Now that all the new sleds for 2011 have been announced and the excitement is melting away at the same rate as the snow on our local trails–it’s time to make one last announcement from Yamaha.
After the new Apex hit the trail and the on-line discussion took off, a few guys were quoted as saying there must be more. Another rocket that will roost the competition…
Well once again, you will see it here first. We have a high performance twin track snow machine coming to Canada in very limited numbers next fall. Much of the technology is focused on getting the most from the new 4-stroke engine using a hydrostatic drive and yes… power steering. Because of the limited production we are targeting only regions that get lots of snow. I am willing to go on record to say we are absolutely going to blow away our competition with this announcement… here’s a video clip that Bryan and Danny put together to give you the first scoop.
NOTE: you must go to Sled Talk to see video content if you are reading this from an email. cheers cr
Checking out some bolt on stuff this week. Randy Swenson (Team Thunderstruck) is our newly appointed western regional manager for Yamaha and was in town so I grabbed him on Tuesday night for a ride. The snow conditions around south Simcoe are getting real skinny but it was still worth the effort to get with Randy. I had a set of HID lights in my Apex to try out as well as the newest version of the TRIC ice scratchers… and I’m glad I had both.
The HID lights are really intense and in my estimation worth the price of admission. I will definitely be running these on any of my future sleds. We were running a rail trail tunnel through the bush at a significant velocity. It seemed illuminated similar a freight train -very nice! Not sure how much the scratchers were helping across the now snow-bare, plowed corn fields we had to run, but there is likely a clean strip that won’t need to be harrowed in the spring!
Randy was running the same sled that Matt smashed the world 24 hour distance record on. All I did was change the oil, tighten the track and replace the carbides (broken studs). The steering was still nice and tight and everything was running good as new. Got a chuckle out of Randy when he said this was the longest he has sat down on a snowmobile in recent recollection and his throttle thumb was cramping from the steady throttle settings down Lake Simcoe. He also remarked how powerful the sled felt at sea level, which coming from a man who runs upwards to 400hp in his ‘first ascent’ machines, is quite a statement.
We are heading for Wisconsin next week to hook-up with the US based, testing and planning guys. Hopefully we’ll have enough snow to check out some of the future projects they are working on. Won’t surprise me if we end up in the UP.
Wade is holding down the fort at the annual media ‘Snowshoot’ which is taking place in West Yellowstone as I write this. So far I haven’t heard much about what is happening there but I am sure there is lots of schmoozing between the OE’s and journalists, we’ll have to wait and see what actually gets printed. So far it would appear the new Apex is a hands down winner for the most advanced, evolved / changed 2011 model released thus far, but I’m not completely up to speed and have yet to see how strong the marketing spin will be behind the emissions motor oriented line-up from Quebec. What? Now ‘4-strokes are lighter than 2-strokes’? Really now, that’s simply amazing. How do you spell ’sled of the year?’
Yamafest is a go out in Revvy and I understand that Gilles from G-Force will attend along with his world-speed record holding Apex Streamliner and a Yamcharger equipped mountain sled. Randy and the boys are planning a few surprises for the participants, only wish I could make it out this year…
We’re looking at temperatures upwards of +10 degrees C this weekend. Could it be time to put some air in the tires? Hmmmm.
A couple of weeks ago I got a call from an old acquaintance.
“I’m going to take a shot at the Guinness world record for the most miles in 24 hours on a snowmobile. Just wanted to let you know I’ll be riding a Yamaha Nytro“
That’s where it started. Matthew Weidinger is a friend of a friend who I had met a couple times in the past and had picked up a good vibe from him. After a couple more phone calls, and a chat with Peter (my boss) about what I was potentially getting myself into, I made the decision to offer Matt the ‘TY mystery sled’ to ride. Yep, the same 2011 red Apex EPS which was broken in by Supertrax and ridden by the first group of Sled Talkers back in early January.
Bracebridge Yamaha volunteered to prep the sled with some fresh carbides, studs and a set of low snow wheels. Dan at BBY also freshened up the chain-case oil, checked out all the fasteners and fluids then installed a pair of TRIC scratchers that we are currently testing for durability. The only mod was the addition of a second throttle lever for his left hand in case of cramping.
