4 Of The Highest Horsepower Snowmobiles Ever Built By Yamaha

The Yamaha Motor Company is known for making a wide range of products, from motorcycles to utility vehicles. It's also known for making them go fast. In the 1960s, the company ventured into building snowmobiles. It learned a lot from its first snowmobile design which was doomed to fail, and persevered to become one of the top snowmobile manufacturers out there, known for speed and power.

It shocked the world when the company announced it would cease selling snowmobiles in 2023, with the last to be sold in North America only until the 2025 model year. Yahama announced in a news release that it would "be difficult to continue a sustainable business in the snowmobile market." 

Before saying goodbye, however, it launched some of its highest horsepower models as a fond farewell. The 2025 lineup includes the turbocharged Sidewinder models, which are powered by Yamaha's Genesis 998 engine. This beefy engine with a stunning output also drives some of the beasts from Arctic Cat. 

Let's take a look at Yamaha's most powerful snowmobiles as they roar off into the sunset.

Yamaha stepped up its game when it introduced the Apex model in 2006. This snowmobile's power came from a naturally aspirated four-stroke, four-cylinder engine. At 998 cc, the engine delivered the horses equally as well as an 800cc two-stroke could, and offered torque across a wide rpm band for whenever a rider needed it. The one-passenger electric-start Apex cranked out at least 150 horsepower. 

The Apex quickly built up a fan following for its power and comfort over long rides. Riders looking to cruise along trails and flat lakes especially liked this snowmobile for its feet-forward riding position, giving riders a relaxed cruising seat. And who doesn't want to wrap their hands around heated hand grips? The tricked-out sled also sported a digital instrument panel that included a clock, tachometer, odometer, speedo, and fuel gauge. 

When the 2015 Apex was released, the MSRP for the base model was $14,149 in the U.S. 

Though it sounds like we might be talking about a van, the Transporter 800 in this case is a multi-purpose snowmobile from Yamaha based on an Arctic Cat Norseman X. It's designed for traveling in snow and hauling cargo (pulling sleds). The power for this workhorse comes from its two-stroke, 794 cc engine, which churns out 160 hp.

The Transporter 800 has a narrower track — 16” — for more maneuverability than, say, those with a 20" or 24" track. Riders can stay friendly with their neighbors because the 800's tuned pipe with stainless exhaust collector also has a silencer.

And unlike most of Yamaha's 2024 and 2025 models, this one has a windshield! Pricing for this 2025 touring and utility sled starts at $15,699. 

The Transporter Lite 2-Up is a lighter, lower-priced version of the Transporter, while still fitting into the full touring snowmobile category. However, it's powered by a much smaller two-stroke, single-cylinder 397 cc engine. 

The starting price for this Transporter is $10,599. 

Yamaha's line of Mountain Max snowmobiles are built to handle deep snow. The 2025 lineup includes the LE 165 and LE 154, with those numbers in the name referring to the length of the track, in inches. There's also a Mountain Max 154 SL. All three snowmobile models run on a 794 cc, two-stroke engine, but only the LEs offer electric start. The engine makes 165 hp for the heavier LEs and the "super light" SL version. 

What makes the Mountain Max a deep powder beast are its wide footprint and design to lift the sled's nose in front. At the rear, the PowerClaw track bites into the snow with massive 3.0-inch lugs. 

These mobiles are built to handle the slopes, with their narrow stance giving them great maneuverability, and allowing deep lean angles that make turning in powder and side-hilling thrilling. Yamaha has also done away with the sway bar to improve agility in deep snow. The LE 165 pricing starts at $16,299. 

The Mountain Max 800 LE 154 SL is focused on performance and ditches a few creature comforts in the name of shred. It weighs less than the LEs, in part because it has a manual start, losing the weight of an electric start motor and battery. It also has less storage space than its big brothers. This lighter, more mobile Max has a starting price of $15,699.

One of the first snowmobile riding tips for beginners is to pick a snowmobile that doesn't have an overwhelming amount of power. The Sidewinder would not be that beginner snowmobile.

The 2025 Sidewinder is available in S-TX GT EPS, X-TX LE EPS, X-TX SE, M-TXLE 153, L-TX LE EPS, L-TX GT EPS, SRX LE EPS, and L-TX SE models. Lurking under the frames of them all is the Yamaha Genesis 998 Turbo engine. It's a 998cc, four-stroke thunderbolt that produces 200 horsepower with no turbo lag, so riders had better be ready to go when it is. It delivers so much power that the championship-winning SRX LE EPS model is Yamaha's fastest-production snowmobile. It's said to go between 115 and 120 mph, flat out when conditions allow.

The 2025 models range in starting price from $18,099 for the L-TX SE to $21,499 for the SRX LE EPS (with a heated seat). 

Now, that might seem like a lot of horsepower for a production sled, but if you needed just a few more, the 2018 Sidewinder L-TX LE 50th Anniversary edition that was test-driven by Car and Driver spat out 204 horsepower. Its turbocharged inline-three hauled the 662 pounds of L-TX LE through a quarter mile in 12.2 seconds. Look out trees, here it comes!