Yamaha is ending manufacturing of snowmobiles and withdrawing from the market starting this yr. The Japanese firm says it is going to be utterly gone from the worldwide snowmobile market by 2025, though the phase-out will start in Japan, the place the final of Yamaha’s 2022 mannequin yr snowmobiles will probably be offered till sellers run out.
Yamaha will then part out snowmobiles within the European market, the place it simply refreshed the lineup with 2024 mannequin yr sleds, as Visor Down stories. And, lastly, Yamaha will exit the market of North America by way of the 2025 mannequin yr, that means that there’ll nonetheless be time to purchase a Yamaha snowmobile properly into the subsequent yr within the U.S.
The looming shutdown of snowmobile manufacturing can’t be good for the continuing gross sales of not too long ago launched 2024 snowmobiles in Europe — to not point out the sale of upcoming 2025 fashions in America. But the corporate’s sleds have a loyal following all over the world, after having constructed up a fanbase since 1968 with the introduction of the Yamaha SL350, the corporate’s first snowmobile ever.
Yamaha has barely begun to provide the 2024 fashions, that are anticipated to be delivered within the fall of this yr. And manufacturing will proceed by way of the 2025 mannequin yr for the sale of those closing fashions within the U.S. and Canada. Parts and repair will nonetheless be accessible after the ultimate manufacturing run, but it surely’s unclear for the way lengthy. Yamaha talked about a 12-36 month window, although that was extra for serving to distributors and sellers moderately than hanging them out to dry.
Yamaha says it’s ending snowmobile manufacturing after the corporate “concluded it will be difficult to continue a sustainable business in the snowmobile market.” The Japanese motorbike and engine maker alluded to its efforts to make an “environmentally-friendly 4-stroke” snowmobile, but it surely’s possible that Yamaha is now prioritizing the manufacturing of cleaner machines, corresponding to EV bikes.
Yamaha is at the moment in a partnership with Honda, Kawasaki, KTM and Piaggio to standardized swappable EV batteries to be used in future electrical bikes. And the corporate can also be exploring the potential for making hydrogen-powered bikes with Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki. It’s clear that, like the remainder of the “big 4” Japanese bike makers, Yamaha is shifting to cleaner modes of transportation and abandoning the outdated, soiled ones. It’s the top of an period.
Source: jalopnik.com