I loaded up my sled Wednesday morning and headed up to Big Win Island on Lake of Bays where I was met by Matt and his support crew. A local survey company had laid out an exacting 10.3 km oval course around the island. It was well staked with lots of reflectors. A start finish banner was erected in the middle of the front straight with a heated timing booth, generator and large construction light off to the side. The 2011 Apex was there, adorned with graphics depicting the different sponsors and Matthew in his new Klim suit (thanks Sue!) was calmly preparing for the longest ride of his life.
At precisely 3:00PM on Wednesday Matt fired up his sled and off he went. I hung out with the guys as he continued to lap in just under 5:00 minutes, until the fuel light came on. He slid to a stop and Stephen dumped in about 28 liters of gas and he was gone. I jumped on my Apex and started following him around lap 15, to discover he was really flying. I was pinning my Yamacharged sled and was not gaining on him. I was hitting over 160 down the snow drifted straights and cornering no lower than 140. The track was snowy enough not to afford consistent traction and it required a lot of attention. Scary pace… Matt was truly in for a grueling ride.
Fast forward about six hours, it’s dark, it’s cold and starting to snow Matt is still cranking sub 5 minute laps and taking on fuel every 13-14 rounds, the sled is running great. Johnny is serving us warm, oozing pitas on the ice, while the boys continue to log and video the run for the Guinness adjudicators. After another couple of hours I eyeballed the sled (again) during a pit stop, everything looks good, I decide to leave the team and go get some zzz’s. Fast forward another seven hours, daybreak, my cell phone didn’t ring last night, jump in the truck, fingers crossed. I arrive at the lake just as Matt is taking his first break, some dry fish, ibuprofen and energy drink. He has been running strong all night and his lap times are coming steadily down. He’s running under 4 minutes 30 seconds now. He’s a machine!
I visually checked the sled again, this time there’s a problem. The outside ski has only one stud left on the carbide and the inside isn’t much better with only two of the four studs left. The next pit stop we changed the carbides in record time, track was a bit loose but the studs weren’t contacting anything and the new Apex has extroverts… away he went, and cranked his fasted lap yet @ 17 hours into the ride. Fast forward to 10:35, the current world record of 2372km set by Dustin Shoemaker of Illinois on an Attak was about to fall, Matt slid under the banner with four and a half hours left to widen the gap. Apparently, Shoemaker was spent/exhausted after his run and could barely lift his arms. Matt got off and looked fresh as a daisy. He took a short break and I pulled the body panels for the first time, adjusted the chain case, checked the oil and coolant and threw on a fresh belt, just because… off he went and cranked a 4:15, he was still going faster! Jump forward to 3:00PM.
Amidst family friends and local media, Matt’s solitary challenge came to an end. He not only broke the world record he annihilated it. He finished up approaching 3000km 24 hours. -Think about that for a moment.- He was averaging around 80+mph the whole time. The 2011 Apex required no maintenance or repairs outside of what I have mentioned. Matt gave kudos to the power steering, engine durability and suspension. Hugs, handshakes and a couple of tears. I am sincerely honored to have been a part of this.
What a great accomplishment for Matt and testimony to the QDR of our newest snowmobile. 23 hours wide open and not a single issue to be addressed aside from ripping the carbides off in the corners. Congratulations Matthew and congrats to our engineers, Nakano-san you built us one heck of a sled!
cheers cr
Have you filled out my survey yet?? If not would really appreciate your feed back, takes 2 minutes just click here
Just a brief update today. I received some info regarding Danes questions over on TY. Surprising as it may seem, the Apex XTX is faster than the SE or standard Apex. It blows it away up on top by a blistering 1.4 kph… that’s .87 mph for the metrically challenged.
The A-arms on the new Apex are the same as the 2010 (current arms) however the spindles and tie-rods are different, therefore your a-arm kit will work (that’s not to say Yamaha would ever endorse such a modification, don’t doo it).
