Great video. I raced these for 7 years at World Finals. A couple notes to add. In 1997 the XP hourglass hull was released with (2) white engines. The 787 and limited edition 947 for racing. The 947 had an aggressive exhaust system and port timing. It was only produced one year. In 1998 the XPL was released with a silver 951 engine as a production unit. The 98’ had a single coil ignition and had problems with exhaust manifold to pipe water leaks which would spray in to air box. This was also compounded when people would duck dive them, fill them with water and seize the engines. In 99’ XPL was revised adding airbox intake baffles, o-ringed exhaust flange joints, a rubber diaper on pipe, twin coil ignition and revised carb jetting. In 2000 the carbon drive shaft seal was added replacing the grease bearing. The 2001, 02 XPL were unchanged besides, graphics each year. These were great years to own. In 2003 EPA regulations mandated change from the OEMs. Carb 2-strokes were being phased out but BRP had new tech with FICHT fuel injection which we hoped would keep 2-strokes alive! The 2003 XPDI offered a completely new 951cc direct injected engine. It of course had glitches with new electronics and crank driven high pressure fuel pump. In 2002 Kawasaki racing developed the 15F, 1500cc four stroke, adapting a ninja street bike based 4-cylinder engine. The XPL 951, Kawi 15F and Yamaha GPR 1200 were close on race track. However in modified class factory kawi team installed Vortech Superchargers on 15F engine and then checked out in races! Lapped all competitors, nobody even close! Seadoo answered with the all new 2003 Racing - XP. It had a Rotax 1503cc (3) cylinder engine with factory supercharger and all new hull to float the added weight. The old XP hourglass hull could not support the weight in front. The 4-stroke engine was simply too heavy. This killed the hourglass hull and DI engine that year. The XP lives on today as the 4-stroke RXP. The price of RXP doubled then triple over time. The Spark was released as a low cost machine more people could afford. They built them in Mexico so they could lower price substantially. It worked, they sold like hot cakes for lower cost family fun rides.
Dude, thanks for the awesome comment! It’s super cool to hear from someone who raced these beasts for seven years at the World Finals! I was born in '93, so I totally missed that golden era but love hearing all about it. You’re spot on about the 1997 XP and the hourglass hull. While I wasnt there, I know a lot about all the XP gens... The 787 and that limited edition 947 are rare now because they were the in-between engine before the mainstream 951... That aggressive exhaust system sounds wild. It’s crazy to think how much detail went into those machines each year. I love hearing about the small differences between years... things like the issues you mentioned on the '98 XPL. Those leaks must have been a real headache for racers! The upgrades in '99 and the transition to the carbon drive shaft seal in 2000 were definitely notable changes... Many riders still say how they prefer the old grease nipple, but the issue is most forgot to do it. I know all too well about the DI pivot... I personally love the DI and it's been a mega machine for me, but I understand why people hated the move from the much easier tunable carb. It’s interesting to see how the EPA regulations pushed for a shift away from carb 2-strokes, but it’s cool that BRP had fuel injection tech to keep the 2-strokes alive for a bit longer, and to be fair, shows a reluctance to move to 4-stroke. Kawasaki’s 15F dominating the modified class is insane-those Vortech superchargers must’ve been wild! It’s also crazy how the old XP hull had to evolve with the heavier 4-stroke engines and how that all led to the RXP today. The Spark being introduced as a more affordable option was a smart move; it definitely opened up the fun for more riders! Thanks for sharing all this knowledge, man! It’s always great to learn more about these iconic machines and their history. Keep riding and sharing the passion!
EPA regulations is what got rid of the two stroke Jet Skis around 2004. With the bigger heavier four stroke engines the hulls had to get bigger and less nimble.
Very very good point, I should have covered that as very very true... I know my Di was a push towards making the 2 stroke XP more emission conscious, but yes 4 stroke was for sure the death of the smaller machines... I still just love the old stuff more, can't help it... Thanks for watching and supporting dude ✌
@@classicjetskis epa takes all the fun in power sports. Funny thing is though. All my local go to lakes here in Northern California still allow them to be on the water with zero issue. I love these old school xp’s and any pwc from the mid 90’s! I love the way they look and coloring haha they just bring me back to my younger years.
The Seadoo X4 Hull the greatest Ski ever made. All these years later and they are still alive and well. East Coast Watercross this last season had over 30 X4's racing in the ciricut.
Nice man, I have never rode a XP X4 or SPX for that matter with the hump seat... still have a 96 or 1999 spx x4 on my bucket list to find... thanks for watching dude ✌
I love these videos on the history of the XP, I rode a lot of these skis growing up, I bought my very first 99 XP limited in 2000 when I was around 17 years old, I bought it used, I remember when supercharged 4 strokes started showing up to the river, it would blow all the 2 strokes in top speed, and at that time everyone wanted speed, we were getting bored of the freestyle riding and we just wanted speed, The first time I jumped on a supercharged 4 stroke I was sold, It was extremely easy to manoeuvre around the docks and load onto the trailer etc, and the mind blowing top speed was a hit when you’d slowly start to pull away from the 2 strokes as they ran out of legs And before we new it the 2 strokes were gone, little did we know at the time how much we would miss those small light weight 2 stroke jetskis I could talk all day about the history and the fun we used to have back in the old days, It’s so good to see you making these videos on this subject, it brings back a lot of memories God bless
Dude, I’m stoked you’re enjoying the XP history vids! It’s awesome to hear about your '99 XP Limited and how the supercharged 4-strokes shifted the game. While those 4-strokes were all about speed and ease of handling, I totally get why you miss the old-school 2-strokes. They had that lightweight, nimble feel that made them so much fun to ride. It’s great to see these videos bringing back those memories. There’s something special about those classic 2-strokes that you just can’t replace. Thanks for sharing your story, and thanks for watching! 😊👌
The 90's was so great for jetskis. Racing was huge. The 96XP started the HP war between all the brands. Yamaha, Kawasaki and Polaris put out so many great skis. XP's were everywhere and are still so popular today. The new 4 strokes are no were near as fun as a 2 stroke.
I agree with all of this lol... couldn't have said it better myself... I wish I could have seen the 90s in real time... seemed like a truly epic time to be around skis... I would have loved to have bought a XP 787 1996 new... I can see what you're saying about HP wars... you look at the likes of the wave raider 1100 vs the 787.... thanks for watching dude ✌🙌
Thank you, it took some time I must say, I even had to convert old VHS tapes my Dad had to get the digital files of these old promos/owner videos... I want to make a follow up as people have mentioned a number of areas I missed... so much to cover though. Thanks again for watching 💪
My brother purchased the 97 XP and I want to get the same ski, he said just wait for 98 XPL and I did and there was a big difference between the skis, but we had so much fun riding everywhere and on everything, Kept my ski till 2004 with many mods for handling and performance. Then kids came along… bought boats off and on till I got sick of them…Came home in afternoon and surprised the bride and bought a 2017 RXP… then since finding you on YT I keep wanting to buy a 98 XPL… came close a couple times this year but not being able to find electrical components scared me off. Keep up the great work mate. 🤜🏻
Man thanks for sharing this story, I love hearing peoples history with these classics... the 98 XPL was a great ski and is definitely considered a better year to buy with the 951 vs the 787... As for being scared off, IMO you can get any parts you need, there is a great community online and if you're prepared to be patient and find a clean example to start with, look after it, you shouldn't really be needing anything more than the usual wear and tear bits to keep these machines going... the key is to find a clean unmolested example to start with... But with all the said, the risk is worth the reward... the riding experience on the older skis IMO is far more enjoyable than modern day... the new stuff is great but as for simple fun factor, the old stuff rules... the great thing about the 951 xps, they had a balance between fun but actual true performance. Thanks for watching and supporting dude 🙌✌
@@classicjetskis I’ve been searching for as you say a ‘ clean 951 ‘ it brings back good memories.… keep up the great work. Wishing you and the family a happy new year 🥳
This brings back so many great memories. They were awesome watercraft. I was fortunate enough to buy a 1995 SP brand new which i absolutely loved and then a 1996 SPX and a 1996 GTI. I currently just purchased a 2024 GTX and I am considering picking up a 1996 XP just to bring back the memories. Thanks for the awesome video man.
Thanks, Jeff, really glad you enjoyed this video... It was a lot of work, but I think it's important to honor the legacy of this machine. I'm still riding and loving my 717 XP 1995 now, and it never gets old... I think I prefer it to my Spark overall. The GTX 2024 is the ST3 hull...(My dad has the RXTX 300 ST3), which is all about cutting through chop, so you won’t be flicking that around much. So yeah, picking up an X4 hull would be a fun ski to have for when you want to get loose. Thanks for watching, dude.
Man thats ace to hear, thats ones of the main reason I make these videos.. to keep the spirit of these great machines alive. So glad its sparked good memories... Thanks for watching dude 🙌😊
I had the honor of living through the SEA-DOO boom years and that purple and green monster 1991 XP revolutionized the "sit-down" watercraft market forever. I've owned the 89 SP. 94 SP. 95 HX. 96 XP. Today I own the SEA-DOO SWITCH in my 50's. The 90's were the best. I do think today's PWC are better but the lawyers have taken a lot of the craziness out.
Love this... lucky man getting to live through these epic years... I love my 1991 XP... so much fun to ride with that flat bottom hull that spins so well... Also love the SP's... I have just picked up the HX and can't wait to get out on it, once I restore it... hopefully this summer.. Nice to here you're still out on the water... the switches look interesting with that modularity... Interesting you say todays PWC are better... that I think will have to agree to disagree on😂... I love both old and new... but old rules 😊👌
Nice man, great to hear like me you have a love for the old stuff as a lot of people our age are seadoo spark or nothing... and a lot of the time, don't even know about 2 strokes... like you love the GSX... Keep it going dude, thanks for watching and supporting!
Living up north in the 90s I will tell you why these hulls will never come back for retail. I remember hearing more than once in spring of someone who took out an XP or SP on a warm April day. To the middle of a lake and dying of hypothermia because they fell off and didn't know how to remount the hull from the back. They would roll it over on the side. That's really what killed these hulls. The GTX line solved that problem and today we have these massive PWC.
Bingo. I actually had this happen to me when I was about 5 years old. I was riding with my mom. She slowed to an idle to chat with who we were riding with and we rolled over. I still remember the purple rub rail on the 92 XP going under water 30 years later lol. Unable to remount the ski my cousin swam out about 100 yards with a jacket on, got on the ski, got me on the ski, fired up the ski (no dess, just held the kill switch) and got me back to shore to warm up. We were all fine but we had a newfound respect for lake Erie on Memorial day when the water is only 55 degrees. Eventually, moved to 96 and 97 GTXs for a better ride, more stability, and more power.
I hear what you're saying but do have to politely disagree with your suggestion the GTX is the reason they stopped making more tippy skis... the X4 ran from 1995 to 1999 ( and before that, the XP was the SP hull and SP gen 2 hull) and were some of, if not the most popular models seadoos ever made.... tippy skis were a thing right up until the late 90s... the issue is, some riders that jumped on the XP/SP/SPI models, weren't really aware of the rider skill level needed to ride these more tippy hulls. Thereafter blaming the machine when in reality as you have touched on, they were just riding the wrong ski for their particular riding needs... the GTX wasn't brought into the solve any issues with the XP, it was brought in to increase market share for family's and riders that like you say, didn't want to deal with XP tippyness... in fact the GTX basically ran in parallel to the xp model every year... IMO a gtx is far too easy and stable for my riding style ( a logic many riders would agree with)... the gtx is a great machine for 2 up riding, although me and my better half ride 2 up on xps fine... I personally think people just bought the wrong model... this happens to this day... family's will buy a seadoo spark and then realise they should have bought a GTI/GTX.. it doesn't mean the spark hull is bad or wrong, as there are many that love the connection with the water that you tend to loose, the bigger the hull gets. What I would say though is, there is a real issue with people buying/or jumping on a friends ski, not taking the time to respect the water and then get caught out... here in the UK we have great training courses for the uninitiated but you will always get idiots that take skis out and take risks, make mistakes then that renders more issues for all riders. Normally aswell as I say, blaming great skis along the way.... A great example I always use is people that drive auto cars, when they drive manual tend to complain about changing gear, but for people that love to drive manual that is part of the experience, in the same way for riders that want to test their balance, endurance and so on, an XP still to this day is unmatched. Thank you for watching and don't take what I'm saying as the GTX is a bad ski, my dad had one and I loved riding it, I also respect your input but wanted to give an alternative balanced view on this. 😊
Man I love this, that must have been epic buying the now iconic 1996 787 XP new... now finding clean ones is so hard here in the UK. It’s like anything though, when you buy something at a relative time you don’t think about 30 years later and how rare it would be if you held onto it. Thank you for watching 💪🏻👍🏻
DI issue is high pressure fuel pump failure, $900 part and nobody really has an aftermarket one that works. Needs to work on low amp draw. Had 2 DI’s both had crank failure around 125-150 hours. Original 951 had a leaky block to exhaust pipe seal allowing water to drip into throttle bodies. Seadoo revised gasket and also added rubber deflectors to keep water away from Throttle bodies. Crank failures often destroy the block. Basic injection system is trouble free! Winterizing coolant system is a pain.
