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Thanks for the note. We reported what we got on the day. As the video says, rider weight, fuel load, water current, and wind all affect speed. Also although the built-in speedometer is GPS based we noticed it is not as accurate as our VBox (20 signals per second) so there’s another possible variation.

We love the Sea-Doo Explorer Pro. What’s puzzling is every time we take one for a ride, people ask what the windscreen is for. We thought the clue was in the name ‘windscreen’.

If we look at some of Kawasaki’s recent patent filings, you may get your wish of an electric trolling mode and GPS-based digital ‘anchor’ to hold the craft in position in a gentle current. That said, a patent application is no guarantee it will make it to showrooms. But it’s an encouraging sign.

Prices are getting up there but hopefully the actual consumer transaction prices will come back to earth once the 2025 stock starts to arrive in showrooms.

@@WatercraftZone Thank you for even replying. Thank you. I ve been pricing toyota tacomas, 2024 1k miles on it, 36k, water craft a toy that serves no purpose should not be priced equally, i mean unless they dont want to sell to general public and move more. The truck market took a huge dive because they thought everyone would pay higher prices no matter what. Turns out its not true. But Im not an economy expert. I do believe reachable prices to the general public moves more product. Again thank you for even taking the time to respond to my less than elegant statement. Your time was appreciated

Thanks for the note. We are not a fan of changing any ski from stock. Modifications can affect warranty, and most skis are fast enough as they are.

We can't wait! The first examples of the new generation 2025 Yamaha JetBlaster series are due in Australia in the first couple of months of 2025. We will be sure to test them as soon as we can. Thank you for the note.

@ sweet sounds good! This review was great also, I’m currently torn between the two.

​@@Mtn_Mateofibreglass hull or plastic hull easy decision.

@ sea doos polytech is time tested and works well? What about Yamahas paint problem?

Thanks for the note. You make a good point. We've always interpreted Yamaha's use of the word 'efficient' when describing the new 1.9-litre engine to be about fuel efficiency. It certainly makes more power than before, and it bridges the gap between other brand's non-supercharged and supercharged skis. Interestingly, though, the new 1.9 was barely any quicker than the previous 1.8 in our testing. So we've ended up with a ski that uses more fuel to deliver largely the same result (though the mid-range is stronger). In many ways, it shows what a great job the 1.8 was doing for all those years. We wish Yamaha kept the old 1.8 and just spent some money upgrading the fuel injector wiring harness so they would stop fraying. Surely that would have been cheaper than a whole new engine. For now, Sea-Doo's 1630cc non-supercharged engine has the fuel economy advantage in the large, full-size Jet Ski class (Sea-Doo GTX 170/Fish Pro 170, Yamaha FX HO, Kawasaki Ultra 160). Thanks for the note and thanks for sharing that thought. Appreciate the feedback as always.

Hey thanks so much for the note and the kind words. The Yamaha FX HO is top of our list for ocean or choppy conditions, though the bow bounces around a little more since Yamaha changed the ride plate a couple years ago (2022 model year onwards) to bring the nose up to get a bit of extra top speed. I would consider fitting the flat ride plate from the Yamaha FX SVHO to bring the nose down and carve through chop better. This will reduce top speed by about 5mph or 8kmh but it's worth it. It will be better in the mid-range speeds. I love the Kawasaki Ultra hull but the handlebars are too far rearward and it's not comfortable to ride while standing (which you need to do in the ocean to save your back). Hope this helps and good luck!

Thanks for the note. We agree the Sea-Doo Fish Pro Trophy is a triumph of industrial design and has clearly been thought out for the fishing market. Here’s hoping Yamaha continues to develop its entry in this space. And we also can’t wait to get on the new Kawasaki Angler when it arrives.

Great feedback. We love the Sea-Doo Linq system and we use the fuel caddys all the time when riding out in the ocean. In our experience the 20L holds on better than the 15L. Wriggles less on the Linq tabs. Also worth noting we have had a Linq tab break so be sure to take good care of them when opening and closing them. Thanks again for the note.

Yeah it’s a mystery to us as well. Hopefully Yamaha finds a way to make the 1.9 more efficient with further fine tuning of the engine management system. We loved the previous 1.8. All Yamaha needed to do to give that motor a new lease on life was fit a better fuel injector wiring harness that was more resistant to fraying and we’d have been set.

