Apex Quality

[Bigbluemachine]

Working on my 2011 Apex this past weekend. What a pleasure doing basic maintenance on a machine built with so much quality and attention to detail. 5,000 miles and it looks new. This one will stay in the stable for a long time. Just sold my 2005 RX and it looks mint too. Amazing. What's the point? I ordered a new sidewinder. Yeah I'm one if those happy Apex guys who took a chance so I'm wigging a little about what to expect re: quality, etc. Just hoping there is a lot of Yamaha DNA in the QC department. Is it much to do about nothing?

 

[Sasquatch]

I love my Apex, the 11 up is a refined to last and last and last! The new Yamaha's leave me with a inability to wrap my head around buying a Yamaha motored sled built by Cat and calling it a Yamaha sled. I came from Cat to Yamaha and while I liked my Cats I look at the Cat/Yamaha as what it is, a Cat with a Yamaha sticker. I can buy a Cat version of the Yamaha as some of my Buddy's have and they like them the same as the Cat/Yamaha sleds. Makes sense they are basically the same sled with exception of the clutches.

The dilemma comes with brand identity to a large extent, I identify with Yamaha as a brand but I am not necessarily brand loyal to a fault. Buying a Cat/Yamaha now is like switching brands. I like the Yamaha Apex chassis, I like the Doo 1200, I'm not all that interested in Cat (no I,m not a hater of Cat there are many reasons for that choice and brand is not one) and am not a big fan of the 3 hole motor or turbo's. So I will stick to the Apex till its done or to a new Yamaha if one ever gets built by Yamaha with the 4 hole motor. No I do not mean shoehorn a 4 hole in a cat chassis I mean a chassis built for the motor.

If I have to switch from Yamaha because they decide to let the competition build their sleds for them and basically become a engine supplier then I will look at them all, as I always have and decide from there! Same as all the guys who jumped to the Cat/Yamaha they begged for a new chassis but the Nytro was not it for them. Yamaha offered them the Cat chassis and the Cat/Yamaha brand. They made the choice. Nothing wrong with that!

The new Sidewinder/9000 sleds are arm stretchers like the twin turbo cats before them, it will be fun to ride as everyone I know with a turbo cat loves to ride em. The tuh-doo about the Cat/Yamaha is simple to put in line if ya like the Cat chassis you will love the Yamaha powered version of it. The Yamaha or Cat/Yamaha brand identity has little to do with that!Have fun!

 

[rangermike14]

Well said.....I also think that hey designed the Apex well when they did it. It's actually pretty easy to work on once you know how it comes apart. How long do you think the Apex will last?

 

[Bigbluemachine]

That is my issue as well. Hence the being somewhat doubtful. I owned a nitro as well so I not just brand loyal to a fault. That thing needed $1,500 after purchase to get it right. I also read articles about how smooth the 3 holes is and I think they are just sellouts. In terms of sound there is nothing like the Apex engine. I'm keeping an open mind however.

 

[Sasquatch]

Well said.....I also think that hey designed the Apex well when they did it. It's actually pretty easy to work on once you know how it comes apart. How long do you think the Apex will last?

As long as you do the maintenance I would guess. With 20,000 on my warrior and the 11 up Apex being a better put together machine. I can honestly said for much longer then that. Doo's 800 is 300 hours max! I would bet closer to 2,000 hour minimum on the Yami fourstroke.

 

[Sasquatch]

That is my issue as well. Hence the being somewhat doubtful. I owned a nitro as well so I not just brand loyal to a fault. That thing needed $1,500 after purchase to get it right. I also read articles about how smooth the 3 holes is and I think they are just sellouts. In terms of sound there is nothing like the Apex engine. I'm keeping an open mind however.

I'm in love with the sound of the 4. Not so much the three from driving truck for years you may like the turbo whistle. I always liked the sound of the turbo spooling up!

 

[rangermike14]

I meant how long until Yamaha cuts the Apex from the line all together....

 

[Bigbluemachine]

Bring back a state of the art efficient 180 hp 3 cylinder two stroke with the durability changes doo has made for its 850, in a new light weight APEX SRX and shock the snowmobile world! Now that would make things interesting because you know they can do it.

 

[whitedust1]

I meant how long until Yamaha cuts the Apex from the line all together....

Pretty darn soon the dealers are not ordering Apex anymore just taking the min order since the Viper & Sidewinder were released. Apex needs a serious update to something much lighter & fit niche between 130 & 200 HP. Kinda thought it would happen this March if it does not prolly won't happen & stuck with AC/Yam sleds. No idea what I would do if Yam drops Apex? Guess I would look at all 4s brands upgrade to what I thnk is best for me. Would not be AC or Polaris so Yamaha or Doo 4s choice for me. Doo comes out with 150HP 4s I would have to consider.

