Jet ski - jet ski for enthusiasts

Every year, vehicle manufacturers offer their customers additional opportunities for quality recreation. Snowmobiles, airplanes, ATVs, motorcycles and unusual cars of the buggy class allow you to experience new sensations from the trip.

To conquer the expanses of water was developed no less original transport - a jet ski. This vehicle will decorate any rest near the reservoir. On it you can take a pleasant slow walk along the lake or river, or you can arrange extreme competitions to set high-speed records and perform beautiful tricks.

We'll figure out how hydromotors are arranged, what types are and how much you can buy such a transport.

What is a jet ski

A scooter is called a hybrid of a motorcycle and a small boat. The basis of the idea to create such a water transport was the design of a catamaran and a snowmobile. Initially, the benefits of aquabikes were appreciated by rescuers. These mobile means allowed them to get to a drowning person faster than swimming or on bulky rescue boats.

Over time, jet skis gained popularity among sophisticated athletes who were looking for new ways to increase the level of adrenaline in the blood. Today, there is a wide variety of water equipment in this category. It is used not only for sporting events, but also as a recreational vehicle, as well as in some law enforcement agencies.

Design and content features

The aquabike body is made primarily of polymers and composite materials. Any jet ski is equipped internal combustion engine (can be push-pull or four-stroke). The power of such power units varies from 90 (children's and teenage models even less) to 300 horsepower.

The design has air compartments, which allows the jet ski to stay afloat even when the engine is off. Since the center of gravity is located in the lower part of the hull, when the mini-vessel is turned upside down, the ship quickly returns to its original position on the principle of a tumbler.

The wheel of a water bike is identical to the ground analogue. Since the driver may fall out during fast movement, this technique is equipped with a fuse. This is a small check, which is attached to the driver’s hand with a flexible cable. When it falls into the water, the check is pulled out and the engine stalls. To make it convenient to climb from the water to the scooter, steps and handrails are provided in its body.

Most jet skis do not have a braking system. This function is performed by the resistance provided by water. The only scooters in the world equipped with this system, which allows you to stop many times faster, are Sea-Doo models with the iBR option. The brake handle in this case is located on the left handlebar, like a regular motorcycle. The system works by reversing the water flow. Such jet skis even have a reverse speed, which facilitates the process of mooring the device.

Like any vehicle, a water bike has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include the following factors:

• they work according to the principle of an ordinary scooter: the engine starts, the speed is regulated by turning the gas knob;
• most models (especially sedentary modifications) are water resistant, making it easier to balance;
• the step on the body allows you to jump into the water when the motorcycle swam to a sufficient depth;
• It is not required to open a category in rights;
• Especially sedentary models are safe for those who cannot swim - when the motor stalls, the jetski stops quickly due to the high resistance of the water, and the life jacket will not allow the passenger to drown.

The disadvantages of this category of transport include the following:

• inconvenient to use in small bodies of water - they develop a high speed;
• despite the wide range of prices, this transport still belongs to the category of expensive products that users with average income cannot afford;
• for some varieties of sports models, additional training is required to learn how to stand on them and not be injured when falling (at high speed, sharp contact with water is akin to falling to the ground);
• for transportation to the reservoir, additional transport is needed - a pickup truck or a car with a trailer;
• although it does not need rights, the scooter must be registered, as it is a water vessel (even if it is small);
• it is a seasonal transport, therefore, a garage is needed for its storage, and the presence of a protective cover will prevent damage to the case during downtime.

Types of Jet Skis

There are several categories of jetski, each of which is designed for its own purposes and has special characteristics. Choosing a jet ski, you must first build on these parameters. Some are designed for a quiet walking rhythm, while others are designed for high-speed movement on a smooth surface or for wakeboarding.

There are two varieties of jet skis:

• Sedentary. Most often, such models are designed for measured movement during rest. In addition to the driver's seat, one or more passengers can sit behind him. They are more secure than the second category of scooters. On such watercraft, you can move quickly, but in a straight section, since they are not so maneuverable than standing. Often they are used to tow an athlete on water skiing. The more powerful seated jet skis used in law enforcement can tow bulk cargoes (for example, a raft with weapons and food supplies).