Insurance costs vary according to your riding experience, who you insure with, whether you plan to use it all year or lay it up some months, and where the ski is stored.

@@WatercraftZone Thanks!!

Jet skis are legally limited to 69 mph, if u remove it the ski will do 85mph

It will also do 0-60in less than 4 seconds.

@TheTungsten that's not impressive, considering it's not for drag racing, its for fishing.

Thanks for the note. We understand why you would say that because the bow storage in the Sea-Doo is way more accessible than it is in the Yamaha, but the Yamaha has by far the biggest bow storage and glovebox in the market today. The figures supplied by Sea-Doo and Yamaha on their specification sheets show this.

Great question. It’s not clear at this stage whether Kawasaki will make those parts available as accessories for other Ultra owners. However, at some point, we expect the pods will be added to the spare parts list so owners of the Angler can replace damaged parts. Perhaps that is the way to get them. The parts list for this model is yet to be released to the best of our knowledge. Be sure to check with your Kawasaki Jet Ski dealer. Thanks again for the note.

Now, now. Don’t be like that. This query comes up a lot. Jet Ski is now a widely used, globally accepted, generic term for these craft. Anytime they are mentioned on the TV news they are referred to as Jet Skis. When people research online they search ‘Jet Ski’ not ‘personal watercraft’. Kawasaki hasn’t fought the generic use of the Jet Ski terminology for years.

Wrong.

Thanks for sharing your feedback. Sorry you left the Jet Ski world so soon. If you come back, maybe give Yamaha or Sea-Doo a try.

@@WatercraftZone oh i am a off shore rider bro, right back into a seadoo again.

We hear you. It’s a close call in many ways. But if choosing between the Kawasaki Ultra 160 and the Yamaha FX HO 1.9, we would lean towards the Yamaha. Both are thirsty (for non-supercharged skis) but the Yamaha has a more comfortable riding position, larger bow storage, a larger centre console, a higher top speed, better acceleration, and the FX is also a great hull in the chop.

@@WatercraftZone I am likely a couple years away from purchasing a new pwc, but looking to do a lot of riding and exploring in both fresh and salt water. Reliability, comfort, range and storage are probably my main concerns. Looks like there are a lot of good options out there. The explorer pro and fish pro are good looking options too. Do many people leave Yamaha or Kawasaki to buy a Seadoo?

Thanks for the note. That is Yamaha’s claim. But we have the fuel bills (and consumption and GPS distance data) that prove otherwise. Testing the new 1.9 FX HO over hundreds of kilometres over several riders has demonstrated to us at least that the 1.9 is not only thirstier than the previous 1.8, it’s as thirsty as a supercharged 1.8. So it will be interesting to see just how thirsty a supercharged 1.9 is when it is eventually released. We sincerely hope Yamaha is over-fuelling the new 1.9 engine in its early phase to mitigate any dramas. Over time we hope Yamaha finds ways to make it run more efficiently.

Great question. The tiered seating is really only helpful if you plan to have a passenger or two. That said, even full size skis are not very stable when more than one person is on board. It’s really only suited to one adult and one or two kids behind the driver. If you mainly ride solo, the flat seat will be fine. Hope this helps. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a note.

@@WatercraftZoneyeah I will be taking passengers every so often i just love the look of the standard ho not sure how that seat would be for carrying passengers though, silly question but would it be possible to fit a tiered seat from a cruiser to a standard ho if I decided to do so later?

@@aidenfoster5432 which one did you get? I drove the cruiser and found annoying that you can’t sit a little farther back because of the “backrest”

Sea-Doo had a model with suspension under the platform about a decade ago but it was too costly to maintain and so it did not continue with the technology. In rough chop riding any Jet Ski can be tough on your back. Which is why crouching or standing is better.

Thanks for the feedback! Since this review published there is now new generation Sea-Doo Spark and (just around the corner) a new generation Yamaha JetBlaster. We will be sure to revisit the battle between this pair as soon as we are able. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a note!

Thanks for the note. We love the Kawasaki Ultra hull and the new top deck but we hope Kawasaki is working on an engine upgrade or a complete power overhaul. Especially the Ultra 160 which is thirstier AND slower than its non-supercharged rivals from Sea-Doo and Yamaha.

