Viper owners

[trackside]

He traded it in on an 800 etec, he was disappointed in the power also. I'm just telling it like it was and fact of the matter was it was a pooch. Pushed through corners but the suspension felt like a dream.

While I don't think anyone will disagree that the Viper does not have the top end speeds we were looking to see it really was not designed to compete with the 800 E-Tec. That would be saved for the Hyper sleds like the Apex pushing the 160hp envelope. The Viper is however a very quick sled corner to corner with excellent trail manners in Yamaha's most up to date chassis. Wanna go super fast ya gotta grab an Apex, Polaris 800, Doo 800 or Cat 800 or Turbo.
Folks just gotta make the correct comparisons. Heck I can't tell you how many times I heard people complain that the 900 ACE was not going to be as fast as the 600 E-Tec. A non issue now as they typically are different buyers. Any sled can and will push until you set the suspension up for your weight and riding style and also add more aggressive traction control products as necessary!
Lot's of great product from the big four these days...

 

[kip]

You made by point for me INDY Always fun!!

 

[momoney2123]

No, I still have the 800 etec. It will be second sled with wife and my son using it. Clutch kit was for me. If I can get it to act like a 600 etec and be light steering. It may be the sled all of us 4 strokes guys were asking Yamaha to build with the viper.

If it is then next year bye 800 and hello 900 ace, turbo and clutch kit with R-Motion. I would rather have the Nytro motor with mpi turbo on the ski doo suspension but that is a really expensive sled to make.

yea I hear FPP has a turbo for the 900 ace. I was reading it was walking their 800etec. Would be a cool sled. Not sure they will ever have the 2 stroke snap some of us like, but they are getting closer.

 

[kip]

Well said trackside

 

[G]

Off topic a little. New platform coming for Cat 2017. How long is the Viper/Cat agreement for?

 

[kip]

Grub,

I'm not sure what their agreement is. I talked to a rep. from Cat over the weekend and she informed me that relations are very good and cat is appreciative of the extra income Yamaha is providing for their company and workers. No telling how long it will last but so far so good from what I've been told on the Cat side. On the Yamaha side of things I think they have some pressure they are not use to such as supply chain delays through cat's vendors. I know some of our Techs. are a bit frustrated because it's been slow taking care of some of the issues the 2014's had. Believe it or not this two company relationship was all but sealed with Ski-Doo and Yamaha but at the last minute ski-doo pulled out of the agreement. I believe shortly after that's when the relationship with cat was forged. All in all even if it doesn't last we can all say twenty years from now remember when cat and Yamaha came together for a few years. Who knows, maybe one day the Vipers will be collectable. The first Viper already is so why not the second one

 

[eagle1]

I guess I'm a "keyboard jockey" and nothing that I have experienced in person or read by reputable people on the web means anything. OK.

IMO - demo rides are bordering on a waste of time because one can tweak the beejesus out of a sled to make it ride and feel completely different. To me, there is no "one size fits all" setting on sleds nowadays. I can cite examples based on personal experience but won't bother wasting my time because I'm a keyboard jockey.

In words of Aaron Rodgers, "R E L A X"

You actually made my point with the "no one size fits all" comment. No doubt helpful to get people's input on the web. However to rule out a sled by what you hear here is crazy which sounded what fusion was doing.

One last point, in no way we're my comments directed to you!!

Most people love there sled, then it breaks and then its the biggest pile they ever owned and everything gets blown out of proportion.

 

[Banks93]

Grub,

I'm not sure what their agreement is. I talked to a rep. from Cat over the weekend and she informed me that relations are very good and cat is appreciative of the extra income Yamaha is providing for their company and workers. No telling how long it will last but so far so good from what I've been told on the Cat side. On the Yamaha side of things I think they have some pressure they are not use to such as supply chain delays through cat's vendors. I know some of our Techs. are a bit frustrated because it's been slow taking care of some of the issues the 2014's had. Believe it or not this two company relationship was all but sealed with Ski-Doo and Yamaha but at the last minute ski-doo pulled out of the agreement. I believe shortly after that's when the relationship with cat was forged. All in all even if it doesn't last we can all say twenty years from now remember when cat and Yamaha came together for a few years. Who knows, maybe one day the Vipers will be collectable. The first Viper already is so why not the second one

Nytro motor in a XS chasis with R-Motion and the mpi turbo.

It would of been a HR. Damn those executives.

 

[fusion]

Nytro motor in a XS chasis with R-Motion and the mpi turbo.

It would of been a HR. Damn those executives.

What would BRP have to gain from this? They have their 4-TEK. I'm skeptical.
But that would of been a dream combo for sure. R-motion with that viper 1050 motor - perfection.