• Standing up. Thanks to the lightweight and slightly modified design, such aquabikes are popular among lovers of extreme water sports, for example, wakeboarding, when an athlete performs various tricks at high speed (and it sometimes reaches 120 km / h). They have less stability, since the air chamber in them is smaller than that of the seated analogue, so the driver needs to practice a little to control them.

In addition to these two categories, this water transport is divided into several classes.

Family

Such jet skis can often be found in sea and river resorts. Basically, these are dimensional, slow-moving jet skis for several people (up to three together with the driver). In the case of such models there is an additional compartment for various things that can be useful at a picnic.

On such a water bike you can get to a small island on the river to spend quality holidays away from a large crowd of people. When choosing a scooter for family leisure, you must pay attention to the weight of the device. Too heavy will often try to dive under water. Without good physical preparation, it will be difficult for a driver to drive such a model. One of the representatives of the class is the Spark Trixx 3UP - a triple jet ski.

Among the disadvantages of this category of scooters is low maneuverability, but they are considered the safest and most comfortable vehicles used on water (among water scooters).

Sports

Models of this class basically assume a standing position of the driver, since in this position it is easier to perform jumping and various tricks on the water. It is quite difficult for a beginner to immediately learn the intricacies of managing such a transport, so professionals recommend starting with simpler modifications, for example, with sedentary single analogues.

Previously, sports jet skis were kept at the expense of speed. To stay in an upright position, the driver needed to have extensive experience in using this kind of technique. Recently, thanks to the development of BRP, this factor has improved significantly. More and more often “hybrids” of seated and standing scooters began to appear on the market.

Such modifications have the speed and maneuverability of a standing aquabike, as well as the practicality and safety of a seated family equivalent. Among the representatives of this class - BRP RXP-X 300. Two people can ride such a jet ski.

The advantage of this class of water scooters is great speed and maneuverability, but due to the fact that you need to constantly stand on them, the driver quickly gets tired (after half an hour of skiing there is a lot of tension in the back).

Tourist

This category of jet skis is the largest. They are designed to transport more than three passengers. According to their characteristics, these water motorcycles resemble family analogues, and are similar to small vessels on which you can have a good time. In most cases, the body of tourist water jets have a footrest so that passengers can dive into the water from it.

Thanks to the large additional compartments, the motorcycle can carry the required number of lifejackets (depending on the number of seats for a particular model). A powerful motor allows you to tow bulk cargo, for example, a banana with passengers.

If such a motorcycle will not be used to transport a large number of passengers or bulk cargo, then there is no reason to buy just such a modification. In this case, it is better to stay on a family analog.

baby

Among this class of jet skis there are two categories:

• For children. These jet skis are extremely easy to manage. They are considered the safest among all analogues, because they are slow-moving models.
• For teens. This is a cross between a child and an adult scooter. In such models, the main emphasis is on safety for the driver.

Manufacturers

Since a jet ski is a special category of transport, in addition to the technical characteristics and design of the apparatus, it is necessary to pay attention to manufacturers. Leading companies already have sufficient experience in creating reliable jetski that are not only fast, but also safe. Here is a short overview of jet ski manufacturers that have gained popularity in the market.

BRP (Bombardier)

This company is renowned for producing quality and reliable snowmobiles. It was her who created the world's first jet ski (1968). Initially, it was planned to make water skis with their own drive, but due to the presence of a volumetric motor, manufacturers were forced to add a seat to the design. This is how the jet ski turned out. The novelty was not received positively in the market, so the project was frozen for some time.

Jet skis of the Canadian brand are produced under the general name Sea-Doo. Of all manufacturers specializing in the manufacture of this kind of technology, this is considered one of the foremost.

A feature of the product is the presence of unique systems that most modern scooters are not equipped with. Among such developments: braking and cooling system of a closed motor, electric power steering, reverse control.

Among Sea-Doo models, each buyer will be able to choose the option that suits him: heavy duty, walking, sporting or children's. The company also produces exclusive models. For example, one of them is a “mini yacht” GTX LTD. It has a large platform for diving and an ergonomic removable passenger seat.

YAMAHA

Another manufacturer whose products have gained popularity with build quality and reliability is the Japanese company Yamaha. A well-known brand specializing in the production of motorcycles, was founded in 1955.