Totally get where you’re coming from, mate. While I’ve had no issues with my DI, I know others have had a rough time with them. For me, it’s been rock solid-better pick-up than carbs and always fires up when properly maintained. But yeah, I can see how crank failures and that $900 fuel pump can be a headache for some. It really depends on how well they're looked after! Tbh my stance is what ever any of my skis need I would spent it anyway as I love these machines and keeping them going is whats its all about, its nothing for me to drop 2-3k into restoring a ski. Thanks for watching!
Man that 2000 model is stunning! That's awesome! The 2000 Seadoo XP model are definitely eye-catching and have a timeless appeal. They really do stand out with the spring seat and parabolic hull design. You have a solid argument for best ski ever made but dude the x4 hulls are another level of fun. Thanks for watching 😎✌
93's had big handling problems when they first came out. The hull didn't have sponsons and they were added as options and fixes later. I can't remember if they were a recall thing. I don't think they were. You said "94" but I think you were talking about the 93' model. 94's all had sponsons as standard. The older 91-92 hull could benefit from sponsons as well but it wasn't nearly as bad for porpoising or unhooking in high speed turns.
Thanks for the info dude, yes you maybe right... I thought the 1994 was still an optional extra but you're probably right, if the issue was there in 1993 then logical standard part/fix for the 1994 model... I actually love the spin out nature of the 1991/1992 xp but do hear you with the fact sponsons would improve things in areas... Thanks for watching dude ✌🙌
Thanks, gr8 Vid. I see that you had a clip of an HX in their too. I always considered the HX to be the forerunner to the last gen XP Ltd, more so than the old XP's.
Yes 100% that is why there is some footage in there, however if I would have covered this I would have wanted to spend another 10 mins on this point alone... think I will make a follow up video covering more details around bits I missed. The HX as you say is 100% the foundation of the final gen XP parabolic v. Thanks for watching dude 🙌✌
My friend has a 96gsx and I have a 97gtx. They’re older than us and have given us a life time of memories in the short time we have owned them. A bucket list item of mine is to rebuild a stock xp
Man thats epic! I totally agree an old 2 stroke will put every bit as big a smile on your face as going out and spending 10s of thousands on a new ski... My 717 XP 1995 makes me smile probably more than my 11k spark. All skis are fun but people don't realise picking up a clean 1-2k old 2 stroke to get you on the water, is so much more rewarding than committing to a 10k-20k ski. Thanks for watching 💪✌
I have a 94 Yamaha VXR PRO I just rebuild the 701 engine on, thing is so much fun to slide around and fast enough (45ish mph) only thing is it drifts instead of carving into turns like the XP seems to. My other big fat 96 Wave Venture 700 turns better! Gotta keep the 90s skis ripping, awesome video!
Nice man, great work... I think 60mph is the sweet spot, hence why I love a stock 951 the most... my GSX LTD and 2003 XP both do 63mph easy and still very fun to spin and corner so well... as you say the X4 takes a lot more rider skill to get the most out of it... like you, initially I found the X4 hard to turn how I wanted it to... I then realised the more you push it hard and be brave, the more it turns into a race machine... the X4's are all about rider skill... when you mentioned the bigger Wave Venture, what you're experiencing there isn't better turning its better compliance... manufactures started to make skis easier to ride, thus creating a better sense of confidence in what the ski was doing... all skis have great characteristics in their own ways, but without doubt, when the X4 is rode like the old racers used to race them back in the day... they are great race machines... there is of course the necessity to mod them to get the most of out them, which is another reason why a stock gsx 951 IMO is a better out of the box ski. Thanks for watching dude 😊🙌
Back in the 1990’s I had a 1992 XP and a 1996 XP. I did not like the new hull design they went to in 1997 for the XP. I also had a 1999 SPX. I loved all 3 of these jet skis. Most fun jet skis I have ever been on. So much fun. Small lightweight and with the 110hp pretty fast too. Seadoo needs to bring the XP back and as a X4 hull.
Nice skis that you had dude... I really want a 1999 spx X4... I love all the gen XP for different reason... for all out fun the flat bottom 1st gen XP is a blast... for a balance between fun and performance the X4 and then for all out performance, for me its got to be the 951... THE 951 IMO is when we truly saw out of the box 60mph speed which to this day feels like a true performance machine... the 787 were great but there is a reason people moded them... BTW I love the 787/717 but the 951 for me is the perfect performance curve for a stock ski lover like me...Thanks for watching as always dude 🙌👌
Great video and thanks for the information. I love my 90s Seadoos. I'm from the states and they get stored 6 months of the year. Every year I take them out they start right up because I store them correctly.
Good man, its great to hear you're giving your classics the love and attention they deserve, always breaks my heart when I see people abusing how they store these skis... A lot of riders overlook the importance of correct storage. Keep those classics alive my friend, thanks for watching and supporting dude ✌👌
We had one of those 97 models and 2 yellow GTXs. At the time, they had the best hulls. We had tried waverunners and they were so sketchy at high speeds. Those seadoos felt like they were on rails in calm water. Those GTXs were my favorite, and they were so reliable for cruising around in the intercoastal rivers here in FL.
Love this, thanks for sharing dude! So I have amazing memories as a kid of riding my Dads GTX Millennium! I must admit the X4 1up XP is where my love is and don’t know as much about the bigger GTX hulls, but for sure that period in time I would agree (as I have a Yamaha Wave Raider) the Seadoo handles a lot better... My 1100 Wave Raider can be sketchy as you say, especially with 2 riders! Thanks for watching dude
You got it, working on other history style videos to add to the playlist.... have an interesting one on the Yamaha blasters. Thanks for watching and supporting the channel.
95 XP 717 and 96 SPX had different gauges. The XP had 3 while the SPX had 2. Also X4 literally means 4th gen...so calling the X4 hull a Gen 2 is confusing haha. And im surprised you didnt mention how the bottom of the hulls are way different, mainly with the 95-99 X4s having removable trim tabs so they can put on custom and aftermarket tabs with different angle degrees for different riding styles. Basically all 951s have water ingestion issues due to the intake openings being facing upward. The changes were later in the airbox being able to drain water with 1 way valves. Theres also rubber flaps to help reduce water going into the intake boots. The issue with DI engines are there just more electrical crap, from injectors and regulators, fuel pump and then they also have an extra air compressor piston added to the engine which fail, and can cause issues and run the engine lean and ruin it. Cables and carb jets are easily available...alot of the DI electrical stuff isnt so much readily available. Fuel pump fails and you're looking at $600 for a new aftermarket one as new oem isnt available. I believe an air compressor rebuild kit is about $300, again no oem ones available only aftermarket. For a mere $150 i can get a full carb rebuild kit and choke and throttle cables are about $100-160. Even a new oil injection cable is only $30 for the carb version...one for the DI isnt even available new anymore. You covered alot in this video tho...some things you forgot. You mentioned the manual trim in the 92 but didnt mention the electrical vts trim in the newer ones. Also maybe should mention the gas tank recall, or maybe do a separate video on that? Great video though. Love the clips of the old 90s seadoo marketing footage. I have alot of that too, was afraid to use it for copyright purposes tho.
What can I say dude, informative as ever 👌👌I hear what you're saying re number of gens but I think my breakdown in terms of aesthetic generations makes sense and easy for people to wrap their head around... I did cover the hull differences between 1993-1994 and then 1995-1996 and the fact the X4 is a huge improvement to the Gen 2 SP on the 1993-1994, but in terms of visual differentiators in reality its the exact same top deck design... We call 1997-2004 the same gen even though lots of details changed in those years, as like I say when a model looks the same, most call this the same gen even though details change, otherwise every year could be called a different gen... for me a gen is easiest described as the overall aesthetic generation. I'm not saying you're wrong and I'm right, but that's my take on it. I know you wanted me to cover more and maybe I will make a follow up covering the areas I missed, but things like electric trim vs manual... when I mentioned manual trim I recall saying something to the effect of, 1992 xp had manual trim unlike the later electric... The main focus for me was around the hull changes which I think I nailed but if I make another video I will try cover these other areas... Re your thoughts on the DI, as discussed before mate I disagree... my Di has been fantastic and comparable to carb maintenance is night and day... your argument/complaint of more complexity is unfair as the DI used more complex engineering and was the start of the direct injection, so as with any engineering it takes a while to get it right... in the same way the white engine block vs yellow on the early xp/sp had cooling issues that got worked out... and no I'm not saying DI is the exact same as this example but what I'm saying is engineering takes years to get right... everything nowadays is DI and we take it for granted... My Di for the first 25mph is as quick as my dads RXTX 300... I have rode a RX carb 951 and GSX 951 and neither had the smooth power band to pull and do this... DI is smooth and effortless... I love a carb but you really should give more love to the XPDI... its a great machine, I think the DI is best described as a high performance athlete, as in when running right its untouchable, but isn't exempt to injury, as is no ski... The way I would conclude this point is a correctly maintained DI vs a correctly maintained carb... the DI will be on the button every time a carb will not... As for the fuel tank, I agree this needs a separate video I think... I think you know more than me on this so could be a good one for you to cover mate. As always thanks for watching and appreciate your input and take on things
I currently own a 2000 rx 951 carb model and a 1997 spx and everytime I bring them to lake with groups of people with four strokes everyone wants to ride them most popular by fare
Likewise... I totally resonate with this! I think its the fact most assume more speed means more fun... most fun happens up to around 40-50mph, twisting and turning, jumping, falling off etc... and these old crafts just do this to a T... the newer skis IMO are more about speed and rider compliance. I honestly don't think seadoo designed these with the mindset to test riders skill and even for them to need to fall off any more.. BTW I love the 951 RX... is it the silver and red millennium one... if so I love this year colour way... they changed to the all yellow in the following years. Thanks for watching dude 🙌
Wow this was great. What a nice tribute to a legend. I had all the other popular watercraft brands in the 90's and can tell you that when I got my first Sea Doo GTX? in 1997, a forest green colored 3 seater, it blew my mind. It was so planted in the water in rough chop that I just couldn't believe it! And still very playful. I'm trying now to figure out what year and model I had exactly as I can't recall. I'd like to replace it. There's a yellow GTi I see a lot of for sale in our area and don't think that is the model. I want to say mine had 3 gauges and the Gti seems to have just 2. Also, the reverse function was game changing. Essentially like having brakes. Liked and subscribed and do you have a video on the 3 seaters?
