Kawasaki Brings Back the Standup Jet Ski

Four-stroke engine to power new craft

The first thing a lot of PWC enthusiasts did this morning? Probably check the calendar. The news that Kawasaki was actually reintroducing the standup Jet Ski – news that was dropped unceremoniously at 4 AM EST in little more than an email with an accompanying teaser video – seemed like a classic April Fool’s prank. But it’s August, and the news is actually real. The standup Jet Ski is back, and with a four-stroke engine to boot.

Of course, that’s about all the details we have (the image above is not the new model). Sure, we’ve known for years that Kawasaki had tested a standup model with a four-stroke, but no one thought the brand would ever really bring it out, not with the standup market amounting to only a fraction of sales. But bring it out they have, albeit with few details.

The accompanying video shows just teasing glimpses of the new craft, but affirms that it will have a “powerful four-stroke engine,” “aggressive styling,” and will be “competition ready.” Just enough to whet the appetite of standup junkies around the world.

But maybe that’s all that’s necessary. Just the idea of a new standup in the pipeline is cause for celebration.

As is the confirmation that today is not April 1st.

Here are some screenshots from the video, which show some details of the new Jet Ski SX-R.