2012 sleds


Sad. Really, really sad. Hey! New Skis! wow. Why don't they fire whoever the heck is incharge of there snowmobile division. Drag them out of the building buy there hair and beat them within a inch of there life. My god. There isn't one sled in there line up that makes me say I'd buy that.

They don't have a sniff what snowmobilers want!
 
I still cant believe that people are angry tat nothing new was done. same could be said for 1997 all the way through 04 in the 2 strokes. the viper and srx were riding on tech from 1993 polaris. I think the rate of change for all sleds has slowed a lot. cat has been on the f chassis for a while now, doo is a few years into th xp. polaris is new with the rush, but thts really the only newer tech from anyone. I know everyone is excited about the new cats, but honestly they are due. when did the f cats come out again? 06??
 
The fact is, the other 3 are doing something. New suspensions, lighter weights, new chasis, new sleds, etc. etc.

Yamaha adds a pair of skis and there ya go. Oh, and how about a $15,000 sticker on the top sled. Come and get it.

I switched, got bit and lost a motor. Now, 1000 miles later, I'm still glad I switched. My XP is an absolute blast to drive. Hell, I could almost buy another one for the price of a new Apex.
 
I hate to say it. I am a die hard Yamaha guy . I have a huge collection of VINTAGE Yamaha sleds. Since 2001 I changed my trail sleds to Polaris 800's because Yamaha had bad suspensions. Last week I did something I never thought I would do. I bought new a Arctic Cat 1000 trail sled. We will see how it goes. New Yamaha sleds are to expensive and they just do not excite me. Jeff Wurl
 
I still say there is not a better TRAIL sled out there. glad the xp is working out for you. I think the new doos are nice. a few stupid things about them, but overall a nice sled. the xp was pretty much the same, and you can only get that new skid on the top sleds. cheapest way to get it would be the x package 600, for $11,200. the 1200 4 stroke would be $12k, and the 800r is $12,600. not cheap by any means and it is still a 2 stroke. now seriously, I think it would be a great sled in any config, but thats a lot for a sled still quite susceptible to ethanol issues and crank failures. like I said, I could really see myself on one, but the simple fact for me is that I trail ride, not ditch run, and pretty much ANY sled is damn expensive these days. sucks, but its true. and for my cash, I would have to have a 4 stroke so I could ride more with less maint. not that any sled is immune to issues, I just feel more confident on a 4 stroke taking me farther :) I understand where you guys are coming from though
 
Guys relax...so Yamaha had a refinement year. New Skiis and EPS add ons...And you don't pay extra to the already massive price tag, oh well. Maybe they are doin great with their reputation for quality and refinement. Maybe they'll wait for do's etec surges to die down so they can pounce next year. Most of you "postees" like myself seem to be riding older sleds and are probably content riding them for a few more years anyways...thats cool!
The 4 stroke surge is on and most of the 4 strokers already love their rides...they know this..and like some who can't purchase every year look at buying every other year. So Yamaha knows they have people in there camp ready for the next year...
I saw 20 brand new AC's on the ice this past weekend of guys just draggin for braggin rights, but none of them hit the trails..and those who did..we dusted them!!
I may not be fastest out there but I know my machine will take the pounding and make it out the other side...Thats Yamaha Durability for ya...and yes...I intend to hold my machine for 3 more years..After that...the next "4" stroker will last another 10 years...if it costs me, I know it'll be worth it.

werd!
 
Yes, what 03viperguy said - '97-'04 lineup. Long ago I figured out Yamaha's snowmobile division dances to the earnings chart expectations of the stock holders. They probably have more time in consumer market research than product developement and have obviously determined a long term business model and are sticking to it. I would think they must be figuring in the discontented riders jumping ship but looking at reality... older riders = better financial situation to buy a sled in a recreational venue of ever increasing cost and regulations with an economic outlook of flat incomes. Can't say I'm pleased with what has evolved in the overall lineup but thankful there are other options (Doo/Cat/Poo/used).

As far as a mountain sled, in my opinion Yamaha never has been a real contender in this area. MCats and RMKs still seem to be king of the hill where I ride and have ridden. It totally sucks to sink the 4 stroke in 4' of powder - that's when a 100# difference looks really good.

Looking at the 2011 Cats - went to demo days and seriously rode a few hard - mountain and meadow. Was not that impressed. Factory rep said to expect "big changes" in 2012 - maybe getting 8 mpg instead of 7?
 
S.S.Viper said:
I know my machine will take the pounding and make it out the other side...
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Agreed, but will your body?

