50 Years of Yamaha Snowmobiles
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ม.ค. 2025
- Motorhead Mark looks back at Yamaha’s impact in the snowmobile industry as the company celebrates their 50th anniversary in 2018.
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Mark did a decent job with this video. One big miss, the TSS (Telescopic Strut Suspension) was not introduced on the 1984 Phazer as claimed. It was introduced in 1980 SR-V race sleds and then appeared on the 1981 SRX and SR-V, so that was three years before the Phazer was introduced.
My parents bought a brand new leftover 79 enticer deluxe 3 in 1980 that 340 was my first snowmobile, being 10 years old i had a great time on that thing riding with my friend and his polaris colt 250
In 1975 the gpx 433 had no equal !
Wow ,I was lucky enough to own one the snowmobile would stand up straight on startup,man had so much fun against 440 liquifiers they never had a chance
Great video, love the history behind vintage sleds up to modern day. Love the old Yamaha's. Nice job.
vmax, and srx viper legendary, yamaha built the best 2 stroke triple ever! and pioneered 4 stroke sleds. now, they packed it in. yamaha would dominate again if they'd just develop a lighter, snappier 2 stroke sled to compete with ski-doo and polaris. their sleds hold their value and are fast, powerful and reliable. its really too bad they have stopped production. new genesis 4 stroke was amazing. power, light weight, reliable and could handle heavy modification but it was a mistake to partner with arctic cat on chassis and designing. i have a 2014 anything that has gone wrong with it is arctic scraps design or parts. also own 3 700 vipers, still give new 800s, 850s and bigger turbo sleds a run for their money even after 20 years. dad had a 70s srx racer back in the day. ran on aviation fuel
Thank ROLL O FLEX machines for having Yamaha engines, my dad was a dealer until they went out in 75.
It's amazing how early Yamaha put Oil Injection in their sleds with the Yamalube. I had an 81 Ski Doo that i still had to mix the gas and oil in a Jerry can.
Yamaha had oil injection on a street bike in 1964 .. All Yamaha two stroke Motorcycles had oil injection by the Late 1960's .. The Other Brands followed quickly .. Not sure if there was an issue pumping two stroke oil when it's really cold .. Yamaha Lube is not that great of an oil Today's Modern Synthetic TCW-3 oil is much better..
Yamaha had oil injection on Motorcycles in 1968 or ealier ..
I grew up on Cats but when I was old enough to buy my own I bought a Yamaha and have had nothing else since. Infact, all of my power sports toys are Yamaha's. Their reliability is unrivaled.
As far as the current sleds go though, they really need to bring out something new and fresh. I'm waiting!
No mention of v-max 4's? Nor the SRX 700 triple's?
The 2001 700 tripple S.R.X is Awesome Fast and reliable. Great snow mo bill.
they also did an arctic cat 50 year review with no mention of the thunder cat LOL
The Devil in A Blue Dress! Great Sled!
I had a 1997 V-Max 4 800 , weighed a ton and drank gas faster than an F-18 fighter jet. It was however a fun $$ Snow mobill .
I have a 1990 yamaha phazer 2! I love it!!!!
yamaha is tops in my book with reliability, fit n finish, and mechanic friendly to work on
Great video! At our museum in Marquette, Michigan we've got one of the first snow mobiles - a snow machine. This contraption was built in someone's garage in the 1940s. Father and son duo built the several snow machines, the first to have two seats, a steering "wheel" and motorized by a motorcycle engine. They made the vehicle out at their camp where they hunted, fished, and rode through the trees on their homemade machines
Iv been wanting to make it up there to check out the museum but haven't had the chance..Im down by Birch Run Michigan so it's a bit of hike for me..one day I'll make it though..iv seen video tours but I have to see it for myself..
We'd love to have you! A few of our staff originate from under the bridge too...definitely a long drive! Next time you're in the mood for a road trip, Marquette is your destination (: @@Shadowman092-s9o
I loved and still do, the 2002 years of SX-R 700 triples.
My first sled was a 1972 Arctic Cat Lynx. Then I had a couple 1975 440 Cheetah. The 440 engine was made by Kawasaki. I had a couple more Arctic Cats and I’ve had Polaris snowmobile since the 1990s. Our side by side is that brand also. The first time I rode a snowmobile was in 1969 when I was 16. A co-worker had a Rupp.
My first sled was a Yamaha Ovation 340. Great sled.
