2020 Release

[sheetwright]

So if Yamaha Buys Arctic cat snowmobiles from Textron and eliminates the name arctic cat. Is it not now 100% Yamaha? Deep thoughts.....

 

[gytr done]

For what it's worth, I seen three gooseneck Yamaha trailers with Wisconsin plates at Cooke City, MT. this past weekend. I am sure they were probably doing final high elevation calibration for 2019's but I'm guessing they were also testing future products as well.
I wouldn't think they would be planning on going out of the snowmobile business with that kind of investment of resources.

What are they testing BNG! LOL

 

[TRUE BLUE SINCE 1980]

What are they testing BNG! LOL

Its High Vis. Graphics now , (HVG) Its so NEW that even the terminology is New!

 

[cannondale27]

So if Yamaha Buys Arctic cat snowmobiles from Textron and eliminates the name arctic cat. Is it not now 100% Yamaha? Deep thoughts.....

If they buy Cat even if they keep Cat name then they ALL would be Yamahas. Because Yamaha would be in charge. That said I hope if they do which is a slim chance. That they keep the whole Cat engineering team at all costs. Maybe Yamaha R&D is good but I have not seen it in many years compared to Cat. Then again I dont know what was denied them by corporate either. Cat the R&D and engineering had free reign. Would at least want mid ground between the two. Cripes we dealt with slide eaters for over a decade!

 

[20/80]

If they buy Cat even if they keep Cat name then they ALL would be Yamahas. Because Yamaha would be in charge. That said I hope if they do which is a slim chance. That they keep the whole Cat engineering team at all costs. Maybe Yamaha R&D is good but I have not seen it in many years compared to Cat. Then again I dont know what was denied them by corporate either. Cat the R&D and engineering had free reign. Would at least want mid ground between the two. Cripes we dealt with slide eaters for over a decade!

The big thing is to keep everybody working regardless of our own opinions, Cat would be a huge loss to our industry and so would Yamaha.

 

[Sasquatch]

So if Yamaha Buys Arctic cat snowmobiles from Textron and eliminates the name arctic cat. Is it not now 100% Yamaha? Deep thoughts.....

As I said before I would like to see Yamaha buy Cat and put out four stoke only Yamaha line and two stroke only Cat line. Brand identity resolved two stroke guys happy four stroke guys happy! No more competing against each other as in the SRX which is a T-Cat! And for gosh darns sake get rid of the 200 dollar plus Cat belt and use the Yamaha last forever belt. Without a NA 160hp engine the line is lacking, they have the engine, it will fit, so why not use it! You want the Apex guys to buy into the new brand give them an Apex engine!

 

[yamadoo]

As I said before I would like to see Yamaha buy Cat and put out four stoke only Yamaha line and two stroke only Cat line. Brand identity resolved two stroke guys happy four stroke guys happy! No more competing against each other as in the SRX which is a T-Cat! And for gosh darns sake get rid of the 200 dollar plus Cat belt and use the Yamaha last forever belt. Without a NA 160hp engine the line is lacking, they have the engine, it will fit, so why not use it! You want the Apex guys to buy into the new brand give them an Apex engine!

Charley has a point here..
I was starting to do the spring/summer review of sled needs and can say I would love the VIPER Chasis (ride handling and no howl) with the APEX motor... Charley says it will fit and is just a few pounds difference -- Yamaha if this is TRUE do it.

 

[Turtle]

I don’t see Yamaha buying Cat - ever. Yamaha is not in the business of acquisition and they are too proud of a company to simply buy Cat. They will learn what they can from Cat then build upon that to develop their own products. When in the entire history of the Yamaha have they ever bought another company?

 

[stohlem]

Hmmm, I just Googled " Companies acquired by Yamaha"

 

[2lapsdown]

Could we just stop this little fantasy, it is going on 6 years. The AC sled line was still profitable when Textron bought them. They bought the factory and all the patents. The 3 dozen people that make Arctic Cat sleds special are not moving anywhere. If they were they would go 56 miles up the road to Polaris who would love to have them. The pure AC 2stoke , and the 4 stroke assembly plant in St. Cloud, is also not for sale. Buy a Ski-Doo

 

[cannondale27]

I don’t see Yamaha buying Cat - ever. Yamaha is not in the business of acquisition and they are too proud of a company to simply buy Cat. They will learn what they can from Cat then build upon that to develop their own products. When in the entire history of the Yamaha have they ever bought another company?

Good Point. I can't think of any.

 

[cannondale27]

Could we just stop this little fantasy, it is going on 6 years. The AC sled line was still profitable when Textron bought them. They bought the factory and all the patents. The 3 dozen people that make Arctic Cat sleds special are not moving anywhere. If they were they would go 56 miles up the road to Polaris who would love to have them. The pure AC 2stoke , and the 4 stroke assembly plant in St. Cloud, is also not for sale. Buy a Ski-Doo

2 laps the only reason Yamaha bothers you so much is you are terrified of the #*$&@ kicking Yamaha would give cat if they even put forth a 2% effort in building a race sled and hiring the best racers.

 

[earthling]

<snip> ....When in the entire history of the Yamaha have they ever bought another company?

Yamaha practically built its marine division through acquisition. Yamaha did similar acquisitions on the music side (Steinberg, Bosendorfer). They also have purchased manufacturing capacity, critical manufacturing capabilities, and suppliers. As a long standing OEM supplier to many companies (Ford, Toyota, etc) they know how to partner and they seem to be very shrewd as a business operator. For those of you counting chickens, they are over a $1B larger than Textron. (total combined holdings of Textron compared to just Yamaha Motor Corp only, discounting the other Yamaha companies). Artic Cat was purchase for $247M by Textron, doesn't seem like a bargain to me then and less so now.

 

[Sasquatch]

Could we just stop this little fantasy, it is going on 6 years. The AC sled line was still profitable when Textron bought them. They bought the factory and all the patents. The 3 dozen people that make Arctic Cat sleds special are not moving anywhere. If they were they would go 56 miles up the road to Polaris who would love to have them. The pure AC 2stoke , and the 4 stroke assembly plant in St. Cloud, is also not for sale. Buy a Ski-Doo

900 turbo 150 class people just might. I think though I'll stick with my Yamaha well into the 21rst century or buy a Cat maybe!

 

[Turtle]

Yamaha practically built its marine division through acquisition. Yamaha did similar acquisitions on the music side (Steinberg, Bosendorfer). They also have purchased manufacturing capacity, critical manufacturing capabilities, and suppliers.

I guess I better brush up on my Yamaha history. Thanks for correcting me.
Regardless, I still think they will learn what they can from Cat vs buying them.