Depressing
Man, this thread is so depressing, mostly just because I truly don't believe Yamaha will do a darn thing that I am even semi-interested in.
I'm right now currently selling a 99 MM 700 that my dad bought brand new. That machine has NEVER been towed back in 20 years and 5,600 miles. And it was freaking fun to ride back in the day!! I used to just love Yamaha.
The most pathetic part is this. They could come out with a sled tomorrow that has specs only as impressive as the 1982 Bravo 250 and it would outsell the sidewinder 10:1 in the west.
http://www.amsnow.com/news/vintage/2007/09/yamaha-bravo-250
281 pounds
18 HP
30" ski stance
Every single dad with a Tween would buy at least one as the kid grows out of the snoscoot and onto the new 2020 Bravo.
Then they could re-introduce a model with specs only as impressive as the 1984 Phazer and it also would outsell the sidewinder MTX 10:1 in the mountains as every dad buys one of those for the kid who outgrows the Bravo but isn't quite ready for a full size sled yet.
388 pounds
52 HP
34" ski stance
Neither of those spec sheets from the early 80's represent anything that should be even semi-difficult for the most bare-bones engineering department to hit, and yet, sleds built to those specs at anything resembling a decent price would completely take over the market for youth snowmobiles. Problem is, I grow more and more convinced every day that the Yamaha Snowmobiles engineering department really just doesn't even exist anymore.