Finally it appears that the torsion skid and extra track length on the XTX will add a whopping 9 pounds to the overall weight of the base model sled. Please don’t tell anyone over at Skidoo marketing or we will most assuredly be faced with another good reason why not to own another reliable Yamaha
That’s it… keep an eye on ‘yournextsled’ for the latest poop from the web
I just returned to Toronto from Quebec City where I was holed up in a hotel with our regional reps for three days of ’spit-balling’ about snowmobiles. We had a chance to get out on the trails with the new sled(z) but unfortunately a freak rain storm dampened the fun. There was one section of trail that got completely wiped out by a flash flood which left huge chunks of ice strewn about the forest. I didn’t get a chance to see it but Jon did and had an image on his i-phone that made me cringe.
Got word today that an old friend Max Aoshima has chosen to retire. What is notable about Max’s announcement, he is, to the best of my knowledge the only engineer left who started working with snowmobile in the 60’s development period which resulted in the SL350 and he has been with snowmobile ever since. His knowledge and sled history is brilliant! Max-san please enjoy your retirement and if you make it to Canada we must go for another ride
Well we’ll hoist the blue dress high soon enough but if you’d like a little peek at what’s under the hood, here’s a little Sled Talk bonus. I am heading out on the road to meet and ride with our Ontario dealers Monday but will post again around this time next week. I have really enjoyed all the comments that have come in on Sled Talk and TY and it will be interesting to see what happens next week. I was asked to do a little video blog on the new sled which will no doubt be popping up pretty soon, sure to get me in some more trouble
I need to ask a small favor. It’s report card time for Sled Talk and I have made a brief survey that I am asking everyone who reads Sled Talk to take the three minutes required to complete. All you need to do is click on this Sled Talk Survey link.
It has been ten days since I took a group of great guys for a ride on the new ‘mystery sled’ which by the way is not so much of a mystery any more . I have spent a ton of time on the forums reading what the men who actually rode it had to say and all the comments and conjecture from the folks who haven’t. I notice something on Sled Talk that I see on the forums as well. Each post is read by approximately 100x the number of people than actually write a comment. It really makes me wonder what the silent majority thinks of it all and more importantly how powerful is all the word of mouth being generated outside of the internet?
Sledfreak made a good comment here last week comparing magazine articles to social media “I find way more valuable information on the internet forums. There is also a lot of misguided information, but you have to read through the dirt to get to the good stuff.” I have observed the well moderated forums like Totallyamaha and Dootalk (hats off to the owners and mods) maturing over the last few seasons . There is a lot less ‘bashing’ than in the old days. That said, there is such a wide range of users participating that there will always be a contrary view point (or 10).
I am preparing to address our field staff at a meeting next week in Quebec and plan to hit some topics using examples I have learned right here on Sled Talk and over on TY. Some of you might remember a survey I posted on-line for Apex owners a couple of years ago. Several questions referred to your satisfaction levels of various components and functions. I was able to filter different model year data (06 to 07 to 08) and found some significant trends all relative to the ongoing changes that were made in production to each model year. The mono rear suspension is a good example with far fewer issues (much higher satisfaction) in 08 than 06. The point is; when I read comments on the forums comparing an 06 with what is perceived as the same thing coming in 2011, suggesting it is not changed enough to be worthy of a trade up, I have to shake my head.
There is another whole cross section of guys who are looking for the next generation of 4-stroke off-trail machines, basically a revamped Nytro on steroids. Clearly the ‘mystery sled’ is not a mountain machine or a snow crossing boon-docker. No – its a dedicated trail sled and clearly, a disappointment for those that are looking for something else. I have been checking out the avatar, location or signature after reading a negative rant on the OMG often to discover the author is riding a Nytro or competitors equivalent machine. It’s good to vent and its helpful for us to see where your interests lay, just remember that we all have different needs and expectations regarding our sleds. Interesting fact: over 60% of the machines sold up here are used on the trail.
Anyway the coolest thing about all of this is that you can participate in the forums if you choose. When someone who has experience with a machine posts, you can challenge him or ask a question. You won’t find that little feature on any of the corporate web-sites (with the exception of Sled Talk ). You will also find plenty of ‘dirt’, the negative and sometimes off-colour comments, but give it some time and the ’self policing’ attribute of the on-line community will generally put things in proper perspective, either confirming or denouncing the source and their agenda.