Hey buddy! Dude, I’m pumped you enjoyed the tribute! Your 1997 Sea-Doo GTX sounds like a blast - the way it handled rough water and stayed playful is many people love them over the X4s 🌊🤩 As for figuring out your exact model, if it had three gauges, it sounds like it might’ve been a GTX model or possibly a GTX Limited, which often had more features. The GTi you’re seeing might have fewer gauges and features, so you’re probably right about that not being the one. The reverse function is definitely a helpful thing to have for sure... when you think having this in the 90s was way ahead of its time. I’m stoked you liked and subscribed! I don’t have a specific video on the 3-seaters at the moment, but I’ll definitely consider it for the future. Stay tuned and good luck with finding your dream ride again. Thanks for watching 👍💪😎
Also i think in 97 with the larger hourglass hull change, the XP kinda began to evolve into the RXP model, with BRP moving more towards larger hulls with larger powerfull engines. You also have the larger and still versatile RX and RXX models.
Good point... for me though the parabolic V with a 951 still has its own unique riding feel, which still feels like a vital part of the XP story model arch.... I love that a stock 951 XPDI holds its own to this day... stock that is... a X4 does not... sure if you mod one then yeh its a different story, but a parabolic xp has the best of 2 stroke but a more realistic platform for riding both course and sea to this day... Me and megs can go out on our XPDI all day along side my days rxtx rs 300 and it holds it own... a 717 can't... I'm sure a 787 is better but you know me I'm a stock man... I'm sure you will say a modded x4 787 will hold its own, but you wouldn't ride a x4 2 up for long... a XPDI you can get away with it... the same is true of my gsx ltd 951... they have a great connection with the water plus more power out the box... For me the X4 is a playful ski for spinning and jumping on the shore edge or lake buoy to buoy. I love them all and like to lend into appreciating the merits of all skis.
@@classicjetskis I dont know..to me, Im more comfortable on my X4 (96XP) than my 04 XPdi. And with the higher seat on the 04 XPdi its even harder to ride 2 up. With my short fiance (4'9") and her 8yr old daughter, its way better to give one of them a ride on the X4 than the 04XPdi cuz of the XPdi seat being up higher..and forget trying to reboard the XPdi in deep water if you fall off with 2 people. I have an aftermarket step on my X4 so that helps, have not added one yet to the 04XPdi.
I guess everyone's different... me and megs prefer to ride the XPDI 2 up vs the x4...the x4 feels small compared... and honestly never had any issues getting back on... we are both light and nibble though so can see how it could be hard but we have the perfect balance act to get on all these skis... as I say I love them all... the best ski for 2 up and still having playful fun is the spark all day mate...@@GCEXTREMEMN
@@classicjetskis yep..and if youre taller the higher seat on the XPdi probably is better, probably more leg cramped on the lower seated X4. But i still feel like when it comes to the professional racing circuits I see more X4 hull skis being raced than the parabolic hulls...of course all of them are modded for racing and not stock
Yeh good point, thats a very good point I always fine my legs feel more cramped on the x4... I love it but might be why the xpdi feels more natural to me.... As for racing I think in closed short course the x4 rule mate@@GCEXTREMEMN
I had a 1996 xp. I paid 6k out the door. Best ski that I’ve ever had. I’d buy it again if they put them on sale tomorrow. I’d pay double in a heartbeat
I’m stilling looking for a clean 787 1996 or 1999 spx 🔥 6k is amazing for such a machine… over 11k now for spark Trixx 🥴 let’s hope for a faster lightweight playful ski soon 👌🙏 thank you for watching 👍
Good video, but the XP Limited or XPL models (97-04) with the parabolic hull and spring seat belong in a different category. I did not care for the H4 hulled XP models, but dearly loved the XPLs. I owned two 97s with the 785, one 99 with the 951 carb and an 03 with the 951 DI. The DI XPL was IMO, the greatest ski ever made. It used about half of the fuel of the 785 at WOT and with 16 gallons of fuel, had the longest range of any ski. I owned one of the 97s and the 03 for over 20 years. I currently own two RXP-X-300s, 21 and 23. I would buy a new XPL if BRP started producing them again. Unfortunately, the Spark is no XP of any vintage.
Thanks for watching buddy, appreciate the input to the discussion. I know for different people the XP means different things, but I personally love all gens for their own merits. What you have to think is when they moved away from the X4 XP, they were looking for a riding step change. Whilst not every riders cup of tea (English phase right there) the parabolic v provides a great buoy cornering experience when rode correctly, where it falls short is it got too heavy, thus loosing a lot of the connection with the water... the X4 when rode correctly gives you the rider, complete control... the final gen parabolic V XP started to move towards more rider compliance and became a lot easier to ride. I love that we share the same consensus on the 951cc XP with the direction injection... like you, my 2003 XPDI is actually a pretty fuel economical ski compared to its carb brothers, but for me its the fact the power band is more linear, similar to modern day experience, but it still has the 2 stroke power. As for Seadoo reintroducing an XP parabolic V, that would be absolute goals my friend... they have already demonstrated they were able to bring back a similar die to the X4 XP in the spark (the spark is very similar just very under powered). I don't think they would as they wouldn't want to take sales away from the likes of a RXP... IMO I would pick riding a old x4 or parabolic XP over the big cumbersome RXP any day... sure they are fast but they don't corner in the same fun way, an old ski does... heck I would pick riding my SP over the bigger crafts.. you don't need to go 70mph to have fun. Thanks for watching dude.
Agree dude, I will definitely be making a number of different model history videos like this, I really want to do the blaster 1 aswell. Thanks for watching dude ✌😊
Idk about anyone else but I can see the value of these 1990s skis going up in value. I got an SLT700 and rips, I’d love to compare the X4 to this ski sometime.
Dude, I totally get it! The 1990s skis are definitely starting to climb in value, especially the classics like the SLT700. They’ve got that nostalgic charm and performance that’s hard to beat. Comparing it to the X4 would be a blast-I’d love to see how they stack up against each other. Both have their own unique vibes, so it’d be rad to see them side by side. Thanks for watching! 😊👌
Great video must have bin a lot of work..thanks for it. Brings back a lot of memories. Still own a 2002 xp model,sits a few years in storage now. your video makes me wanne get her out this summer. Use to be so much fun....almost forgot
Thank you for the appreciation for the effort that went into it… must admit it was a lot of work finding all the old footage and pics but a lot of fun putting it all together and love I have this now to watch to see how far the xp came… such an incredible machine… the 2002 is the carb parabolic v which is a great course ski… get that ski back out and enjoy it man. Thanks for watching 👍🙏
Greetings from Australia I reckon your content is fantastic. I always assumed the at skis got big and heavy due to the 4 stroke engines taking over but as you point out the market was heading that way anyway and the rise of the bulky seadoo GTX and Yam XL1200 happened when 2 stroke was still the go. I like your comments regarding the direct injected 2 stokes and can’t help but feel they are a sweet spot between old lightweight 2 stroke and modern and modern 4 stroke. Surely they could have refined that tech to make them even better much as Evinrude did with their outboards. Imagine if the 2014 spark had came out with a 950 DI 2 stroke with a further decade of development to what the XPDI had? That would be a weapon.
Thanks man, thank you for watching and the appreciation 💪 To be fair, larger 3 seater 2 strokes existed from the early 90s so larger skis weren't anything new, it was just that manufacturers tended to focus on performance being the smaller more nimble connected skis, with the water and the larger hulls/crafts for families... what manufactures do now is focus on larger more balanced hulls across the board, with the spark being the only really connected hull in the range (if you can call it connected that is, as very stable compared to an XP or alike) IMO 4 stroke is what killed off the smaller crafts as we know them/plus the desire to go faster and faster, super chargers and so on! Yes for me I really don't understand the hate for the DI models, at the time they were new tech but now direct injection is common place and no one comments... as you say with many more years improvement the di would be great... my di to this day is very comparable on fuel to my spark (no joke!). I love the 951, 63mph IMO is the perfect top speed for a smaller sized craft.... the issue is people want 70mph just for clout! I would way rather do 60 and be connected to the water vs 70 and be disconnected! Heck I would take 50mph in my 1995 xp 717 and be connected to the water vs my spark and thats crazy with 30 years removed! Thanks for watching dude!
Nothing to be sorry about my friend, the GTX... and larger crafts are great machines but are definitely a different market to the 1-2up XP and alike... they are completely different machines for completely different riders... the GTX wasn't reasonable for the death of the XP... the XP ran along side the 3 seaters throughout all of the 90s and into the 2000's... the XP was taken over by the RXP in 2004, its odd though as at least initially the RXP was essentially a rebadge XP... Thanks for watching and great to hear you have been on these great machines from back in the day 😊👌
Great video, very nostalgic for me my first ski was a 95xp at 15 years old then a 1997 gtx with the 787 engine. Both machine 100% different from each other but both very fun. You need to find a 2000 gtx for your collection, so stable, dry ride, and best of all it ride in chop water fantastic.
I love this... so cool to hear your origin on the XP... I love my 1995 XP 717... So much fun... As for the GTX... my dad actually had a 2000 millennium GTX 951 carb and I have amazing memories of riding this as a kid... I sure in the future I may get a GTX but for now, my main love is 1-2 up skis like the XP as they are more tippy... I love skis that are harder to ride to test your skill level... Thanks for watching dude 😊👌
@@classicjetskis if you like hard to ride ski, try to find a seadoo hx that will be awesome. BTW I love your content and your collection of retro ski. Merry Christmas 🎄
The yellow 1996 XP was still the best ski ever made. I had 4 all @ the same time and then for some reason they started building huge boat sized ski’s that became more and more boring…. I am a Yamaha man now just because of reliability and haul material.
Hey dude! Totally agree, the yellow 1996 XP was an absolute legend. Four at the same time? That’s impressive! I get what you mean about the newer, larger skis losing some of that fun factor. Yamaha definitely knows how to build reliable machines with solid hull materials. Thanks for watching 🙌
I agree the 2003-2004 XPDI's are still to this day my favourite looking xp of any gen XP full stop... the viper red is just stunning... I love the yellow on the other models don't get me wrong, but that red flying along the water is a master piece. Thanks for watching and supporting dude ✌👌
Nice man... I have a 1991 XP and that is a blast... those earlier flat bottom SP hulls let go which makes them so fun... So the SPX and 94 XP don't have X4 hulls they have gen 2 SP hulls... the X4 hull is a great balance between fun and performance. Enjoy those skis man. Thanks for watching ✌
Great video. Lots of cool info that I wasn't aware of and helps me distinguish which skis to look out for. I actually have the same 95 yellow XP 717 as you do and it's a load of fun. Are you aware of any solid replacement part companies I can bookmark for future needs?
Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad the video was helpful. It's awesome that you have the same 95 yellow XP 717-such a fun ride! For replacement parts, I'd recommend checking out SBT, Vintage Jetski, N&C Jetski, PWC Muscle, ebay and all the X4 groups. In all honesty parts wise I look everywhere online... it can take time but if you're patient you can always find the part you need. Thanks for watching and supporting the channel 🙌
Great video! Still rocking my 99XPL. Wish they’d throw a 2 cylinder, supercharged 4 stroke in that hull - if they could get it around 225hp - and use a fibreglass hull again. They’d finally have me buying a new ski.
Love the final gen Parabolic V hulls on the XP... the higher seat and front mounted engine is great in the turns... I know right a 4 stroke in a GSX/XPL or ideally a X4 hull would be a dream... but these days realistically my hope is a faster spark, as thats more realistic... We can all dream... I don't actually have an issue with Polytech as pretty durable and less issue with beach/trailer marks etc. And if they use Polytech 2 on the spark vs the standard polytec that would be mega strong for a faster spark. Thanks for watching
They are for sure up there! But then again, what about the B1 and the Raider? It’s tough, man-so many great machines. Hard to pick! Thanks for watching, dude!