I predict I will be back on a Yami in 2013 or 2014. After several years in a row of very minimal changes they have to come up with something big. I'm betting they finally listen to us and give us a clean burning 2 stroke in a modified Nytro chassis or a very light weight 4 stroke. Something that finally falls under 500 lbs.
 
2 strokes are dead, and will be for most other companies eventually. can only go so far before reliability suffers. besides, with worse and worse gas it is just getting tough to burn oil. even doo claims the ace 600 is just the first of many ace sleds. that 600 means the death of the 550 fan. they are just swapping over slowly to try and keep profits up, where yamaha is plenty big and decided to change all at once and not spend a ton trying to make an oil burning engine burn less oil. just like the old street bikes. unfortunately we are stuck choosing from all those new heavy and underpowered sport bikes..... ;)!
 
jboar said:
added power steering without price increase
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Not on the venture GT. last years GT was like 10500. Now with EPS is about 2k more. I was hoping the regular venture would get the apex chassis and the 1050 efi motor at least.

The vector was less money without EPS as well.
 
ottawaair said:
Arctic cat aniversery edition coming. I heard all new line up. Look for them. Supposed to blow everybody away.
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1984 - 2011 = 27 year anniversary if they do it like it really is . Cat was a whole different company before it went belly up and bankrupt in 80 or 81.
 
GoldenBlues32 said:
I was really hoping for something new, but almost knew it wasn't happening. Polaris' new sleds don't impress me, not a big fan of ski don'ts either. However I am interested to see what cat is up to as they actually seem to care (judging on website layout alone) about their snowmobile division, which apparently yamaha doesn't. :dunno:
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Cat has to care about sleds because outside of the ATV's, they don't do anything else.
 
03viperguy said:
2 strokes are dead, and will be for most other companies eventually. can only go so far before reliability suffers. besides, with worse and worse gas it is just getting tough to burn oil. even doo claims the ace 600 is just the first of many ace sleds. that 600 means the death of the 550 fan. they are just swapping over slowly to try and keep profits up, where yamaha is plenty big and decided to change all at once and not spend a ton trying to make an oil burning engine burn less oil. just like the old street bikes. unfortunately we are stuck choosing from all those new heavy and underpowered sport bikes..... ;)!
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LOL, yeah the 4 stroke bikes are way too heavy and underpowered. The only thing the 4 stroke sportbikes lack that a 2 stroke can is the ring a ding sound and hard to ride attitude.

I am a firm believer in 4 stroke sleds. If I had my choice right now, it would be tough to choose a yamaha over the 1200 doo. Apparently doo left a lot of hp on the table with their exhaust and one can add 30 hp and lose even more weight from the XR 1200 doos by getting a header and full exhaust.
 
I agree with many of the points about sleds from 97-04. But they dropped the Apex in the Mtn version. That's what makes us mtn guys unhappy. The Apex Mtn had a short run 06-10. The top mtn sled is only putting out 130hp, thats like a 700. How many guys do you see riding 700 mtn sleds today?? I see very few, most of the sleds I ride with are all M8's, 800 rmk (or some version of), and 800 skidoos. The mtn riders plain old want horsepower. Myself, I refuse to buy a Nytro, I'm not impressed at all. I guess I will be riding the Apex for a few more years. Just have to put the cash to a turbo.
 
horkn said:
LOL, yeah the 4 stroke bikes are way too heavy and underpowered. The only thing the 4 stroke sportbikes lack that a 2 stroke can is the ring a ding sound and hard to ride attitude.

I am a firm believer in 4 stroke sleds. If I had my choice right now, it would be tough to choose a yamaha over the 1200 doo. Apparently doo left a lot of hp on the table with their exhaust and one can add 30 hp and lose even more weight from the XR 1200 doos by getting a header and full exhaust.
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we get along pretty well most of the time, glad to see it my way with the 4 stroke bikes as well ;) but people did fight them from what I heard/was told. and I agree, the 1200 is nice, would be great if yamaha made a 1200 as well. if they can get the same power with 200cc less, they ought to really do well with the same displacement.
 
I really wanted to buy a new Vector this year but come on 1,000 more for this machine & it isn't even a GT model. Since 1973 I have bought at least 15 new
yamaha snowmobiles & I am TrueBlue but they are choking themselves with
there prices. I will not pay that type of money for a sled that will only get used for 3 months. At this point I think they are going to loose a lot of there loyal
customers, too bad they don't see this.
 
hey TrueBlue..if you bought around 15 new Yami's in all them years..I would thinks Yamaha should be giving you a brand NEW Free Sled at the least for your loyal business..don't you think.I think you have a good reason to phone Yamaha and tell them that you have supported them all these years and that you are very dissapointed in them now..or in a letter....
 
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