Many of the 2011 model comments have addressed the issue of lightweight and EPS (power steering) often in the same reference. Did I just confirm that Yamaha will be the first manufacturer to offer EPS on a snowmobile? Of course I didn’t. But if we did… could EPS possibly offer the same benefits of having light weight? Could it offer some new benefits, even greater than light weight alone? What is the real benefit of having light weight in a trail machine when you are seldom if ever stuck or faced with carving a turn in deep powder? Is it possible that there are still some features yet unknown and the sum total of all could far outweigh the spec sheet? Naw it’s just warmed-up left-overs, right?
I can find just about every possible answer to the above, the good the bad and the ugly. What I’m really liking is what the guys that have actually rode the sleds have to say (okay at least 90%). That’s why we released it ahead of the official date. Real riders, their own words speaking on neutral ground. Sure we could post rider testimony on our own web-site but who would believe it? I sure wouldn’t! After-all we would edit, dip it in sugar and whitewash it with cream-cheese before showing anyone, its what most big companies doo right? These days even the magazines editorial credibility is suspect (I refer back the SledFreaks comment).
You might hate the lack of disclosure, you might enjoy the chatter and imaginative conjecture or you might appreciate the preview coming from real riders with no corporate censorship or financial influence. But no matter how you look at it, we have surly given you something to talk about!
Well it has been really interesting watching the reactions to the comments and sightings of our newest snowmobile. For those who might not have stumbled upon it, we let a select group of customers and some media folks ride a 2011 sled last week without giving away any specifications or details on what the sled actually was. (All that will be released on February 2nd). The whole point was to have them ride the sled and comment on what they actually felt not what they assumed it should feel like which often happens once you are given all the mechanical specs and features.
One reaction I had not anticipated (but in hind sight should have) is in direct reference to calling the sled a ‘game changer’. This term is kind of trendy of late and has been used by a lot of people to describe various products. I’d like to add my viewpoint on this little ‘figure of speech’ and how I think it should apply to motorsports.
I think the traditional ‘game’ of snowmobile product progression is ‘bigger / faster / better’. Ever since the return from the brink back in 1981, the OE’s have been adding horsepower in steady doses to keep sled heads falling off their wallets and it has worked pretty well. Of course the sleds have also gotten bigger and stronger in the process but that has been the name of the game. What struck me was how many people that have said if Yamaha was to build a game changer it would be by adding more horsepower and subtracting some weight. I don’t see how that will ‘change’ anything, it is the same game we have been playing for years.
From my point of view, a ‘game changer’ is based on a design or technology that first, has not been applied to the subject before (in mass production) and most importantly, adds enough value or impact so as to cause a shift within an entire industry. In other words a true game changer should be based on a new idea and cause everyone to react and follow suit in short order.
Yamaha has introduced a few game changers to snowmobiles over the years. The first that comes to mind is ‘Autolube’ oil injection. We were the first but within a couple of seasons all mainstream sleds adopted the technology. Another ‘game changer’ was our DCI or digitally controlled ignition, yep we were the first back around the Exciter 2 / Vmax4 days. This technology allowed the spark to be 3D mapped to help control the combustion over a wide rage of conditions which allowed larger displacement twins and assisted the move to electronic fuel injection, again everyone quickly adopted the technology. There have been many contributions from all the companies over the years: involute drive tracks, plastic skis, independent front suspension, slide rail skid frames, liquid cooled engines, ride forward ergonomics and 4-stroke performance mills just to name a few. Subtle improvements for the most part but very important to the evolution of the species.
But that’s the problem with ‘changing the game’. The product must first prove its worth and then the competition must either copy it or engineer the benefit somehow into their newest offerings. My friend Wade reminded us that we should not use the term ‘game changer’ in reference to our new sled because Polaris had done the same thing last year when describing the new Rush. But was it a game changer? I don’t know yet. The idea of removing the shock from inside the skid frame in order to control the function is a good one. We had that in the Snoscoot and Snosport years ago but no one followed the lead and the idea died (along with a couple of sleds that were far ahead of their time).
