2013 Sea-Doo GTX S 155 Review

Suspension…at a savings

Suspension is a novel concept on the water. When first developing it, Sea-Doo’s idea was to take a little of the pain and jolt out of rough-water riding by essentially separating much of the craft’s upper half – everything from the handlebars right down to the footwells – from the actual hull below. By linking these now separate areas via a twin-arm suspension, complete with spring and shock absorber, the abuse the hull was taking in the water wouldn’t be fully transferred to the passengers riding above. Driver and passengers could theoretically ride longer, in rougher conditions, and enjoy themselves more while doing it.

The problem? The original “intelligent” suspension, linked to the craft’s onboard computer, was an expensive proposition. Models cost upwards of $16,000, limiting the buying public’s acceptance of the technology.
 

Sea-Doo’s GTX S 155 offers the comforts of suspension at a much lower price.

Sea-Doo’s solution with the GTX S 155 is to keep the mechanical workings of that suspension, but take the “intelligent” portion out of the equation.

Keeping It Simple(r)

A few turns of a socket wrench is all you need to adjust the suspension in the GTX S 155.

In many ways, this is the same system Sea-Doo employs on the higher-end GTX Limited iS and RXT-X. That twin-arm linkage remains, as does the spring and shock absorber. Together, they let the upper rider portion move up and down within the lower hull by about 5.5 inches. Hop aboard, bounce up and down, and you can literally see the amount of travel.

Where it differs is that this suspension system isn’t governed by a computer brain called iControl that senses the load put upon the system, but is purely manual. Lift up the hinged seat and you can access the suspension. Whip out a common socket wrench and you can adjust the tension, making it stiffer or softer to match your personal preference, the roughness of your riding area, even the weight of your typical passenger load. It’s certainly lower tech, but in all honesty, it still works much the same. And saves a lot of money.

You can see in the front end where the suspension compresses.

I’ve stated in previous reviews not to expect a magic-carpet ride. You’ll still feel rough water below. The difference is that instead of the jarring jolt typical of crossing bigger waves, you get more of a gentler bounce. It certainly takes the edge of big water, as well as keeps you fresher longer on extended rides. Passengers benefit even more. Without the same view forward to anticipate waves and use your legs to help cushion, and with only the driver’s torso or a seat strap to hang onto, passengers often take the brunt of the abuse in less-than-ideal conditions. Suspension offers a degree of welcome relief.

Staying Smart

The craft’s other big features – Intelligent Brake and Reverse (iBR) and Intelligent Throttle Control (iTC) – experience no such dumbing down. The GTX S 155 gets the full complement of both.

The brake is controlled through the iBR lever on the left handlebar.

iBR employs a tweaked reverse bucket to redirect water flow in response to the driver’s input on a lever mounted on the left handlebar. Squeeze it at speed and the computer interrupts thrust for just a fraction of a second as it drops that bucket into place. The reapplication of thrust then provides stopping power as it is redirected forward. The pull is from the back, like dropping a parachute in the water. It can slow the craft to a stop in about half the distance normally required, while keeping the hull mostly level so that you don’t experience that “going over the bow” feeling. It’s really cool, however, at slow speeds. By lowering the bucket partially, iBR allows a Sea-Doo to start in what is essentially neutral; you won’t surge forward or back. Switching the theoretical gears is simply a matter of squeezing the throttle to go forward or the brake/reverse lever to go back. It’s simple and intuitive to quickly switch back and forth, and the driver’s attention stays focused on the water. That alleviates a lot of stress in tight confines…or when people dockside are watching.

iTC, essentially drive-by-wire, eliminates the cable linkage between throttle and engine, but more importantly allows for cruise control, a no-wake mode setting, and an ECO mode for enhanced fuel conservation. It also allows Sea-Doo owners to literally choose how they want the craft to respond. In Touring mode, the acceleration curve is softened. In Sport mode, the engine’s full strength is at the driver’s fingertips. Both settings reach the same top speed; the difference is just in how fast and aggressively you get there, as well as how much fuel is consumed in the process.

That’s not to be confused with the Learning Key lanyard system. This digitally encoded theft prevention tool features a second “learning” key to govern the entire power output of the engine, keeping it from ever reaching those top speeds should you turn your boat over to a younger rider, newcomer, or anyone else you don’t want hot-rodding across the waves.

Passengers will appreciate the comfort of the suspension more than driver.

An electronic Variable Trim System lets you further fine tune performance and ride by adjusting the craft’s running angle on the fly. Lower the bow for better acceleration, raise it to increase top speed, or simply use it to adjust the boat’s attitude when more passengers are piled onto the saddle.

More…And Less

Apart from the suspension difference, the GTX S 155 is pretty much the GTX 155. It features a stepped hull to reduce drag, and can handle rough water on par with the category’s toughest boats or focus its attention to carving an aggressive turn when it comes time to slice some corners. The power within is the 155hp variant of the Rotax 4-TEC, 1,494cc engine that foregoes the supercharger and intercooler that speed up its siblings. Depending on load, it typically pushes this boat to between 55-57 mph, while providing all the pull necessary to get your tow-loving friends out of the water on skis, boards, and inflatables.

How much does suspension cost? The GTX S 155 retails for $1,000 more than the non-suspension equipped GTX 155.

Score additional points for a informative, easy-to read display, tilt steering, nice touring-style bolstered seat, fold-down boarding step, and real ski tow eye, not just a glorified U-bolt. Subtract points for storage. It’s found mostly within a removable watertight container under the bow hatch, but the suspension design limits its capacity to only 16.4 gallons. That’s kind of puny by today’s standards.

Much of these same features are found on the GTX 155, so the big question is whether or not you feel suspension is worth $1,000. For the answer, you might want to consult your spine. It’s probably got an opinion.

Related Reading
2011 Sea-Doo GTX 155 Review
2012 Sea-Doo GTX 215 Review
2012 Sea-Doo GTS 130 Review
2012 Sea-Doo GTI Limited 155 Review