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Yamaha AttakDid you really think that Yamaha would sit still for the bad-mouthing its RX-1 models received? Did your eally think the company that built racing engines for Formula One race cars, a new 300 hp V8 for Volvoand world championship motorcycle racing engines would not respond with an all new 4-cylinder performance engine in a much refined and sophisticated chassis? Did you, really?
Shame on you! Don't believe us that Yamaha's Apex/Attak snowmobiles are all new and incredibly improved. Take a test ride.
You'll know that the Attak isnt an '05 Warrior as soon as you step aboard. You'll feel the difference as you sit closer to the center of the action and reach for raised handlebars and grip the new "Arctic Cat-like" hooked bars that give you more control over the sled's handling.
The concept of revising a sled's seating position started with the success of the REV. Thank you, Ski-Doo. And thank you, Yamaha, for taking your seat to new heights. The new Yamaha cockpit falls between Ski-Doo's REV platform and its RT/Mach Z platform for rider positioning. Yamaha's setup is not as confining as the REV or as relaxed as the Crossfire. It's between the two.
Up front the Attak gets the Vector-styled A-arm front suspension, which drew raves from us last year. It lowers the front a bit while improving on cornering ability, which translates into increased rider confidence.
This rear suspension is also Yamaha's best. The easy-to-adjust MonoShock design retains the remote adjuster dial for on trail suspension tuning. Spinning around the MonoShock setup is a Ripsaw pattern track that measures 15-by 136-inches. As with all standard tracks in this class, the lug us 1.25 inches - adding traction over a baseline track.
All this said, what puts Yamaha at the head of the crossover pack this season lies under the hood. With 150 horses is the Rolex of snowmobile engines. Smooth, powerful efficient and engineered with a lustful exhaust note, Yamaha has created an instant memory for you with the Gen 150.
I've never driven any snowmobile that responds as fluidly as the Apex/Attak line. The fuel-injected soul of the new 20-valve 4-stroke is smooth and crisp as a winters morning. With four 39mm throttle bodies programmed by a computer that scans throttle position, temperature and barometric pressure, this engine runs clean from idle to full throttle.
The thumb pull is light and the excitement of a full-scale launch is intense. Every throttle position in between is equally crisp and smooth.
Is it the most powerful engine on the snow? No. But it's the smoothest most usable power around.
it was Attak's on-trail performance that convinced me in a head-to-head test that it deserved to be my pick for "best crossover sled for 2006". yet I had been leaning toward the Ski-Doo. What changed my mind?
Althought the heaviest of the four crossovers, the Attak rides nearly as light as Crossfire. We attribute that to the new rider position, the new Vector style front suspension, revised engine component positioning, reduction in weight (and more centralization of weight), use of the Monoshock rear suspension and the powertrain smoothness.
Yet it's on the trail where a sled works or doesnt work. Admittedly the previous RX-1 was a handful. That's not the case with the Attak.
I also discovered that ergonomically the Yamaha was better suited for rough trails than Renegade. The Attak has ample area for snow boots and a place where you can lock in your toes so that you can reduce your grip on the handlebars. After all, as any cross-country racer knows, you want to "lock" into the sled and use your legs and knees so you can have a light grip on the bars.
The Ski-Doo has minimal boot "lock" capability. The Yamaha's handlebar position affords greater leverage and more precise control in hard cornering. Surprisingly, Attak felt lighter in the front than Renegade when banging over the rough Utah test trails. I wasn't expecting that.
Finally, I rate the Genesis 150 ahead of Ski-Doo's Rotax twin. Not on sheer power, but I felt the Yamaha 4-cylinder was smoother and easier to drive fast, offering more usable power. The evolutionary development of the RX-1 into the new Apex/Attak models is one of the most pleasant surprises I've seen.