Yamaha Celebrates 40th Anniversary
With Hardcover History Of Its Sled Story

Wow! Who would have thought that Yamaha has been a part of snowmobiling for the past four decades? Seems like only yesterday that Yamaha brought high-quality, low-buck sleds to the Americas. Guess that’s how it seems when you get to be a member of the AARP-generation.

With its very first model, Yamaha pioneered oil-injection as standard equipment and showed that technological relevance would be a keystone to its future. While that feature eliminated the need to mix oil and gas when refueling your sled, it was a feature that was a bit slow to catch on with the other sled makers. Now, of course, you don’t have to worry about pre-mixing oil to gas with a Yamaha. You should, however, still occasionally check the oil on a modern day 4stroke Yamaha before heading out for a day’s ride.

This new book covers Yamaha’s 40-years in snow-biz from the 1968 SL350 to the 2008 Nytro. In between those two models you’ll discover facts and figures about many of Yamaha’s interesting and historic snowmobiles—such as the unique SnoScoot, the all-conquering Phazer which helped propel Yamaha to #1 in sled sales, and the small displacement World’s Championship Yamaha racing machines that defeated the vaunted Ski-Doo racers.

If you are “into” Yamaha or vintage snowmobiling, this is a book that you will want in your collection—alongside Jerry Bassett’s Polaris Pioneers and CJ Ramstad’s Legend history of Arctic Cat. The new Yamaha anniversary edition contains rare photos and insights from the early years of Yamaha’s snowmobile development, including an account of the company’s entry into the budding snowmobile market in the late 1960s by one of the project engineers on that team.

In this collector’s edition you will find color images of dealership displays, consumer brochures, magazine ads, clothing and accessories from the past four decades. This 96-page volume provides in-depth information on 40 years’ worth of industry-changing snowmobiles. The commemorative book features an embossed dust sleeve as well as an embossed hard cover.

To get a copy of this book, check with your local Yamaha snowmobile dealer or order it on line at: www.toizrit.com/yamahabook.htm.


© 2007 Snowmobilia/Jerry Bassett

To comment go to – http://www.amsnow.com/jerrysblog

Gone “Off-Roading”

Print readers can still find Bassett in American Snowmobiler

Snowmobilia.blogspot.com will continue to receive sporadic updates over the summer, but for more current Bassett “Rants & Raves” and inside opinions about new sleds, paste the enclosed link (http://snowmobile.off-road.com/snowmobile/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=423834&ref=25) into your browser as Bassett moves to snowmobile@off-road.com as a twice a month columnist on that site which also highlights off-roading info for ATVers, dirtbike riders, Jeep and 4wheel drive players as well as snowmobilers.

For those of you who prefer the printed page, check out Bassett’s appearances as Backtracks writer and occasional test reporter for this season’s American Snowmobiler magazine, which he founded in 1986 and turned into snowmobiling’s #1 paid subscription publication before selling it in 2004.

© 2007 Snowmobilia/Jerry Bassett

To comment go to – http://www.amsnow.com/jerrysblog

IMPRESSIONS 2008

No Bad Sleds

There are no bad sleds, just ones we prefer over others.


The first time I attended a snowmobile “test” session, there was actual testing done. We mounted sleds on a table to measure “tilt angles”—the degree at which a sled might actually tip-over. We ran the sleds through a 100-yard acceleration run. We did panic braking stops from 30 miles per hour. And we recorded sound levels with a decibel meter.

Our staff gave subjective ratings to each sled in five categories: throttle response, straight-line stability, ease of handling, comfort and ride, and overall styling.

That was in the spring of 1973 and we evaluated sleds from as many as 27 snowmobile manufacturers. At that time we tested and rode sleds from Arctic Cat (Panther, Cheetah, El Tigre), Polaris (Colt, Custom, Electra), Ski-Doo (Elan, Olympique, T’NT, Nordic), and Yamaha (SM 292F, TL 433, GP). Of course, that doesn’t count sleds with names like Alouette, ARGO (which still makes a multi-wheeled all-terrain vehicle), Columbia (yes, the bicycle people of the time), John Deere, Evinrude, Harley-Davidson, Mercury, Rupp, Scorpion, Sno-Jet and Suzuki.

This Spring of 2007, we photographed and rode nearly 100 sleds from just five different manufacturers— Arctic Cat, Boivin, Polaris, Ski-Doo and Yamaha. There were no tests of acceleration, sound, horsepower, etc. In the 34 years since my first sled evaluation in Houghton-Hancock, Michigan to the most recent in Grand Lake, Colorado, sleds have improved, but magazine “testing” hasn’t. With the snowmobile manufacturers in control of the evaluations, radar guns, decibel meters and scales are outlawed. The reasoning is that sled makers do not want to read about their sleds being slower, heavier, and noisier than the competition. The sled makers claim that, since the majority of “test” models are prototypes or pre-production versions of what the consumer will get in the autumn, it would be unfair to actually test them at this point.

Well, eh, yes! But in 1973 Alouette allowed a prototype of its Super Brute to be tested. It was a sled with essentially an engine, track and throttle. The brake was for show—not slow—purposes. The taillight was a block of wood painted red and pasted to the rear of the sled for photo purposes. Now that was a prototype! We didn’t see any such rough versions of the sleds from Arctic, Polaris, Ski-Doo and Yamaha.

In fact, Yamaha might well have benefited from some actual radar gunning and scale tipping as its new Nytro had undergone some marvelous transitions from its magazine preview to Colorado’s on-snow evaluations. Ski-Doo’s incredible weight reductions might have benefited from being showcased via third party endorsements.

But, that was not the case. You snowmobile buyers have to take the word of the magazine guys and gals and the word of the sled makers that what you can buy in 2008 is better, faster, lighter, quieter, etc. than ever before. In the “old” days the magazines didn’t ask you to take their word for things, they could back up their claims with facts. Cold, hard, incontrovertible facts. Facts that could sway your purchasing decision. And that is exactly why the current snowmobile evaluations are totally seat of the pants subjective evaluations and not objective acquired data evaluations.

