Yamaha ‘back in the game’ with Wolverine R-Spec

Rec UTV part of still-growing side-by-side market

Yamaha side-by-side dealers who have not scoured their existing customer database recently might have just been given the ideal reason to do a search.

With the launch of the 2016 Wolverine R-Spec side-by-side, Yamaha now has a recreational side-by-side offering that might be an ideal fit for previous ATV customers. And it appears to be a category that will experience continued growth.

“There’s a huge pool of 4×4 ATV customers out there that have 20-30 years of accumulation. And as those customers get into their 40s and 50s, there’s almost no reason to stay with an ATV, unless it’s price point or you’re really an enthusiast who wants to ride, from a rider activity standpoint. That space is so massive, and Wolverine is really right on top of it. The potential is huge for the category to grow, and the opportunity for this model is really spectacular.”

That’s how Mike Martinez, Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A. vice president of Recreational Vehicle (RV) operations, described the potential Wolverine R-Spec end user to Powersports Business.

As Martinez noted, Yamaha’s Viking and Viking VI have provided dealers with an ideal entrant in the utility UTV market when it was launched two years ago.

“The Viking fits the utility customer extremely well, so that allowed us to really push the next vehicle into more recreation than we had in the past,” he said. “And as I mentioned, the step-up 4×4 ATV customers really figured into the Wolverine R-Spec. The side-by-side market is nowhere near being done creating the categories and products that are going to be out there. So our focus with the Wolverine was the guys who are ATV buyers now — what do they really want in their next side-by-side vehicle that they are going to buy? Even today — and this has held steady for the past five or six years that we’ve been studying it — 80 percent of all side-by-side buyers are stepping up from ATV still. So we have very few that are coming from side-by-side. Maybe 15 percent are switching or adding another side-by-side. We’re looking forward to Wolverine being incremental.”

With such a large percentage of first-time side-by-side buyers coming from the ATV side, it makes sense for dealers to get to know their perhaps long-forgotten 4×4 ATV customers. And the sooner, the better. Martinez first announced two years ago at a dealer meeting that Yamaha would be launching a new UTV every year for five years.

“Technically it’s been two years and we’ve launched three vehicles already,” Martinez said. “In that respect, I would say this is a bit of a wakeup call for dealers that we are back in the game. We are expanding our side-by-side lineup, and it’s going to be a good thing for dealers to see this model and really get them focused on this category.”

Dealer-tested

Prior to its press launch in January at Yamaha’s side-by-side factory in Newnan, Ga., Yamaha brought in 24 of its top-performing side-by-side dealers for demo rides of the Wolverine R-Spec.

“The feedback exceeded even my expectations. Whey they got off the vehicle, their excitement level was very, very high. It was like we [Yamaha personnel] weren’t even there,” he said. “They were talking to each other about how much fun they had on the vehicle and were thrilled about how the suspension worked and the off-road capabilities.”

Maximizing the Wolverine’s off-road performance appears to have hit the mark with dealers.

“The suspension was critical. The suspension and handling allows the average driver to drive much faster and more precisely than they could on previous machines. It’s a lot more confidence-building,” Martinez said.

Dealers’ enthusiasm after the ride proved to match their penchant for ordering. With several days left in the ordering period, the Wolverine R-Spec had already exceeded Yamaha’s “target number” for dealership orders.

“So yes, we’re extremely happy with how it’s been received by our dealers,” Martinez said.

Because of its versatility, the Wolverine R-Spec figures to find riders in about 80 percent of the U.S., particularly in wooded or mountainous regions.

Accessories a hit, too

Dealers have shown a liking for the cargo bed box from Yamaha Parts & Accessories.

“Everyone loves that, and the other big hit has been the spare tire holder,” Martinez said. “One dealer told me he was not going to put one unit on his showroom floor without the spare tire holder on it. He likes how it added to the look, and made it look like an off-road truck-type vehicle.”

With the Wolverine R-Spec serving as an ideal complement to the Viking, Yamaha dealers are entering the season eager to introduce the Wolverine to the rec market. The product is expected to begin shipping to dealers in April.

“We pushed the Viking as far utility as we could without giving up some of the off-road capability and comfort that we didn’t want to give up,” Martinez said. “With the Wolverine, that really allowed us to push more on the recreation side, with the longer travel suspension, compact cab, comfort, roominess — all those things we were looking for.”

With dealer orders stronger than expected, Martinez is encouraging dealers over and over again to try to find an appropriate off-road location to offer demo rides to customers. It’s an ideal sales tool both for the Wolverine and future Yamaha side-by-side vehicles. Because, as Martinez says, they will be coming.