Yamaha #1 next year?

ejcamaro

ejcamaro

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This maybe a stretch, but what do ya think about this.
Yamaha's Apex GT is all but sold out, and from what I gather, there is a mad dash to buy RTXs. After the Apex is named "sled of the year" for 06' I'm sure sales will be just as strong next year. Now chances are the vector will be on the Apex platform next year too, more than likely with fuel injection. All this coupled with the current #1 sled maker only offering a snow cross platform (REV), polaris being butt ugly, and cat not having a decent EPA motor (so far) would lead me to believe that yamaha is definately coming out of the #4 spot. How far up will it go? I think polaris is going to crash to #4. What do ya all think.
 
I think Yamaha will be in #2 or #3 spot next year. More than likely #3 spot I think. REV is still a great platform, but nothing is really new for '06. Polaris needs the Fusion to catch on this year otherwise they are screwed. Arctic Cat has the new Crossfire, but otherwise not alot of new stuff. I have never seen so much talk about another sled. Every forum you go to they're talking about the Apex. The die-hard Cat and Doo guys are still doubting the Apex but there seems to be alot of riders that have jumped ship or are seriously thinking about jumping ship. I think Yamaha is going to change snowmobiling the same way they did dirtbikes. 2 strokes are beginning to be phased out in Motocross. The gap seems to be closing sooner in snowmobiling. I give it 5 years at most and Yamaha will be the one's laughing when their 4 strokes are better than everyone else's 2 stroke and 4 stroke sleds. Ski-Doo better hope that their 2 strokes can continue to be EPA compliant or they will be scrambling to put out EPA compliant 4 strokes. My guess is that they're working on one as we speak.

My prediction is:
#1 Ski-Doo
#2 Arctic Cat
#3 Yamaha
#4 Polaris
 
#1 Ski Doo - Just because too many ppl love that REV platform
#2 Yamaha - I think Yammy can go from 4-2. Sled of the year, solid engine, tons of options.
#3 Arctic Cat - The crossfire may be a good sled, but not good enough to stay in #2.
#4 Polaris - they are just too far behind. BUTT UGLY.
 
A lot of factors, who can make sense of em would be the one with the best pick. Factors, I mean the ones listed by everyone. Yamaha's 4 bangers are great reliable sleds, everybody and their mother wants one turbo'd or supercharged for all that power, they are getting lighter and more fuel efficient, the dang thing is price. Price and weight. Weight is going down, but I think the price is on the rise (supply and demand) Polaris is losing out HUGE!!! All I ever here is bring back the old RMK. RMK this, RMK that... Back in the day polaris was it. All the mods are a lot of polaris bottom ends, since they were bullet proof. Now they need a prayer for their new design, like shortstop said, to catch on. There are no where near as many poo's out on the tracks as there was, new ones I mean. Rev, what can ya say, they nailed that platform first. Rider forward and what not, they got to that first, they are the ones to catch like everyone said. Their 4 stroke killer went lame on em, it (the 1000) just didn't catch like they hoped. Cat, cat has a great mountain lineup as well as trail/race lineup, no doubt. A lot of probs tho with them. But most the people buyin them don't leave them stock anyways. Yamaha is hittin huge thanks to Jimmy "Blaze" Fejes. They owe that dude a chunk of change!!! For him to choose to be thrown around yammies, and now the fat a$$ off the crowd as they call it, it really puts yamaha out there. cuz now yamaha is not only appealing to the drag racer, and the family guy, but to the snox people. i'd like to see yamaha take off in hill climbing, i think they'd do good in that with a good pilot. it all depends on what your looking for. Mogul monster and mountain climber is cat, ski doo has the sno cross covered, polaris is lost and living off its old models, yamaha's got the all around reliable trail poundin sled that can go through the deep as well, and most importantly with that turbo, she can line up too. thats a few of my opinions...
 
not that i really think anything good of polaris, and i really do think they are going to fall even more from where they are at, but they really did own the snowcross circuits last winter.
 
I think Yamaha has made more of a comitment to snowmobiling than we have ever seen from them - this year is just a hint of what is to come - if they continue on the current path, they could easily become #1, but it will take 2 or 3 years - they could easily make #2 next year
 
Cat will really need to pull something out of there a$$ to get something that will pass the EPA standards. I did talk to a yamaha rep last winter who said they have been trying to put something with a GSXR motor in it. But at some point I firmly believe that the snowmobile industry will be all 4strokes in the next 5 years. Gas prices will probably be a huge reflection how the industry will go. Just my 2cents.
 
Cuzino19 said:
#1 Ski Doo - Just because too many ppl love that REV platform
#2 Yamaha - I think Yammy can go from 4-2. Sled of the year, solid engine, tons of options.
#3 Arctic Cat - The crossfire may be a good sled, but not good enough to stay in #2.
#4 Polaris - they are just too far behind. BUTT UGLY.
Click to expand...

I agree, but I think it will be awhile before they catch up to Doo.
 
I dont think that the whole industry will be four strokes in the next five years. Bomarbier owns Evinrude, and when it gets down to the point that they can't make the current set up clean enough with the SDI, they will probably just employ the ETEC to make them clean enough. It is a VERY clean system, already in heavy use on their outboards. The only problem is that it is a little expensive, so they aren't going to put it on the sleds until they have to, and prices will rise. That is where the real question will come in somewhere down the road, will it be cost effective to make the two strokes as clean as a comparably powered four stroke? Just my .02
 
I think yami is on the rise strong. think back to 1997 when they reinvented lightweight and handling. this is the repeat on 97, and hopefully they dont rest on their haunches (spell?) like they did after they had sled of the year etc.
 
The ETEC is still new though. You here alot about the ETEC because Bombardier is pushing that technology on the industry but they do have 4stroke outboards that you do not hear alot about. As far as the rest of the outboard companies they are all going to 4stroke and slowly getting away from 2strokes. Mercury at this point has the most advanced 4strokes to date, supercharged and they out perform the the 2strokes hands down.
 
i say yamaha will be luckey to make #3 because they don't produce that many sleds a year...but they are the brand where u can't find left overs so they probley got the best profit
 
I agree with the above statement about not amking a lot of sleds. but lie it was said, there arent any leftovers. there isnt a real lot of demand for sleds with the low snow we have been getting
 
I think Yamaha is at least 5 years away from being #1 in marketshare.
I could see them being #3 next year, but not #1.
Dont be so quick to count Polaris out. They have come back from the brink before, dont think they cant do it again.
The 600 HO is a sweet sled and the FST is going to be a great trail sled. They have a solid lineup, they just need to fix the vibration problems of the 750 and 850 twins.
Cap'n
 
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