With that rant off my aging, gray-haired chest, let me give you a maker-by-maker evaluation of the most significant sleds for 2008. Take my word for it. I have no hard data on which to base my observations, but three decades of riding the newest of the new must be worth a little something. Trust me!

Ski-Doo

The French-Canadians offer the most impressive new line of snowmobiles in many, many years. Ski-Doo was faced with an “Indy” problem; how to follow up on the success of a sled model that made you #1 in the marketplace and still stay #1 with subsequent new models. Ski-Doo’s solution? Make the REV better. Make the REV lighter. Make the REV more exciting. Simply reinvent the REV. Easier said than done. But for 2008, Ski-Doo certainly appears to have reinvented the #1 seller with a sled that could actually outsell the original.

The XP is a better REV in all ways. Because it retains the best engines—Rotax 600 SDI and 800 PowerTek—and drops significant weight, the all-new Ski-Doo automatically gains better all-around performance merely on the power-to-weight basis.

What the new lighter Ski-Doo models also gain is an adrenaline rush of on-trail handling and a major boost on the fun-o-meter.

In our view, the best new Ski-Doo is the XP with a 600 SDI twin. The most intriguing is the all-new T’NT version that is powered by the base 600cc twin sans RAVE and direct injection. It will be the price leader and a tempting choice for budget-conscious riders. If the $7,500 price tag is your limit, we feel that the T’NT is the best value in that price range. Plenty of motor—probably 100 horses or so—and not much weight (Ski-Doo is expected to claim just under 400 pounds!). If your budget can be stretched upwards a bit, we’d opt for the 600 SDI version because you get much better overall engine drive-ability from the semi-direct injection system and because the shock package is far superior to the base model.

For you trail cruisers, the GSX Limited on the new platform is a very solid consideration. It will be a smoother, less aggressive ride with better wind protection and more overall bells and whistles. The 600 SDI version is again our choice.

We were really impressed with what Ski-Doo has done for 2008. The new “look” is hip and happening. The fact that Ski-Doo recognized what it did well and kept those features (can we say great Rotax engines?) and improved on the strengths of the REV (can we say rider position, handling, style?) leads us to believe that Ski-Doo knows how to lead via technology and insights into what is truly important to snowmobilers.

Yamaha

Like Ski-Doo, Yamaha dropped weight faster than a bulimic on the South Beach Diet. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell Yamaha’s planners what Ski-Doo was up to!

The all-new Nytro is significantly lighter than any rough trail, 4stroke Yamaha has created to date. Even with the advantage of its 1050cc, 130-hp powerplant, the Nytro will not have the best power-to-weight ratio in the 120 class for 2008. But it does get a major overhaul in the ride and handling department since the versions we test rode at Yamaha’s sneak peek for the various magazines.

After out first outing on the sled, we were disappointed. The power delivery was wonderful, but it overpowered the Nytro’s suspension setups. The rear suspension rocked back under torque and lifted the skis at just the most inopportune times—like coming off an apex as you were trying to stay out of the trees off the turn! While this was great for straight-line shots, it was unnerving for switchbacks and twisties.

At Grand Lake, the Nytro was a totally different machine in the ride and handling departments. We were told that the Nytro suspension packages were only about 30 percent completed during the sneak peek introductions.

Part of the major upgrade came in the form of a totally new and repositioned coupling block that united the rear suspension’s front action with the rear action. From skis in the air to skis on the ground. Amen! Yamaha suspension gurus also got much closer to the final shock and spring calibrations by the Colorado evaluations. What Yamaha likes to do is to establish the suspension’s attack angle to the snow, locate the limiter strap position and work the front and rear shock and spring action to fine-tune the unit. The coupling block plays a major role in this action and you could definitely tell that Yamaha engineering made a gigantic stride forward in establishing a very rider-friendly setup. Hurray!

As we stated previously, the Nytro has power and very good performance-oriented ergonomics. Now it has the ride and handling to match. We can recommend the Nytro as a top choice—the top choice for performance riders wanting a 4stroke!

Now let us get back to our view of the Phazer. We test rode the latest spec RTX in Colorado and were content with it. There is a definite upgrade from Year One to now.

After our ride on the RTX, we immediately switched to the Phazer GT, which uses clicker shocks and is intended for sporty groomed trail riding. We pushed into a few corners after we switched from RTX to GT and were not happy. The rider I had been attacking while on the RTX was readily able to get away from me. Because the Phazer is limited to 80 horsepower, you need to hold the throttle on and dance around the turns, slide slipping the chassis to scrub off speed instead of hitting the brakes. Well, let’s just say this wasn’t going well at all. If I had Herculean strength, I would have stopped the GT, lifted it off the trail and hurled it off the mountain! We were not in our happy place.

Every time we closed on the sled ahead and came up on a turn, the GT pushed and popped, pushed and popped, leaving me cussing under my helmet. This hadn’t been the case with the RTX and its air shocks. It would push a bit, but then grab and hold. After a few corners, I pulled off the trail and summoned the Yamaha technician who was riding with us. We chatted a bit and agreed to go all the way stiff on the compression setting.

Another mile or so and we made another change. I was really ticked off now. We chatted again. The GT was like a pogo stick under the stiff compression setting. We backed off the compression and this time softened the rebound to slow the action a bit to see if that could mitigate the sled’s tendency to “pogo.” Voila! Rebound was the key. The front end was significantly better and would prove even better a day later as Yamaha’s tech fiddled with the setting again and let me try it. It was the best setup of any Phazer I had ridden to date.

My point is simple. Read the setup manual. Make adjustments. Note your adjustment. Fine-tune your adjusts until you are totally satisfied. Make notes. You may find that the key to cornering is going to be in the rebound setting, but you will need to play with the compression stroke as well.

