It is very simple. before the introduction of the rider foward sled by skidoo back in 2003, every sled was pretty much the same as far as chassis, power, looks, motors etc. Now That skidoo has pulled so much off with new chassis designs that ARE light years ahead of pre 2003 models, NO other company has sucessfully made a leap that far ahead. The bar has been set high since 2003 and has only been raised higher and higher and higher. Skidoo is not the most reliable product, but they are definitely the company that seems to have any balls to build something NEW!!
People are bitching on the 4 stroke side because they pay 12k for a sled brand new that doesnt handle well and has stupid issues that should have been corrected years ago. Yamaha needs to put better skis on thier sleds for sure and has had to for along time. Who would not be pissed off when you pay all the $$$$ for a new product and it requires much much more $ and time to set it up just so its close to the competitions production product. Skidoo is so far ahead its like yamaha just entered the seen. I'm sorry but I would rather own a recreational product that is well desinged, inovative and fun to ride, then own a recreational product that falls short year after year after year.
Remember RECREATIONAL vehicals such as sleds and 99% of the time used for only fun and excitement, its not a damn jumbo jet, or tank, truck that is made for work, and is not desired for work. Snowmobiles are recreational, not needed 99% of the time. That means when someone pays 8-14k for a recreatinal product new, they expect alot out of what they got from the box.
Its all these companies fault for charging so much for sleds. If a new sled like a nytro went for 6-7k new, people wouldn't expect so much, therefore not as much to bitch about. When a company raises the bar so high on prices, its products expectation from the box are greatly raised. On top of all of it when there is competition that raises the bar so high and keeps pushing the envelope every year, quality or not peoples expectations are greatly raised.
ride a 2004 skidoo rev, ride a 2004 yami 4 stroke and tell me which one RIDES BETTER AND IS MORE FUN/EASY TO RIDE. Once you see the difference you will notice how much of a leap skidoo went for and what yamaha gave up.
An rx-1 rode/handled worse then a viper, vmax, sxr etc. A 2003 and up rev rode/handled 10 ten better then a 2003 previous zx chassis mxz. One company moved foward, the other held back. Knowone who loves sleds to death truely wanted a 4 stroke, every one who loves sleds wanted better handling, more fun, smoother operation. Skidoo took a leap yamaha and others just dont have balls enough to cross. As far as I'm concerned I love my 2001 yami, but will never by anything newer from yamaha until they either charge less for a product not as fun as competition, or they finally grow a pair and make a recreational product that is more then a motor.
My 600 sdi is a 2006. I get the same mpg as a yami 4 stroke if not better. I get 10mpg or so on my 2001 yami, 17mpg + on my 2006 sdi. Most 4 strokes get 15mpg I ride with. For me what did they gain? Even if the usa made it completely illegal for 2 strokes they could have made a good chassis by now and built a better 4 stroke for it. Its going into the 2010 model year and skidoo has 4 stroke, 2 stroke, and chassis.
2010 and still 2 strokes, I think yamaha had plenty of time by now.
Watch slednecks 11, tell me whos sleds are the rage, and whos sleds are missing. Hell watch any slednecks video and tell me the same. Do we all ride like that.. NO, but we all ride on snow.
