How fast can a jet ski go?
The short answer is Jet skis can travel at speeds ranging from 40 to 70 mph, depending on the condition of the water, the wind resistance, and the total weight of passengers. Calmer waters are fairly conducive for higher speeds but choppy ones – as you can expect can affect the speed quite a bit. A jet ski of three riders with a maximum weight of 500 lbs will obviously go relatively slower than with one person on board
Riding a jet ski is a completely exhilarating experience for most people. It is one of the coolest and most popular personal watercraft that can give you the opportunity to fly over the water. However, do you know the average and maximum speed of a jet ski? Read on as we discuss further.
The jet ski is one of the easiest to handle and fastest water vessels used for a variety of purposes. It can make your adrenaline shoot up because of the speeds it can achieve upon acceleration. It is capable of speeding from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds. It uses water to generate thrust for itself much like rockets that use high-pressure gas to generate blazing speed.
Since they are easy to handle and can accelerate quickly, jet skis are often the first choice by the coast guard, lifeguards and marines when they need to speed on the water. As for its appearance, it looks like a motorcycle combined with a small boat.
Jet ski top speeds are dependent on the type of engine they have. The slowest models can be capped at 40 mph and the fastest production jet ski top speed can go over 70 mph.
A regular jet ski has a top speed of 65 mph. Meanwhile, the average jet ski can produce between 150 and 200 horsepower. The more horsepower it has, the higher its top speed. The shape of the hull, engine thrust, exhaust system, and engine haul can also affect the speed of the personal watercraft.
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Factors to Consider to Make your Jest Ski go Faster
The conditions should be right
Riding your jet ski on a cloudless water ride can maximize top speed. When you’re riding on choppy water that is also salty, top speeds can be affected due to the added drag. Having high air pressured environment and humidity can also affect your engine’s performance.
Riders weight
Having fewer items in the storage compartment and having less fuel even if your large fuel tank can contain more can help increase the performance of your jet ski than having a full tank and excess passenger capacity on board. Always check your fluid gauge though, as not having enough gasoline can get you stranded.
Modifying your Jet Ski
Hitting max speed demands adding or removing parts that can help your jet ski go faster. If you modify the parts of your personal watercraft, then you will probably get the top speeds you’ve been aiming for. However, jet ski manufacturers usually void warranty once the boat is no longer in stock condition.
Tuning your Jetski
Tuning companies are there to help carry out modifications for your jet ski. They are capable of making necessary changes to help you achieve your desired need for speed. Getting the job done the right way and safely by specialized tuning companies is a much better way to accelerate your speed than doing it all by yourself.
Impeller Upgrade
Your jet ski’s impeller is a rotor with metal blades. It’s the rotating part of the plump and helps increase the waters’ pressure. It functions as a boat propeller since it moves the jet ski using the engine’s power. Having your impellers perfectly balanced can give your jet ski its best performance. When you upgrade your impeller, check on the different designs as some impellers are built to boost speed while others improve acceleration and other features.
What is the fastest Jet Ski Model in the world?
Jet Skis are an awesome water sport that fuels your need for speed especially when you go on full throttle. This adrenaline-pumping watersport can help you fly over the water. It is also a good exercise that promotes balance and coordination and a good way to curb weight. This can be one of the many factors why a lot of people are attracted to this sport.
When looking for the fastest and the best Jet Ski in the market, the ones that can be powerful enough to drive a max speed of to up to 80 mph and considered the most powerful watercraft available. The top in the list of choices would be the Kawasaki Ultra 310LX. This model is categorized as high-powered vessels and is a substantially large jet ski. It has a three hundred and ten horsepower engine and can carry three people. Kawasaki Ultra 310LX is considered a luxury jet ski and is equipped with various added extras that can be unexpected in a jet ski. It has a built-in marine stereo and can speed up to 70 miles per hour.
Fastest Jet skis List
Yamaha FX Cruiser SVHO
This is the result of the revamping of Yamaha’s entire FX series. This model is fitted with the new SVHO engines that ensure a smooth and powerful ride. It can seat 3 riders, has a 250hp displacement engine with a top speed of 70 mph. It features a lightweight hull and even has a built-in security system.
It has a 7-inch colorful touchscreen display and lots of additional storage for your items. Having an SVHO (Super Vortex High Output) engine makes this jet ski flexible and efficient on its on-water performance. Its hull is made up of NanoXcel 2 material which is lightweight yet strong.
