YAMAHA SNOWMOBILE OPERATIONS NOW IN TORONTO

[Sasquatch]

When I was a kid I thought harleys were loud, obnoxious, oil spitters. That opinion changed as I got older and finally got one. Tried going without for a year again and couldn't take it. It's more than a bike. Guess some just won't understand or some may not be inspired the same way. In the winter I love my Yamaha snowmobile, but in the summer, it's about the Harley motorcycle.
If Yamaha could do what harley davidson has done (applying to snowmobile world and sales that is) they would be #1. Their following is huge. Tons of people wearing their swag that don't even own a bike either.
HD could sell crap sleds, but thousands would still buy them. Lol

Yep they have proven that with their bikes. Its 95% about the bad boy biker image and 5% about the bike. I still love my Honda!

 

[Sasquatch]

As of July 1, Yamaha Snowmobile Operations Headquarters has been moved to Toronto, Canada. Will this have any impact on our beloved Yamaha Snowmobiles? Will R & D get faster. Anyone have any opinions on this new move by Yamaha?

Maybe, but there will be a new Yamaha sled (not a Cat chassis) in 2018 is my prediction based on this, some comments from C.R. and a couple other influential Yamaha people. Or I'm wrong and Yamaha has become a engine supplier!

 

[john10toe]

Another similar article. Does this mean I should go out and buy a set of Ape Hangers, leather suit, and hit the tattoo parlour??? LOL

http://snoriderswest.com/article/sn...idson_could_return_to_the_snowmobile_business


Speculation Harley-Davidson could return to the snowmobile business

“Arctic Cat, Inc. has a snowmobile business that could complement the Harley off-season," says Travis Brown, investor analyst.

A 1974 AMF Harley-Davidson snowmobile— 1975 was the last time HD produced snowmobiles.Photo courtesy Vintage Snowmobiles
Harley-Davidson getting back into the snowmobile business? Investor analyst Travis Brown of Seeking Alpha speculated last week that Harley-Davidson’s positive financial situation makes the company a natural to expand to take over snowmobile manufacturer Arctic Cat.

“Arctic Cat, Inc. has a snowmobile business that could complement the Harley off-season. The new SVX 450 is a unique product that could thematically bridge the two together,” wrote Travis Brown, in his stock market analysis report.

Harley-Davidson, Inc. reported last quarter to have nearly $700m in cash and equivalents. That's an account that could easily takeover Arctic Cat, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACAT) based on the market capitalization or a premium on asset valuation, Brown added.

Snowmobilers will remember that Harley-Davidson was active in the snowmobile industry from 1966 to 1975 when the company was part of the American Machine and Foundry Group (AMF). In addition to the Harley-Davidson line of snowmobiles, AMF produced others sleds including the Ski-Daddler line.

Ironically, on the heels of this speculation another report was issued by Seeking Alpha suggesting that Harley-Davidson itself was a take-over target by financial power house and private equity firm KKR.

Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) issued the following statement to StreetInsider.com on today's rumor that private equity firm KKR is interested in buying the company:

"Harley-Davidson has periodically been the subject of marketplace speculation of various sorts. It's our longstanding practice not to comment on market rumors and speculation."

Take-over rumours fueled a 20+% price jump in Harley-Davidson stock late last week.

“Brand recognition, and especially brand recognition in any brand where there are many loyalists, is extremely important. No company has more loyal followers than Harley-Davidson. Those who buy Harley-Davidson products also live the Harley-Davidson lifestyle. It is more than a brand, and this is value that the company simply does not have on its balance sheet,” said Seeking Alpha’s commentator Orange Peel Investments.

Will we see Harley-Davidson return to the snowmobile business? Only time will tell. Who knows? You might be watching for an Arctic HOG on a snowmobile trail near you next winter!

 

[vodoo child]

Don't forget the chain drive wallet and the most important Harley requirement ""THE ATTITUDE""! I'll stick with my little ole 113ci RAIDER, Thank You Much.

