2014 Yamaha Super Jet Review

The lone remaining stand-up craft rides again

I won’t kid anyone here – this review isn’t anything new. In fact, I’ve rehashed the story for years now. Yamaha’s Super Jet, the lone remaining stand-up in the industry, handles like a champ and has got reliable power with plenty of upgrade potential.

It’s a good story, however, so let’s go through it…one more time.

Carves Like A Champ

Stand-ups are all about carving ability, and here the Super Jet benefits from an aftermarket-influenced design of a wider hull surface forward and slimmer design aft. Chines are kept sharp and the pump is moved aft and covered with an extended ride plate. The design puts more hull surface on the water up front, under the craft’s primary pivot point. It also, when introduced, eliminated the original Super Jet’s tendency to favor a flat turning style.

No PWC left on the market can carve like the Yamaha Super Jet.

Want to carve like a pro? Just lean the craft over, punch the throttle and it responds with precision reflexes. It’s gentle enough for beginners to get their first turns under their belt, but also aggressive enough to satisfy a real pro on the race course.

COMPARISON: 2011 Kawasaki Jet Ski 800 SX-R Review

The Super Jet retains the light feel and playful manners that make for a great freestyle machine. Hop it, launch it off a wave, submarine it below the surface, it responds to rider input without hiccup.

Design choices make certain the rider stays in control. Underfoot are legitimate Hydro-Turf traction mats with an aft kick tail to allow you to leverage your trailing foot. You can adjust steering to respond even quicker if desired. A handle pole spring eliminates carrying the weight of the entire handle pole to prevent fatigue.

Hydro-Turf mats offer improved traction.

Two-Stroke Power

Yamaha’s Super Jet is powered by a two-stroke motor – the last remaining one in the industry. The good news is that choice makes for a lightweight and powerful engine. Yamaha uses the once-familiar 701cc powerplant with dual 38mm Mikuni carbs, linked to a 144mm jet pump. It’s enough to power the boat to a top speed in the neighborhood of 45 mph, or push it out of the water when jumping off a wave. As I’ve said in previous years, don’t let that number fool you. While top-level runabouts are capable of going a good 20 mph more, speed is different on a boat you have to balance atop of and one you just sit on and squeeze the throttle. Plus, this is one of the most highly modifiable craft of all time. The aftermarket has plenty of goodies to make it go faster should the desire arise.

COMPARISON: 2014 Yamaha FZR Review

You are looking at the last two-stroke powered watercraft available today.

And of course, the desire will arise…or at least it should. One of the catches of that lone remaining two-stroke is that it eliminates the craft from public sale and positions the Super Jet as a model for competition-use only. That means you can ride it on a race course or private lake, but you won’t be able to trot down to the motor vehicle department and register it then head out on a public waterway.

New…In Blue

With the low sales numbers it’s certain to produce, it would be easy to just let this boat stay as is, but Yamaha has kept things interesting in 2014, at least when it comes to the craft’s looks. Gone is the black and orange scheme of last year, and in its place is a black with a new, bright blue and silver that evokes a little more of the brand’s heritage. The price has also changed. Yamaha knocked off $100 to bring the 2014 model in at $8,499.

COMPARISON: 2014 Sea-Doo RXP-X 260 Review

Though it’s only available for competition use, Yamaha saw fit to dress the Super Jet in new colors for 2014, while knocking $100 off the price tag.

Enough to entice buyers into upgrading, or attract a new generation of racer to the market? That’s hard to say. But for my money, this remains one of the most fun PWC you can buy.

Just make sure you’ve got a racetrack to use it.