Yamaha Unveils Electronic Power Steering

http://www.snowmobile.com/gallery/gallery.php/d/19814-3/Yamaha-Apex-front-end.jpg?g2_GALLERYSID=TMP_SESSION_ID_DI_NOISSES_PMT 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 (http://www.snowmobile.com/manufacturers/yamaha/yamaha-unveils-electronic-power-steering-1149.html)