If you don’t think we’re in the middle of a horsepower war, you best start start looking a lot closer. While Yamaha Motors, USA hasn’t officially launched a retaliatory salvo towards their Canadian competitors, RIVA Racing is doing the dirty work for them. Launching a pair of Limited Edition FX SVHO and GP SVHO WaveRunners each producing a dyno-proven and reliable 350-horsepower, these two runabouts bridge the gap for Yamaha enthusiasts looking to own race-grade weaponry without the torment of tangoing with less-than-reliable speed shops.
That’s right, the world leader in performance personal watercraft – RIVA Racing – is back at it with its FX350R and GP350R signature series of WaveRunners. Each package was developed by RIVA’s in-house team of engineers and tuners, trial tested by racers around the globe, and proven on race tracks worldwide. If you’re a performance enthusiast looking for closed-course championship acceleration, top speed and handling but don’t want the hassle of finding a reputable shop, these limited-run RIVA Edition WaveRunners are going to be all you need.
Before we get into the massive parts lists that make these so impressive, we might as well jump to the chase: the GP350R runs a blistering 86mph, as the heavier full-sized FX350R roars up to 81mph – both on 93 pump gas. No race-grade gasoline is required for these machines. But any good jet skier knows a well-rounded machine is much more than just going in a straight line: each unit includes upgraded steering and handling components for complete rider control. Each unit is built in-house by RIVA’s master technicians, so there’s no worry that each ski will be assembled correctly.
So what does each WaveRunner get? Whether it’s the GP or FX, the parts list is pretty much identical. Each Limited Edition begins with RIVA’s Maptuner tuning license; a high flow billet fuel rail; Power Filter Kit; pre-filter; RIVA’s catch can & engine breather upgrade kit; their supercharger shaft upgrade kit; Gen-3 Power Cooler Kit (with a Tial 50mm BOV); Pro-Series engine cooling upgrade kit; intake manifold upgrade kit; vacuum port adapter kit; valve retainer upgrade kit; rear exhaust kit and billet oil filler cap.
That’s all just what’s found under the recovered seat. What about everywhere else? RIVA improves the Yamahas’ hookup with a Solas Concord impeller; pump seal kit; top-loader intake grate; ride plate; Pro-Series sponson kit; Pro-Series steering system (again, that’s been anodized to match either red or blue); RIVA’s Pro-Bar aluminum handlebars (30″); billet aluminum control levers (also color-matched to your ski); ODI Rogue grips (130mm/no flange); ODI grip end cap & clamp kit; the aforementioned custom seat cover, custom graphics package and a custom valve cover (black).
Each platform is sold in either a red/black or blue/black livery, and features customized exclusive graphics and color-matched anodized RIVA Racing components, not to mention a custom, race-ready seat cover by Jettrim. Priced at $33,895 and $34,395 respectively, RIVA Racing will only produce 10 of the two models. Superior handling, break-neck acceleration and one-of-a-kind styling makes these WaveRunners faster than most professional racers and better looking than anything from the factory. If the other guys wanted a horsepower war, RIVA Racing’s custom Yamahas aren’t bringing a knife to a gunfight.
