Thoughts on the new 2014 YamaCat...

[christopher]

I would be willing to bet that if anyone was able to go visit Mountain Performance Inc. down in Utah that they already have a working prototype Turbo or Supercharger for this sled....

And.

It would come as No Surprise to find out that Evolution Powersports already has their fingers into the Yamaha/Arctic Cat ECU that will be controlling it....

 

[low slung]

What a sellout. This sled is gonna be loaded with cheap chinese parts that AC is using on their sleds. Crooked engine from the factory? Its anyones guess how many nuts and bolts the AC assembly line people drop in the bellypan while assembling the new yamaha. Pray that Yamaha is building the wiring harness too, doubt it though. This thing is gonna fall apart in 2000 miles just like every other AC and polaris. Well, at least we know the engine will still be good when the rest of the sled is garbage!!

As someone else stated, if i wanted an arctic cat i would have bought an arctic cat.

Could of said it better myself.Its the end game for yamaha sleds.All there motors will be in this chassis soon.I was 8 years on TY4stroke.com defending this brand but today i had enough.Pick up a leftover yamaha sled now,mod the snot out of it before its too late.

 

[christopher]

It surprises me how many of you think this is the beginning of the END of Yamaha Snowmobiles.

I think you will be eating your words over the next several years as the Yamaha brand once again begins to blossom in the world of Snowmobiles.

HAVE A LITTLE FAITH.

This is the biggest change Yamaha has made in a long time.

 

[Turbo11T]

I would be willing to bet that if anyone was able to go visit Mountain Performance Inc. down in Utah that they already have a working prototype Turbo or Supercharger for this sled....

And.

It would come as No Surprise to find out that Evolution Powersports already has their fingers into the Yamaha/Arctic Cat ECU that will be controlling it....

Now if yamaha used the cat ecu to moniter the engine like the 1100 is then we would have something. I am very interested to hear more.

 

[Turbo11T]

It surprises me how many of you think this is the beginning of the END of Yamaha Snowmobiles.

I think you will be eating your words over the next several years as the Yamaha brand once again begins to blossom in the world of Snowmobiles.

HAVE A LITTLE FAITH.

This is the biggest change Yamaha has made in a long time.

Christopher. . . I feel you may have insider knowledge but I don't think that yamaha is going anywhere. But what would have possessed cat to give yamaha the chassis that they have sweat and tears into? I am thinking it could be something fairly large. I have watched a few videos on youtube now of the yammy guys talking about the new viper. . . They all kinda act like they built the sled. . . In reality If you gave me a cat and a nytro motor and some time I could have put the nytro motor in that chassis in a couple weeks of full time work.

 

[BigFish BC]

So where does this leave western Yamaha dealers? Short tracks DO NOT sell out here.

If AC has this motor longtracked and turboed for 2014 as they do the Suzuki this year, who is going to walk through the door at a Yamaha dealer-NO ONE!

I feel bad for the dealers who have been toeing the line and ordering Nytro MTX's year after year knowing they are a hard sell, and then Yamaha goes and pulls the rug out from under them and hands this to AC on a silver platter.

Think of all the flooring intrest paid by western dealers on holdover Nytro MTX's over the years!

well i know allot of western dealer did not go they were so disgusted with this.i guess there is some positive somewhere in this, i just dont get selling the exact same sled as ac,at least change the dam plastic.i think the sled looks cool & i see the prices are inline with the others now about 2000$ cheaper than a japan build sled.will i own one doubt it,i would rather spend the money on a powerhouse custom chassi.

 

[TheYamMan]

Im just gonna do a Stroker kit for my Nytro engine this year and well if they release a MTX version next year ill swap it over and turbo it unless its Factory boosted.

But for now its ok but im not overly impressed.

 

[AndrettiDog]

These new Vipers were being talked about by people who had been on them in early form in late summer of 2011.

The 2015 most likely already exists in one off prototype form, and will be being ridden this summer.

12 months from today they will release it to the general public.

You can throw around the numbers however you want, this dream machine of yours won't be available to ride until October 2015. That's a year and a half from now! As others are stating, Yamaha is not in a good place for the upcoming winter. I'm disappointed. I think that Yamaha will just use AC to fill their snowmobile division (a very small piece of their big puzzle).

 

[christopher]

Don't misunderstand me.
I would have liked nothing more than to see Yamaha finally roll out a TRUE MOUNTAIN SLED.

But I think all of us KNEW that was NOT going to happen.

Yamaha Motorsports is somewhat like the Titanic.
It takes a LONG time to make a major course correction.
BUT.
Once they have changed course, it takes a frikin Iceberg to stop them.

I realize I am often the odd man out in my opinions around here, but of all the new 2014 sleds, I really rather liked the Cat the most during the test rides.