Great video Joe I had xpdi and loved it probably the best ski I ever owned I was brought up on 2 stroke ski,s and motorbikes and like you I'm keeping the classic 2 stroke s alive in the bike world. What I'm saying is I own four stroke s but nothing comes close to 2 stroke machines. Questions will you be buying a x2 And what about a 3d
Love this Andy, like you I love the XPDI so much... had so much fun on it and great machine.... good to hear you are keeping the classics alive in the 2 stroke bike world... I do love the old 2 smoke crossers... I will most certainly be getting a X2 along with a B1, if I can find clean examples... very very hard at this point, but it will happen for sure. Thanks for watching dude✌
The HX played an important role too with the suspension seat to add G force to keep the pump hooked. The XP is greatest ski ever made. I was a HX owner of of still believe I could beat any ski in a buoy course even a 300HP
Very true, the HX was the test bed for the parabolic fully fledged XP that came after... I have literally just picked up a HX which I will be fully restoring and will be making videos on... I will bring more exposure to its history...although sadly it was only around for 3 years... from what everyone has told me its a great machine. I also believe you that you can hold your own on a HX... they carve insanely well around a course. Thanks for watching dude ✌🙌
Yeah it corners. The biggest miss was the manual trim. If trimmed all the way down you could submerge the entire thing. I used to to use as freestyle too. PM any time if you have questions about the HX. I have that thing memorized inside and out. If it skids out though. Hang on, you’re go for a ride. But if you do skid. Feet on one back corner and pull up and enjoy the show.
And you’ll love working on it. So much room in it. I wonder what a 951 would do in their with an electric trim. Too bad the 951 engine was crap. I had a wave raider, 96 GSX limited, 98 XP, and the HX. Yamaha 701 motors is the greatest engine ever built. But I could easily beat anything up to 65-67. In a closed course. The hole shot lagged but I’d make up for it quick. When drive. It’s a gun point and aim and throttle in that turn
I did see you can fit the trim from other XP's as the holes are there to drill out on the HX... I have already tracked down a fuel LCD gauge and tach gauge as these were optional extras... still trying to workout the wiring I need... I have found a fuel sender that will fit and also oil sender... I'll keep you posted on that....Can't wait to get out on it and play around like you have said @@Snikliw
I love the 951... great power and out the box 63mph... It would be cool to see a 951 in a hx but for me its going to be a pure OEM restore as always as thats what I love.... I do love the yamys also...@@Snikliw
awesome video on this I think i have watched it like 2 or 3 time. one thing too note is that the 95 xp 800 was what Seadoo called the 787x witch has a bit more aggressive port timing and was bored a bit bigger I believe it was a true 787cc as the 96xp had a 781cc. the bigger cc was to get in the the 1200 race class I believe the was the minimum cc. over all great skis love my 96 the only thing I would sell it for is 95xp 800 Altho i would probably want to keep both lol.
Thanks, mate! Stoked to hear you enjoyed the video enough to watch it a few times! And you’re spot on-the '95 XP 800 had that 787x engine with more aggressive port timing, and yeah, it was slightly bigger at 787cc compared to the '96 XP’s 781cc. Sea-Doo definitely tweaked it to hit that 1200 race class minimum, which made the '95 a beast. I feel you, though-both the '95 and '96 XPs are legendary. I’d want to keep both too, haha! Thanks for watching! 😊👌
Hey buddy! Dude, that's awesome! Those 1997 SPXs with the 787 are classic gems. They might need some TLC, but once you get them running, you'll be in for a serious blast. There's just something magical about those old 2-stroke engines that the newer ones can’t quite replicate. Good luck with the work, mate-sounds like you’ve got a couple of amazing projects on your hands! Thanks for watching and supporting the channel 👌💪
They had the RX and RXX race models were out at the same time as the XP and i think they decided they overlapped too much and combined them to make the new RXP. I loved my RXDI, extremely fuel efficient, went 80 miles and still had half a tank! Awesome hull too
Very good point to be fair... I have so many great memories as a kid on a carb RX 2001-2002, if I remember correctly not sure when the DI took over the carb on the RX... but agree the overlap of the XP and RX was close but I would say the RX was more of a replacement for the GSX... Its a very/if not the same hull design... I love both the parabolic v on the final gen XP and the GSX hull but IMO the RX is a heavier, more clumsy version of the GSX 951... they just made it bigger and added reverse etc... so still think the XP is a better option from this period (early 2000s). I do agree the XP and RX are rolled into the 2004 RXP... Thanks for watching 👌
Aww thanks man, that means a lot... It was a long one and still more I could have covered but glad you enjoyed it... thanks for watching and supporting the channel 👌😊
Thank you man, appreciate you watching... and like you, I love all brands, I do have a soft spot for the XP though, as grew up wanting one... The Blaster 2 I have is so much fun, but dying to find a B1...
Thank you so much for the time you took to explain the history of the xp, I have an 94 xp with a yellow hood, and I'm trying to figure out how to wire the triple gauges ( rpm, LCD, mph) would this be possible? Thank you once again
Hey man! I'm glad you enjoyed the history of the XP, thanks for reaching out and for your kind words. That 94 XP with the yellow hood will have been retro updated by someone as it would have originally been green. Wiring the triple gauges (RPM, LCD, MPH) should definitely be possible, but it can be a bit tricky. I’m actually in the process of updating my HX to have gauges so doing the same thing at the moment. You’ll need to check the wiring diagram for 1994 model to make sure everything is connected correctly. If you need detailed instructions, then the Facebook groups have some super helpful dudes that have done everything when it comes to these machines. Keep me posted as keen to hear how you get on. Thanks for watching ✌
@@classicjetskis That sounds awesome, can't wait to see your HX, I was lucky enough to get a wiring chart from someone on a seadoo Reddit, those guys are great, don't have Facebook to join the 2 strokes family there😭, continue giving us great content, and as always stay safe, ride hard and have fun my friend👍🏾🙏🏾
Had a 1995 XP with aftermarket sponsons, intake grate/impeller. That thing was like a fighter jet flying through a canyon on the river... It would literally jump out of the water! The downside was that it ate engines like candy.... complete trash as far as reliability goes and this is what killed it IMO.
It sounds like your 1995 XP was an absolute rocket on the water with those aftermarket upgrades! Thats the thing the harder you ride them the fast they need a rebuilt... catch 22 really, imagine how hard it is for me 30 years removed to keep them running. I'm doing it somehow lol. Thanks for watching 🙌😎
That would be quite a game-changer! The thought of a Spark XP with the 850 E-TEC engine at 165hp or the 600 E-TEC at 120hp is definitely exciting. It would bring a whole new level of performance and thrill to the Spark lineup. Here's hoping for some exciting developments from Sea-Doo in the future! Thanks for watching 🙌😎
@classicjetskis the biggest problem with the spark is it's pump is too small, even putting a turbo on it, and prop change won't net more than 10-15mph more.
Man that is mental, mental in a good way though love hearing that these engines can go on and on... assume they have been rebuilt a few times but still impressive. Good to hear you're keeping them going. Thanks for watching and supporting the channel dude 😎💪
I have a three pictures of my kids (8 and 3) on my 95 XP I took two days ago you'd totally appreciate (they love that mahine) -- how can i share them with you? Cant find an email address.
@@classicjetskis the 97 Daytona 1000 is probably the most loved. I just sent out a perfect side decal for replication and measurements for the other decals for proper restoration
1000% I have bought 9 classics from the 90s and love them... as long as you do your research, buy a good example, recommission/do all the checks, you will have hours of fun. Thanks for watching 🙌
The price of a pristine 1995 Seadoo XP 2-stroke PWC in 2024 can vary widely depending on factors like location, demand, and overall condition. However, based on current market trends for vintage personal watercraft, you might expect to see prices ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 or even higher for a truly immaculate, well-maintained example. Collectors and enthusiasts often place a premium on vintage models in excellent condition, so if yours is pristine, it could fetch the higher end of that range or possibly more. Thanks for watching, hope this helps ✌
EFI will beat a carb as the efi allows total control over the fuel curve. Shame they never got the E-Tec...800cc 160hp emission compliant The weird shapes now in BRP's words are the clients now grew up with transformers and all the designs of all their stuff reflects that.
Do you mean RFI? If so I must admit, I don't know a lot about these machines.. I have some buddys who have them... talk to me? Yes thats a good point, the modern stuff does tend to have a more futuristic look to it... Its the times I guess, that said, I love my gen 1 spark fighter pilot product styling... more so than the softer latest gen 2 spark they brought out... There is no doubt though, the OG skis from the 90s RULE! Thanks for watching dude 👌✌
@@classicjetskis you might still have same WOT power but the bonus is custom curve at every rpm point plus uses air temp etc to adjust constantly. Except when its done for emissions you might not feel any more power. The next version was dfi and that really cleans up emissions and makes power saves oil etc.
I'm upcycling 🤷♂ all jokes aside I hear what you're saying but people forget new gen machines also use combustion engines and sold in the masses. Yes a 4 stroke and direct injection is more environmentally friendly but the philosophy is the same. I appreciate you watching but I think saving and keeping a 30 year old machine going vs going to landfill is important vs the throw away culture we see today.
Man that must of sucked! I wish we saw a 25hp jump on the spark between years nowadays. Back then the performance improved most years... what a great time to be around these machines... the 787 110hp was actually released at the end of 1995 and was called the LTD, most people call it the 1995.5, easiest way to tell is the hood had no mirrors, then in 1996 it had mirrors. Thanks for watching dude 👍✌
If you have 88's thats not XP's that is called SP's... The first model Seadoo launched (other than there late 60s 1968 320 model) was called the Seadoo SP in 1988 and was a 580cc.... this used the gen 1 SP flat bottom hull.... the first XP wasn't seen until 1991 (the purple and green one I have). Thanks for watching dude ✌😎
They both are identical and say XP on the side and in the decals. Green bottom and top with mirrors and VTS control. They are both dated 88 on the back.
Interesting... Well as I say there was never any XP's made in 88... The first XP was not officially produced until 1991... If you have a green bottom thats a gen 2 1993-1994 XP hull... what might have happened is someone added XP decals to an 88 SP and maybe sprayed the hulls green... I've seen weird things with skis, like with car badging, owners sometimes add incorrect parts/decals and try emulate better skis... like when people make replica Ferraris but under the hood is a Ford... It could be that sort of thing going on.... If you fire me a pic to my Instagram I would be able to help more. Thanks
Great video. I raced these for 7 years at World Finals. A couple notes to add. In 1997 the XP hourglass hull was released with (2) white engines. The 787 and limited edition 947 for racing. The 947 had an aggressive exhaust system and port timing. It was only produced one year. In 1998 the XPL was released with a silver 951 engine as a production unit. The 98’ had a single coil ignition and had problems with exhaust manifold to pipe water leaks which would spray in to air box. This was also compounded when people would duck dive them, fill them with water and seize the engines. In 99’ XPL was revised adding airbox intake baffles, o-ringed exhaust flange joints, a rubber diaper on pipe, twin coil ignition and revised carb jetting. In 2000 the carbon drive shaft seal was added replacing the grease bearing. The 2001, 02 XPL were unchanged besides, graphics each year. These were great years to own. In 2003 EPA regulations mandated change from the OEMs. Carb 2-strokes were being phased out but BRP had new tech with FICHT fuel injection which we hoped would keep 2-strokes alive! The 2003 XPDI offered a completely new 951cc direct injected engine. It of course had glitches with new electronics and crank driven high pressure fuel pump. In 2002 Kawasaki racing developed the 15F, 1500cc four stroke, adapting a ninja street bike based 4-cylinder engine. The XPL 951, Kawi 15F and Yamaha GPR 1200 were close on race track. However in modified class factory kawi team installed Vortech Superchargers on 15F engine and then checked out in races! Lapped all competitors, nobody even close! Seadoo answered with the all new 2003 Racing - XP. It had a Rotax 1503cc (3) cylinder engine with factory supercharger and all new hull to float the added weight. The old XP hourglass hull could not support the weight in front. The 4-stroke engine was simply too heavy. This killed the hourglass hull and DI engine that year. The XP lives on today as the 4-stroke RXP. The price of RXP doubled then triple over time. The Spark was released as a low cost machine more people could afford. They built them in Mexico so they could lower price substantially. It worked, they sold like hot cakes for lower cost family fun rides.
Dude, thanks for the awesome comment! It’s super cool to hear from someone who raced these beasts for seven years at the World Finals! I was born in '93, so I totally missed that golden era but love hearing all about it.
