Buttery Smooth Steering Effort and Linear Power Highlight Mystery Model

After a rather tight lipped ride on the trails of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Yamaha officials would say little about their new model line-up for 2011 other than a simple nod and a sly grin, as we commented on the handling and performance characteristics of particular Apex looking models, with their nomenclature and decals masked from view.

So, being somewhat shrouded in secrecy and full disclosure of their entire new model line coming February 2, 2010, here is what we do know.

The snowmobile in question, for all intents and purposes, looks every bit like a 2010 Apex. From the saddle we did notice however, that the ergonomics felt improved over what we felt was a too low seating position in relationship to the bars. In this age of rider forward designs, the Apex has lagged in this category, and it appears that the new Mystery Apex has addressed this issue with what we believe to be a higher seating position.

Like all Yamaha models, the touch points, and user interaction with the vehicle were Lexus like. The engine fires to life almost immediately, with an unwavering staccato of four-stroke impulses. From the cadence, the engine most certainly sounded like the four-hole variety, and later, upon completion of full-throttle burns across a closed course, lake surface, the linear pull and wicked top-end almost certainly confirmed our assumptions.

At trail speeds, the engine displayed some new traits we have not been accustomed to from the Yamaha breed. While already known for their linear four-stroke power, the mystery Yamaha laid down gobs of torque with what we would liken to an electric motor. No harsh hits or unusual downturns in pull. Instead, the power comes on with the utmost level of predictability, and stays that way till the belt reaches the bottom of the secondary.

But engine aside, what really stood out was the steering and handling of the vehicle. To digress for a moment, in our opinion, Yamaha continues to battle to stay out of the basement in the handling game. With an apparent weight penalty due to their exclusive use of four-stroke power, coupled with unusual quirks in their front geometry, Yamaha snowmobiles have rarely been synonymous with light, predictable steering. But that could be changing.

The steering in short was buttery, power smooth. Yeah that’s right, power smooth as in power steering. With electronic power steering playing a major role in Yamaha’s all-terrain vehicles, and with a patent on the application of power steering for a snowmobile, it appears Yamaha has employed the same type of technology to the snowmobile world.

Benefits of such a system are numerous, not just in the ability to deliver easy steering effort to a vehicle that. until now was fatiguing to drive on twisted trails, but even more so on the ability of Yamaha engineers to now dial up the bite, and tweak the front suspension to deliver the cornering predictability we have been longing for. While we can only speculate on what lurks under the cowl, the comfort, easy steering effort, and much-improved handling were all there, assisted in part by what looked to be a new ski with a revised keel.

We’ll know the ingredients behind the pudding on February 2^nd, when Yamaha unveils their 2011 line. At that time, enthusiasts will also be able to experience the newfound handling traits, as an extensive demo tour dubbed the “Sno-Safari” will commence. Details can be found at www.yamahademos.com