Will all the builders start engineering around the patents so to have external shock layouts? Maybe- and if we do then by gum Polaris will have game changer.
Right now it’s just another sled with a different skid frame layout.
Herein lies the rub. It takes time to determine if something is truly a game changer. Until that happens its nothing more than a marketing hook to capture your imagination. Will our newest 4-stroke trail sled prove to be a ‘game changer’?
Personally I really think it will. From the first time I rode it (over three years ago) to watching and listening as people got off it last week… It works so good that I don’t see how our competitors can afford not to react and follow our lead.
Quite honestly… I hope they don’t. Cheers cr
Happy New Year! It was nice to have a few days off over the holidays and I hope you all had some of your own. I have been busy today getting caught up with the desk duties and spent a bit of time in the shop to install a couple of accessories on the Apex. I did have a chance to get out for a good run between Christmas and New Years with Mark and Kent Lester (Supertrax Intl Magazine). Mark had made a couple of inquiries (always nice to know the groomer guys) and we found some absolutely brilliant trails to ride.
The temperature had fallen to a very brisk, minus 18C following a couple of milder days with some rain and wet snow. The sun was shining and the light dust of fresh stuff on top of the glitter made for some stellar riding.
I am more impressed with the Yamcharger ever time I ride it. Huggy tagged along and the boys brought along the new Skidoo 4-stroke and a Polaris Rush for us to try. So we had an Apex, a doo and a Polaris but what was the fourth sled you ask? Well lets just say it’s new, it’s special and it’s a Yamaha of course.
We logged on about 230km and I had a good chance to try out all the sleds. I had forgotten how to ride a 2-stroke but once I remembered where the brake lever was and stopped sneezing, I got along quite well with the Rush. Mark had the skid set-up for our weight but really I wasn’t even thinking about the rear, it was more the balance and handling that caught my fancy but Polaris generally have that figured out.
The skidoo 4-stroke was interesting and I’m embarassed to say this is the first chance I have had to ride one. Part and parcel of being a desk jockey these days. It did a lot of things well but I had a hard time adjusting to the throttle response which felt like there was an elastic band attached to the throttle cable and the steering effort was a lot more than what I was used to. It felt quite heavy but handled flat however and the motor pulled hard. It was the warmest sled in the group and showcases their latest technology nicely but back on the Apex I felt much more at home.
For the record, I maintain that all the current snowmobiles are worthy of ownership and I would ride any one them on a regular basis. That said, I have developed a deep relationship with Yamaha products from years of exposure but I am not brand blind. All the new sleds have continued to evolve, they all have their own character, their strengths and their weakness. The trick is in understanding what they are and how they apply to you but more on that later.
I know you guys are beyond this but I feel the need to urge everyone to use some extra caution during your first outings of the season. Pay extra attention to whats going on around you and anticipate the other guys aren’t. I had some bad news about a real good friend of mine over the holidays and if it could happen to him it could happen to any one of us. Get well Damian.
Well this is my last day in the office until the big guy slides down the chimney. I’m trying to tie up a few loose ends -okay, a lot of loose ends- so I can relax a little over the next few days. It goes without saying, those who like to read this blog are on top of my priority list, so here’s what I am looking at, relative to the stuff which I believe is of interest to some of you.
The BBS (blue blog sled) is still in pieces but we have it scheduled for reassembly on the week of the 4th. As I said before, we are not going to touch the engine outside of a bath and an oil change. Bryan will be managing the actual logistics of selecting riders, availability and timing. We have had some awesome responses both on Sled Talk and through the back door at Yamaha. We will let you know who the riders will be in the first week of January.
The new blow molded XO / Mtn ski has been green lighted and is in production. Bulletins will be going out to dealers for ordering very soon. I don’t want to pre-empt any more of the ‘official’ information but I understand the plan is to map all the details of the new MT09 ski from fitment to skags, for public release, all happening early January.