You’re spot on about the 1997 XP and the hourglass hull. While I wasnt there, I know a lot about all the XP gens... The 787 and that limited edition 947 are rare now because they were the in-between engine before the mainstream 951... That aggressive exhaust system sounds wild.
It’s crazy to think how much detail went into those machines each year. I love hearing about the small differences between years... things like the issues you mentioned on the '98 XPL. Those leaks must have been a real headache for racers!
The upgrades in '99 and the transition to the carbon drive shaft seal in 2000 were definitely notable changes... Many riders still say how they prefer the old grease nipple, but the issue is most forgot to do it.
I know all too well about the DI pivot... I personally love the DI and it's been a mega machine for me, but I understand why people hated the move from the much easier tunable carb.
It’s interesting to see how the EPA regulations pushed for a shift away from carb 2-strokes, but it’s cool that BRP had fuel injection tech to keep the 2-strokes alive for a bit longer, and to be fair, shows a reluctance to move to 4-stroke.
Kawasaki’s 15F dominating the modified class is insane-those Vortech superchargers must’ve been wild! It’s also crazy how the old XP hull had to evolve with the heavier 4-stroke engines and how that all led to the RXP today. The Spark being introduced as a more affordable option was a smart move; it definitely opened up the fun for more riders!
Thanks for sharing all this knowledge, man! It’s always great to learn more about these iconic machines and their history. Keep riding and sharing the passion!
EPA regulations is what got rid of the two stroke Jet Skis around 2004. With the bigger heavier four stroke engines the hulls had to get bigger and less nimble.
Very very good point, I should have covered that as very very true... I know my Di was a push towards making the 2 stroke XP more emission conscious, but yes 4 stroke was for sure the death of the smaller machines... I still just love the old stuff more, can't help it... Thanks for watching and supporting dude ✌
Some of the waverunners xp1200s even had a catalytic converter which is odd to me for a 2 stroke
@@classicjetskis epa takes all the fun in power sports. Funny thing is though. All my local go to lakes here in Northern California still allow them to be on the water with zero issue. I love these old school xp’s and any pwc from the mid 90’s! I love the way they look and coloring haha they just bring me back to my younger years.
@@rcppop3090they also made changes that are good for all of us. Imagine instead that lakes were closed to all boating traffic instead.😊
The Seadoo X4 Hull the greatest Ski ever made. All these years later and they are still alive and well. East Coast Watercross this last season had over 30 X4's racing in the ciricut.
I currently have a 1997 SPX with a 95 xp hump seat. I love that ski!
Nice man, I have never rode a XP X4 or SPX for that matter with the hump seat... still have a 96 or 1999 spx x4 on my bucket list to find... thanks for watching dude ✌
We just picked up a late '95 XP. I had no idea just how rad of a ski this is, it was posted on Craigslist for free!
I know right the x4 hull is next level, so much fun, I love my 717, can’t wait to find the full fat 787. Enjoy that ski man, thanks for watching 🙏👍
I love these videos on the history of the XP,
I rode a lot of these skis growing up, I bought my very first 99 XP limited in 2000 when I was around 17 years old, I bought it used,
I remember when supercharged 4 strokes started showing up to the river, it would blow all the 2 strokes in top speed, and at that time everyone wanted speed, we were getting bored of the freestyle riding and we just wanted speed,
The first time I jumped on a supercharged 4 stroke I was sold,
It was extremely easy to manoeuvre around the docks and load onto the trailer etc, and the mind blowing top speed was a hit when you’d slowly start to pull away from the 2 strokes as they ran out of legs
And before we new it the 2 strokes were gone, little did we know at the time how much we would miss those small light weight 2 stroke jetskis
I could talk all day about the history and the fun we used to have back in the old days,
It’s so good to see you making these videos on this subject, it brings back a lot of memories
God bless
Dude, I’m stoked you’re enjoying the XP history vids! It’s awesome to hear about your '99 XP Limited and how the supercharged 4-strokes shifted the game. While those 4-strokes were all about speed and ease of handling, I totally get why you miss the old-school 2-strokes. They had that lightweight, nimble feel that made them so much fun to ride.
It’s great to see these videos bringing back those memories. There’s something special about those classic 2-strokes that you just can’t replace.
Thanks for sharing your story, and thanks for watching! 😊👌
The 90's was so great for jetskis. Racing was huge. The 96XP started the HP war between all the brands. Yamaha, Kawasaki and Polaris put out so many great skis. XP's were everywhere and are still so popular today. The new 4 strokes are no were near as fun as a 2 stroke.
I agree with all of this lol... couldn't have said it better myself... I wish I could have seen the 90s in real time... seemed like a truly epic time to be around skis... I would have loved to have bought a XP 787 1996 new... I can see what you're saying about HP wars... you look at the likes of the wave raider 1100 vs the 787.... thanks for watching dude ✌🙌
Such a great video! Thanks for piecing together all the classic footage that tells the story of the evolution of the classic 2 seater!
Thank you, it took some time I must say, I even had to convert old VHS tapes my Dad had to get the digital files of these old promos/owner videos... I want to make a follow up as people have mentioned a number of areas I missed... so much to cover though. Thanks again for watching 💪
My brother purchased the 97 XP and I want to get the same ski, he said just wait for 98 XPL and I did and there was a big difference between the skis, but we had so much fun riding everywhere and on everything, Kept my ski till 2004 with many mods for handling and performance. Then kids came along… bought boats off and on till I got sick of them…Came home in afternoon and surprised the bride and bought a 2017 RXP… then since finding you on YT I keep wanting to buy a 98 XPL… came close a couple times this year but not being able to find electrical components scared me off.
Keep up the great work mate. 🤜🏻
Man thanks for sharing this story, I love hearing peoples history with these classics... the 98 XPL was a great ski and is definitely considered a better year to buy with the 951 vs the 787... As for being scared off, IMO you can get any parts you need, there is a great community online and if you're prepared to be patient and find a clean example to start with, look after it, you shouldn't really be needing anything more than the usual wear and tear bits to keep these machines going... the key is to find a clean unmolested example to start with... But with all the said, the risk is worth the reward... the riding experience on the older skis IMO is far more enjoyable than modern day... the new stuff is great but as for simple fun factor, the old stuff rules... the great thing about the 951 xps, they had a balance between fun but actual true performance.
Thanks for watching and supporting dude 🙌✌
@@classicjetskis I’ve been searching for as you say a ‘ clean 951 ‘ it brings back good memories.… keep up the great work. Wishing you and the family a happy new year 🥳
Try and get 99+ instead of 98. More parts available as that year added the TPMS and changed rectifier
This brings back so many great memories. They were awesome watercraft. I was fortunate enough to buy a 1995 SP brand new which i absolutely loved and then a 1996 SPX and a 1996 GTI. I currently just purchased a 2024 GTX and I am considering picking up a 1996 XP just to bring back the memories. Thanks for the awesome video man.
Thanks, Jeff, really glad you enjoyed this video... It was a lot of work, but I think it's important to honor the legacy of this machine. I'm still riding and loving my 717 XP 1995 now, and it never gets old... I think I prefer it to my Spark overall. The GTX 2024 is the ST3 hull...(My dad has the RXTX 300 ST3), which is all about cutting through chop, so you won’t be flicking that around much. So yeah, picking up an X4 hull would be a fun ski to have for when you want to get loose. Thanks for watching, dude.
Man, watching this video brought back some childhood memories! Miss the old sea doo stuff.
Man thats ace to hear, thats ones of the main reason I make these videos.. to keep the spirit of these great machines alive. So glad its sparked good memories... Thanks for watching dude 🙌😊
I had the honor of living through the SEA-DOO boom years and that purple and green monster 1991 XP revolutionized the "sit-down" watercraft market forever. I've owned the 89 SP. 94 SP. 95 HX. 96 XP. Today I own the SEA-DOO SWITCH in my 50's. The 90's were the best.
I do think today's PWC are better but the lawyers have taken a lot of the craziness out.
Love this... lucky man getting to live through these epic years... I love my 1991 XP... so much fun to ride with that flat bottom hull that spins so well... Also love the SP's... I have just picked up the HX and can't wait to get out on it, once I restore it... hopefully this summer.. Nice to here you're still out on the water... the switches look interesting with that modularity...
Interesting you say todays PWC are better... that I think will have to agree to disagree on😂... I love both old and new... but old rules 😊👌
I was born just two years after you and I love my GSX!
Nice man, great to hear like me you have a love for the old stuff as a lot of people our age are seadoo spark or nothing... and a lot of the time, don't even know about 2 strokes... like you love the GSX... Keep it going dude, thanks for watching and supporting!
Living up north in the 90s I will tell you why these hulls will never come back for retail. I remember hearing more than once in spring of someone who took out an XP or SP on a warm April day. To the middle of a lake and dying of hypothermia because they fell off and didn't know how to remount the hull from the back. They would roll it over on the side. That's really what killed these hulls. The GTX line solved that problem and today we have these massive PWC.
Bingo. I actually had this happen to me when I was about 5 years old. I was riding with my mom. She slowed to an idle to chat with who we were riding with and we rolled over. I still remember the purple rub rail on the 92 XP going under water 30 years later lol.
Unable to remount the ski my cousin swam out about 100 yards with a jacket on, got on the ski, got me on the ski, fired up the ski (no dess, just held the kill switch) and got me back to shore to warm up.
We were all fine but we had a newfound respect for lake Erie on Memorial day when the water is only 55 degrees. Eventually, moved to 96 and 97 GTXs for a better ride, more stability, and more power.
I hear what you're saying but do have to politely disagree with your suggestion the GTX is the reason they stopped making more tippy skis... the X4 ran from 1995 to 1999 ( and before that, the XP was the SP hull and SP gen 2 hull) and were some of, if not the most popular models seadoos ever made.... tippy skis were a thing right up until the late 90s... the issue is, some riders that jumped on the XP/SP/SPI models, weren't really aware of the rider skill level needed to ride these more tippy hulls. Thereafter blaming the machine when in reality as you have touched on, they were just riding the wrong ski for their particular riding needs... the GTX wasn't brought into the solve any issues with the XP, it was brought in to increase market share for family's and riders that like you say, didn't want to deal with XP tippyness... in fact the GTX basically ran in parallel to the xp model every year... IMO a gtx is far too easy and stable for my riding style ( a logic many riders would agree with)... the gtx is a great machine for 2 up riding, although me and my better half ride 2 up on xps fine... I personally think people just bought the wrong model... this happens to this day... family's will buy a seadoo spark and then realise they should have bought a GTI/GTX.. it doesn't mean the spark hull is bad or wrong, as there are many that love the connection with the water that you tend to loose, the bigger the hull gets. What I would say though is, there is a real issue with people buying/or jumping on a friends ski, not taking the time to respect the water and then get caught out... here in the UK we have great training courses for the uninitiated but you will always get idiots that take skis out and take risks, make mistakes then that renders more issues for all riders. Normally aswell as I say, blaming great skis along the way.... A great example I always use is people that drive auto cars, when they drive manual tend to complain about changing gear, but for people that love to drive manual that is part of the experience, in the same way for riders that want to test their balance, endurance and so on, an XP still to this day is unmatched.
Thank you for watching and don't take what I'm saying as the GTX is a bad ski, my dad had one and I loved riding it, I also respect your input but wanted to give an alternative balanced view on this. 😊
Sales kill them. Hard to ride and re mount might be true but sales is the driving factor.
Thanks for the great vid. I remember the day I bought a brand new 96 XP; it is still the most badass PWC ever made.
Man I love this, that must have been epic buying the now iconic 1996 787 XP new... now finding clean ones is so hard here in the UK. It’s like anything though, when you buy something at a relative time you don’t think about 30 years later and how rare it would be if you held onto it. Thank you for watching 💪🏻👍🏻
DI issue is high pressure fuel pump failure, $900 part and nobody really has an aftermarket one that works. Needs to work on low amp draw. Had 2 DI’s both had crank failure around 125-150 hours. Original 951 had a leaky block to exhaust pipe seal allowing water to drip into throttle bodies. Seadoo revised gasket and also added rubber deflectors to keep water away from Throttle bodies. Crank failures often destroy the block. Basic injection system is trouble free! Winterizing coolant system is a pain.