I purchased a new 84 Phazer. I used it for pleasure riding as well as drag racing. At the drags it drew a lot of attention because of it's looks. I immediatly started winning with many people saying my machine was not stock. I was doing quite well in the next class above the Phazer's class. Some thought i had modified the engine. Others came to me to look at my track, thinking i had it nailed. I always said riding the Phazer was like riding a bucking bronc. You had to really hang onto it when you hammered it. It was a fun snowmobile to ride. I purchased a new 87 Exciter. The Phazer ran circles around it.
No mention of the Bravo's long production run. I do watch SnowTrax on occasion but it's content seems limited to the performance segment of the sport. Would be nice to see features like Tundra, VK and other utility sleds taken off-trail and pushed to their limits of their boondocking capabilities. Also comparative tests between track profiles and lug height.
Completely skipped over the early years...The GP series were some badass sleds back in the early to mid 70s. I had a GP292 that was the fastest one lunger on the lake!
funny the Bravo got no nod in this video... like it skipped right from 70's to the phazer and right to the rx-1/apex line then to the yammycat ... and that was it ... hmm
my nytro has heavy handling and steering wanted to stay with yamaha motor and chassis for reliable sled but they need a 2 stroke. Also they need a light, basic, cheep, affordable , 440 trail sled to pick through the woods and when needed you can pick it up and move it
Maybe I misunderstood, but top tunnel cooling has been around a long time. I first saw it on a Cat from the early 90's.
how can he say the TSS 'debuted' on the phazer?? it was on the srv from 82...
Love the phazers such a great great example of peak 80s technology
My first machine was a 1978 ET250. Super reliable little sled. Then a 1980 srx440. With 72 HP that one was a rocket for the times. Hard on pistons and cylinders though. Last Yamaha I bought was a 1982 Excell 3. Basically a 340 cc with electric start and a spedo and tack. Also a super reliable sled. Then in 1986 a friend asked if I had seen the new sled at the polaris dealer at our local mall. He convinced me to check it out and the next day I bought the 1986 indy 600 triple after seeing it. Polaris after that, sorry Yamafans
I have a 1979 et250. A et340
Both enticers. I still have them both. Won't part with them
I just watched a Video on Arctic Cat History and another on Polaris History .. The Snowmobile Industry has benefitted from many different innovations and improvments from the big 4 and quite a few unique improvments from some of the other Legacy Brands too ..
Are you serious they never mentioned the "Epic SRX Series" ???? 1977 - 83 won more championships for yamaha then any other Yamaha sled. Golden years.
thats right!!! fastest sled in the world every time they went into production to this very day.
No mention of the Vmax-4,the first 4 cylinder liquid cooled 2 stroke.
What about the srv series??? My favorate tbh
oh yea 1 more thing, my 81 SRX 440 had the front shocks that you say that was interdused by the phazer.
'80 SRV 540 was first! Remember the ads in Snow Goer!
I came back here today to look at all they have done...
They are done. Cya Yamaha.
Love all those sleds.
Interested to see what Yamaha has in store for 2020. Our local Yamaha dealership has just started selling Arctic Cat/Textron products after being an exclusive Yamaha dealer since the dawn of time. He was quite tight lipped on the future of Yamaha sleds from his end. Still dreaming of a Yamaha 2-stroke 600/800. I'd buy 2 the day they came out.
@Don Olypopper I have a 2014 viper xtx and I can relate to some of the complaints you especially since I own a Nytro as well and although the Nytro feels higher quality the viper is such a better sled overall, the supposed cold starting issue is not really an issue you just gotta learn how to treat the viper, although it should just work like the Nytro it's not actually a real problem. But that's just my opinion, I have had all the recall work done on my sled at my dealer free of charge and everything is working flawlessly for me so far.
It better be a two stroke because they lost a ton with these heavy tank like 4 strokes !
They made a 2 stroke this year finally.
@@mxr7586 you mean they had Cat toss their 2 stroke into a Cat chassis and call it a Yamaha. I believe Yamaha's last all-new 2 stroke was the SRX motor in 1998.
@@PartTimeYooper last srx was 2001 which was the fastest. I have the 99 a friend of mine has the 98 and another the 2001. The 2001 he put a ski doo skid underneath and up front he did yz450 4wheeler shocks. It’s bad ass.
79 Exciter the most reliable fast and fun sled I ever owned.
Enticer 340 my fav all time sled
And now it’s all over.
Wasn’t this posted this morning?
