Image: James Masterton
OK, I’m gonna admit that I did a rotten thing yesterday. After publishing the release of Kawasaki’s all-new “near-1,000cc” supercharged four-stroke four-cylinder engine, I just couldn’t get over the idea that with some minor changes, it could be an ideal engine for a smaller entry-level runabout or even a new SX-R standup.
Apparently, shoehorning a four-stroke into standup and revitalizing Kawasaki’s mothballed SX-R is a really hot topic. But that comes as no surprise as so many people have already crammed Kawasaki’s 1.5L plant (both naturally-aspirated or supercharged iterations), turbocharged Weber rotary engines from Hydrospace S4s, and even a massive supercharged 1.8L SHO into the legendary standup.
Whether the new motorcycle engine that was unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show last week will eventually become the brand’s new smaller displacement PWC engine is unknown, but what is clear is the demand for a clean-running four-stroke standup. So much so, that multiple World Champion and owner of Sydney Sea-Doo Performance, James Masterton is taking it upon himself to do exactly that.
Titled the SXR900, Sydney Sea-Doo Performance has plopped a brand new ACE 900 engine into the ski. Yanked from a brand-new Sea-Doo Spark, the tiny Rotax engine spits out a reasonable 90hp (when optioned) from the factory. Obviously, a little aftermarket attention can crank that number into the triple digits rather quickly, so the SXR900 will need a few mods to accommodate accordingly.
Currently, a custom fuel tank and driveshaft are being fabricated as well as a new hull mold to improve engine fitment and drop the center of gravity. The system also goes without Sea-Doo’s heat extractor opting for an open-loop cooling system.
