One of the most well-liked and entertaining leisure vehicles is the jet ski. You can soar over the sea on a jet ski like never before. Jet skis are great for honing your balance and coordination and may strengthen your leg muscles.
Jet skiing is a reasonably simple and accessible water activity. There are many factors that make jet skiing so wonderful, but one of the things that makes it one of the quickest and most exhilarating watersports is undoubtedly the fact that it is so fast.
This article is for you if you want to learn more about these producers and uncover some retired jet ski brands.
Types Of Jet Skis
Knowing which kind of jet ski best meets your needs is important while making your selection. Five categories”recreation, performance, tow sports, luxury, fishing, and rec-lite”are used by each company to group its jet ski goods.
The most common jet ski category is recreation. Recreational PWDs often have good storage and are maneuverable and stable on water.
The size of the jet skis in this category is typical. They are not the quickest PWDs nor the greatest drivers, but their peak speeds of 65 to 99 km/h make them suitable for novices and families. Rental jet skis are often used for recreation.
Tow Sports
As the name implies, towed activities like water skiing and wakeboarding are perfect for jet skis in this category. Tow sports PWDs have the advantage of having a high resale value.
Luxury
For jet skiers who have outgrown their first watercraft and want more comfort and power, luxury jet skis are the finest option. With the biggest engines, they can reach peak speeds of roughly 105 km/h. However, jet skis in this category are more expensive, much as all luxury vehicles.
Performance
For the time being, novice jet skiers don’t need to search in this category. They are better suited to experienced, competitive jet ski riders. However, these PWCs have extremely strong engines that can accelerate to 130 km/h in under three seconds.
Rec-Lite
Only Sea-Doo and Yamaha now sell this new type of jet ski. The least expensive PWDs are Rec-lites, with costs ranging from $5,399 to $8,699.
They are perhaps the greatest jet skis for novices and have a peak speed of up to 80 km/h. The Spark is Sea-rec-lite Doo’s jet ski, whereas Yamaha has the EX series.
7 Best Jet Ski Manufacturers
1. Sea-Doo (BRP)
Without a doubt, Bombardier Recreational Products’ Sea-Doo brand is among the most well-known in the jet ski industry.
The lesser-known 1968 Bombardier Sea-Doo AquaScooter was the original Sea-Doo, but the 1988 Sea-Doo SP was what made the firm successful.
The Canadian jet ski company is well known for its creativity, distinctive style, and cutting-edge technology. The Sea-Doo fleet of PWCs, which features several bells and whistles, is large.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Sea-Doo consistently holds the greatest market share for PWCs.
2. Yamaha Waverunner
Yamaha is a significant player in the industry in addition to Sea-Doo.
The first Yamaha WaveRunners, the WR500 and the WaveJammer, were released by the Japanese firm in 1986, marking its entry into the PWC industry.
Since WaveRunners are renowned for their dependability and longevity, you can typically find them in jet ski rental businesses.
These incredible skis include the greatest industrial displacement engines, which are frequently utilized by racers.
3. Kawasaki Jet Ski
Kawasaki is now the market’s third major jet ski brand. Due to their near-total market share of the PWC market in the US, these manufacturers”Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Sea-Doo”are sometimes known to as the “Big Three.”
Kawasaki jet skis were essentially the only commercially viable PWCs on the market in the 1980s. These stand-up skis were incredibly well-known because to the company’s sophisticated marketing strategy, which also helped to spread awareness of this sport throughout the globe.
Like its rivals, Kawasaki shifted its focus over time toward the more well-liked runabout (sit-down) PWC market.
The Japanese business had for a long time fallen behind its rivals in terms of design and creativity, but for the 2022 season, it shocked the market with the overhauled Ultra 310 series.
Kawasaki jet skis are known for their exceptional power and deep-V hull shape, which performs admirably in choppy conditions.
4. Krash Industries
Krash Industries is a rather new player in this sector when compared to the major jet ski manufacturers. The Australian company started off as an aftermarket PWC hull maker in 2008.
A surprising number of “turn-key” 2-stroke freestyle and freeride PWCs are still available from Krash today. This is not a coincidence because the main objective of these unique stand-up jet skis is racing.
The remarkable power-to-weight ratio and distinctive freestyle hull shape of Krash jet skis make them well-known.
These skis have been offered on the US market since 2018, much to the joy of many stand-up riders.
5. Belassi Burrasca
Belassi is a small-batch European jet ski company that creates luxurious runabout PWCs.
In Austria, Europe, each Belassi Burrasca jet ski is painstakingly constructed. Both the development and production of its incredible engine and well-designed sporty hull are done in-house.
Additionally, the hull, top deck, air intake, reverse gate, exhaust, and muffler are all composed of carbon fiber.
The 1602cc, 4-stroke triple engine of the Belassi jet ski has a 320 HP rating. The equipment also has a ton of cutting-edge features, like dual screens, a compass, and even a G-force meter (yes, really).
The Belassi Burrasca handles like an Italian motorbike on the water thanks to these qualities!
