2018 200cc youth sleds from Cat and Yamaha

[AMAX]

I dont think they were that popular out here in CO but I see them pop up on Craigslist occasionally. They are usually $300 - $800. I paid $600 for one in decent shape but it had been neglected outside at some point. The guy I bought it from cleaned it up and got it running. I spent a couple hours doing a thorough mouse nest removal and carb cleaning and it was good to go.

 

[Reeb]

This is a topic going on in all the forums I frequent. Here's what I had to say on DT.

The 340/370 range was great 15-20 years ago. Hell, Doo could bring back the 250 Citation and it would sell like hotcakes. Even better, make it reasonable like it was back then. It doesn't need to be a $5,000 machine. It can be made for less. The only reason the Cat/Yamaha 200cc sled is 4k is because the 120 is 3k. That'd USD! Even more for me and my family in Canada!

A brand new 120 in Canada is $3700. When they first came out at the turn of the century they were barely cracking the $2000 mark. What justified a price hike of almost double? The only thing that has changed is engine suppliers and rinky dink front shocks on all brands. Yet here we are. Same sled for the past 15 years and almost double the money.
If the OEM's actually cared about selling these machines they would make it much more feasible to do so. I know dealers barely make $100 on each of these kids sleds so the savings can't come from them.

Even in the ATV segment things are out of control. A DS250, Predator250, DVX250 are all the same chinese quad. Literally, THE SAME MACHINE with different plastics!
Yet they are all over the 4k mark. Why? OEM's want to know why dealers can barely sell 1-2 a year yet they price themselves out of the market. Why not go buy a used TRX250 or even a TRX350 for the kids to grow into for less than half the price?

Again, if they really cared they would do something about it. Unfortunately the bean counters aren't concerned with growing the sport for future generations. They are only concerned about quarterly profits. Short sighted yes, but shareholders don't care about 5-10-20 years down the road. Their jobs depend on 3 months down the road. That's just how public companies work unfortunately.

 

[AZ800]

^ Couldn't be more spot on.
My kids are 10 and 14 now and rather be riding my Pro rmk than anything else, but I know very FEW kids that ride snow machines. Hardly ever see people out with theirs kids on the trails.
Granted this is out west and I grew up in IL, but when I was a kid, it was exactly opposite. Think I knew a couple kids who's parents rode, but a BUNCH of us kids had snowmobiles.

The mfgs are definately NOT promoting the sport to the next generation.

 

[TJ427]

We just purchased a 550 fan 'Doo 2007 Freestyle 136 in track (1.25 inch lugs) for our 7 and 9 year old girls. The younger one had a meltdown on the trail last month when she could only hit 16 mph on the trail at 9000 feet and felt like she couldn't keep up with anyone.


They are on a modified mini Z with a 200 cc Honda engine. Following us into the trees on packed snow they were getting stuck despite weighing 45 and 53 lbs respectively.


Some of us would pay$4000+ for a legitimate kids sled that they can ride in the backcountry on the same snow that we all like to ride. We have a friend that was ready to longtrack and add a clutch to the mini Z but the freestyle looked like a better and more capable option despite being more expensive.


There is definitely a market here for kids mountain sleds.

 

[Escmanaze]

You guys are funny

I love that half the post are "Now we need a 300" and then the other half the posts are "how can they charge so much?" You can't have it both ways. If you want the manufacturers to keep investing in kids, you have to be there for them when they do. Yes, we do indeed need a 340, I will agree with that all day. But I still plan to buy one of these 200s and I think Cat and Yami will have no problem selling a bunch of them.

I'll buy it for $4k, my 3 kids will ride the heck out of the thing for the next 10 years, and then I'll sell it for $2.5k. My total loss across 10 years of family fun will be a whopping $1.5k. I am absolutely NOT going to complain about the price at that rate.

Yes I know that there is still a gap, but at least the gap is now smaller than it was 3 months ago. For that I am very grateful to yammi and Cat for getting this done. I hope that we, as snowmobilers, buy a billion of these things so that they will have some reason to continue filling in that gap better and better.