"I" think this blending of technology/design between the two companies will pay off BIG TIME over the next 5 years. I know it's HARD to see it right now with the introduction of what looks like a new Cat with an old Yamaha Engine in it. But have faith, there is MUCH more yet to come from this new relationship.

Yamaha has a brand new triple just emerging that I posted about a day or two ago. That could well be what we see in our sleds in a year or two.

Lets face it, Yamaha EXCELS at building a outstandingly dependable engines that lend themselves to being boosted!. But they kinda suck on sled ergonomics. Arctic Cat lives and dies by their sleds, but has had to depend on Kawi/Suzuki for engines.

Lets give this new joint venture a couple years before we pass judgement.

I REALLY think good things will come of this for those of us that are Die-Hard Yamaha fans.

 

[goridedoo]

It surprises me how many of you think this is the beginning of the END of Yamaha Snowmobiles.

I think you will be eating your words over the next several years as the Yamaha brand once again begins to blossom in the world of Snowmobiles.

HAVE A LITTLE FAITH.

This is the biggest change Yamaha has made in a long time.

Yes and it borderline pathetic that it is. They NEED a new mountain sled. The Nytro MTX has been around and basically remained unchanged for 7 years now, yes I know they have made changes, but nothing like the other big 3. If they want people to buy their mountain sleds they need to make a sled that is close in price to the other mountain sleds and doesn't need thousands of dollars worth of mods to be satisfactory for mountain riding and even compete with the 800's. The mountain market is HUGE, look at Polaris the Pro became their number 1 seller. MOST people will not even consider buying a Yamaha when in the market for a mountain sled, and they need to change that.

 

[christopher]

You'll get no argument from me.
I have never understood why Yamaha IGNORES the mountain segment.

But then I KNOW I am biased about mountain riding.

 

[TRUEBLUEMAX]

Wow! I would hate to see what people would do if Yamaha made the perfect mountain sled and they had nothing to complain about any more. Nothing yet for the mountains but that is normally the case. I will be excited to see how things develop on this situation.

Let's be happy progress is being made. The last three years have nothing besides a fat apex trail sled. At least there is some light at the end of the tunnel

 

[snengineer]

I agree, down to 3 mfr's by 2015. The Cat name will stay, sleds are their bread and butter while it's small potatoes fro Yamaha....probably more trouble than it's worth from their perspective. That explains why they never realeased the new chassis they had 2 years ago.
They will just be a engine design/supplier for Cat like Suzuki was....and Kawi before that.
At least the Cats won't have any more belt problems, back to the good 'ol button clutch.

What he said....Yamaha did some awesome stuff over the years but they have obviously lost interest in building sleds.

 

[christopher]

What he said....Yamaha did some awesome stuff over the years but they have obviously lost interest in building sleds.

Oh ye of little faith!

 

[paulharris]

It surprises me how many of you think this is the beginning of the END of Yamaha Snowmobiles.

I think you will be eating your words over the next several years as the Yamaha brand once again begins to blossom in the world of Snowmobiles.

HAVE A LITTLE FAITH.

This is the biggest change Yamaha has made in a long time.

The point is that Yamaha can do better, this is a half-assed maneuver by them, it does NOT fit with their quality standards that people know in the Yamaha brand. AC is never going to have the quality that yamaha does....especially if they keep using cheap 2 cent chinese outsourced parts that fail often.

As for the mountain sled, we knew there would not be a mountain sled for 2014 that should not be a big surprise. the dissapointment is in the overall direction of Yamaha snowmobiles. I would now assume that the 2015 mountain sled will simply be a proclimb chassis with the nytro engine....yawn

 

[christopher]

I wonder how the Viper is being received by the NON Mountain riding Yamaha Owners??

 

[paulharris]

Carry lots of tools

One more thing for whomever buys this.....get ready to start carrying double the tools. You will Need a metric set of tools and a SAE set to work on this thing. Fun! Flashback to 1980's Chevrolet cars and trucks

 

[Kruchy]

Can't believe some people think this is progress and a good thing for the sport. How is this progress when yamaha is using a chassis that came out two years ago? I buy new every year or two. I was thinking maybe something new this year from yamaha to try out in 2015. I already have owned a 2014 Yamaha but it was a 2012 1100 turbo pro climb. I guess I will wait until Cat and Yamaha come out with a new chassis in 4 or 5 years from now.

 

[snopro176]

ARE YOU KIDDING! THIS IS A HUGE STEP UP! FINALLY a motor I can reach under and get all those f*cking bolts and springs I dropped!

 

[Kibbels]

I'm not sure how that AC chain case will hold up to turbo power ?

It will hold up... It's all Yamaha parts in chain case