Now we know that the Phazer GT can be made to be acceptable and great fun on the tight trails, but we are still convinced that Yamaha needs to do more. Perhaps a new ski design with either dual runners to get good grip or more of a rocker keel will prove to be the answer. Of course, at an entry-level price, we can’t expect Nytro features can we?

Our other fave in the Yamaha line is the new Vector series—the best 4stroke drive train in Yamaha’s most rideable chassis setup derived from the Apex line.

Polaris

Polaris answers the Phazer question of what can you get for $7500 or so with its loss-leader Shift, which should come in under seven grand and should be a really good buy.

Looks like Polaris is getting back to its basics of offering good quality sleds at the lowest prices per category. It—and the Indy—was what made Polaris #1 in the market for a dozen seasons. To get consumers’ interest, Polaris marketers are attacking the value market with a 600cc-powered sled in the popular IQ chassis. Called the Shift, the down-and-dirty sled comes without makeup and a base handlebar setup. So, right away, Polaris figures that the Shift buyer will want to upgrade the plain black hood with a dealer-available and optional graphics package and maybe even a riser bar to get the handlebars up where they can be comfortable. This so-called “stripper” sled is intended for cost-conscious buyers who might want to personalize their ride.

We get the concept. At under $7000, the base sled is actually a pretty good buy. But what you really want is the Dragon 600. It and the all-new Ski-Doo MXZ are the two best rides on the market and worth the price of admission.

The Cleanfire 600 is the equal of the Rotax 600 SDI. The Polaris IQ and the REV XP are not apples and apples. In fact we came away confused as to which of the sleds we liked better. We liked the traditional power sled feel of the Dragon, which reminded us of the best traits of the older Indy in that it seemed no matter what stupid thing you might do the sled covered for you. The Ski-Doo is noticeably lighter and you can readily toss it around and have great fun with it. The heavier feeling Dragon goes where you point it, but doesn’t like to redirect itself if you change a line. It feels a bit sluggish in cornering, but that is most likely a result of the Ski-Doo being so light and giving such a feeling of lightning quick response, especially when cornering.

The Dragon is an exceptionally good sled with very nice quality in its build, respectful of the rider, consistent in power, able to ride out rough trails with ease, and a very strong 600cc driveline. Firecat riders disappointed with the new more luxurious Cats may be quite content to change over to the Roseau fleet of sports sleds. The Dragon has very good ergonomics and a large dealer network to support it.

Another model we have to mention is the limited build RR (race replica). This sled will sell for a premium so don’t be surprised. Based on the snocross-winning racer, the RR is a 600cc version that has been calibrated for exciting ditch line running. We were impressed. Expecting a rock-hard ride with race-like handling, we found the RR to our liking. It is more trail-calibrated than racer. Its standup ride position works great on mogulled trails and its pinpoint steering is superb. Like the lightweight Ski-Doo Xps, the RR is designed to be tossed around and ridden as hard as you can. If you like it rough, the RR is perfect. Polaris engineers did an outstanding job on this specialty model. There won’t be many around and they will be pricey, but the RR is a keeper!

Arctic Cat

The new Cat lineup for 2008 is an expansion of what you saw last year. More base model engines have been moved to the new chassis giving you such flavors as the 570 fan-cooled twin in the one-chassis-fits-all mode.

Let me preface what I am about to say with this. The new Cats are very nice snowmobiles. The new chassis and rider ergonomics are first rate. But, it isn’t enough for true Cat fanatics who loved their Firecats. The new sleds are not the old Firecat. By and large the new sleds are heavier and slower than the models they replaced. Especially the ones that replaced the Firecats. Those riders demanded speed, handling and lightness on the trail. The new versions supply little of that.

Overall the new breed of Cat is actually among our favorites as everyday rides. The steering is smooth. The adjustability is incredible as you can fit virtually anyone to these Cats. We like the styling, though not all do. The fit and finish is very good and the overall ergonomics are pleasing.

Oh, my gosh… I just described a Buick!

And, that may be the problem. Cat owners forgave Arctic Cat for the teething problems of the first Firecats because they knew that those sleds were fast and furious rides on the trails. The Firecat 700 earned a performance reputation against competitors with more horsepower and greater displacement. That’s not the case with the new breed of performance Cats. But they are nice. They ride nice. They look nice. But they tend to purr instead of growl and scratch!

And that’s a problem. Cat owners have attitude! The new Cats are nice. Cat owners don’t want nice, they want scratch and claw attitude.

One of the nicest Cats is the new touring version, the TZ1, which combines the best of the Z1 four-stroke with the Cat penchant for Catillac luxury. Smooth, nicely appointed and incredibly cush for a snow car, this top line Cat is at the top for best in show of luxury-oriented trail cruisers.

Fun to ride Cats include the new 570 fan-cooled sports versions and the various SnoPro performance rides. Nice but little growl compared to the fire breathers in the Dragon line and the lightweight Ski-Doo models.

So, if you are looking to Cat, think less Firecat and more Buick. Less growl, more purr.

© 2007 Snowmobilia/Jerry Bassett

To comment go to – http://www.amsnow.com/jerrysblog

VINTAGE REVIEW


1968 Sno-Skat

One of many interesting sleds to see at World Snowmobile HQ

Things of note you’ll see at the new World Snowmobile Headquarters in Eagle River, Wisconsin, include a display of historic and unique snowmobiles. Among the current display of “traditional” Polaris Sno-Travelers and historic World Championship twin-track racing sleds is a quite rare “kit” snowmobile on loan by Jerry Wanty of Jackson (WI) to the HQ’s museum area.

Wanty’s redone 1968 Sno-Skat is unusual from a variety of points. It is a unique collectible due to its relative obscurity. The fact that it was sold as a kit adds to the uniqueness of the sled. And it also showcases some rather clever design aspects—one of which is being hyped in today’s sleds as breakthrough engineering. Guess the folks at Sno-Skat were 40 years ahead of their time with the 1968 Sno-Skat currently on display at the snowmobile headquarters museum.

