Last month The Watercraft Journal published a fun tease of the annual WetBike Rally in Lake Murray, Oklahoma. This got our wheels moving as to the design of the WetBike and why it never really caught on. Then, we were reminded of the JetBike (of no affiliation to the WetBike), produced by Aquajet. The unusual-looking craft borrowed a lot from the aforementioned watercraft but tried to bring it into the 21st century.
Powered by a mid-mounted three-cylinder engine, displacing 1250cc, the watercooled/open loop two-stroke plant used a trio of Keilin 42mm CDK carbs producing a reasonable 150-horsepower. Manufactured by the Aquajet Corporation located in the Port of Los Angeles, California, the JetBike WX1 was surprisingly lightweight at 387 pounds despite its tall sportbike-like profile.
Reviews of the JetBike reported it responsive and agile thanks to its dual steering achieved by both the pivoting front ski and rear jet nozzle. In light of its advertised 70-plus-mph top speed, the JetBike never really caught one like so many other unconventional personal watercraft that have both preceded and followed it.
Below is a copy of the JetBike’s original promotional video that shows it careening through chop, open ocean surf and through wakes. It might be no more, but it’s always fun to take a look back on this “Throwback Thursday.”
#tbt Do you remember the JetBike? Making 150HP, could this two-stroke sportbike for the water make a comeback?
http://t.co/WAg8ejuT3v
MT @ProWestJetSki: #tbt Do you remember the JetBike? 150HP, could this two-stroke sportbike for H20 make a comeback?http://t.co/qIxphwjbMv
RT @ProWestJetSki: #tbt Do you remember the JetBike? Making 150HP, could this two-stroke sportbike for the water make a comeback?
http://t…
rt @ProWestJetSki #tbt Do you remember the JetBike? 150HP, could this two-stroke sportbike for H20 make a comeback?http://t.co/aZuF8WPfSR …