The brand's first jet ski was launched in 1986. Thanks to their experience in developing powerful and high-speed motors, YAMAHA water jets, especially sports, have their own connoisseurs. One of the representatives is the bright ERX, released in 2019. This versatile jet ski is ideal for both family vacations and active solo rides on the water. The model is considered one of the most unpretentious among the analogues of this class.

Kawasaki

4 years after the appearance of the first jet ski, Kawasaki picked up the idea and released its brainchild, whose driver had to stand for control. The design of the Jet Ski was so popular that in the United States the so-called all jet skis. Over the years, the company has specialized in the manufacture of stand-up aquabikes.

Given the needs of the market, the company expanded the conveyor, and began to produce sedentary modifications. To date, Kawasaki jet skis are luxury comfortable water jets, where you can "frolic" in the water and calmly walk more than a mile.

This Japanese brand owns the world's first jet ski equipped with an audio system. This comfortable Ultra 310LX costs a lot of money, but an unforgettable experience of spending time in his company is guaranteed.

Polaris

Among the manufacturers of water transport in this category there are those who tried to become leaders, but they did not succeed. The American company Polaris tried its hand in this industry. ATVs, ATVs, buggies and other types of original vehicles rolled off the assembly line of the brand’s factories.

From 1991 to 2005, there were attempts to supply consumers with high-quality water jets, but they did not succeed in gaining the trust of customers. Jet ski engines were unreliable and low-powered. There were also difficulties in getting original spare parts for repair. In the end, the products could not withstand fierce competition with counterparts that conquered the entire market and American scooters disappeared from sales.

Honda

Another vehicle manufacturer that has been manufacturing jet skis for some time. A feature of this product of Japanese origin were powerful motors. From such power units expected high reliability and performance. Models really produced good results - in terms of speed characteristics, they were on a par with the leaders in production.

To date, the company has completely abandoned the production of such equipment, since management does not consider this as profitable as the release of new models of cars or motorcycles. Some decent water jets can still be found in the secondary market, but the disadvantages of an unregulated steering wheel, some design flaws and the lack of high-quality spare parts move them to the very last step.

Jet Ski Cost

The existing competition in the market forces manufacturers to create aquabikes with different prices. The price depends on the class of the vehicle, its device, as well as the brand.

By far the most popular brand among jet skis is Bombardier. A budget scooter will cost about $ 9. The middle price segment is water scooters with an ideal price-quality ratio. There are many different models in this category. They can be bought for 12-16 thousand dollars, and the most luxurious model (GTX Limited 300 hp) is sold for 20-22 thousand dollars.

A simple YAMAHA Super Jet sports jet can be purchased from $ 8500, and the premium FX Cruiser SVHO model is sold by official dealers for almost $ 19.

Among the Kawasaki models, there are mainly expensive jet skis, the price of which varies from 9,5 to 13,5 thousand dollars.

In addition to the cost of the device, several factors should be taken into account before buying:

• Vehicle must be registered. In this case, you will have to pay a capacity tax. This rate depends on the region of registration, but for models with engine power up to 70 hp. it is about 1,5 dollars. for one horse, and for more powerful modifications - in the region of 3,5 cu per hp
• To transport a water scooter, you will have to purchase a trailer of the appropriate length if it is not.

• To control the motorcycle you will need special equipment: a wetsuit, life jacket and boots.
• As well as any transport, an aquabike also needs regular maintenance: changing oil, filters and other consumables. Depending on the service station, the price of such a procedure starts at 50 (two-stroke engine) or 95 (four-stroke engine) dollars.

As you can see, a jet ski is not a cheap pleasure, but it will allow you to spend your holidays at a higher level with a lot of unforgettable impressions. Before you buy a new bike, you can try a model purchased in the secondary market.

Questions and answers:

Why is a jet ski dangerous? At high speeds, falling from a jet ski is akin to falling onto asphalt. Water impact, collision with a wave, etc. can lead to fractures and serious bruising.

What does the jet ski ride? Outwardly, this transport resembles a motorcycle. Technically, they are also very similar. Only the jet ski has no wheels. But his engine runs on gasoline and he needs engine oil.

Why do you need a jet ski? On this transport, you can quickly get over a large body of water or to the other side of the river. With the help of the aquabike, you can have fun on the water.