9044-R4_MSA_May2025_Newsletter

Thanks for the Memories Yamaha. By Al Swett

Yamaha was ahead of its time with new industry firsts. Suspensions, both front and rear, provided a comfortable ride. Oil injection was welcomed, elim inating the need for mixing gas and oil. User-friendly gauges, tall wind shields, and comfortable handlebars made riding all day a good day! They seemed to be looking after the rider for all those years. The Exciter, Phaz ers, VMaxes, and their other models made folks smile after a long day of riding. The motors were pretty tough, too. Yamaha says it will concentrate on side-by-sides, motorcycles, marine products, and other items it manufac tures. It’s going to be a huge loss for snowmobilers.Yamaha was a premier sled and had many trophies in the race world to prove it.They also had a following of true Yamaha enthusiasts who remained loyal to them through

thick and thin.Yamaha had nearly 500 dealers worldwide. Some dealers in Maine had been selling them for years. West Sidney Garage in Sidney was a major dealer, as was Jackman Powersports, Whittemore and Son in Skowhegan, Friend and Friend in Ells worth, Rev Up in Rangeley, and, of course, Woody’s in Topsham. Sorry if I’ve missed anyone. Yamaha recently auctioned off a 2025 Sidewinder SRX number 998 of 998! This was made at the Thief River Cat Plant. It was displayed on and in a rolling see-through crate. Yamaha donated the auction money to the ISMA, International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, for the snowmobile grant program! Wanna know how much? $165,000!! Thank you,Yamaha! We’ll miss you. They sure are a classy manufacturer.

S ad news was released in June 2023, when Yamaha announced that it would discontinue making snowmobiles. Starting back in 1968,

The Maine Snowmobiler is an official publication of the Maine Snowmobile Association

Vol. 56, No.8, May 2025 • ISSN-0195-2870 The Maine Snowmobiler

r

207-622-6983 • fax. 207-622-7669 mainesnowmobileassociation.com

r

r

To purchase Advertising Space in The Maine Snowmobiler, contact our Office Manager, 207-622-6983, mainesnowmobileassociation.com The Maine Snowmobiler welcomes submissions from MSA members, including but not limited to, club news, calendar listings, photographs, letters to the editor, articles of general and technical interest. Submissions may be edited. Address to: Editor, Maine Snowmobiler, PO Box 80, Augusta, ME. 04332, mainesnowmobileassociation. com All opinions expressed by contributing writers in the Maine Snowmobiler are their own and do not neces sarily reflect the opinions of this publication. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: The Maine Snowmobile Association, PO Box 80, Augusta, Maine 04332 The Maine Snowmobiler (USPS #859-920) is published 7 times a year by the Maine Snowmobile Association, Inc., 7 Noyes St Place, Augusta, Maine 04330. Periodical postage paid at Augusta, Maine and additional offices. Seasonal subscription provided to MSA members as a benefit of their annual dues. $3.00 of the $15 membership fee is applied to the cost of the publication. Subscriptions are available to non-members at a cost of $30/season. r r r r r

17

m o b

0 2 5 l M a i n e S n o w

i l e

r

a y 2

M