Still own a Phazer 2 electric start! However due to Market Politics Yamaha was pushed out of snowmobile sales to the likes of Ski Doo who is owned by Bombardier. The Canadian Company has not only cornered the Market with snowmobiles, but also Jet Ski's with the Sea Doo and in Private Jet Aviation like the Global 8000 Bombardier Jet. Which has pushed Yamaha out of the Market place! Arctic Cat and Polaris both are in jeopardy of the same thing happening to them!
Tge first Yamaha sleds to have the pogos were the srv and v max in 83
The SRX and SR-V had the telescopic Strut before the Phaser.
Quentin 33 the srx never had tss. You are right about the srv being the first sled with tss
Steven Vanheel the 81 SRX had telescopic ... it was called SRX V-Max then Yamaha dropped the SRX and just called it V-Max. Almost positive it was 1981. Had a 440 liquid ...then in 82 or 83 they put in a 540 liquid.
Quentin 33 yea you are right about that too, I totally forgot that they had a year or two of calling the vmax 540 chassis the SRX
1981 srx440 was tss. First year. My cousin ONEBUN has one. His father also had a brand new 1981 srx440 when we were kids.
oh yeah, my 81 SRX had TSS
He said 120 different snowmobile manufactures .. That's a lot I guess the number in my head of 400 was for automobile manufactures in the USA at one time..
The 1981 Yamaha SRX was the first sled with the telescoping shop gas shock suspension not the phaser
No, 1980 SRV was first
If I can recall , I think Scorpion invented patented and manufactured rubber molded tracks first , Or Moto Ski .. I can google later..
How about the 83 V MAX fastest sled that year bad ass !
My dad bought a bravo i’m the 80s and he still has it
since the 1980´s proud owner of venture, v-max, srx, srv, viper, rx-1 then in 2004 I had to quit . Also owned many arctic cats however build quality of arctic cat was never nearly as good as YAMAHA
Telescopic struts were first seen on the 1981 srx440. Not the phazer as he said.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Thanks for confirming what I remember. This guy is so full of it. We rode Yamahas in the 1980s not because they were better but because they were affordable.
@@philliptoone they were miles ahead when it came to reliability. I live near sudbury ontario and the old sleds i still see lots around are YAMAHA. Old et340s are everywhere. Lots of phazers and XL5 540s . Hard to beat these old machines.
@@endurotruckererniedesjardins You are dead on about their reliability. We had cheap 340s, 250s, and a 300. They just drove and drove every weekend without ever giving us problems.
Nope the SRV had them before the SRX.
YES, 1980 SRV
You said theif river falls? You guys live up in Minnesota?
Dylan Johnson no, that’s where the arctic cat headquarters/manufacturing plant is
Oh boy Yamaha crapped the bed with the 2019 lineup!!
why? the SRX to fast 4 ya?
Considering how small the market is for snowmobile sales volume .. I think the marriage between Cat and Yam helps both of them .. Yamaha has a huge dealer Network but not enough sales volume to justify Engineering and tooling ect..
phazer and exciters! what was the difference?
Phazer is 488 fan cooled and exciter is 580 liquid cooled..they are similar looki g though
Do more vintage
Outdoors Alone yes they should
Yes i love old Yamaha sled
Vintage arctic cat next ?
1989 XLV 540
WOW
why add a new 998 when they coulda used the 1050 nitro motors ?
Insurance.
998= more torque, less weight
6 years later.........wa wa wa
I have a 1998 yamaha phazer ss
I doubt it
Rip Yamaha 😢
I'd like to see Yamaha come back with a High Performance Light Weight 2-stroke. They seem to have walked away from us Performance junkies that just cant tolerate a heavy 4-stroke in a CAT chassis ... I'd rather ride an old Mach Z than a new Yamaha.
This video hasn’t aged well after Yamaha’s announcement today
This aged well
A complete miss. The glory days of the Yamaha snowmobiles were in the 70's with the incredible GPX and Exciter models followed by the SRX sleds.
I maybe the minority but, I wish they would leave the agreement they have with Arctic Cat and build their own chassis. I bleed Yamaha blue and had my share of Cat's and don't want any part of them again.
The problem with YAMAHA is the ride they never figured it out you never see YAMAHA on the trails
nice vidio butt....do your homework 1st! you never mentioned yamaha's biggest achievments, like the v-max line especialy the v-max 4! or the worlds fastest sleds every time they go into production... the SRX!!!!! and the RX1 was brought out in 2002 not 2003 cuz i bought one soon as they hit the showroom.