The sled was offered as a do-it-yourself kit in 1968 and boasted a carrying capacity for one adult or “two mature children.” The unit’s 4stroke, single cylinder, air-cooled engine was set low in a recessed portion of the tunnel, just back of the steering post and ahead of the seat.

Promotional material stated: “The Sno-Skat offers an exceptionally low center of gravity because the engine is recessed or submerged into the frame. This design feature reduces overall vibration to a minimum while increasing the stability of the machine in operation.”

With the engine tucked away, engineers also enclosed the myriad of moving parts out of harm’s way, too.

“In addition to the low center of gravity created by the recessed engine,” touted the brochure, “the Sno-Skat presents no exposed drive chains or track. If you do happen to tip the machine, you will fall safely clear of all moving parts.”

The engine-mounted clutch was a typical centrifugal unit that you would use for a home-built lawn mower-powered , off-road go-kart. It was simple, efficient for the power output and relatively inexpensive. Braking appears to have been a matter of letting off the throttle and letting friction take over.

Even with a basic “lawn mower” type 5 or 7 horsepower motor, the Sno-Skat was said to achieve speeds upwards of 20 miles per hour, even with an adult who might actually match the diminutive sled’s 180 pounds of dry weight.

Since the engine in the display model was likely an “off-the-shelf” Briggs & Stratton or Tecumseh 4stroker, the fuel tank would have come with the motor and probably had about a quart of fuel capacity. But they would have provided ample fun time for those mature children.

The rear suspension used basic big-wheeled bogies while ski suspension relied on the flex in the shaped steel steering rods attached to the metal skis.

Passengers sat on a luxuriant (by 1968 standards) three inches of foam seat support.

Designed to be rugged, compact and exciting, Sno-Skat’s lightweight construction made it “…much easier to lift out and keep going if you happen to dig into a snow bank, etc.”

If you are in the Eagle River area and enjoy snowmobiling, you owe it to yourself to stop by the World Snowmobile Headquarters complex at 5121 North Railroad Street. For additional info and museum hours, call the Headquarters offices at 715-479-2186. Once the website is completed, you can check out events by visiting online at www.worldsnowmobilehq.com.

For right now, the Sno-Skat is one of the more interesting sleds on display. But, also you'll find a Polaris “Li’l Andy” and a nice sampling of other significant snowmobiles from the past. Check it out!

© 2007 Snowmobilia/Jerry Bassett

To comment go to – http://www.amsnow.com/jerrysblog

More Rants

Vintage Sleds A Threat?

There are reasons for growth of vintage sledding.

At the peak of last week’s near-blizzard in central Minnesota, we stopped our sled ride to gather at a pit stop along the Soo Line trail. As we parked our brand new (low mileage!) ’07 test sleds outside the trailside bar; we noticed a couple of 1970s vintage Scorpions parked alongside the front edge of the parking lot. Both were in wonderful shape—especially considering that each was easily 35 years old. One hood had a nicely painted patriotic theme while the other retained historic Scorpion black paint on its scoop nose.

Upon entering the bar, we noticed a couple of younger fellows—well, at least younger to me. One was outfitted in a Scorpion-logoed red and black hooded sweatshirt. The other had the Carhartt thing going for him. They were the owners/riders of the two Scorpions and they were of a similar —if not younger— vintage as their sleds. My riding partner, a veteran Scorpion enthusiast and former Scorpion factory racer, knew the lads. We struck up a conversation.

Now, with no apologies, I will admit that this vintage thing has perplexed me some. I do get it. After all, I still have the 1969 Ski-Doo 320SS that was given to me one Christmas by my folks. And I have possession of one of three 1964-65 10-horsepower Ski-Doo Olympiques that my Dad sold the first year he was a snowmobile dealer. So, yes, I get the heritage and emotional side of vintage sleds. I don’t quite get why younger guys are so eager to ride and embrace vintage sleds.

The “Carhartt Guy” said, “It’s kinda like riding a Harley for the snow.” Does that mean the sleds leak oil and ride hard? Yes and no!

“Carhartt Guy’s” buddy said that he could invest a little money and get a long-term ride that put him in touch with what snowmobiling was all about. It sounded a little Thoreau, but what I think he meant was that even though his sled’s top speed was well under 50 miles per hour (the state speed limit in Minnesota, by the way!), he enjoyed a sense of adventure of being a participant in winter.

Also, he pointed out, once he invested the hundreds or a few thousand dollars to get the vintage ride where he wanted it, he could have a nice sled for years to come. One that didn’t require huge repairs—since he could repair most of it himself. If he wanted to update the suspension, he could do it quite easily. Since these were older sleds and since Scorpion parts of those years were somewhat interchangeable, the lads could update the early Scorps with later Scorpion parts. The famed Para-Rail rear suspension could be added to virtually any older bogie model. The engine could be upgraded with newer and more reliable electronics and carbs could be switched out from Walbro to Mikuni.

While the guys liked working on the sleds to make them “theirs,” they enjoyed riding them more. Interestingly, more and more younger riders are finding old sleds to enjoy. They are cheap compared to the $10,000-plus required for today’s newer, heavier and more complex sleds. But, as “Carhartt Guy” noted, “Parts for the old sleds are getting harder to find and more expensive as more people are getting into vintage.”

Yes, indeed, more people are getting into older sleds. While we were at the pit stop another small group came in. One of the younger fellows climbed off a John Deere, the old silver and green one.

With the reality that vintage snowmobiling is growing in popularity, how does this impact the existing sled makers? Is there a realization by today’s snowmobiling crowd that today’s sleds are too expensive for the length of the season? Is there a feeling that today’s sleds are just too heavy and way too complicated? Is there a feeling that there is a growing insider club of vintage sleds —like there is with street rodders, classic car buffs and, yes, Harley guys— where you can be an individual with a remade sled customized to you by you that has greater appeal than the sled makers realize?