Our TRIC scratchers are still on hold as we are taking advantage of the good early conditions to test the update and make sure (validate) the durability of the accessory parts. I am still quite confident that the scratchers will work well in our market and the delay should not create a major concern as the icy conditions that call for scratchers are generally encountered later in the season.
I plan to get out for a ride right after the boxing day turkey fest to shake out my Apex and evaluate several new potential accessory items including the G-Force Yamcharger. The early reports coming in from Simons CPR and a handful of customers on Totallyamaha are quite favorable. There are many trails close to opening here in central Ontario and with a little luck I’ll be heading out on approved, groomed OFSC trails. If that’s the case I have another sled to put in the trailer that may be of interest to my riding buddies (or anyone else for that matter) that I’d really like to get broken in before the New Year.
Also thinking if all goes well I may proceed with the YBTT and hook up with some of you Sled Talk fans in January to get your impressions of a new product. I’ll be watching the trail conditions closely to pick a location and some riders who might have the time, ability and interest to join me. I can guarantee it will be unique and fun.
If you are looking for some boxing day gift ideas, our Yamaha KLIM gear is starting to hit the snow and we have received some really positive feedback from our dealers and customers. I really like the KLIM stuff I have been using and would recommend it to anyone. It’s not as ‘flashy’ as some of the other brands but if that’s whats important to you we still have the Yamaha Racing /FXR gear.
So after that shameless endorsement of our sled apparel I’d like to leave you with a very sincere and personal wish for a safe and happy holiday.
We will be celebrating three years of Sled Talking early in the New Year and with that said, I want to thank all of you who frequent Sled Talk and support what we are doing here. Lets hope the economy rebounds throughout 2010. And our common interest of snowmobiling continues to spread to our children and friends. Attracting more people outside to enjoy winter and nature in its most spectacular form. Ride safe, ride sober and ride on… Thanks again cr
Every year about this time, our marketing guys get with the new sleds and accessories and produce all the photography required to build the brochures, ads, point of sale materials etc. This year was no different… that is until yesterday. Jon is down at a ranch in Wyoming assisting with the photo mission where they have been clicking away for several days. Wayne Davis, pro snowmobile photographer extraordinaire and his team were close to completion when tragedy happened.
The ranch features a large main lodge which is their base of operations. All the cameras, computers, riding gear new accessories and supplies are kept there. The lodge also is the home for the owners and provides the main galley for meals and living space for their guest relaxation.
A chimney fire last night blew out of control and the beautiful log structure was totally gutted by flames, including all the gear mentioned above. Thankfully no one was hurt. Most of the staff on site were housed in separate ‘bunkies’ or at another lodge 30 minutes away.
Here’s the report that came in from he field: I’m very sad to report that this morning at ~4:00am MST the east end of the lodge caught on fire here near Saratoga, WY at our 2011 photo shoot. THANKFULLY everyone at the other end of the lodge (owners Tim, Debbie and boys) smelled the smoke and got out safely. Yet, as you can see, the east end of the lodge is destroyed. Inside was all the lodge’s rec room, all YPAD riding gear and parts, along with all of the photographer’s computers, hard drives and most all of their high dollar camera equipment. It appears we have lost 4+ days of beautiful action photos. However, the computers and hard drives are currently in route to Denver to see if any data can be recovered. In the meantime, our “All-Star” team is out on the trails continuing with some photography work and all video work as planned for today!
Please say a prayer for Tim and Debbie and their family, as they have just lost their home here during the holidays. We will all continue to help them clean up, but it will obviously take a long time to rebuild. Our thoughts will definitely be with them during this time. The most important thing is that everyone is safe!
Clearly we have had a big set-back to our marketing plan but thankfully no one has been hurt. All of us here at YMCA echo the sympathy for the family who just lost their home.
I am truly hoping that’s it for the bad news, as I say every year at this time. Don’t push the season. Take it easy on the first ride, there is no base under the early snowfall and what ever you do, respect the equipment. I don’t want to read about some over zealous sled head, nailing a parked car, sideways, ’cause they just couldn’t wait! As our friends at Honda say… Stupid hurts!
