Senior Yamaha representatives have confirmed the future of the WaveRunner business is safe – despite the planned shutdown of the Yamaha snowmobile division globally by the end of 2025.
In a statement issued on 28 June 2023, the Japanese manufacturer announced an “an eventual withdrawal of the snowmobile business” in Europe by the end of 2024 and in North America by the end of 2025.
Yamaha has been manufacturing snowmobiles since 1968, after applying its small motorcycle engine technology to the motorised winter vehicles.
“However Yamaha has concluded it will be difficult to continue a sustainable business in the snowmobile market,” the statement continued.
“Going forward, Yamaha will concentrate management resources on current business activities – and new growth markets.”
Following the statement from Yamaha’s global head office in Japan, senior representatives for the company in Australia told Watercraft Zone “WaveRunner is here to stay” – and noted the above announcement related solely to the snowmobile business.
In Australia, Yamaha WaveRunner has about 25 per cent of the personal watercraft market locally, behind market-leader Sea-Doo (70 per cent) and Kawasaki Jet Ski (5 per cent), according to sales data unearthed by Watercraft Zone.
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