2011 Sea-Doo GTX Limited iS 260 Review

Suspension, brakes, throttle control combine in Sea-Doo flagship

Sea-Doo’s GTX Limited iS 260 does it all…or at least, it does literally everything Sea-Doo has put on the menu over the last few years.

Brakes? It’s got ‘em. It’s also got electronic throttle controls, and Sea-Doo’s innovative, if pricey, suspension system. Add in the normal goodies that the Limited designation brings to the table, and you’ve got a machine that will appeal to the elite consumer.

Soten the Blows

As well as those who just cherish their backs.

No PWC offers luxury like Sea-Doo’s GTX Limited iS 260.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again…I like the intelligent suspension setup more and more every time I ride it. Would I pay for it personally? That’s a tough question; my legs can still absorb a lot of rough water. But when riding with a passenger, nothing beats having the suspension take a little of the abuse out of gnarly conditions. And yes, when just feeling a little lazy, or not wanting such a workout, it’s nice to sit back and not have your spine take a beating.

Sea-Doo’s suspension system, especially when you’re riding with a passenger, saves your back a lot of stress.

Essentially, Sea-Doo provides that cushion by separating the boat into two halves. The upper deck — saddle, handlebars, and footwells — makes up half. The hull itself constitutes the lower half. Linking the two separate components together is a twin-arm suspension, which uses a central spring and shock absorber to make sure that much of the abuse the hull is going through below is not felt by the passengers above. The system has about six inches of travel. Cross the waves and you can see it clearly as the upper unit rides within the confines of the outside hull. The boat’s onboard computer determines the appropriate level of shock absorption when passengers take a seat and fire up the engine. The system can be overridden manually to soften or stiffen the response to individual rider preference.

The hull also plays its part. A new stepped design introduced in ’09, it’s the best rough-water hull Sea-Doo has ever produced. It’s also surprisingly agile, allowing the boat to dart in and out of corners with predictable manners and a quick response. Enhance that response even further with Sea-Doo’s variable trim system. It allows the driver to drop the bow for better cornering or acceleration, and raise it for better top speed or drier, more comfortable straight-line runs across the waves.

You Control

The Intelligent Brake and Reverse system is a huge help for inexperienced riders.

The Limited also gets the other elements of iControl, namely Intelligent Brake & Reverse and Intelligent Throttle Control.

Already out three years, the braking system is becoming familiar to PWC enthusiasts. The CliffsNotes version is that it uses a modified reverse bucket to redirect pump thrust forward, providing stopping power. It, too, is computer-controlled, which prevents you from simply burying the nose and flying over the handlebars. Thrust stops for a microsecond as you squeeze the left-handlebar-mounted brake lever and the bucket drops, then in comes back on in controlled fashion and corresponding to pressure on the lever. With minimal practice, I’ve seen novice riders learn to feather the braking action much like they would do in a car coming to a stoplight.

Yes, competitors have rightly pointed out that sometimes it would be better to turn or use the craft’s off-throttle steering for true emergency stops, but I think riders will learn to use the added control to their overall benefit. Normal, straight-line stopping distance is reduced by nearly 50 percent.

But perhaps the best part about the system is something far less dramatic than a panicky stop. iBR allows the Limited to start in a mode that mimics neutral on a boat. Hit the start button at the dock and the engine starts but the craft stays put. You can then shift into reverse by grabbing the combo brake/reverse lever, or shift into forward by applying throttle. It allows unparalleled control around a dock area or launch ramp. As evidence, an entire fleet of journalists — some skilled, some not — were able to bring their boats into a marina for lunch and calmly pull up to the dock without banging into anything. Trust me, that’s an accomplishment.

As to the electronic throttle? It makes possible convenience features like cruise control and no-wake modes, both handy in real-world applications. It also allows Sea-Doo to “tame” the engine’s response. Boats start in a gentler-acceleration touring mode, or can be switched to a Sport mode that unleashes the full power of the engine.

Power…And Those Extras

The information display pivots with the handlebars so you always have a good view of the gauges.

As to the power of that engine, this is almost Sea-Doo’s most potent package. Rated by Sea-Doo at 260hp, the 1,494cc triple uses both a supercharger and intercooler to push its performance potential. Top speed is limited by the GPS speedometer to 67 mph, and you get there plenty fast, especially in Sport mode.

All that remains are the details. I like the innovative thinking that resulted in the info display pivoting with the tilt handlebars, as well as the seat that rises on a pneumatic strut to access the engine. Sea-Doo’s lanyard system also is a simple way to prevent theft, as well as seriously tame the engine for newcomers (or to save fuel) by using a choice of color-coded lanyards. The Limited’s retractable mooring lines are also kind of cool. I don’t, however, like that the suspension setup also drastically reduces storage on a boat seemingly made for cruising. It’s a minimal 16 gallons, a far cry from the competition’s cavernous volume.

As to the remaining Limited offerings — custom cover, depth finder, glovebox organizer, dry bag storage — they’re nice extras for that customer who wants all the add-ons, and chooses not to get some of it at a cheaper retail outlet.

Though the price tag may be high, the GTX Limited iS 260 gives PWC enthusiasts the best of everything.

And that’s kind of the point of the Limited. It’s for the customer who wants the best of everything…and doesn’t care that much about the price tag ($16,499) that goes along with it.

Related Reading
2011 Sea-Doo RXT-X 260 Review
2011 Sea-Doo RXT-X aS 260 Review
2011 Sea-Doo GTI Limited 155 Review
2010 Sea-Doo GTX Limited iS 260 Review