Yamaha Unveils Electronic Power Steering - Snowmobile Forum: Your #1 Snowmobile Forum

**Administrator** · 01-14-2010, 04:18 PM

For two days we dashed and hammered a pre-production 2011 Yamaha “something or other” through the woods and over the trails of northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula. Don’t ask us what we were riding, because Yamaha marketing types refused to tell us. “Guess what it is,” they said. “Tell us your impressions and what you think of it.”

This had to be the most unique product introduction — snowmobile, motorcycle or ATV — that we’ve attended. Marketing types ordinarily gush over their latest prod intro’s. You can’t keep them quiet. Although, the retinue of Yamaha marketing and technical types servicing our group of snowmobile editors did smile and smirk a lot while they steadfastly refused to give up any technical information.

Once seated aboard the new sled and shortly after flicking the key on the fuel-injected “whatever it was” motor, one thing became very clear. Yamaha not only has a patent for an electronic power steering system (EPS) for snowmobiles, it now brings it to production. Check back to a November 15, 2007 column written for Snowmobile.com by this not-so-modest writer and you’ll have the background you’ll need to understand the initial premise of Yamaha’s power-assisted steering.

For the full story please visit Snowmobile.com

polarisindy488 · 01-30-2010, 08:51 AM

is it a yamaha nitro rtx

**RJ Gleason** · 02-02-2010, 01:31 PM

Nope, Apex.

polarisindy488 · 02-02-2010, 07:30 PM

oh kool they look nice and man your on here every day nice wish i could do that

**RJ Gleason** · 02-03-2010, 07:53 AM

Don't work in the winter.

Jerrys1 · 02-03-2010, 10:45 AM

Hate to say it as I used to be a die hard yamaha rider but if they would cut a couple hundred pounds off the weight of their sleds they wouldnt need power steering!

JheLrey · 02-03-2010, 10:45 PM

More crap to break, like heated seats, etc.

cam615 · 03-20-2010, 09:19 PM

aggreed!

STROMVADER · 02-15-2011, 07:01 AM

More useless junk to break!

rgoers · 02-16-2011, 04:06 PM

No thanks!!!

In an emergency, I want something simple I can fix on the trail with ty-wraps and bubble-gum.

Renagade · 03-20-2011, 08:47 PM

now it on the vector es.
im not sure what my opinion is on powersteering.
im thinking its just another expence that we dont need, or can work on.
and yamaha sleds are nice but also very expencive.

mat · 11-22-2011, 10:23 AM

I agree... power steering is to heavy, and can't be fixed with good ol' hay wire! Besides, part of the joy of sledding is to go to bed tired at the end of the day!

Arctilaricataha · 12-08-2011, 01:13 PM

could save a life if you are 50 miles from civilization with a broken arm or collar bone or ribs...

rgoers · 12-08-2011, 11:03 PM

Oh come on... I broke my collar bone this past August riding my KLX250 bike off-road. I picked myself up, and rode it back to the truck... a good 5 miles away over rough trails. No power steering needed, even with a broken bone.

If I were on a sled, I'd have access to unlimited ice packs for the ride back... so it would have been even easier!!!

Jerrys1 · 12-09-2011, 07:24 AM

yea I have ridden one of their sleds with power steering and my XP chassis still steers easier than it without. My girlfriend got thrown last febuary and broke three ribs and was easily able to ride her XP the rest of the day to get back.

Arctilaricataha · 12-09-2011, 08:02 AM

I'm just trying to find a practicality for the EPA LOL that's all I could come up with

rgoers · 12-09-2011, 10:29 PM

The EPA is a sham... an endless money pit, that basically has it in for US industry and consumers as a whole!