When we went to Eagle River (WI) for the races this past January, we were impressed with how big vintage sled racing has become. Working for Snow Week “back in the day,” I covered many of those sleds that I was seeing compete in the vintage events at Eagle River. The difference is that the vintage sleds weren’t falling apart and leaving debris all over the historic oval as the originals had done. And today’s vintage sled racers are actually better overall drivers on average than many of the old time competitors. Vintage racing is impressive. And growing.

As one aftermarket pioneer told me. “If you put a few thousand dollars into building up a vintage race sled, you could race that sled for years. But if you race the new sleds, to be competitive you have to get a new one every year.”

As new sleds get more expensive, more complicated, less mechanic friendly and much heavier, vintage sleds may pose a threat to new sled sales. Vintage sleds are simple, fun and can be made quite reliable. When your butt is a foot off the snow rebounding from a bogie wheel suspension and cradled in a modest foam seat, the vintage sled’s 40 miles per hour top speed seems like a 100 mph on a modern sled. You experience winter first hand on a vintage sled. That’s part of the secret to the growth of vintage sledding.

© 2007 Snowmobilia/Jerry Bassett

To comment go to – http://www.amsnow.com/jerrysblog

Rants & Raves

Ski-Doo Sets New Standard?

After having been around the snow biz since I was a high-schooler back in New Hampshire, it sometimes seems that it’s just the same ol’ thing, just a different day. Back then; Ski-Doo was #1 with the lion’s share of the snowmobile market.

Hmmm! Fast-forward to today and Ski-Doo is #1 with an ever-growing share of the snowmobile marketplace. The company that reinvented winter back in the 1960s has its sense of history firmly in place as it just introduced some all new “light-footed” snowmobiles of today that have as much impact as those original “light-footed” sleds of yesteryear.

Power To Weight—The big difference is that the new sleds Ski-Doo just unveiled with an all-new rider forward positioning are not merely lighter than the previous REV, but come with more power. Meaning, simply, much more performance due to an incredible power-to-weight shift. If we do a little math —and remember, we are writers not math hounds— we get the new Ski-Doo 800 coming in with a power-to-weight (PTW) ratio that charges each horsepower with 2.8 pounds of sled to carry down the trail! Now, giving Yamaha’s all-new lightweight Nytro 4stroke the benefit of the doubt, it comes in with a PTW of one horsepower to 3.5 pounds of sled weight. That’s the basic math.

We won’t pretend that we weren’t concerned about Ski-Doo and its future. Once the powersports group was broken off from Bombardier proper a few years ago and became an independent entity backed by venture capital, we judged that Ski-Doo would have a fight on its hands for sheer survival, much less market dominance. But Ski-Doo used its legacy product of snowmobiles, revisited the way and why snowmobilers rode their sleds and came up with the REV platform. A gamble? Yes! But one that changed the recreational snowscape as much as those light-footed sleds of yore did. If you don’t believe the REV was successful, look at the competition. Every other manufacturer makes a big deal of its rider-forward ergonomics. Argue that Yamaha’s Snoscoot was the first with the concept, but Yamaha abandoned it to follow the mainstream.

Could Doo—My problem with Ski-Doo was not one of “can do.” Rather, more could do! Could Ski-Doo without the benefits of Mother Bombardier have the resources and capabilities to score another REV success? Voila! Ski-Doo has pulled off what very few snowmobile companies in the #1 position have been able to do—follow up a market leading success with another market leader. It has yet to be proven that the new REV chassis combo will be a big hit, but we are betting it will because it isn’t just about weight.

Check out the Ski-Doo web site and take a very close look at the sled’s details. First, there is the weight reduction. Taking a page from Yamaha’s book, Ski-Doo engineers combined functions of some pieces to reduce overall weight. It’s worked well for Yamaha.

Second, there is the benefit of proven power from tried and true Rotax powerplants that are known to provide excellent performance. And the fuel mileage of these 2strokers is totally under rated, which gives the power source an advantage beyond simple horsepower. Lighter weight to haul usually means improved mileage as well as speed and acceleration.

Third, there is the simple fact that the new Ski-Doo shows that Ski-Doo engineering “Gets It!” The engineering team thinks in terms of a total package. The front and rear suspensions are designed to provide maximum usage of their components. Shock rod lengths are there to be used as the rear suspension couples front action to rear action. The front end reflects a concept of balance. Supple up and down action balanced with progressive side-to-side action.

Fourth, rider positioning was rethought. But not to the extreme. Adding an inch or so of rider height created a way to give the rider more legroom while allowing him to maintain better control. The engine is mounted low. The secondary clutch is mounted nearly straight up and down to accommodate the riding position. A glance at the sled’s dynamics as portrayed on the Ski-Doo web site suggests a nice balance between center of gravity retention and centralizing the mass of heaviest componentry—engine, exhaust, clutches, etc.

Rough Trail Leader—Frankly, we’ve been a bit amazed that Ski-Doo has been the leader in rough trail technology in recent years. This is a company whose engineers open R&D’s overhead doors and head onto one of the best-groomed trail systems in all of snowmobiling. For those “hommes” to intellectualize rough trail riding and the ergonomics of rider position in big bumps and pockmarked, rutted out terrain comes as a bit of a surprise to us. This is the company that gave us the Everest—nice for touring, but not very good when the trails got rough—and Safari series. We have been incredibly impressed that Ski-Doo brought us the REV. We would have thought that Polaris or Cat would have done that since their engineers open the R&D doors in northwestern Minnesota and head out on to some of the most pitted out roadside ditches you can imagine!

That brings us back to another reason we are impressed with what Ski-Doo has done. When a sled company has been #1, it has been hard to retain that title. Yes, Polaris was #1 for more than a decade living off the Indy and its many iterations. But when it came time to make the great big jump forward, Polaris gave us the Fusion 900. Goodbye #1!