 

[Devilmanak]

The problem with the 200 is that it is just a more capable version of the 120 with more power. It is only longer, not taller or wider. Chassis wise, it does not fit a larger rider. I almost checked a couple for the kids but decided against it after I found a 2000 Indy 340 Deluxe for sale. (That I sold to the guy I just bought it from three years ago, lol.) I bought it back, made some low cost mods that changed it into a KILLER kid sled. I should probably start a build thread, my 6 year old has had a blast helping me with the mods. The 340 was a disaster as it came from Polaris, but with some adjustments it is a SUPER cool kid sled.
We narrowed it 3-4 inches, dimple died the running boards, it already had a 1.4 kitty track on it, lifted it front and rear with skid relocate and taller spindles, RMK skis, chopped the windshield, and modded the brake lever assembly to fit little hands.
He rode it around the yard the other day, he was a happy little dude. Going to take it out to the snow this weekend and see what it will do. Electric start makes is a bonus.

 

[Escmanaze]

The problem with the 200 is that it is just a more capable version of the 120 with more power.

You lost me at the word problem.

I'm super pumped to have a 120 that is more capable with more power.

Do I also wish that they would make a 440 that is in the middle of the 200 and the 600? Sure!! But in the meantime, the manufacturers just put out a product for kids that is about twice as fast as the old product. Yes please!! Sign me up!!

 

[tech54K]

2018 Arctic Cat ZR 200 and Yamaha SnoScoot
Another option for the kids...

10x93 track with 200cc 9hp Yammi 4-stroke for $3750

The ZR200 is discussed in another thread but thought I'd put up some pics for folks to reference.

Wonder if a 10.5"x 120 SX snowbike track will fit? Along with a different engine... Let the mods begin.

Nice to see some focus on this segment of riders. Anybody know if they will be out on the snow for demos? I'd like to have my kids try one.

Best thing I ever seen today

 

[Reeb]

The problem with the 200 being twice as fast as the 120 is that the 120 can go 15mph with a zip tie. The biggest deal I see is the CVT's and rear shock. But that's it.


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[Escmanaze]

High 20's

Sure, a 120 can go 15 with a zip tie. From what I'm hearing, this one should get up into the high 20's. For the fun of it, let's use really rough numbers and call that roughly 40% more performance. Hooray!!! AND as you mention I get a clutch, so the powerband can be more solid AND I get a rear shock that rec motor already has an awesome upgrade for. I feel like the restaurant lady on "Dude Where's My Car"!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkdyU_eUm1U

Here is a video where rec motor reviews a bunch of the smaller things as well. AND they are already coming out with some awesome aftermarket stuff for it!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=9&v=qnpiaZvAhos

And it only costs me a thousand more bucks than a 120 as well. And I'm sure the used values will stay high on these things so when you go to sell it after 10 years, you'll still get a bunch of that money back.

Some of you gearheads may not see this as a big deal because you can buy a 30 year old 340 and pimp that ride for your kids by yourself. That's great for you, and I'm jealous of your skills. For the rest of us city slickers, shmucks, and shmos, we are pretty pumped about this step forward from the manufacturers trying to provide something awesome for our kids that we aren't capable of doing ourselves.

 

[Reeb]

The 200 is 5k CND. The 120 is 3k. And Cat has a bunch of '15's for $2600 ATM. That's significant. The clutches are a treat, but not needed. The rear shock is needed. And available for the 120 as well. And unless the kid is already ready for a full sized sled, they don't need to go 30mph.
I'm not arguing with your purchase. Good for you. But from the 120 to the 200, you're going to buy your kid a 600? How does that make the 200 a "mid-sized" sled?

Don't get me wrong, the industry could use a sled like this. Absolutely. But we need a 300-400cc sled more.
But remember ski-Doo tried that with already. And whether it was sales or EPA phasing out fancooled sleds, we all lost in that war.
Something was needed, I agree. I just don't agree with the size of Machine and their marketing twist of it being a mid-sized sled. Kids that get off this have to jump to a 110-120hp 600 all of a sudden? Sounds drastic.


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[Reeb]

Take the moto world for example. A 50cc bike is $4500USD which absolutely floors me. A YZ 250 is $1500 less than a 450. The YZ hasn't been updated since 2001(except for new graphics) yet the prices are astronomical.

I'm just sour with how prices are spiralling out of control for Motorsports when there's no need for it. And the industries are trying to reach new customers. Seems like the wrong way of doing it.


