Im the king of defending Yamaha on HCS. My title on there says, "All the best stuff is made in Japan". Its kind of tongue in cheek but you wouldnt believe all the flack I take from people for that little phrase. LOL Its actually from the movie "Back To The Future". In one scene, the Doc and Marty are trying fix the Delorean and the Doc pulls some electronic part out of it and says, "No wonder why this part failed, it says MADE IN JAPAN!" Then, Marty kinda looks at the Doc with a confused look on his face and says, "Doc, all the best stuff is made in Japan!"
Anyways, Yamaha stories...I got one.
2 years ago I bought a '90 Phazer II. I always thought the Phazer were neat little sleds and always wanted one. I had the chance to buy one that was in good shape for a fair price, so I bought it. (Keep in mind now, I come from a family of DIE-HARD Polaris riders)
The first thing my dad said was how he thought it was a mistake to buy that Phazer. He told me that Yamahas get poor fuel economy and are unreliable.
Well, that winter I was the ONLY one in my family to not have some kind of mechanical problem. We had a headlight switch break in my mother's 600 XC ($80), my brother's 440 XCR lost an idler wheel (one of the wheels thats on the outside of the rear axle) and my father broke a driven clutch spring on his 600 XC.
Me, on the other hand, nothing. Gas 'n oil, thats it.
Well, my family slowly but surly came around to the fact that my Phazer was a nice little sled because they noticed that I wasnt anywhere near as sore as they were, and that I spent far less in gas than they did.
One day my father had to move my Phazer, and he commented how it was really torquey and that it was actually a nice sled.
My father still is trying to convince me that Yamaha isnt the way to go, but Im not buying it. He basically is always saying how he talked to some Yamaha engineer and how the guy told him that Yamaha has major problems with the Apex. You should know, he lives in Minocqua, WI so its entirely possible that he has talked with a Yamaha engineer.
True or not, I cant see myself getting another Polaris. Theres really no sled in Polaris' lineup that Id be interested in buying. Nothing against them, they are nice sleds, but Im not interested. Id love to have an RS Vector ER or a Nytro though!