Totally get where you’re coming from, mate. While I’ve had no issues with my DI, I know others have had a rough time with them. For me, it’s been rock solid-better pick-up than carbs and always fires up when properly maintained. But yeah, I can see how crank failures and that $900 fuel pump can be a headache for some. It really depends on how well they're looked after! Tbh my stance is what ever any of my skis need I would spent it anyway as I love these machines and keeping them going is whats its all about, its nothing for me to drop 2-3k into restoring a ski.
Thanks for watching!
I own 2 seadoo xp - 2000 models and everywhere I go with them they turn heads and rack up compliments. Best skis ever made - looks wise for sure 💪🏻
Man that 2000 model is stunning! That's awesome! The 2000 Seadoo XP model are definitely eye-catching and have a timeless appeal. They really do stand out with the spring seat and parabolic hull design. You have a solid argument for best ski ever made but dude the x4 hulls are another level of fun. Thanks for watching 😎✌
93's had big handling problems when they first came out. The hull didn't have sponsons and they were added as options and fixes later. I can't remember if they were a recall thing. I don't think they were. You said "94" but I think you were talking about the 93' model. 94's all had sponsons as standard. The older 91-92 hull could benefit from sponsons as well but it wasn't nearly as bad for porpoising or unhooking in high speed turns.
Thanks for the info dude, yes you maybe right... I thought the 1994 was still an optional extra but you're probably right, if the issue was there in 1993 then logical standard part/fix for the 1994 model... I actually love the spin out nature of the 1991/1992 xp but do hear you with the fact sponsons would improve things in areas... Thanks for watching dude ✌🙌
Thanks, gr8 Vid. I see that you had a clip of an HX in their too. I always considered the HX to be the forerunner to the last gen XP Ltd, more so than the old XP's.
Yes 100% that is why there is some footage in there, however if I would have covered this I would have wanted to spend another 10 mins on this point alone... think I will make a follow up video covering more details around bits I missed. The HX as you say is 100% the foundation of the final gen XP parabolic v. Thanks for watching dude 🙌✌
My friend has a 96gsx and I have a 97gtx. They’re older than us and have given us a life time of memories in the short time we have owned them. A bucket list item of mine is to rebuild a stock xp
Man thats epic! I totally agree an old 2 stroke will put every bit as big a smile on your face as going out and spending 10s of thousands on a new ski... My 717 XP 1995 makes me smile probably more than my 11k spark. All skis are fun but people don't realise picking up a clean 1-2k old 2 stroke to get you on the water, is so much more rewarding than committing to a 10k-20k ski. Thanks for watching 💪✌
I have a 94 Yamaha VXR PRO I just rebuild the 701 engine on, thing is so much fun to slide around and fast enough (45ish mph) only thing is it drifts instead of carving into turns like the XP seems to. My other big fat 96 Wave Venture 700 turns better! Gotta keep the 90s skis ripping, awesome video!
Nice man, great work... I think 60mph is the sweet spot, hence why I love a stock 951 the most... my GSX LTD and 2003 XP both do 63mph easy and still very fun to spin and corner so well... as you say the X4 takes a lot more rider skill to get the most out of it... like you, initially I found the X4 hard to turn how I wanted it to... I then realised the more you push it hard and be brave, the more it turns into a race machine... the X4's are all about rider skill... when you mentioned the bigger Wave Venture, what you're experiencing there isn't better turning its better compliance... manufactures started to make skis easier to ride, thus creating a better sense of confidence in what the ski was doing... all skis have great characteristics in their own ways, but without doubt, when the X4 is rode like the old racers used to race them back in the day... they are great race machines... there is of course the necessity to mod them to get the most of out them, which is another reason why a stock gsx 951 IMO is a better out of the box ski. Thanks for watching dude 😊🙌
Back in the 1990’s I had a 1992 XP and a 1996 XP. I did not like the new hull design they went to in 1997 for the XP. I also had a 1999 SPX. I loved all 3 of these jet skis. Most fun jet skis I have ever been on. So much fun. Small lightweight and with the 110hp pretty fast too. Seadoo needs to bring the XP back and as a X4 hull.
Nice skis that you had dude... I really want a 1999 spx X4... I love all the gen XP for different reason... for all out fun the flat bottom 1st gen XP is a blast... for a balance between fun and performance the X4 and then for all out performance, for me its got to be the 951... THE 951 IMO is when we truly saw out of the box 60mph speed which to this day feels like a true performance machine... the 787 were great but there is a reason people moded them... BTW I love the 787/717 but the 951 for me is the perfect performance curve for a stock ski lover like me...Thanks for watching as always dude 🙌👌
Great video and thanks for the information. I love my 90s Seadoos. I'm from the states and they get stored 6 months of the year. Every year I take them out they start right up because I store them correctly.
Good man, its great to hear you're giving your classics the love and attention they deserve, always breaks my heart when I see people abusing how they store these skis... A lot of riders overlook the importance of correct storage. Keep those classics alive my friend, thanks for watching and supporting dude ✌👌
We had one of those 97 models and 2 yellow GTXs. At the time, they had the best hulls. We had tried waverunners and they were so sketchy at high speeds. Those seadoos felt like they were on rails in calm water. Those GTXs were my favorite, and they were so reliable for cruising around in the intercoastal rivers here in FL.
Love this, thanks for sharing dude! So I have amazing memories as a kid of riding my Dads GTX Millennium! I must admit the X4 1up XP is where my love is and don’t know as much about the bigger GTX hulls, but for sure that period in time I would agree (as I have a Yamaha Wave Raider) the Seadoo handles a lot better... My 1100 Wave Raider can be sketchy as you say, especially with 2 riders! Thanks for watching dude
Yea! Much longer videos please
You got it, working on other history style videos to add to the playlist.... have an interesting one on the Yamaha blasters. Thanks for watching and supporting the channel.
Great Edit. Enjoy the longer more educational content.
Thanks man, I have more content like this coming. Thanks for watching 💪🏻🙏
95 XP 717 and 96 SPX had different gauges. The XP had 3 while the SPX had 2.
Also X4 literally means 4th gen...so calling the X4 hull a Gen 2 is confusing haha.
And im surprised you didnt mention how the bottom of the hulls are way different, mainly with the 95-99 X4s having removable trim tabs so they can put on custom and aftermarket tabs with different angle degrees for different riding styles.
Basically all 951s have water ingestion issues due to the intake openings being facing upward. The changes were later in the airbox being able to drain water with 1 way valves. Theres also rubber flaps to help reduce water going into the intake boots.
The issue with DI engines are there just more electrical crap, from injectors and regulators, fuel pump and then they also have an extra air compressor piston added to the engine which fail, and can cause issues and run the engine lean and ruin it.
Cables and carb jets are easily available...alot of the DI electrical stuff isnt so much readily available.
Fuel pump fails and you're looking at $600 for a new aftermarket one as new oem isnt available.
I believe an air compressor rebuild kit is about $300, again no oem ones available only aftermarket.
For a mere $150 i can get a full carb rebuild kit and choke and throttle cables are about $100-160.
Even a new oil injection cable is only $30 for the carb version...one for the DI isnt even available new anymore.
You covered alot in this video tho...some things you forgot.
You mentioned the manual trim in the 92 but didnt mention the electrical vts trim in the newer ones.
Also maybe should mention the gas tank recall, or maybe do a separate video on that?
Great video though. Love the clips of the old 90s seadoo marketing footage. I have alot of that too, was afraid to use it for copyright purposes tho.
What can I say dude, informative as ever 👌👌I hear what you're saying re number of gens but I think my breakdown in terms of aesthetic generations makes sense and easy for people to wrap their head around... I did cover the hull differences between 1993-1994 and then 1995-1996 and the fact the X4 is a huge improvement to the Gen 2 SP on the 1993-1994, but in terms of visual differentiators in reality its the exact same top deck design... We call 1997-2004 the same gen even though lots of details changed in those years, as like I say when a model looks the same, most call this the same gen even though details change, otherwise every year could be called a different gen... for me a gen is easiest described as the overall aesthetic generation. I'm not saying you're wrong and I'm right, but that's my take on it.
I know you wanted me to cover more and maybe I will make a follow up covering the areas I missed, but things like electric trim vs manual... when I mentioned manual trim I recall saying something to the effect of, 1992 xp had manual trim unlike the later electric... The main focus for me was around the hull changes which I think I nailed but if I make another video I will try cover these other areas...
Re your thoughts on the DI, as discussed before mate I disagree... my Di has been fantastic and comparable to carb maintenance is night and day... your argument/complaint of more complexity is unfair as the DI used more complex engineering and was the start of the direct injection, so as with any engineering it takes a while to get it right... in the same way the white engine block vs yellow on the early xp/sp had cooling issues that got worked out... and no I'm not saying DI is the exact same as this example but what I'm saying is engineering takes years to get right... everything nowadays is DI and we take it for granted... My Di for the first 25mph is as quick as my dads RXTX 300... I have rode a RX carb 951 and GSX 951 and neither had the smooth power band to pull and do this... DI is smooth and effortless... I love a carb but you really should give more love to the XPDI... its a great machine, I think the DI is best described as a high performance athlete, as in when running right its untouchable, but isn't exempt to injury, as is no ski... The way I would conclude this point is a correctly maintained DI vs a correctly maintained carb... the DI will be on the button every time a carb will not...
As for the fuel tank, I agree this needs a separate video I think... I think you know more than me on this so could be a good one for you to cover mate.
As always thanks for watching and appreciate your input and take on things
I currently own a 2000 rx 951 carb model and a 1997 spx and everytime I bring them to lake with groups of people with four strokes everyone wants to ride them most popular by fare
Likewise... I totally resonate with this! I think its the fact most assume more speed means more fun... most fun happens up to around 40-50mph, twisting and turning, jumping, falling off etc... and these old crafts just do this to a T... the newer skis IMO are more about speed and rider compliance. I honestly don't think seadoo designed these with the mindset to test riders skill and even for them to need to fall off any more.. BTW I love the 951 RX... is it the silver and red millennium one... if so I love this year colour way... they changed to the all yellow in the following years.
Thanks for watching dude 🙌
Wow this was great. What a nice tribute to a legend. I had all the other popular watercraft brands in the 90's and can tell you that when I got my first Sea Doo GTX? in 1997, a forest green colored 3 seater, it blew my mind. It was so planted in the water in rough chop that I just couldn't believe it! And still very playful. I'm trying now to figure out what year and model I had exactly as I can't recall. I'd like to replace it. There's a yellow GTi I see a lot of for sale in our area and don't think that is the model. I want to say mine had 3 gauges and the Gti seems to have just 2.
Also, the reverse function was game changing. Essentially like having brakes.
Liked and subscribed and do you have a video on the 3 seaters?
Hey buddy! Dude, I’m pumped you enjoyed the tribute! Your 1997 Sea-Doo GTX sounds like a blast - the way it handled rough water and stayed playful is many people love them over the X4s 🌊🤩
As for figuring out your exact model, if it had three gauges, it sounds like it might’ve been a GTX model or possibly a GTX Limited, which often had more features. The GTi you’re seeing might have fewer gauges and features, so you’re probably right about that not being the one. The reverse function is definitely a helpful thing to have for sure... when you think having this in the 90s was way ahead of its time.
I’m stoked you liked and subscribed! I don’t have a specific video on the 3-seaters at the moment, but I’ll definitely consider it for the future. Stay tuned and good luck with finding your dream ride again. Thanks for watching 👍💪😎
@@classicjetskis Thank you kindly for the thoughtful reply. Appreciate your energy. 👋
Also i think in 97 with the larger hourglass hull change, the XP kinda began to evolve into the RXP model, with BRP moving more towards larger hulls with larger powerfull engines. You also have the larger and still versatile RX and RXX models.