6. Taiga Orca
A Canadian company called Taiga Motors makes electric snowmobiles and jet skis. In 2015, the Montreal-based business began creating electric snowmobile prototypes, and then added jet skis to its fleet.
There are several engine options for these incredible Taiga Orcas all-electric PWCs. Taiga jet skis are relatively new on the market when compared to the well-known brands.
7. Narke
The European-based Narke is another newcomer in the electric jet ski industry.
In 2018, this firm debuted the Narke Electrojet, an electric jet ski. The Narke Electrojet, in contrast to its Canadian counterpart, is now in production.
This device is a sit-down PWC with an all electric engine. This power source is cooled by a water system and is supplied by a Li-Ion battery pack.
For the optimum power-to-weight ratio, the hull and upper deck have an angular shape with sharp edges and are composed of carbon fiber.
The body and motor of Narke jet skis are both designed and produced on-site.
How Many Different Jet Ski Brands Were There?
In addition to the businesses mentioned above, other less prosperous jet ski producers have entered and exited the market in recent years. According to our study, there have been at least 13 distinct jet ski brands over the years, including:
- Sea-Doo (BRP) (BRP)
- a jet ski (Kawasaki)
- WaveRunner (Yamaha) (Yamaha)
- Krash (Krash Industries) (Krash Industries)
- Orca (Taiga) (Taiga)
- Narke Electrojet (Narke)
- Nikola WAV (Concept)
- AquaTrax (Honda) (Honda)
- Sea-Lion (Polaris) (Polaris)
- Tigershark (Arctic Cat) (Arctic Cat)
- Wetbike (Arctic Cat) (Arctic Cat)
- Wet Jet (Mastercraft)
- Burrasca (Belassi) (Belassi) formerly: Benelli and Hydrospace
How To Choose The Right Jet Ski?
Make sure not to get distracted by all the comparisons between the top jet ski brands while looking around for your first one. You shouldn’t base your choice just on the brand because Sea-Doo, Yamaha, and Kawasaki each have advantages and disadvantages.
You must base your decision on your riding background, how you intend to operate the jet ski, and how frequently you intend to use the water.
Your seating capacity and storage requirements are other items to think about.
Depending on the brand and model, jet ski engines typically have between 60 and 310 horsepower. Jet skis’ basic naturally aspirated engines normally provide 60″180 horsepower, but supercharged versions may deliver 250″310 horsepower.
The combustion process of naturally aspirated engines is accelerated by the air pressure in the intake. While turbocharged engines employ forced induction and might lag while producing greater power, they produce consistent output.
To reduce the learning curve, you might want to think about a jet ski with less horsepower if you’re just getting started or renting.
Handling
You will want a varied amount of handling from your jet ski depending on your experience and ability. An ergonomic steering system on your jet ski will enable you to respond quicker and make more accurate turns, which will help you ride a smooth and agile jet ski.
Capacity
The number of passengers is a key consideration when choosing the best jet ski for you. The majority of jet skis are designed to comfortably accommodate two adults, but several versions now have the ability for up to three passengers, including the pilot.
As some of these larger jet skis include a ski pylon mount, they are frequently excellent for towing a waterskier or wakeboarder as well.
Jet skis may also offer storage, which is a crucial function. Beneath the seat or under the handlebars, dry storage compartments are common on jet skis. The jet ski has additional storage room on the back. The quantity of storage you require will depend on the activities you will be engaging in, but generally speaking, most jet skis come equipped with a small waterproof bag and adequate storage for valuables.
Trim
The trim of a jet ski may be modified to maintain the ski’s nose down, up, or even. When the trim is high, the boat maintains the nose down, which improves stability in turbulent water. You want your trim even while traveling at high speeds on calm water so you may glide through the water with the least amount of resistance.
Kill Cord
When the rider falls off, the kill rope stops the engine, preventing the jet ski from continuing to move. A death rope is a crimson lanyard that has a clip on one end that fastens to a console button and a clip on the other end that fastens to the rider. The death cord is often fastened to the wrist, life vest, or knee of jet ski riders.
FAQs
Are Any Jet Skis Made In The Usa?
Yamaha WaveRunners are built in the USA, according to the company. This trustworthy equipment is put together at a 1.3 million square foot facility in Newnan, Georgia.
Does Mercedes Make Jet Skis?
To the great dismay of many lovers of high-end German automobiles, Mercedes does not produce jet skis or other powersport vehicles.
Does BMW Make Jet Skis?
The unusual GIBBS Quadski was driven by a BMW engine, which is noteworthy given that BMW doesn’t currently make jet skis.
So, if we look at it that way, BMW served as an external engine provider for the PWC market.
This is hardly unexpected given that BMW provides a large selection of high-end motorbikes, which puts the German firm closer to the powersports industry than other automakers.
Does Tesla Make Jet Skis?
Tesla is renowned for its inventive and beautifully constructed electric vehicles. Despite this, the firm only sells automobiles and does not provide jet skis or other recreational equipment.
Does KTM Make Jet Skis?
A well-known brand in the powersports industry is KTM. The European manufacturer has not yet joined the PWC market, while offering a huge selection of ATVs, motorbikes, dirt bikes, and tiny racing cars.