 

[rangermike14]

Doo's 1200 is pretty nice motor....

 

[Bigbluemachine]

Pretty darn soon the dealers are not ordering Apex anymore just taking the min order since the Viper & Sidewinder were released. Apex needs a serious update to something much lighter & fit niche between 130 & 200 HP. Kinda thought it would happen this March if it does not prolly won't happen & stuck with AC/Yam sleds. No idea what I would do if Yam drops Apex? Guess I would look at all 4s brands upgrade to what I thnk is best for me. Would not be AC or Polaris so Yamaha or Doo 4s choice for me. Doo comes out with 150HP 4s I would have to consider.

That's exactly how I look at it. But my Apex will last quite a while.

 

[Sasquatch]

I meant how long until Yamaha cuts the Apex from the line all together....

That is a very good question! I see nothing wrong with the Apex but I bought it as a trail cruiser, so I am happy with it. Problem started with Doo and pushing the weight as if it was a bad thing. Some people bought the Apex thinking it was a big bump, high flier, off trail machine. Its none of those really although I have seen some people riding them as such quite well.

I think that Yamaha will release a new sled to replace the Apex in 2018 but who knows! Maybe a carbon fibre chassis based partly on the Cat chassis, we can dream can't we! There is a large group of Apex riders who love the machine and because they hang onto thier sleds and ride them forever (blame Yamaha on building a quality sled I guess) Apex sales are down. Doesn't help that everyone hypes the Cat as a better sled including the magazines. To me its a bit of a slap in the face that the competition builds the sled Yamaha should have built for themselves.

If the Apex, its chassis and motor are dropped, Yamaha is dropping their brand identity with it. From that point they are an engine builder. People will deny this but in 5 years what have they done? Shoe horned a motor into a cat Chassis and made compromises as to motor placement, created a wonderful turbo motor and did a small amount of refining. Oh wait they also put an air suspension in the Apex XTX. Lets hope a new chassis, a Yamaha Chassis is coming for 18, because except for the air suspension all those things where for the cat chassis and with all the talk of dropping the Apex the XTX Air is gone as well.

I'm watching patiently to see if they drop the Apex and if they do what they will replace it with. Some will try to say the Sidewinder is the replacement but its not, nor is the Viper. Based on what happens I may pick up a newer Apex or just keep this one. Hard to make a perfect sled more perfect. The 11 up is a night and day advancement over the older Fourstoke sleds and as some have said it should have been given a name change not that would have changed perception any.

I ride and have rode my Apex and my Warrior on up to 14 day bagger trips. Average 200 mile plus days loaded down with luggage over some of the best and worst trails. One broken driveshaft (on my Warrior) and a few lost bearings is it. So 350 pds of rider and 30 to 40pds of luggage and the sled takes it over and over again. Yamaha built a tough chassis (albeit that made for a bit more weight) and people wonder why I love the RX chassis and can't figure out why I am hesitant to jump to a sled that I have questions about durability with.

Here is to a new Apex or 30,000 more miles on mine!

 

[Sasquatch]

Bring back a state of the art efficient 180 hp 3 cylinder two stroke with the durability changes doo has made for its 850, in a new light weight APEX SRX and shock the snowmobile world! Now that would make things interesting because you know they can do it.

Never back to a two stroke and to get 180 hp a tripple 700 won't do more like 900 to 1000cc. While I would love the burble of the two stroke the Cat triple triple was a heavy sled. It would be heavier then the 800 Cat and rival the four stroke.

 

[Sasquatch]

Pretty darn soon the dealers are not ordering Apex anymore just taking the min order since the Viper & Sidewinder were released. Apex needs a serious update to something much lighter & fit niche between 130 & 200 HP. Kinda thought it would happen this March if it does not prolly won't happen & stuck with AC/Yam sleds. No idea what I would do if Yam drops Apex? Guess I would look at all 4s brands upgrade to what I thnk is best for me. Would not be AC or Polaris so Yamaha or Doo 4s choice for me. Doo comes out with 150HP 4s I would have to consider.

The 1200 Doo needs a triple throttle body header setup (ie a SS model) and why Doo holds back on that I can only guess but they don't want competition with their two stroke models. Getting 15hp more out of a 1200 is not hard which brings it up to Apex power and the Doo has a better skid. Maybe if they Drop the Apex Doo might see a market!

 

[Bucky the d.o.g.]

Light is not neccasarily right. It,s nice to have a solid heavier guage aluminum, chassis, when u r putting that much power to them day after day. Time will tell but 200 horse in a sardine can built by cat will not last like the Apex with 30 and 40,000 kilometerers on them. Where yamaha is using 12mm nuts and bolts, Cats are using 10mm. There is no need to worry about trading or getting a new Apex until you have 40,000kms or more on them, except cuz your neighbor, Mr and Mrs Jones says so.