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Once upon a time, Yamaha was No.1 in snowmobile sales. And like today, it was also a leader in performance, ergonomics and sled technology.
We in snowmobiling tend to forget that Yamaha Motor Corp. is much more than a snowmobile manufacturer. The large multinational is highly involved in many markets including engine manufacturing, engineering research and design.
Because of its size and depth, Yamaha can appropriate the funds to "beef up" different divisions, sich as snowmobiling, to stay competitive in each market it's invested in.
In model year 1980 Yamaha wanted to showcase its sled expertise with the all-new high-tech SS440.
Instead of its now familiar "corporate Yamaha blue," the SS440 was styled in bright red, Yamaha's signature color of the time. In fact the SS440's styling was a prelude to Polaris' Cutlass model, introduced years later.
The SS440-and the front strut-suspended SRV 540 that followed on its heels-was also designed to ultimately replace the Exciter series of fan-cooled sports sleds.
Under the low slung, rounded hood of the SS440 resided an all-new 437cc fan-cooled 50 horsepower twin. "Torque Induction" reed valves regulated fuel that passed through a pair of easy-pull Keihin 39mm butterfly carburetors. Yamaha's exclusive Autolube oil injection system added just the right mix of lubricant to the injectors.
"Torque Induction" reed valves regulated fuel that passed through a pair of easy-pull Keihin 39mm butterfly carburetors. Yamaha's exclusive Autolube oil injection system added just the right mix of lubricant to the injectors.
That wasn't all.
To maximize handling and reduce steering effort, this new engine sat lower in the bulkhead than any other Yamaha model. Yamaha engineers understood the relationship of lower center of gravity and engine position to overall on-trail performance.
For ride comfort and steering agility, the SS440's leafspring front suspension utilized a high arch design to maximize travel and oil-filled, black-painted shocks controlled ski flutter and rebound.
A new rear suspension design maximized control under the rider. This longer travel, parallel-rail slide suspension benefited from a nitrogen/oil shock. Even with the longer travel and added design features, the SS440 rear suspension was a full 15 pounds lighter than the older suspension design of the popular Exciter 440.
To give the rider a greater sense of control, the handlebars were fully adjustable with a "performance pod" of instruments built into the handlebar's central console. Yamaha designers blended three layers of multi-density foam to give the rider added comfort and the feeling of sitting "in" rather than "on" the SS440.
This Yamaha was about performance. From the tips of the redesigned ski loops to the reliability of the breaker-less CD ignition to the redesigned hi-visibility taillight, the SS440 raised the bar for fan-cooled trail sports sleds.
With a price tag of about $2,500 this sled came standard with spiffy features like disc braking, extra-wide angle headlamp, and a deep profile rubber track. Performance, value and features. And this was 25 years ago.