LuvMyViper Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 Earlier today, Yamaha Motor Co., the parent company of Yamaha Motor Canada LTD., released the notice below concerning the future direction of Yamaha’s Snowmobile Division. Bottom Line? We’re here for another 2 riding seasons in Canada, and the 2024s are already in production. We will support you with parts, warranty and service for years after should you decide to buy a Yamaha snowmobile for the 2024 and 2025 model years. We would like to thank our loyal customers for their passion towards snowmobile over the years and will celebrate the storied history of Yamaha snowmobiles together! If you have further questions about this announcement, a list of FAQs can be found here: https://www.yamaha-motor.ca/en/snowmobile-faq Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ox Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 Been a decade commin' Boy, in 1980 you Shirley wouldn't'a guessed they'd have gone this way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderman Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 There is no money in it. Way too expensive to produce - way to expensive to the consumer for what use they get. Not surprised at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledguy74 Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 Sad to see them go but no surprise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrightonalan Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 just seen this on facebook ,wonder if thundercat will still use motor after 2025 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoney Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 I am not seeing motor production will stop, just snowmobiles - I assume they will still produce the engine that CAT also uses....maybe I am wrong though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAMSOMAIR Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 I believe the partnership will cease Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoney Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 44 minutes ago, RAMSOMAIR said: I believe the partnership will cease When did CAT stop the 1098? I thought a couple of years ago, which would think based on CAT now relying solely on the 998 YAMI mill, they had an agreement in place for x number of years to provide motors. And really, why would YAMI not want to still supply engines - not sure if the 998 is used on other platforms that YAMI supplies. Hopefully they still supply the motors as that is for sure the strength in that portion of the CAT line up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAMSOMAIR Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 Not sure there would be any mutual benefit anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
04nightfire Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 I thought the deal ended next year between cat and yamaha for the engines anyways Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunz Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 Sad day in our sport’s history to see such a big name exiting the industry. Like others have said the writing was on the wall, if only they continued to build their own sleds and stayed in the 2 stroke market things may have been different. I feel for the dealers that this all impacts. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoney Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 24 minutes ago, RAMSOMAIR said: Not sure there would be any mutual benefit anymore Just for revenue & selling product would be the reason, I know small peanuts in the grand scheme for them no doubt. 12 minutes ago, 04nightfire said: I thought the deal ended next year between cat and yamaha for the engines anyways Maybe - I am thinking 2019 was the first year the 1098 stopped, so that would be around the 5 year mark if correct. I am sure they can go back to the 1098, but it just did not make the same power as the 998 from what I am told. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAMSOMAIR Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 Snowmobiles are on the way out unfortunately due to the planet being on fire! Market share is in ATVs, SxSs, motorcycles and outboards. Just facts. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrightonalan Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 1 hour ago, stoney said: Just for revenue & selling product would be the reason, I know small peanuts in the grand scheme for them no doubt. Maybe - I am thinking 2019 was the first year the 1098 stopped, so that would be around the 5 year mark if correct. I am sure they can go back to the 1098, but it just did not make the same power as the 998 from what I am told. arctic cat are still using 1049 ,7000 series sleds and pantera 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoney Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 3 hours ago, wrightonalan said: arctic cat are still using 1049 ,7000 series sleds and pantera Ah, I thought they were done - thanks for confirming that! Just dawned on me that I guess I was ref the incorrect cc of the CAT 4-stroke engine....... Who makes the Cat 4-stroke engine anyways - and thinking back, was it not 1056 at one point? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackstar Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 3 hours ago, stoney said: Ah, I thought they were done - thanks for confirming that! Just dawned on me that I guess I was ref the incorrect cc of the CAT 4-stroke engine....... Who makes the Cat 4-stroke engine anyways - and thinking back, was it not 1056 at one point? Cat used the Suzuki twin 1056 turbo until 2016. They sold the 1056 NA motor until 2017. 2017 was the first year for the 998 3 cylinder turbo Yamaha mill. The 1049 is the 3 cylinder NA Yamaha motor. Cat has been using that motor since 2014. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 21 hours ago, Sledguy74 said: Sad to see them go but no surprise Agreed. Great memories of the Venture, Apex. Not so fond memories of the starting - issue plagued Viper. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sledguy74 Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 i have many fond memories of the old 80s VMax 540 and SRV, those were pretty cools sleds when I was growing up. the old enticers were fantastic sleds Phazers, SRXs, VMax-4, Exciters, Bravos really unfortunate to see them leave, i wonder if the business projections show Yamaha leadership that their product line is not worth maintaining even with a Textron JV or if they see the entire sport fading due to climate change and decided to pull out now. maybe the whole Yamaha corp is in trouble and they are trimming their product lines to save the company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderman Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 50 minutes ago, Canuck said: Agreed. Great memories of the Venture, Apex. Not so fond memories of the starting - issue plagued Viper. For me it was Phazers, Exciters, the V-Max 4 and then the SRX - those are the ones I always liked. Yamaha has always made a tremendous product, just no way to make any money at it any longer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottyr Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 A good friend of mine is a long time Cat Dealer and is very well connected to the inner circles in TRF. He said that 998 and 1049 will be used until MY25 and then Cat/Textron will use Weber Turbo 4 strokes. Weber is already putting the final touches on a sled specific engine to replace the 998 that will fit in a wide body Catalyst. Yamaha imported less than 400 MY24 sleds into Canada last year so they havent been much of a factor the last few years as far as market share is concerned. I bet Yamaha only offers the SRX and maybe the LTX-GT for MY25 in incredibly limited #s. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 Polaris should make their move and buy out cat now or at least start talking. BRP's market share will grow because they fill the 4 stroke void Yamaha will leave open and the pressure on the other two camps will put the hurt on their R&D funding. It makes sense at this point. I dont think Cat could buyout Polaris, but a merger would be wise and give them the power to increase market share and especially put the pressure on BRP to innovate. This would make for a better consumer product and bolster the strength of the American camps. It would put pressure on BRP for sure but I believe their ability to stay out front with new tech is still strongest and will keep them ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
signfan Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 Textron that owns CAT is big. The concern is keeping them interested so Arctic Cat doesn't suffer a similar fate. I don't think going to two OEM's would be a good thing for the sport. Competitive drives innovation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiderman Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 16 minutes ago, signfan said: Textron that owns CAT is big. The concern is keeping them interested so Arctic Cat doesn't suffer a similar fate. I don't think going to two OEM's would be a good thing for the sport. Competitive drives innovation. If Arctic Cat did not have the history it does behind its name - Textron would have sealed the coffin a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ox Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 In case you weren't there at the time: Textron owned Polaris in the 70's. They weren't turning out big winners at that time. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontariof7 Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 3 hours ago, crispy said: Polaris should make their move and buy out cat now or at least start talking. BRP's market share will grow because they fill the 4 stroke void Yamaha will leave open and the pressure on the other two camps will put the hurt on their R&D funding. It makes sense at this point. I dont think Cat could buyout Polaris, but a merger would be wise and give them the power to increase market share and especially put the pressure on BRP to innovate. This would make for a better consumer product and bolster the strength of the American camps. It would put pressure on BRP for sure but I believe their ability to stay out front with new tech is still strongest and will keep them ahead. My opinion.... Cats does not bring much to the table, not name bashing. In any given product group; Marine, PWC, Motorcycles, ATV etc. Global companies dominate; Polaris, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, BRP, Honda etc. Cat...a distant last in my opinion. Polaris Sportsman is a leader, shared with others. What would Cat give to Polaris? Did Cat just lose their number one customer? The announcement is sad. I would love to see someone grab Cat, but I dont see what they bring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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