 

[kip]

Banks and fusion I thought the same thing! Would prefer the Push kit over the MPI though! LOL!!!

 

[Banks93]

Kip when you guys find an extra 1050 motor I will lend you the 900 to insert that engine. We can start the UP snowmobile company.

We can do a reality TV Show and also have our own bar and beer company.

Snow, Buds and Suds

 

[kip]

I'm in Banks!! I like the TV show idea!!

 

[whitedust]

What would BRP have to gain from this? They have their 4-TEK. I'm skeptical.
But that would of been a dream combo for sure. R-motion with that viper 1050 motor - perfection.

Doo seems kinda stuck with the 1200 maybe AR&D funding went to ACE. If the ACE is built for big turbo pressure then bye bye 1200 would become a boat anchor. Being part of the OEM industry for many years I know how things work you can bet all sled OEMs were approached by Yamaha starting with the big dog skidoo. Yamaha probably would not give doo exclusivity on engines & the agreement broke down or would not promise NOT to have new pure Yamaha sleds. These kind of OEM agreement requests breakdown OEM agreements on a dailey bases some find away to get by disagreements others become polarized and trench in. In the end it is all about profitabilty to take tech outside to a supplier or do it yourself. OEM agreements between Doo & Yamaha makes perfect sense to me. Look at poo they have nothing on the 4s side gave up on Weber... Scott Wine is all about the money & if 4s erodes their market he would embrace Yamaha engines in a New York nanosecond & you can bet your life they have already talked.

 

[groomerdriver]

The Viper is however a very quick sled corner to corner with excellent trail manners in Yamaha's most up to date chassis.

Woa there Mr. Dealer. This is not a Yamaha chassis....it's a Cat chassis.

Just want to keep things accurate here.

- - - Updated - - -

Look at poo they have nothing on the 4s side gave up on Weber... Scott Wine is all about the money & if 4s erodes their market he would embrace Yamaha engines in a New York nanosecond & you can bet your life they have already talked.

What the heck are you talking about Pete? Lack of a 4s HAS eroded their market share but not enough to make them want to do something about it. If the ROI was there for a 4s in a Polaris, Scott Wine would sign the program papers in a NY nanosecond.

Forget about the fact that Polaris is a company that make a lots of "vehicles" and at the bottom of their food chain are snowmobiles. Scott Wine would drop sleds in a heartbeat if he thought he could get away with it and improve shareholder value at the same time.

 

[trackside]

Woa there Mr. Dealer. This is not a Yamaha chassis....it's a Cat chassis.

Just want to keep things accurate here.

- - - Updated - - -


Not mistaken at all. Combined technology and with the Yamaha badging I would have to say it's Yamaha's best chassis to date regardless of who built it. How come no one get's corrected when they say that the 800 Cat motor is their best to date? It's a Suzuki. Just saying.

 

[whitedust]

groomerdriver : Sure the Yamaha OEM team visited doo , AC & didn't go in & meet with Poo & Scott Wine while in MN..lol..your dreaming just doesn't work that way. Scott Wine will talk to Yamaha about 4s engines see where it goes he would be stupid not to & he is not a stupid man.They will always talk at the top see what they can learn about each other & industry trends in general. Been there done that with OEMs sometimes very revealing information sometimes just blow a lot of polite BS. lol Jim I think your response is agreeing with me Yamaha OEM 4s engines would give speed to Poo to enter he market when & if they choose. I'm sure Scott Wine is has to consider the possibilty or he is not doing his job.

 

[Deleted member 10829]

I could get on board a Yammi engine in a Poo chassis!! Honda would work too.

 

[snobuilder]

Woa there Mr. Dealer. This is not a Yamaha chassis....it's a Cat chassis.

Just want to keep things accurate here.

- - - Updated - - -


Not mistaken at all. Combined technology and with the Yamaha badging I would have to say it's Yamaha's best chassis to date regardless of who built it. How come no one get's corrected when they say that the 800 Cat motor is their best to date? It's a Suzuki. Just saying.

Yup and no one ever called an arctic cat a Suzuki .
To many of us, Yamaha looks to be done building their own brand of sleds.

 

[ezra]

I still don't get why if u want a 4st u go out and buy some old Yammi motor in the same chassis as U can get a 4st turbo that has been proven reliable and can ez handle over 400hp . for what 500 more bucks?
sorry but to me it is crazy

 

[Hoosier]

Back to the original question, I have heard that the Viper pulls very hard but doesn't have a great top end. Is that due to clutching/gearing? I have heard that it is comparable to a 700 (or apparently an old school switchbacks 600). Also heard it wakes up after extended break in, which is quite a few miles for a 4 stroke.

Be interested how the 15's do since the 14's were the 1st year models