Good point... for me though the parabolic V with a 951 still has its own unique riding feel, which still feels like a vital part of the XP story model arch.... I love that a stock 951 XPDI holds its own to this day... stock that is... a X4 does not... sure if you mod one then yeh its a different story, but a parabolic xp has the best of 2 stroke but a more realistic platform for riding both course and sea to this day...
Me and megs can go out on our XPDI all day along side my days rxtx rs 300 and it holds it own... a 717 can't... I'm sure a 787 is better but you know me I'm a stock man... I'm sure you will say a modded x4 787 will hold its own, but you wouldn't ride a x4 2 up for long... a XPDI you can get away with it... the same is true of my gsx ltd 951... they have a great connection with the water plus more power out the box...
For me the X4 is a playful ski for spinning and jumping on the shore edge or lake buoy to buoy.
I love them all and like to lend into appreciating the merits of all skis.
@@classicjetskis
I dont know..to me, Im more comfortable on my X4 (96XP) than my 04 XPdi.
And with the higher seat on the 04 XPdi its even harder to ride 2 up. With my short fiance (4'9") and her 8yr old daughter, its way better to give one of them a ride on the X4 than the 04XPdi cuz of the XPdi seat being up higher..and forget trying to reboard the XPdi in deep water if you fall off with 2 people.
I have an aftermarket step on my X4 so that helps, have not added one yet to the 04XPdi.
I guess everyone's different... me and megs prefer to ride the XPDI 2 up vs the x4...the x4 feels small compared... and honestly never had any issues getting back on... we are both light and nibble though so can see how it could be hard but we have the perfect balance act to get on all these skis... as I say I love them all... the best ski for 2 up and still having playful fun is the spark all day mate...@@GCEXTREMEMN
@@classicjetskis yep..and if youre taller the higher seat on the XPdi probably is better, probably more leg cramped on the lower seated X4.
But i still feel like when it comes to the professional racing circuits I see more X4 hull skis being raced than the parabolic hulls...of course all of them are modded for racing and not stock
Yeh good point, thats a very good point I always fine my legs feel more cramped on the x4... I love it but might be why the xpdi feels more natural to me....
As for racing I think in closed short course the x4 rule mate@@GCEXTREMEMN
I worked at the plant and they were very proud of their products.
I can see why the 90s machines were not only impressive back then but have stood the test of time… built to last 👌👌👌 thanks for watching 🙏👍
I had a 1996 xp. I paid 6k out the door. Best ski that I’ve ever had. I’d buy it again if they put them on sale tomorrow. I’d pay double in a heartbeat
I’m stilling looking for a clean 787 1996 or 1999 spx 🔥 6k is amazing for such a machine… over 11k now for spark Trixx 🥴 let’s hope for a faster lightweight playful ski soon 👌🙏 thank you for watching 👍
Good video, but the XP Limited or XPL models (97-04) with the parabolic hull and spring seat belong in a different category. I did not care for the H4 hulled XP models, but dearly loved the XPLs. I owned two 97s with the 785, one 99 with the 951 carb and an 03 with the 951 DI. The DI XPL was IMO, the greatest ski ever made. It used about half of the fuel of the 785 at WOT and with 16 gallons of fuel, had the longest range of any ski. I owned one of the 97s and the 03 for over 20 years. I currently own two RXP-X-300s, 21 and 23. I would buy a new XPL if BRP started producing them again. Unfortunately, the Spark is no XP of any vintage.
Thanks for watching buddy, appreciate the input to the discussion. I know for different people the XP means different things, but I personally love all gens for their own merits. What you have to think is when they moved away from the X4 XP, they were looking for a riding step change. Whilst not every riders cup of tea (English phase right there) the parabolic v provides a great buoy cornering experience when rode correctly, where it falls short is it got too heavy, thus loosing a lot of the connection with the water... the X4 when rode correctly gives you the rider, complete control... the final gen parabolic V XP started to move towards more rider compliance and became a lot easier to ride. I love that we share the same consensus on the 951cc XP with the direction injection... like you, my 2003 XPDI is actually a pretty fuel economical ski compared to its carb brothers, but for me its the fact the power band is more linear, similar to modern day experience, but it still has the 2 stroke power.
As for Seadoo reintroducing an XP parabolic V, that would be absolute goals my friend... they have already demonstrated they were able to bring back a similar die to the X4 XP in the spark (the spark is very similar just very under powered). I don't think they would as they wouldn't want to take sales away from the likes of a RXP... IMO I would pick riding a old x4 or parabolic XP over the big cumbersome RXP any day... sure they are fast but they don't corner in the same fun way, an old ski does... heck I would pick riding my SP over the bigger crafts.. you don't need to go 70mph to have fun.
Thanks for watching dude.
Good video! i still have a SEADOO XP Bombardier 1992 Love it! )from Holland.
Man I love this! great work... keep that baby going dude... thanks for watching and supporting the channel 😊🙌
The hx would probably be worth a history video
Agree dude, I will definitely be making a number of different model history videos like this, I really want to do the blaster 1 aswell. Thanks for watching dude ✌😊
Idk about anyone else but I can see the value of these 1990s skis going up in value. I got an SLT700 and rips, I’d love to compare the X4 to this ski sometime.
Dude, I totally get it! The 1990s skis are definitely starting to climb in value, especially the classics like the SLT700. They’ve got that nostalgic charm and performance that’s hard to beat. Comparing it to the X4 would be a blast-I’d love to see how they stack up against each other. Both have their own unique vibes, so it’d be rad to see them side by side.
Thanks for watching! 😊👌
Great video must have bin a lot of work..thanks for it.
Brings back a lot of memories.
Still own a 2002 xp model,sits a few years in storage now.
your video makes me wanne get her out this summer.
Use to be so much fun....almost forgot
Thank you for the appreciation for the effort that went into it… must admit it was a lot of work finding all the old footage and pics but a lot of fun putting it all together and love I have this now to watch to see how far the xp came… such an incredible machine… the 2002 is the carb parabolic v which is a great course ski… get that ski back out and enjoy it man. Thanks for watching 👍🙏
Greetings from Australia I reckon your content is fantastic. I always assumed the at skis got big and heavy due to the 4 stroke engines taking over but as you point out the market was heading that way anyway and the rise of the bulky seadoo GTX and Yam XL1200 happened when 2 stroke was still the go. I like your comments regarding the direct injected 2 stokes and can’t help but feel they are a sweet spot between old lightweight 2 stroke and modern and modern 4 stroke. Surely they could have refined that tech to make them even better much as Evinrude did with their outboards. Imagine if the 2014 spark had came out with a 950 DI 2 stroke with a further decade of development to what the XPDI had? That would be a weapon.
Thanks man, thank you for watching and the appreciation 💪 To be fair, larger 3 seater 2 strokes existed from the early 90s so larger skis weren't anything new, it was just that manufacturers tended to focus on performance being the smaller more nimble connected skis, with the water and the larger hulls/crafts for families... what manufactures do now is focus on larger more balanced hulls across the board, with the spark being the only really connected hull in the range (if you can call it connected that is, as very stable compared to an XP or alike) IMO 4 stroke is what killed off the smaller crafts as we know them/plus the desire to go faster and faster, super chargers and so on! Yes for me I really don't understand the hate for the DI models, at the time they were new tech but now direct injection is common place and no one comments... as you say with many more years improvement the di would be great... my di to this day is very comparable on fuel to my spark (no joke!). I love the 951, 63mph IMO is the perfect top speed for a smaller sized craft.... the issue is people want 70mph just for clout! I would way rather do 60 and be connected to the water vs 70 and be disconnected! Heck I would take 50mph in my 1995 xp 717 and be connected to the water vs my spark and thats crazy with 30 years removed! Thanks for watching dude!
The GTX happened. Sorry. I was part of that. My family had a 1992 when I was 13. I love them all.
Nothing to be sorry about my friend, the GTX... and larger crafts are great machines but are definitely a different market to the 1-2up XP and alike... they are completely different machines for completely different riders... the GTX wasn't reasonable for the death of the XP... the XP ran along side the 3 seaters throughout all of the 90s and into the 2000's... the XP was taken over by the RXP in 2004, its odd though as at least initially the RXP was essentially a rebadge XP... Thanks for watching and great to hear you have been on these great machines from back in the day 😊👌
Great video, very nostalgic for me my first ski was a 95xp at 15 years old then a 1997 gtx with the 787 engine. Both machine 100% different from each other but both very fun. You need to find a 2000 gtx for your collection, so stable, dry ride, and best of all it ride in chop water fantastic.
I love this... so cool to hear your origin on the XP... I love my 1995 XP 717... So much fun... As for the GTX... my dad actually had a 2000 millennium GTX 951 carb and I have amazing memories of riding this as a kid... I sure in the future I may get a GTX but for now, my main love is 1-2 up skis like the XP as they are more tippy... I love skis that are harder to ride to test your skill level... Thanks for watching dude 😊👌
@@classicjetskis if you like hard to ride ski, try to find a seadoo hx that will be awesome. BTW I love your content and your collection of retro ski. Merry Christmas 🎄
The yellow 1996 XP was still the best ski ever made. I had 4 all @ the same time and then for some reason they started building huge boat sized ski’s that became more and more boring…. I am a Yamaha man now just because of reliability and haul material.
Hey dude! Totally agree, the yellow 1996 XP was an absolute legend. Four at the same time? That’s impressive! I get what you mean about the newer, larger skis losing some of that fun factor. Yamaha definitely knows how to build reliable machines with solid hull materials. Thanks for watching 🙌
Great video. If only the color ways of the modern era were as cool as in the mid 90s.
I know right 1000% I wish there was retro colours like this now...Thank god we have the 90s skis to still ride. Thanks for watching ✌
I'm a huge fan of the last gen in the red.
I agree the 2003-2004 XPDI's are still to this day my favourite looking xp of any gen XP full stop... the viper red is just stunning... I love the yellow on the other models don't get me wrong, but that red flying along the water is a master piece. Thanks for watching and supporting dude ✌👌
I have been blessed unbeknownst to me at the time of aquirring with a 1992 spx and a 94 xp. Two of the funnest skis I've ever ridden.
Nice man... I have a 1991 XP and that is a blast... those earlier flat bottom SP hulls let go which makes them so fun... So the SPX and 94 XP don't have X4 hulls they have gen 2 SP hulls... the X4 hull is a great balance between fun and performance. Enjoy those skis man. Thanks for watching ✌
Great video. Lots of cool info that I wasn't aware of and helps me distinguish which skis to look out for. I actually have the same 95 yellow XP 717 as you do and it's a load of fun. Are you aware of any solid replacement part companies I can bookmark for future needs?
Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad the video was helpful. It's awesome that you have the same 95 yellow XP 717-such a fun ride! For replacement parts, I'd recommend checking out SBT, Vintage Jetski, N&C Jetski, PWC Muscle, ebay and all the X4 groups. In all honesty parts wise I look everywhere online... it can take time but if you're patient you can always find the part you need. Thanks for watching and supporting the channel 🙌
Great video! Still rocking my 99XPL. Wish they’d throw a 2 cylinder, supercharged 4 stroke in that hull - if they could get it around 225hp - and use a fibreglass hull again. They’d finally have me buying a new ski.
Love the final gen Parabolic V hulls on the XP... the higher seat and front mounted engine is great in the turns... I know right a 4 stroke in a GSX/XPL or ideally a X4 hull would be a dream... but these days realistically my hope is a faster spark, as thats more realistic... We can all dream... I don't actually have an issue with Polytech as pretty durable and less issue with beach/trailer marks etc. And if they use Polytech 2 on the spark vs the standard polytec that would be mega strong for a faster spark. Thanks for watching
Great video
Thank you for watching and supporting 😊✌
The 1995 xp 800 and 1996 xp 800 were the best skis ever made.
They are for sure up there! But then again, what about the B1 and the Raider? It’s tough, man-so many great machines. Hard to pick! Thanks for watching, dude!
It didn't vanish it evolved, first created and tested by Clayton Jacobson in 1965.