Arctic Cat was #1 for years, but in tough times back in the late 1970s and early1980s, Cat went out of business and was saved by diehard Cat engineers and marketing types who brought it back to life and created the biggest comeback in snowmobiling history—in great part due to an even more diehard core of Arctic Cat owners who would rather give up riding if they couldn’t have a Cat!

Yamaha was #1 after Arctic Cat fell into receivership, but despite its lineup of interesting sleds like the Enticer, SRX and SRV, Yamaha fell off to a distant fourth place in a group of four. With a renewed commitment to snowmobiling and a major commitment of 4stroke technology, Yamaha has rebounded and now challenges Ski-Doo.

Ski-Doo vs Yamaha—The Ski-Doo/Yamaha challenge is an interesting one. The two companies are opposite in engine technology. Yamaha is 4stroke-centric. Ski-Doo is open to both 2stroke and 4stroke—sort of. For its performance line, Ski-Doo opts for clean burning 2strokes that are lighter and pack more power per cc than a 4stroker. Ski-Doo offers a V-twin 4stroke for its trail-oriented lineup of Legend type machines, but believes that performance riders want lightweight performance first and foremost. And, for Ski-Doo that means 2stroke Rotax performance.

Based on rides this winter of the new Blizzard 800cc twin, we agree that performance riders can get strong performance and good fuel efficiency from 2stroke-based sleds. Just recently at a gas station in central Minnesota, we compared fuel efficiency between Ski-Doo’s Blizzard 800 and Arctic Cat’s Jaguar Z1 4stroke. Having traveled the same distance, the 4stroke thirsted for a gallon more of fuel than did the 2stroke Ski-Doo. Keep in mind that the Suzuki-built Cat motor uses a computer-corrected fuel injection system versus the carbureted throttle body style feeding the Ski-Doo 2stroke twin. We were quite surprised at the result of that fill up. Ski-Doo’s Rotax engineers know a little something about squeezing power and efficiency out of its engines!

Bottom Line—The bottom line in this discussion is simple. Ski-Doo has established a new standard for snowmobiles. There is power-to-weight. There is comfort. There is big bump performance. There is engine power. There is engine efficiency. There is a heritage that is taken very, very, very seriously by a legacy sled brand! And, there is a very large challenge for the competition.

© 2007 Snowmobilia/Jerry Bassett

To comment go to – http://www.amsnow.com/jerrysblog

NEW SLEDS

YAMAHA MODEL LINEUP FOR 2008

Phazer & Apex Updated; Vector Re-Invented

For the Apex and Phazer models, if you liked the 2007 versions, you’ll love the 2008s. There has been some nomenclature change along with new graphics on certain models. The Apex crossover is now the LTX and the mountain sleds carry the MTX name and a new rear rack.

Overall the Apex series remains true to its performance image with the nifty 4stroke, four-cylinder motor that puts about 150 horsepower. As with the Apex, the Phazer line underwent minimal change. All Yamahas will have at least one styling option designed to celebrate Yamaha’s 40th anniversary of building sleds, including a period when Yamaha snowmobiles were #1 in the sled marketplace.

One Phazer change is the addition of a new snow panel designed to reduce snow build up on the running boards. But power remains the same—80-hp from the 500cc twin—and some suspension packages have changed a bit to include clicker and “air” shocks. Look for the Phazer FX to have disappeared and to be replaced with the name RTX. All else is essentially the same. Look for aggressive pricing as Yamaha uses the Phazer to entice cost-conscious buyers.

Vector—The Most Excellent All Around Snowmobile

We know that we are supposed to view the all-new Nytro as the BIG news for 2008, but we found the re-invention of the Vector as the biggest and most impressive surprise. Yamaha did this right in taking all the best features of the Apex, its chassis and rider ergonomics, and combining them with the best features of the previous Vector, 120-hp triple cylinder engine, fuel efficacy and pricing.

What you have is the best all around snowmobile in the marketplace. We really liked the Apex series, especially its rider friendly seating, its overall cornering ability, and its general snow-ability. We liked the Vector’s power plant, feeling it was the most trail-friendly drive system on the market.

The 2008 Vector has no shortcomings. Because its engine is a cylinder shy of the Apex, the front end feels lighter and easier to steer. Because the Vector enjoys the rider-forward Apex positioning, you have a feeling of greater control over rough trails while maintaining the ability to slide back and relax while touring.

The new Vector retains the mono-shock with its remote adjustability dial on the side of the tunnel. The rear suspension has, of course, been recalibrated to accommodate the changes in the new Vector. The front suspension, which the Apex had adapted from the previous Vector, is recalibrated as well.

You’ll find various versions of the’08 Vector, including a sporty GT model and a longer tracked LTX, which replaces the Rage nameplate for the crossover model. The LTX uses a 136-inch long track. There is no mountain version as the all-new Nytro chassis and its more powerful 130-hp triple have been designated to replace the previous Vector mountain versions.

Yamaha makes no pretense about the Vector—new or older. It is the full-sized price leader for the company. Said a Yamaha spokesman; the key to the Vector is its 120-hp, fuel-efficient 4stroke and “price, price, price.”

According to Yamaha, Vector owners claimed getting upwards of 20 miles per gallon.

Now that the 120-hp engine is in the Apex-derived skin, the Vector has to be the best overall trail sled available. It can be sporty for exceptional cornering and overall handling.

The lighter weight front end is truly noticeable immediately. The engine has more than adequate performance from its triple carb setup. And how can you not like the 4stroke benefits of economy, reliability and long-term durability?

Yamaha’s big problem with the new Vector is going to be getting people to turn them in for another sled years down the trail. Or, maybe not, because this is a sled that the more you ride it, the more you’ll want to ride. So, maybe people will be turning them in because they’ll have so many miles on them they’ll need a newer one!

Vector Bottom Line

For us, this is an instant classic, one that has no downside. Great value at initial purchase. Great fuel efficiency. Wonderful ride. Vector is the best all around snowmobile you can buy in 2008!