Thank you. And thanks for taking the time to leave a note. Glad we could help. May we ask, what did you find most helpful in the video? Thanks again.

Not many more sleeps now and we will have the 2025 Kawasaki Ultra 160 Angler arriving in showrooms.

@@WatercraftZonehow long do you think ?

Thanks for the question. You can use this ski in fresh water or salt water. However it is recommended to flush with fresh water for about 90 seconds after each ride.

That's a great question. I have refuelled on the ocean with the Sea-Doo Explorer Pro and the Fish Pro. If possible, go into a bay to shield the craft from waves and wind. However, even in swell it is possible to refuel. Be patient (it is easy to lose the fuel caddy lid which is in three parts) and use a jiggle hose or a battery-powered suction hose to transfer the fuel into the ski. Don't rely on the Sea-Doo fuel caddy nozzle, it is very hard to use and you will spill a heap of fuel. Helpfully, Sea-Doo ST3 models have a fuel filler cap up high near the glovebox. You can rest the fuel caddy on your lap or seat. Good luck! And thanks for the question.

Thanks for your feedback. We totally agree the GTR-X is a huge amount of fun (and really hope the next-generation ST3 hull addresses the ‘bow hunt’ of the current model). That said, we are a little bit jealous of your two ski garage. Nice one!

Thank for the note. As you can appreciate it takes a lot of effort to collect that data so we are grateful for your feedback. As we say in the video, we know some people get higher speeds (and sometimes lower) but we are aiming to deliver a guide on how various skis compare. Same rider. Same stretch of water. And sometimes we do multiple craft in one day for even closer consistency. All that said, we reckon even the slowest skis are still a huge amount of fun. And we’re quite happy with the fastest FACTORY delivered ski topping out about 120kmh. We don’t really want to go too much faster than that :)) Kudos to anyone who wants to travel in excess of that speed. Thanks again for stopping by and leaving a note!

SCOM doesn’t work on 2024 models. Before GPS kicks in, I’ve seen it hit 73mph. Mind you if tuned it would see the more drag, but 1-3mph from what I’ve heard from racers.

@@Vikturus2k6 the new Maptuner Nano is the SCOM for the ‘24 up models.

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah they’re both pretty thirsty these days. Especially as newer craft have gotten heavier and more powerful over the years. As it stands, though, you’re better off on the SVHO because the new 1.9 naturally aspirated uses just as much fuel but without the SVHO power or acceleration. Crazy times. Happy riding and thanks for leaving a note.

Thanks for the note. We use launch control on each ski we test (when available) purely for consistency and to explore what the manufacturer has deemed best. Otherwise if we adjust trim on the fly, it comes down to technique, which could vary from craft to craft and from test to test.

Both are fine in salt water it really depends on your riding style. If you prefer to sit (even through chop) then the Sea-Doo RXP-X 325 would be the go, but if you want the option of standing or crouching (to protect your back) then the Yamaha FX SVHO has a better riding position for that. Hope this helps!

@@WatercraftZone what i really wanted to say is this. I am originally a yamaha fan but but performance plays a huge role in my riding experience so i am thinking of getting a see doo i am looking for smth that goes 72 mph or more but i am afraid see doo will give problems in salt water as yamaha is known for more reliable jet-skis my yamaha fx svho limited can berry squeeze 67 mph

​@Baltintroshku the best ski if you're looking for performance is 100% the rxpx325. If you get a SCOM unit for 200 bucks some people have seen over 80mph. I do beat the stock 325 on my modified 300 but the launches are pretty similar and I pull away hard at 30 ish mph. It's the only ski I've ever raced that's been able to hang with me off the launch. Never lost to a yamaha. If you like launching then seadoo all day because the yamahas have a tendency to cavitate.

@@WatercraftZone standing on a FX? Man, you have to have long legs because of this sofa they call seat

Thanks for the note. We hear you. All the entry and middle of the range skis need to step up their game when it comes to the digital instrument cluster. Full colour technology is relatively accessible, affordable and proven now. Time for old school LCD screens to make way for the good stuff.

FX has touch screen (GTX model) rumour has it 2026 rxp/RXT will have it too

@@Vikturus2k6can’t wait to see what the 26 models will have in waiting for the 26 rxtx