Sea RTX –X
Another high-speed Jet Ski available on the market is the Sea RTX –X. It can be performed well on rough waters because of its light platform combined with speed and maneuverability. It has a 300hp engine that is capable of reaching an amazing 60mph in just a few seconds and has the top speed of 67mph. It has plenty of storage, reliable, and remarkably stable.
Kawasaki Jet Ski SX-R
This is a big, bulky and stable jet ski that can provide riders with excellent speed and acceleration. It has a four-stroke engine and the only stand-up jet ski in the Kawasaki brand. It can be accelerated to its top speed of 62mph. It is powered by a 160hp engine. Because of its bigger size and width, this jet ski is incredibly stable on the water and can be a good choice for beginners.
Yamaha EXR
This jet ski is a lightweight and maneuverable vehicle that is powerful yet easy to handle. It is agile on the water with a 110hpengine and a top speed of 54mph. It can comfortably seat 3 people and has excellent storage and a big tank. This is an upgrade of the Yamaha EX series keeping most of its popular attributes. It has a responsive and fast performance on the water.
The Yamaha VXR – 67+ mph
Yamaha offers a range of high-performance jet skis but the VXR, as you might be able to guess from the name, is the cream of the crop. The 739-pound monster is capable of achieving speeds over 67 mph on open water and is big enough for three people at a time.
The Yamaha waverunners are among Yamaha’s latest models, released in 2019, and comes with a brake (fortunately), reverse options, and some storage for your gear such as your life jacket and has been a favorite watercraft among the coast guard.
Comparing Sea-Doo, Yamaha, and Kawasaki jet ski speed
Did you know that the fastest jet ski goes more than 70MPH at maximum? Meanwhile, the slowest jet ski, 60HP Sea-Doo Spark can only go 40MPH. On the other hand, and average speed jet ski is 57MH
Jet ski top speed is always a common question. To answer this, check out the speed chart for jet skis below. This will allow you to compare and relate amazing speeds for different jet skis.
Sea-Doo is a renowned manufacturer of water scooters ad personal watercraft. It is the same company that makes Manitou pontoon boats as well as Evinrude and Rotax engines. The company also manufactures Alumacraft aluminum fishing boats, Lynx and Ski-Doo snowmobiles, and Can-Am motorcycles.
Take a look at an overview of some Sea-Doo models, including horsepower (HP), and their top speeds in MPH:
- GTI SE 130: 130 HP, 52 MPH
- GTI SE 170: 170 HP, 55 MPH
- GTI 130: 130 HP, 52 MPH
- GTI 90: 90 HP, 42 MPH
- GTX 170: 170 HP, 55 MPH
- SPARK TRIXX 3up: 90 HP, 50 MPH
- SPARK 2up: 60 HP, 42 MPH
- QWake 170: 170 HP, 55 MPH
- Fish Pro: 170 HP, 55 MPH
Meanwhile, the Yamaha brand is popular for their Yamaha Waverunner. This has been a favorite among enthusiasts as they say it can bring about a smooth ride especially for those who want to see how fast can a jet ski go. Yamaha Motor Company also produces boats, motorcycles, and outboard motors. Check the one chart below for Yamaha models and their top speed.
- EXR: 110 HP, 54 MPH
- EX Deluxe: 100 HP, 50 MPH
- EX Sport: 100 HP, 50 MPH
- EX: 100 HP, 50 MPH
- Superjet: 73 HP, 45 MPH
- VX Limited: 125 HP, 53 MPH
- VX Cruiser: 125 HP, 53 MPH
- VX Deluxe: 125 HP, 53 MPH
- VX: 125 HP, 53 MPH
- VX-C: 125 HP, 53 MPH
Another jet ski top speed manufacturer is the Japanese company, Kawasaki. They manufacture a wide line of watercraft like jet skis, ATVs, trains, and tractors, among others. Take a look at their jet ski models along with their max HP and their top speed:
- SX-R: 160 HP, 62 MPH
- STX 160X: 160 HP, 62 MPH
- STX-15F: 160 HP, 62 MPH
- STX 160: 160 HP, 62 MPH
A variety of factors affect a jet ski’s speed. This can mean that the advertised top speed is not necessarily the maximum attainable speed every time you go jet skiing. The conditions of the water, be it smooth or choppy, has a major influence that can affect the speed. Aside from that, the weight of your gear, the passenger capacity, your weight, and how well you keep your balance during the ride also affect how the jet ski goes.
The Fastest Jet Skis on the Market Today
If you’re looking to buy the world’s fastest jet ski, then you’d be surprised that a max speed of 60 MPH is not just the only one available in the market. You can speed more than that. Feast your eyes and read along with other jet skis that are considered the fastest rides you can have today.