Very true, got to make a comeback IMO. Thanks for watching 🙏💪🏻
Great video Joe
I had xpdi and loved it probably the best ski I ever owned I was brought up on 2 stroke ski,s and motorbikes and like you I'm keeping the classic 2 stroke s alive in the bike world. What I'm saying is I own four stroke s but nothing comes close to 2 stroke machines.
Questions will you be buying a x2
And what about a 3d
Love this Andy, like you I love the XPDI so much... had so much fun on it and great machine.... good to hear you are keeping the classics alive in the 2 stroke bike world... I do love the old 2 smoke crossers...
I will most certainly be getting a X2 along with a B1, if I can find clean examples... very very hard at this point, but it will happen for sure.
Thanks for watching dude✌
The HX played an important role too with the suspension seat to add G force to keep the pump hooked. The XP is greatest ski ever made. I was a HX owner of of still believe I could beat any ski in a buoy course even a 300HP
Very true, the HX was the test bed for the parabolic fully fledged XP that came after... I have literally just picked up a HX which I will be fully restoring and will be making videos on... I will bring more exposure to its history...although sadly it was only around for 3 years... from what everyone has told me its a great machine. I also believe you that you can hold your own on a HX... they carve insanely well around a course. Thanks for watching dude ✌🙌
Yeah it corners. The biggest miss was the manual trim. If trimmed all the way down you could submerge the entire thing. I used to to use as freestyle too. PM any time if you have questions about the HX. I have that thing memorized inside and out. If it skids out though. Hang on, you’re go for a ride. But if you do skid. Feet on one back corner and pull up and enjoy the show.
And you’ll love working on it. So much room in it. I wonder what a 951 would do in their with an electric trim. Too bad the 951 engine was crap. I had a wave raider, 96 GSX limited, 98 XP, and the HX. Yamaha 701 motors is the greatest engine ever built. But I could easily beat anything up to 65-67. In a closed course. The hole shot lagged but I’d make up for it quick. When drive. It’s a gun point and aim and throttle in that turn
I did see you can fit the trim from other XP's as the holes are there to drill out on the HX... I have already tracked down a fuel LCD gauge and tach gauge as these were optional extras... still trying to workout the wiring I need... I have found a fuel sender that will fit and also oil sender... I'll keep you posted on that....Can't wait to get out on it and play around like you have said @@Snikliw
I love the 951... great power and out the box 63mph... It would be cool to see a 951 in a hx but for me its going to be a pure OEM restore as always as thats what I love.... I do love the yamys also...@@Snikliw
awesome video on this I think i have watched it like 2 or 3 time. one thing too note is that the 95 xp 800 was what Seadoo called the 787x witch has a bit more aggressive port timing and was bored a bit bigger I believe it was a true 787cc as the 96xp had a 781cc. the bigger cc was to get in the the 1200 race class I believe the was the minimum cc. over all great skis love my 96 the only thing I would sell it for is 95xp 800 Altho i would probably want to keep both lol.
Thanks, mate! Stoked to hear you enjoyed the video enough to watch it a few times! And you’re spot on-the '95 XP 800 had that 787x engine with more aggressive port timing, and yeah, it was slightly bigger at 787cc compared to the '96 XP’s 781cc. Sea-Doo definitely tweaked it to hit that 1200 race class minimum, which made the '95 a beast. I feel you, though-both the '95 and '96 XPs are legendary. I’d want to keep both too, haha!
Thanks for watching! 😊👌
Just bought two 1997 spx with 787. Needs some tlc working on getting them running still
Hey buddy! Dude, that's awesome! Those 1997 SPXs with the 787 are classic gems. They might need some TLC, but once you get them running, you'll be in for a serious blast. There's just something magical about those old 2-stroke engines that the newer ones can’t quite replicate. Good luck with the work, mate-sounds like you’ve got a couple of amazing projects on your hands! Thanks for watching and supporting the channel 👌💪
They had the RX and RXX race models were out at the same time as the XP and i think they decided they overlapped too much and combined them to make the new RXP. I loved my RXDI, extremely fuel efficient, went 80 miles and still had half a tank! Awesome hull too
Very good point to be fair... I have so many great memories as a kid on a carb RX 2001-2002, if I remember correctly not sure when the DI took over the carb on the RX... but agree the overlap of the XP and RX was close but I would say the RX was more of a replacement for the GSX... Its a very/if not the same hull design... I love both the parabolic v on the final gen XP and the GSX hull but IMO the RX is a heavier, more clumsy version of the GSX 951... they just made it bigger and added reverse etc... so still think the XP is a better option from this period (early 2000s). I do agree the XP and RX are rolled into the 2004 RXP... Thanks for watching 👌
Mate great informative video. You’re the best. 🥇
Aww thanks man, that means a lot... It was a long one and still more I could have covered but glad you enjoyed it... thanks for watching and supporting the channel 👌😊
awesome vid thank you im a blaster fan but still love the XP
Thank you man, appreciate you watching... and like you, I love all brands, I do have a soft spot for the XP though, as grew up wanting one... The Blaster 2 I have is so much fun, but dying to find a B1...
Thank you so much for the time you took to explain the history of the xp, I have an 94 xp with a yellow hood, and I'm trying to figure out how to wire the triple gauges ( rpm, LCD, mph) would this be possible? Thank you once again
Hey man! I'm glad you enjoyed the history of the XP, thanks for reaching out and for your kind words. That 94 XP with the yellow hood will have been retro updated by someone as it would have originally been green. Wiring the triple gauges (RPM, LCD, MPH) should definitely be possible, but it can be a bit tricky. I’m actually in the process of updating my HX to have gauges so doing the same thing at the moment. You’ll need to check the wiring diagram for 1994 model to make sure everything is connected correctly. If you need detailed instructions, then the Facebook groups have some super helpful dudes that have done everything when it comes to these machines. Keep me posted as keen to hear how you get on. Thanks for watching ✌
@@classicjetskis That sounds awesome, can't wait to see your HX, I was lucky enough to get a wiring chart from someone on a seadoo Reddit, those guys are great, don't have Facebook to join the 2 strokes family there😭, continue giving us great content, and as always stay safe, ride hard and have fun my friend👍🏾🙏🏾
Had a 1995 XP with aftermarket sponsons, intake grate/impeller. That thing was like a fighter jet flying through a canyon on the river... It would literally jump out of the water! The downside was that it ate engines like candy.... complete trash as far as reliability goes and this is what killed it IMO.
It sounds like your 1995 XP was an absolute rocket on the water with those aftermarket upgrades! Thats the thing the harder you ride them the fast they need a rebuilt... catch 22 really, imagine how hard it is for me 30 years removed to keep them running. I'm doing it somehow lol. Thanks for watching 🙌😎
Now I gota go buy a xp 🤙🏼
1000% you won't regret it. Thanks for watching ✌💪
Imagine if seadoo put the 850 etec at 165hp in the spark as an xp. Or even the 600 etec at 120hp
That would be quite a game-changer! The thought of a Spark XP with the 850 E-TEC engine at 165hp or the 600 E-TEC at 120hp is definitely exciting. It would bring a whole new level of performance and thrill to the Spark lineup. Here's hoping for some exciting developments from Sea-Doo in the future! Thanks for watching 🙌😎
@classicjetskis the biggest problem with the spark is it's pump is too small, even putting a turbo on it, and prop change won't net more than 10-15mph more.
I had a 96 spx with 700 hours and I still have my gsx limited 1998,650 hours plus
Man that is mental, mental in a good way though love hearing that these engines can go on and on... assume they have been rebuilt a few times but still impressive. Good to hear you're keeping them going. Thanks for watching and supporting the channel dude 😎💪
I have a three pictures of my kids (8 and 3) on my 95 XP I took two days ago you'd totally appreciate (they love that mahine) -- how can i share them with you? Cant find an email address.
Man thats epic! You can either email me at classicjetski@gmail.com or follow me on Instagram or Facebook and drop me a DM. Thanks for watching
I purchased a 96 spx . Still have it. Single owner.
That's awesome! It's great to hear that you've got your hands on a 96 SPX and its a single owner, thats the teal one right. Thanks for watching 😎
@@classicjetskis I bought it in 1996. I'm the single owner. Done some carb rebuild fuel lines ,wear ring ECT. Still runs strong .
@@timbo0074 Love this, hold on to it and enjoy 😎😎
Should do a Video on Tigershark Daytona
I would like to make a history video on loads of machines to be fair... what do you guys think, any demand for a Tigershark?
@@classicjetskis the 97 Daytona 1000 is probably the most loved. I just sent out a perfect side decal for replication and measurements for the other decals for proper restoration
hi, would you buy a used one? now in 2024?
1000% I have bought 9 classics from the 90s and love them... as long as you do your research, buy a good example, recommission/do all the checks, you will have hours of fun. Thanks for watching 🙌
How much could I sell one of these?
The price of a pristine 1995 Seadoo XP 2-stroke PWC in 2024 can vary widely depending on factors like location, demand, and overall condition. However, based on current market trends for vintage personal watercraft, you might expect to see prices ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 or even higher for a truly immaculate, well-maintained example. Collectors and enthusiasts often place a premium on vintage models in excellent condition, so if yours is pristine, it could fetch the higher end of that range or possibly more. Thanks for watching, hope this helps ✌
EFI will beat a carb as the efi allows total control over the fuel curve.
Shame they never got the E-Tec...800cc 160hp emission compliant
The weird shapes now in BRP's words are the clients now grew up with transformers and all the designs of all their stuff reflects that.
Do you mean RFI? If so I must admit, I don't know a lot about these machines.. I have some buddys who have them... talk to me? Yes thats a good point, the modern stuff does tend to have a more futuristic look to it... Its the times I guess, that said, I love my gen 1 spark fighter pilot product styling... more so than the softer latest gen 2 spark they brought out... There is no doubt though, the OG skis from the 90s RULE! Thanks for watching dude 👌✌
@@classicjetskis you might still have same WOT power but the bonus is custom curve at every rpm point plus uses air temp etc to adjust constantly.
Except when its done for emissions you might not feel any more power.
The next version was dfi and that really cleans up emissions and makes power saves oil etc.
Two strokes are fun yep but they do pollute on a big way.
I'm upcycling 🤷♂ all jokes aside I hear what you're saying but people forget new gen machines also use combustion engines and sold in the masses. Yes a 4 stroke and direct injection is more environmentally friendly but the philosophy is the same. I appreciate you watching but I think saving and keeping a 30 year old machine going vs going to landfill is important vs the throw away culture we see today.
My Father bought one for me new in 1995 with 85HP a year later it was 110HP i remember i was so sad 😂
Man that must of sucked! I wish we saw a 25hp jump on the spark between years nowadays. Back then the performance improved most years... what a great time to be around these machines... the 787 110hp was actually released at the end of 1995 and was called the LTD, most people call it the 1995.5, easiest way to tell is the hood had no mirrors, then in 1996 it had mirrors. Thanks for watching dude 👍✌
I have two XP's from 88, wouldn't that be considered gen 1?
If you have 88's thats not XP's that is called SP's... The first model Seadoo launched (other than there late 60s 1968 320 model) was called the Seadoo SP in 1988 and was a 580cc.... this used the gen 1 SP flat bottom hull.... the first XP wasn't seen until 1991 (the purple and green one I have). Thanks for watching dude ✌😎
They both are identical and say XP on the side and in the decals. Green bottom and top with mirrors and VTS control. They are both dated 88 on the back.
Interesting... Well as I say there was never any XP's made in 88... The first XP was not officially produced until 1991... If you have a green bottom thats a gen 2 1993-1994 XP hull... what might have happened is someone added XP decals to an 88 SP and maybe sprayed the hulls green... I've seen weird things with skis, like with car badging, owners sometimes add incorrect parts/decals and try emulate better skis... like when people make replica Ferraris but under the hood is a Ford... It could be that sort of thing going on.... If you fire me a pic to my Instagram I would be able to help more. Thanks
90's sea doos rule
Damn straight! They really do, thanks for watching dude ✌👌