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[AZ800]

Take the moto world for example. A 50cc bike is $4500USD which absolutely floors me. A YZ 250 is $1500 less than a 450. The YZ hasn't been updated since 2001(except for new graphics) yet the prices are astronomical.

I'm just sour with how prices are spiralling out of control for Motorsports when there's no need for it. And the industries are trying to reach new customers. Seems like the wrong way of doing it.


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I know. The question is how many guys like us are actually getting their kids into motorsports at young ages? And do the mfgs realize what we think that our kids now are the ones gonna be buying that $19,999 model 2030 Pro Rmk or the 2025 YZ 450 when they grow up? Or will they be taking their flying uber to the Pokemon park for some real high adventure?? Lol

I think the mfgs should eat a little on beginner models to further the sport. Again guys like us have no problem tie in a 20 year old machine into something acceptable and capable for our kids, but how many guys you meet on dudes out brand new machines that can't even adjust the track tension? There's a lot of them, the majority I'd say and they'd eat up a cheap kids sled 340ish 3/4 size chassis.

 

[AZ800]

Bikes were always ridiculously expensive, IMO. Ever since I can remember. Definately more $ per pound for a 50 than a 450.
I searched long and hard before I found a good price for a couple bikes for my boys this year. No they're not racing, they wanna ride around the back yard, the neighbors little track and the trails in the woods behind the house.

They were 8th grade grad present for the older boy and reward for the 5th grader for keeping his grades up and being a model student. Both of them are really.

Not dropping 10 grand for 2 new bikes or 6 grand for 2 used ones.
But man I found a pkg deal on an old KX100 and YZ 85. Fresh rebuilds, solid bikes, for $1000 a piece! Thought I won the lottery. They still need a few things but they've ridden them a bunch this summer with little to no work needed.

The smiles per dollar spent are the same. And I don't cringe when they dump em or come back with something bent.

 

[Escmanaze]

Well I can't speak to Canadian dollars, but on the US website of Arctic Cat, the 200 shows MSRP of $3,749 and the 120 shows MSRP of $2,849, so it's not even a full thousand dollar jump for Americans. The 200 brings a lot to the table for an extra $900.

I totally agree though, that a mid size 300-400 was/is more needed than this. However, I'm still really happy to have this. Previously, my first kid was stuck jumping straight from our 120 to our 97 Mountain Max 600. Now, the next two kids should be able to let this fill in the gap for at least another year or two.

I actually haven't bought one yet. I have a rule against buying anything first year, so I will spring check a 2019 instead of a 2018.

As far as comparing it to bikes, it's just not a fair fight. I'm sure if snowmobile manufacturers had even half the number of snowmobiles that they do of bikes, we would have at least 1 if not 2 more sizes of sled. They just sell SOOOOOOO many bikes. There are economics that they have to work out on their end as well, it ain't a charity.

 

[donbrown]

I love that half the post are "Now we need a 300" and then the other half the posts are "how can they charge so much?" You can't have it both ways. If you want the manufacturers to keep investing in kids, you have to be there for them when they do. Yes, we do indeed need a 340, I will agree with that all day. But I still plan to buy one of these 200s and I think Cat and Yami will have no problem selling a bunch of them.

I'll buy it for $4k, my 3 kids will ride the heck out of the thing for the next 10 years, and then I'll sell it for $2.5k. My total loss across 10 years of family fun will be a whopping $1.5k. I am absolutely NOT going to complain about the price at that rate.

Yes I know that there is still a gap, but at least the gap is now smaller than it was 3 months ago. For that I am very grateful to yammi and Cat for getting this done. I hope that we, as snowmobilers, buy a billion of these things so that they will have some reason to continue filling in that gap better and better.

.... and a new generation of sledders are born !!! having a good time promoting the right to ride !!!

 

[Brapp]

Zr 200

I'm liking the Yamaha and Cat 200s, purchase the ZR for my 5 year old, totally impresses on the fit and finish, has handwarmers and a great mountain platform to learn how to carve and be a stand up rider, the kids 96 two stroke kitty cat snorted but was completely useless in the powder, thanks Cat and Yamaha for building something for the kids, thank God I don't have to take the boys to the ski hill!

 

[haymaker11]

I still think the new Scoots are ugly as f u k. they look cheap.