like boats, watercraft, cycles, atv's and generators. They make or sell just about every musical instrument on earth. (Yeah, I know you can't ride a keyboard at 80 miles an hour.) We have one of their Waverunners, a great engine and all around fun machine on the water. Yamaha is putting their resources into products that sell, simple as that. Their snowmobiles are/were fine but the ROI just wasn't there for that large of investment. JMHO 
You guys are TOO funny...1st off yamadog chose CATS chassis because it is superior to what they had....and hands down easier to repair if it takes a hit...not to mention the break away IWS that Bobby unser designed....its cheaper and better for the warranty dept. And can make the heavier engines of yamadog ride really good on trails...and they are taking a loss (as a once yami man meself till I wised up) when owners have to wait 3 months for parts...and most all mountain machines need at least 10,000 dollars of upgrades to keep up with any other brand....glad I dont own a yamadog any more....who needs a can of rivets for there old yami chassis I can send em to ya for free....ROTFLMAO
Interceptor
Member
It all boils down to what you want. Right? If a manufacturer doesn't make what you want you buy what trips your trigger.
I'm willing to work on my "Yamaha" sidewinder to fix Cats shortcomings because it has the best snowmobile engine ever made. For those who say it's too heavy, etc, If you ride with me I will tell you where I'm going, and wait for you to get there......
I'm willing to work on my "Yamaha" sidewinder to fix Cats shortcomings because it has the best snowmobile engine ever made. For those who say it's too heavy, etc, If you ride with me I will tell you where I'm going, and wait for you to get there......
Haaaaahaaaahahhhahahhaaaaahaaaaahaaaahaaaahhaaaaaaaahhh
G
G
Guest
Nope. TRF planning big expansion. To build 4 wheelers. All the sled guys are gone. The guys that made batteryless we efi are gone. The guys that made the firecat are gone. Kirk and Tucker Hibbert are gone. Doo and Pol are all that's left.
You must have missed the memo by Kennedy the president of AC he came out after Haydays held a press conference and announced AC snow division is NOT for sale and I highly doubt Yamaha is interested in buying the snow division. Textron and Yamaha have an evergreen OEM agreement just keeps rolling over probably with some tweaks here and there. Anybody that thinks a purebred Japanese sled will be developed is in dreamland not in the plans not enough market share to fund the ROI and Jared the Yamaha public face rep has said exactly that on TY. Game over Yamacats are here to stay.
That my friend, is a bad bet! Textron/AC has a lot of different engine production capability now. Long term, they will use it.
SledTL
Active member
It boils down to selling a product that is limited to about 16 states, plus a few countries in a small market as is. Weather really is starting to change the sport rather you want to agree or not, its just how it is. What I struggle to understand is why not take one of the smaller ATV engines and make something to compete with the ACE 900. We shoehorned a sportsman 570 into a switchback axys for the SAE challenge, so its possible to do. That would be my move if I was aware of my cross vehicle usage.