© 2007 Snowmobilia/Jerry Bassett

To comment go to – http://www.amsnow.com/jerrysblog

NEW SLEDS


ALL-NEW YAMAHA NYTRO FOR 2008

Is 130 Horsepower, Outstanding Ergonomics Enough?

One area where Yamaha knew it hasn’t been competitive is in the snocross-style, “big bump” category of performance snowmobiling. Enter the all-new, 1050cc, three-cylinder, four-stroke Nytro. The name “Nytro” may remain from the past, but this is much more than bolder, newer graphics.

With an all-new fuel injected triple that classifies for snocross racing classes, the Nytro is the lightest full-size 4stroke performance sled Yamaha has created to date. On its website, Yamaha is leaving the weight issue unspecified.

In chats with Yamaha officials at a pre-introduction press briefing back in January, we were led to believe that a trail ready, wet weight Nytro RTX with electric start and reverse would come in around 560 pounds, about 20 pounds lighter than a 2007 Ski-Doo Blizzard 600. The base Nytro RTX sans reverse would be 10-12 pounds lighter. Unfortunately, with Ski-Doo’s unveiling of its newest REV-like sports sled reportedly coming in with dry weights mimicking Yamaha’s twin-cylinder Phazer, Nytro isn’t the lightest big bumpster. However it still should be the lightest 4stroke big bump sled.

Going after the known market and anticipating that others might lighten their sleds, Yamaha built the Nytro with power-to-weight in mind. If we did our math right, with its 1050cc triple and claimed 130 horsepower, the new Nytro’s performance should rival that of the more powerful and heavier Apex 150-hp engined Yamahas.

Nytro’s triple is said to be based on the Vector, but we take that to mean that it resembles the 120-hp Vector triple in the same way the Apex four-cylinder engine resembles the RX-1 engine that it replaced. If so, all the resemblance means is that both have three cylinders and no gear reduction. Not much else is the same—as the fuel injected Nytro triple is said to be 11 pounds lighter than the carbed Vector motor!

First 4Stroke SX Win

This engine (and chassis) is essentially the same product design that won the Brainerd (MN) snocross and became the first-ever 4stroke to do so. Imagine Yamaha’s delight. While the R&D Yamaha snocrossers have evolved, so has the competition and Yamaha, while placing well, has not had another victory as we write this piece.

We can verify Yamaha’s claim that the Nytro offers an exceptionally strong 96 pounds-feet of torque from 5000 to 6000 revs. It is a grip ripper when you slam the throttle forward. Yamaha claims that the new engine delivers 95 percent of its peak power at 1200 rpm.

We also noticed that Yamaha must have felt that Arctic Cat was on to something when it made its new Jaguar 4stroke free rolling and eliminated the potential for engine braking that has been a trademark feature of the Yamaha 4strokes. The Nytro free wheels when you let off the brake. Veteran Yamaha 4stroke riders will notice this right away and have to get used to it all over again. But for riders coming off 2stroke brands, the Nytro power delivery will feel familiar.

Couple, Uncouple

Now, because these were prototype Nytros and because Yamaha was trying to impress us with power and torque, we aren’t certain that all actual production Nytros will react as our test units did. When we grabbed a handful of throttle we were instantly shot rearward on the saddle as the skis leapt off the snow. Is that how the real Nytro is? Or, is it how Yamaha wants us to perceive the Nytro’s holeshot performance? If it is actual, we question it. It would seem to indicate a lack of suspension coupling on the under track rear suspension system. As we are big believers in coupled suspensions, we are not fans of the Nytro’s initial full throttle reaction.

Coming from a more conservative school of performance, we like our contact points to actually be in contact with the terrain more often than not. When we auto-slalomed our sporty cars, we insisted on having all four of our tires as flat and biting on the asphalt as possible. We like having our motorcycle’s tires contacting the asphalt when we corner. Even if there are only three main points of contact on a snowmobile, we like to have them in contact with the terrain. Considering that one point of contact—the track—can totally overwhelm the remaining two points of contact—the ski blades—you might see why we like the skis on the ground when we ride.

We have ridden other sleds with a tendency to porpoise the front end under hard acceleration and found it more exciting than necessary. Example, you are coming into a turn, brake hard, hit the corner correctly and expect the ski bite to guide you around the turn as you apply throttle. Hit the throttle with enthusiasm and get ski lift and you may be saying “Howdy Do!” to the brush. It’s an inconsistency that fully coupled suspensions don’t generally have. So, we disagree with the suspension setup on the Nytro units that we tested.

We also think that Yamaha—and others—listen too closely to their snocross advisors and not enough to their hard-riding consumers. If you have rear or front suspension with extra long travel shock pistons capable of reducing big moguls to molehills, shouldn’t you exercise it fully? The modern big bump suspension seems to have no travel in it at all. Hey, I’ve ridden bogie wheeled sleds. I’ve raced cross-country for hundreds of miles on slide rail suspensions that were lucky to have an effective three inches of travel. Why on earth, would I—or should any performance rider—be left with a long travel bump suspension that has the ride characteristics of the racers of old? No way!

Compromises

Yamaha’s Nytro, like many big bump sleds, compromises its suspensions. These sleds are designed to ride straight ahead, hit big bumps head-on, fly through the air and land hard. Works great in snocross. For the real world of on-trail big bumps, the moguls are off-camber, not spaced to be taken five at a time so you can do a mid-air, heel-clicker, and usually not seen until the last second. What this requires is a stable suspension setup with terrific weight transfer from side to side and end-to-end. The front suspension has to be fully capable of soaking up the initial steering shock without ripping the handlebar from the rider’s grip. The skis have to shift weight from side to side as most moguls are higher or lower from side to side. Then the rear suspension’s front shock has to collapse along the length of its shock rod smartly enough to telegraph its reaction through the assisting coil spring to the rearmost suspension shock. You want this all to happen without fully bottoming either suspension. And you do not want to get a spine-banging jolt when you first hit the bump or when you land. When you land you want to get all three contacts quickly on the snow so you can steer to position the sled for the next obstacle.