Oh Really Snowmobiles are more different that Pianos, Organs , Drums, and Sound Mixers?
Snowmobiles were so crude .. It left a lot of room for Yamaha to innovate.. Yamahas were light reliable and affordable ..
Sleds like the RX 1 Ton are great high mileage trail sleds.. The engine technology came straight from their R-1 Motorcycle engine,.. Then they built the narrower .. longer stroke 3 cylinder Purpose 1049 CC snowmobile engine..
Then they came out with a beefed up Tripe with a high tech Turbo..
Yamaha was No 1 in snowmobile sales for years then they went to number. Meanwhile Artic Cat has some Financial Problems.. Trump dropped Corporate income tax by 15% this will help the end cost for American Made Products..
Yes the Yamaha Two Stroke Triples were cool and great.. I think Yamaha may have been behind in suspension in that era...
All 3.5 Brands make great Products it's a matter of personal choice .. Customer Service Factory Warranties and Value that could make an end decisions what to buy .
I have a 2006 Attack that is Very tough but so Top Heavy ..and a 2014 Skidoo Renegade 800 because I like the lightness and the direct injection two stroke..
I have not yet ridden an Artic chassis.. I am interested to try some Endurance racing .. which sounds like Polaris and Artic two stokes dominate that class. ???
They need to have a two stroke again because they are to heavy !!!!!!!!!
Arctic Cat El Tigre 6000.... '81 …. NO Yamaha on the planet could and would come close to its speed and performance. I lived and rode LOTS in those day against all manufacturers sleds. …. just saying. Nice video though.
1981 yamaha SRX was the fastest sled on the planet, my good friend had the el tigre n thought the same as you till he lined up by my SRX and got smoked every time it was never even close.
@@karlmorrison7933 Your good Friend probably had the El Tigre 5000 which was a 440.... the 500 liquid was truly the fastest stock sled in '81 and '84 model years and was the fastest for many years when compared to newer models. The SRX was very fast, yes, but not fast enough. Cat had the benchmark, I owned two 81's and one '84 and smoked all Yamahas. The SRV's were not even in the same conversation.
@@camaro69green31 tony had a 81 el tigre 6000 in 1981 the yamaha SRX 440 was the fastest sled on the planet. its documented look it up.
@@karlmorrison7933 if that was true.... then I had some very unique 81 tigers that were faster and quicker then the SRX's of the day?? Crazy I guess.
@@camaro69green31 all i know is yamaha in 1981 vowed to be the fastest sled in the world with the SRX model they even had to bump the cc's up to 500 in 1982 cuz they were getting scared of the suzuki motor. wich i think cat used that motor.
This guy doesn't no what he's taking about, the 1981 srx was the first tss suspensions and i'm the one who changed the suspensions for artic cat in 1984 and all of the manufacturer's use it, i have a better design now. The other one i didn't make any money from, so if you want this one you will have to pay and by the way artic cat was out of business in 1982 and 1983 and yes i am the one who saved them !!!!!
1979 SRV fact !!
Imda Mann yes you're correct i forgot about the 79 srv, i liked the color scheme of that sled and the 250 inticer which still had leaf springs, the tss didn't have the lateral swaying needed to be more effective for turning the sled !! Thanks for correcting me !
@@wegji59 yep I liked the color kind of a brownish color with a blue graphics .
1981 srx 440 is still my favorite even if it ate belts :-)
I used to love Yamaha sleds but since Yamaha went all 4 stroke I never buy Yamaha sled again, then again Yamaha is more motorcycle company then snowmobile company and only good sxs Yamaha is yxz 1000r but still not same class as CamAm x3 and Polaris rzr . Pretty much Yamaha take a Yamaha motorcycle motor put it in there sled
2-stroke for life.
You missed a spot.
Wow you never covered the early models at all, pretty much skipped to the 80's or should I say the phase years. Then pretty much the new. Waste of time video.
my 76 cheetah 5000 with a 500 fan-cooled will chew up any yamaha from the same era. without comparison. :)
Your nuts no Cat in 76 could touch the SRX 440 I know because I raced them beating EXT'S of all sizes
@@freddowning61 yeah yes our exes were pretty good but that cheetah curbs at like 400 and it's got a 500 twin on it . The other thing is, a lot of people hate hex clutches but if you set them up right there's nothing that can compare to a hex clutch for dragging.