END OF AN ERA: HISTORY OF THE YAMAHA SUPERJET
2020, Yamaha Motor Corporation announced the final run of its extremely successful two-stroke Yamaha SuperJet, one of the world’s most popular stand up personal watercraft.
In honor of it’s impact on the industry, we are breaking down the Yamaha SuperJets we have grown to love over the years, and how they affected the sport of personal watercraft racing.
After several years of market domination by Kawasaki in the late 80s, Yamaha threw their name in the mix by introducing the first-ever Yamaha SuperJet in 1990. More than 30 years later, that machine is one of the highest selling PWC models of all time.
THE SQUARE NOSE SUPERJET
The “square-nose” SuperJet was the first generation SuperJet, and went on to be one of the most loved. It’s two-deck structure was made from sheet molded composite and featured a 650cc, 50 horsepower two stroke engine.
1990 SuperJet Squarenose
ENGINE
- Common name: 650 Square Nose (SN)
- Displacement: 633cc, Inline 2-Cylinder, 2-Stroke (6M6 cylinder, 6M6 cases)
- Rated Power Output: 50 hp
- Single Carb (Mikuni Super BN44) with twin stainless steel 6-petal reed valves
HULL
- Length: 86.04 in (2,185 mm)
- Width: 28 in (710 mm)
- Height: 26 in (660 mm)
- Weight, dry: 287 lbs (130 kg)
- Max speed: 38.2 mph (61.5 km/h)
It’s first major update came in 1995, when Yamaha upgraded to a 701cc engine. While the hull remained exactly the same, this motor upgrade was the boost the PWC needed to surge into the racing world. The SN SuperJet went on to be popularized by some of the world’s best racers, like Chris Fischetti, Chris MacClugage, and Tera Laho, whose championship runs proved the ski’s abilities on the track.
ENGINE
- Common name: 701 Square Nose (SN)
- Displacement: 701cc, Inline two-cylinder, two-stroke (61X cylinder, 61X cases)
- Rated Power Output: 63 hp (47 kW)
- Single Carb (Mikuni Super BN44) with twin stainless steel 6-petal reed valves
HULL
- Length: 86.04 in (2,185 mm)
- Width: 28 in (710 mm)
- Height: 26 in (660 mm)
- Weight, dry: 291 lbs (132 kg)
- Max speed: 42 mph (68 km/h)
This ski also made stake in the world famous “Rickter Invert” one of the first Jet Ski backflips, world champion freestyler and PWC-icon Rick Roy proved the versatility of the Yamaha SuperJet by pushing the boundaries of freestyle on the square nose.
The SN SuperJet was also extremely popular in the freestyle division, completely replacing the Kawasakis that were formerly dominant in all areas. The Yamaha SuperJet became a staple in the freeride and freestyle community, opening up a new market for aftermarket performance. Yamaha SuperJets were modified for casual freeriding with footholds, while others re-homed the SuperJet power plant into modern hulls made for backflips and tricks.
THE ROUND NOSE SUPERJET
The first round nose SuperJet was introduced in 1996. The details of the bottom deck stayed the same, but Yamaha switched to a round-nosed hull for the first time.
ENGINE
- Common name: 701 or Round Nose (RN)
- Displacement: 701cc, Inline 2-Cylinder, 2-Stroke (61X cylinder, 62T cases)
- Bore x stroke: 81.0 mm × 68 mm (3.19 in × 2.68 in)
- Rated Power Output: 73 hp (54 kW) @6,300 rpm
- Dual carb (Mikuni Super BN38) with reed valves
HULL
- Length (in): 88.2 in (2,240 mm)
- Width (in): 26.8 in (680 mm)
- Height (in): 26.0 in (660 mm)
- Weight, dry: 291 lbs (132 kg)
- Max speed: 45.4 mph (73.1 km/h)
ROUND NOSE SUPERJET (GEN 2)
As the industry continued to progress, Yamaha saw the need for a more stable ride with the ability to handle well at high speeds. The introduction of the 2008 SuperJet was the first time the hull itself had seen a change since 1990. Leaning more toward the performance angle, Yamaha incorporated sponsons into the mold on the front of the hull, shortened the handle pole, and adjusted the strakes on the bottom of the hull to increase grip and drive.
While the motor stayed the same as previous models, the ride plate, pump and intake grate are all set back 50mm more than before, giving the ski a little extra propulsion boost and hook up.
These changes sealed Yamaha’s place as a tough contender in the racing world. Since 2008, the Yamaha SuperJet has been one of the most popular skis to have in closed-course racing.
It went on to dominate the Lites classes, winning the majority of the championships since its debut.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Rumors and speculation swirl around the introduction of a fourstroke SuperJet that’s set to debut in 2021 to compete with the widely popular SX-R 1500 four stroke standup. The two-stroke Yamaha Super Jet has been the single most-selling personal watercraft of all time. It’s popularity stayed strong throughout years of changes within the watercraft industry. With the discontinuation of the beloved two stroke SuperJet, something new is brewing on the horizon for Yamaha. With changing emission laws worldwide and a demand for reliable, entry level personal watercraft, Yamaha has been brainstorming something new to once again bring a game changer into the market.
Stay tuned for more content as we countdown to the reveal of the new 2021 Yamaha SuperJet, which is rumored to be unveiled in August 2020.