 

[yamajammer76]

Yep AC stock down ripe for someone to come along & buy them & easy to do right now. IMO those that could buy AC will wait as won't get better and price goes down with each day & month. AC not a healthy company , dealers know it &, imo, Yamaha waiting,watching, thinking of alternatives & what could happen with new owner whoever that could be. Anybody that thinks Yamaha is casting a blind eye to all this is foolish....no one knows anyone better than your OEM partner. I have been there with OEMs for 35 years and the conversation gets to the point of please...please ...please buy us!!! Not much there ,imo, for Yamaha to purchase techwise that they don't already have so I don't see a buy for now when Yam could buy AC for next to nothing off bone pile in a year or 2. My question is more of how bad will Yamaha let AC get if interested?? Maybe just waiting to make offer for snomo products only and let rest of AC become dust in the wind is my best guess.

Yes Cat is just one slight recession away from corporate meltdown. They are just too small to compete with the big guys in the power sports industry. If anyone here remembers American Motors Corp I'd say AC is about as close to a modern AMC as you can get. Remember towards the end AMC relied on Renault to help share engineering and production costs... hmm. Anyhow Chrysler (who is now owned by Fiat) came along and bought it up for cheap. They mainly wanted Jeep, the dealers and a couple assembly plants.

Arctic Cat will either be gobbled up by a private equity firm or they might beg Yamaha to purchase a controlling stake "to protect" them from a hostile takeover.

Yamaha could be quite interested in Cat. It doubles their North American factory space. It also gives them a brand that has a lot of loyalty behind it. I'm sure the improved QC they would bring to TRF would be welcomed by the Cat folks. Oh sure they'd feel betrayed but I promise a huge majority would still buy Cats. How many Mopar heads left because Fiat owns them now? Exactly my point.

Time will tell what happens with all of this.

 

[Sasquatch]

Yes Cat is just one slight recession away from corporate meltdown. They are just too small to compete with the big guys in the power sports industry. If anyone here remembers American Motors Corp I'd say AC is about as close to a modern AMC as you can get. Remember towards the end AMC relied on Renault to help share engineering and production costs... hmm. Anyhow Chrysler (who is now owned by Fiat) came along and bought it up for cheap. They mainly wanted Jeep, the dealers and a couple assembly plants.

Arctic Cat will either be gobbled up by a private equity firm or they might beg Yamaha to purchase a controlling stake "to protect" them from a hostile takeover.

Yamaha could be quite interested in Cat. It doubles their North American factory space. It also gives them a brand that has a lot of loyalty behind it. I'm sure the improved QC they would bring to TRF would be welcomed by the Cat folks. Oh sure they'd feel betrayed but I promise a huge majority would still buy Cats. How many Mopar heads left because Fiat owns them now? Exactly my point.

Time will tell what happens with all of this.

Lot of Cat guys can't stand Yamaha but do agree without Cat Yamaha has nothing.

 

[biffdotorg]

It's fun watching the Cat 4-stroke forum on the other sled forums start to morph as more and more get some seat time on their 9000 series sleds. One by one, they are becoming Yamaha lovers. Not as much with the 7000 series as it mostly brought reliability, which they will only appreciated in a few more years.

Now they truly have a performance machine with a Yamaha engine and more of them will appreciate it. It's just too bad it's not an engine that could race in snocross, as getting a big name on one of these sleds and a couple podiums may actually get a bit more attention.

 

[RJH]

Hmm 3 year run last time, ended in utter shame and failure. Should of just kept it as the ski daddler and let the AMF name take the shame of it.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha..Ya it was the the AMF Ski Daddler.. AMF makes bottle wash machines today.

 

[RJH]

What has it done..all good business wise for Yamaha can't image the work to get that done. I believe Canada has more Yamaha sled sales than all of USA,,not 100 % on that.

The bad thing ....many if not all my USA race buddies have lost race support and I can't get the deals on product I used to get..sucks..