Rumors Debunked: The Truth About Buying a New Yamaha SuperJet

There has been a lot of hype in the standup world lately with the unveiling of Kawasaki’s new SX-R 1500, but what about the tried-and-true Yamaha SuperJet? Some speculation has circled the SuperJet over the past few years on who can buy the machine new from the dealer. There is some confusion on this topic from guys at the lake to uneducated salesman at the dealerships. Here at The Watercraft Journal, we broke down all the facts you need to know if you are looking to put a brand new SuperJet in your garage:

Yes, there are a few stipulations before you throw down your hard-earned cash on a SuperJet. There is an extra step compared to other new personal watercraft, but almost anyone can get the Yamaha standup new if you really have the itch. When we say almost, you are out of luck if you live in California or New York. The SuperJet is not for sale new in these two states due to emissions. But that’s not to say you couldn’t buy your new machine out of state. The rumor that only “racers” can get their hands on a new SuperJet is false. Recreational riders can purchase the machine new as well.

The other stipulation with owning a new SuperJet is that the person buying the machine has to purchase an IJSBA (International Jet Sport Boating Association) competition card (first implemented in 2011). This card is $60 and can be obtained at your dealership or through the IJSBA website directly. Why do you have to obtain an IJSBA card in the first place? Simply put emissions. The SuperJet is classified as a “competition use only” personal watercraft due to stringent EPA regulations. The 2-stroke motor doesn’t pass the strict emission standards like the rest of the new manufactured 4-stroke skis.

In its current form, the SuperJet is one of the most popular standup skis in 20 years. We asked Yamaha’s Andrew Cullen a bit more about the perennial standup, who explained, “The SuperJet hull was last updated in 2008. It incorporated a slightly wider shape especially in the bow area, which softens the ride and makes it lean into turns better. Many racing developments over the years helped improve the handling character of the SuperJet, [and] in an effort to continually improve our products, we incorporated many of the designs from our racing efforts into our consumer products.”

This ski is the last manufactured personal watercraft from the Big Three with a 2-stroke engine. The 701cc inline twin 2-stroke has been virtually the same since the mid 1990’s. But do not let that scare you. This platform has stood the test of time. If it isn’t broke, why fix it? The aftermarket is flooded with performance parts to get even more performance out of your 2-stroke SuperJet as well. So if you want the lighter more affordable standup [$8,499] go out and pick one up today!