Sea-Doo
The RTX-X and RXP-X from Sea-Doo are two of the fastest jet skis that you can find in the market. Both Sea-Doo babies have a top HP of 300 HP. Their amazing speeds zoom at 67 MPH. The 2020 RTX-X, the RTX-X 300, can speed in 3.6 seconds at an impressive 60 MPH. Meanwhile, the 2020 RXP-X also has the same feature.
Another Sea-Doo pride is GTX Limited. This Sea-Doo model can reach 230 HP and 67 MPH. Both Wake Pro and the GTX 230 has the same speed specs. Meanwhile, the Rotax 1620 ACE engine has been utilized in 2020 models from Sea-Doo which makes nerve-wracking speeds easily achieved.
Yamaha
Yamaha takes pride in its performance models that surpass average speeds of 63 to 67 MPH.
The FX HO has an HP of 180 and belongs to the 63 MPH range. It can seat up to 3 people and its fuel tank capacity is at 18.5 gallons. Meanwhile, the FX Cruiser HO can reach speeds equivalent to the FX HO. It is among the best models featuring four strokes, a 155mm high-pressure pump, and a Yamaha marine engine.
Another Yamaha jet ski is the VX Cruiser HO. It can speed even faster at 65 MPH and 180 HP. These aren’t your entry-level jet skis although it is sized small weighing only 794 pounds dry. Three people can seat and have an 18.5 fuel capacity. has room for three people, and boasts a fuel capacity of 18.5 gallons. It too features a GPS unit and the Yamaha marine engine.
Last on the list is the FX Cruiser SVHO from Yamaha. Its supercharged four-stroke engine makes its speed numbers well known. This high speeds jet ski weighs 820 pounds dry and has Torch Red and black accents.
Kawasaki
The STX 160LX from Kawasaki boasts a max speed of 62 MPH with a max horsepower of 160 HP. Its great features include a four-stroke, four-cylinder inline DOHC engine.
Another Kawasaki pride is the ULTRA 301R. It has a load capcity of 496 pounds and an intercooling engine. Its storage capacity can hold up to 56 gallons and can seat three people. Lastly, we have the ULTRA 310LX that can also fall under the recreation category. Just becareful not to grip in full speed throttle right away as this jet ski has a supercharged engine.
Other Important Factor to Keep in Mind When Shopping for a Jet Ski
Speed numbers can be a factor to consider but there are more to just speed to enjoy a ride. You can go jet skiing with you all your friends using a great watercraft. Get your life jackets on and check out personal watercraft variants available in the market. Meanwhile, you can also inquire from rental companies for available jet skis.
Price
The thing you have to consider about either an average jet ski or a fast one is its growling, supercharged engines. By this being said, you can be sure that the more “growl” your chosen jet skis make, the more cash it will cost.
For example, Kawasaki jet skis will cost around $11,300 depending kn the model. This is just right for an average jet ski speed watercraft considering it ranges from $5,000 to $20,000.
It doesn’t really matter if you’d go for a cheaper jet ski brand or splurge on expensive models. As long as you consider the top speed that goes well with your budget, then that shouldn’t be a problem at all. Additional features can be bought and installed that can raise the price higher. Plus take note of taxes as these will be added to your jet skis’ prices.
Size
Check out for sizes when buying jet skis. It might look flashy and posh when it’s big inside a showroom but you will be like fighting a bull when riding it on water. How much you weigh will play a role in the weight of the watercraft too. If you want to go on solo rides often, then small jet skis can be chosen . If you want to ride with someone else, then you can choose from those with three seating capacity watercraft. Whichever models you want, there will always be a boat that is best suited for your size.
Features
Listening to music while riding your personal watercraft sounds like a plan. You can choose to go on lower speeds or in full top speed. With these add-ons, you will for sure enjoy a ride. Aftermarket performance parts boost to make the fastest pwc. Be on the lookout for jet skis with these kind of features.
Research on different models before making a purchase. A common feature these days are touch panel navigation with additional music functionality that will surely get you on a good ride. Aside fom that, check out if the tank can store extra fuel just in case you want to go on longer rides.
Warranty
An important feature of the jet skis you’re eyeing are its warranty. In any case that your handle bar stopped working or your touchscreen failed, an active warranty can save your pocket from a lot of repair costs. If you get a good deal on your watercraft, then you don’t need to pay for parts replacemen incase it becomes worn off due to use.
A personal watercraft insurance comes for most jet ski models that you can ask for. In case a collission happen during a ride, you are well assured that you don’t have to pay accident costs as these are gotten covered.