My personal opinion is that the Nytro is a bit wanting in the big bumps. The front suspension needs to be more responsive from side–to-side and the rear suspension needs to be smoother and absorb more of the big bump without any aftershock from the coil spring. My guess is that this is not what the snocross advisors are telling the engineers, because they are standing up and they want stiff response over a snocross course, which is correct for them. Not for the world of high mileage, high performance ditch riding.

Ergos Great

Now, then we must compliment Yamaha for the ergonomics of the Nytro. Ergos are truly outstanding. You can stand up comfortably and in control. We bet mountain riders will like the deep snow versions of this sled for its rider friendly cockpit. The sled’s cowling has been rounded off to allow ample side-to-side movement for cornering and the wide footboards accommodate stand up riding exceptionally well. You can readily move around on this sled. The seat was comfy without being overly soft but not rock hard as the Polaris Dragon saddle. Overall the reach for controls was very good.

Yamaha has worked hard on its gauge package, with a nice big speedometer reading in your face. We’ve come around that nearly infinite handlebar heater settings are unnecessary and fiddling with the heater controls is a bit of a pain on the trail. We like the quick slide of a switch at either bar end for handwarmer or thumbwarmer. Unless the control icons are going to be in color, why not just go with a simple mechanical sight gas gauge or a warning beep when low on fuel?

And, for heaven’s sake, if the gauges are computerized, can’t Yamaha calculate well enough to create real speeds and not those overly optimistic renderings we’ve seen since those 122-mph speedometers of a few years back? Yamaha speedometers are easily 10 percent off the mark on most of its sleds. The Phazer really hits 87mph?

Pro And Con

Styling-wise the Nytro is a winner. We really like the precision of the Mikuni throttle bodied fuel injection. And we like the fact that Yamaha 4strokes are hearty sounding, strong pulling and quick to rev. And we like the fact that Yamaha has made such a serious commitment to the sport with 4strokes.

We simply think the Nytro is going to find the competition wasn’t wasting time. If the Phazer can serve as an example. the Nytro will be lighter than most full-sized 4stroke-powered sleds, but by full production it will have added weight and is going to come in heavier than most of its 2stroke competitors. Its 130 ponies will be necessary to make its 4stroke triple equivalent to most of the competition’s 600cc 2stroke twins.

Yamaha has done a nice job with the Nytro and we think it will draw some riders off other brands, but the serious, not loyal to brand, extreme rider will look at weight, power, ergonomics and race wins when he makes his decision to buy. Will it be the Nytro?

© 2007 Snowmobilia/Jerry Bassett

To comment go to – http://www.amsnow.com/jerrysblog

NEWS

AP Reports Sled Sales Tough

A recent business article by Associated Press reiterates the fact that what snowmobile dealers (and manufacturers) need is simple: SNOW!

The AP news writer quoted a suburban Minneapolis snowmobile dealer as saying that his shop returned more than 50 Arctic Cat snowmobiles and ATVs rather than try to survive another low snow sales season. The AP writer’s research noted that Polaris snowmobile sales dropped more than half, with 2006 profits down 22 percent.

Although Arctic Cat sled sales were more stable the past five seasons, Cat’s sales were down more than 5 percent from ’06. Faced with high incentives to sell sleds, overall profits were impacted, leaving Cat down 16 percent from the previous year.

With nearly a decade of poor snow seasons, snowmobile manufacturers have seen worldwide sales decrease from a peak of 260,000 sleds in 1997 to about 160,000 this year.

The writer notes that despite losing its deal with KTM, Polaris has freed up its Victory motorcycle brand to enter more niches. The all-new Victory Vision touring bike enters the profitable Honda Gold Wing territory.
Polaris which has sold all-terrain vehicles to the US military is trying to gain more sales there.

Polaris reacted to the continued poor seasonal sales of snowmobiles by reducing production of its 2007 models by 40 percent; hoping to let dealers clean inventory. As a matter of public record, snowmobiles were less than 10 percent of Polaris sales.

With no motorcycle option to boost profitability and sales, Arctic Cat cut sled production by only four percent. The company stands with its traditional seasonal sales program of sleds for winter and “wheelers” for summer. Sleds make up around one-third of Cat’s sales, but even so, the company recently laid off 65 workers readjusted its full-year profit forecast downward. to $1.07 to $1.15 per share, down from $1.13 to $1.19 per share.

Fortunately for both sled makers, senior management is experienced with Polaris President and Chief Operating Officer Bennett Morgan a seasoned veteran of the snow wars. He sees Polaris readily capable of ramping up production—and sales—once the snow flies again.

Morgan was quoted as saying that Polaris "… took some tough medicine. … we feel much better about our snowmobile business today than we did in April."

There had been speculation that Polaris would get out of its legacy business of snowmobiles. Morgan stated flatly that Polaris has never considered spinning off its snowmobile business, emphasizing: "It is the heart and soul of this company."

The other snowmobile makers from Canada and Japan are faced with similar problems in the sled market, but Japanese maker Yamaha with its myriad of power products from motorcycles to PWC to sleds has the deepest pockets to weather the (lack of) storm.

Canada’s Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), which supports its Ski-Doo line of snowmobiles with CanAm ATVs, Evinrude outboards and its line of Sea-Doo personal watercraft, has ventured into new markets, creating a unique three-wheeled street-legal vehicle called the “Spyder.” This quasi-motorcycle is both capable of performance around town or across country as a touring machine.

Polaris has announced an expansion of its side-by-side Ranger utility vehicles with the addition of the sports Ranger RZR (see following article).

With sled sales down, the four companies that remain in the marketplace are looking for alternative products that are less dependent on seasonal fluctuations like snow and that have marketability in more geo-climatic areas.
But as Polaris’ Morgan noted, the snowmobile manufacturers will rebound with the arrival of snows.


© 2007 Snowmobilia/Jerry Bassett

To comment go to – http://www.amsnow.com/jerrysblog