Yamaha Snowmobile Highlights for 2015

As we close out our preview series of 2015 snowmobiles, we feature the latest offerings from Yamaha. We will also offer specific synthetic oil recommendations for their snowmobiles at the end of this article.

Yamaha is the only big four sled maker with a non-North American parent company and their snowmobile heritage is a proud one. Yamaha was primarily a musical instrument maker until they decided to branch out into the motorcycle market in the mid-1950’s. The triumphs of that venture lead to a foray into the snowmobile market in 1968 and Yamaha hasn’t looked back since. A watershed moment occurred in 2003 when Yamaha introduced the RX-1. This 1000cc machine was the first serious four-stroke snowmobile and its influence has changed the market forever. By 2005, Yamaha had all but phased out the 2-stroke engine, save for a few marginal models. Switching to four-stoke engines was a gutsy move ten years ago and they certainly had their detractors, but as you’ll see, their 2015 line is competitive and will generate strong sales.

Continued Collaboration with Arctic Cat

Starting last year, Arctic Cat and Yamaha have been involved in a component-sharing romance that had Yamaha using some Arctic Cat chassis’s and Arctic Cat using Yamaha four-stroke engines in some models. This relationship continues in 2015 with Yamaha using Cat platforms on their SR Viper trail, crossover and mountain line-up.

Where Are Yamaha Snowmobiles Built?

Any Yamaha with the “SRV” chassis (Viper series) is actually assembled by Arctic Cat at their Thief River Falls, Minnesota factory. The remainder of the Yamaha line including Apex, Phazer, Venture, Vector and Viking are all still made in Japan.

A New Mountain Machine

Yamaha fans with an affinity for mountain riding have reason to cheer in 2015. The new SR Viper M-TX mountain sled uses Arctic Cat’s “M” chassis with Yamaha’s renowned 4-stroke Genesis engine. The Genesis engine is 3-cylinder, 1049cc engine that puts out about 135 horsepower. This unit will be available with a 153” or 162” track with 2.6” lugs. Although the SR Viper M-TX would be very similar to an Arctic Cat M7000 Sno Pro, there are subtle differences. Yamaha added their own flavor to the Cat-made M-TX with special engine mapping and their own clutches, so they do have slightly different operational characteristics. The Yamaha Mountain versions also have slightly taller and plusher suspension.

A New Player in the Crossover Division

Yamaha’s now offers a fresh entry in the popular crossover sled category. The SR Viper S-TX DX uses the Arctic Cat XF Crossover platform with Yamaha’s Genesis engine. The Arctic Cat twin to this machine would be the XF Crossover 7000. Yamaha adds their own clutches, a heated seat, a Fox Float 2 rear shock, a rear rack and trunk bag and dual-keel Tuner skis, so it’s not a 100% Cat-clone.

The remainder of the 2015 Yamaha line receives minor cosmetic changes and revisions.

AMSOIL Engine Oil for Yamaha 4-Stroke Snowmobiles

Yamaha offers their 4-stroke engines in four variations. The flagship Genesis engine comes in 998cc or 1049cc 3-cylinder versions and also a 998cc four-cylinder unit. A twin-cylinder 499cc Sport/Performance engine is offered for their sport sleds. All of these four-stoke engines can use the same type of engine oil. Yamaha offers two motor oils for their four-cycle engines under the Yamalube brand. The high performance option is the Yamalube 0W-40 Full Synthetic Snowmobile Oil with Ester which is marketed toward their high performance sleds. The Yamalube Semi-Syn 0W-30 Synthetic Oil for Snowmobiles is offered for their recreational and utility snowmobiles.

We offer a single four-stroke motor oil that is not only a replacement for the Yamalube snowmobile oils, but a healthy upgrade at a reasonable price. The AMSOIL Formula 4-Stroke Power Sports 0W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil is designed to deliver the uncompromising wear control and friction reduction that you would expect from a 100% full-synthetic oil. It is also quite appropriate for engines equipped with the optional MPI Trail Turbo-Charger Kit. This oil pumps down to -51C (-60F), so your engine receives instant oil pressure at start-up and improved engine cranking. AMSOIL Synthetic 0W-40 contains powerful anti-rust and corrosion agents that protect your engine internals during sledding season and also during the long summer storage period. With our wholesale programs, we can offer this synthetic 0W-40 sled oil at a competitive price for Canadian or US customers.