The STX 160 was released in 2020, which was the very first major platform change for Kawasaki since the early 2000’s. And yes, I’m not including the 250/260/300 or Gen 1 310 since that shares the 250 hull. Almost 2 decades later and Kawasaki finally made a huge step with the new 2020 STX 160 (including all trims).
It featured everything we love about the 15F with some great improvements. Of course some minor dislikes, but nothing too detrimental. The same proven and reliable 1500 engine was carried over to the STX 160, which of course, was fantastic. Along with that, the same great STX hull.
The front storage space was much neater and cleaner just like the Ultras, as well as the rear black bucket was utilized in a different fashion, eliminating the annoying gasket under the bucket. The biggest plus and my biggest appreciation is moving to the 20.6 gallon fuel tank. More fuel means more range.
The dash was pretty much carried over from the 300/310, and the wire harness and proven electronics as well. A big step was eliminating the hybrid throttle by wire setup on the 300/310, now with a small actuator motor in the trigger instead, to help with finger fatigue on long rides. A lot of guys’ wives complained about numb fingers on long rides, so this is a real world plus. We call that EZ throttle, by the way. Although the idea was in the right direction, the EZ throttle lacks that precision feel, and fewer contact points of its predecessor. It could be fine tuned, but Kawasaki needs to know it’s not perfect first.
Contrary to the part numbers and what most believe, the throttle bodies are fully forward and backward compatible to the 300/310 and STX 160. My biggest issue is that Mikuni cheaped out along the way (in about 2018), and put out a low quality unit compared to the previous models they made. The new stuff (post 2018) tend to fail quite often, so we just install an old model throttle body. You can tell by the potted electronics on the side, it is quite larger on the old models.
My second biggest gripe with this machine is the fuel pump. The T-35 fuel pump and minuscule bag chosen to be used in a 1.5L engine is nothing short of inadequate. This is nothing but a huge headache for anyone riding this ski. The strainer clogs within 20 hours, burns out the fuel pump and continues to push people away from the brand in frustration. Thankfully, here at KP we have the fuel pump mod kit, which is the only solution for the STX. This fits the good ol’ style fuel pump from the 15F in the STX 160.
Now to my biggest issue with the STX 160: the hood. We all know the stories. Yes, people lost hoods and they did break off. There have been many fixes since, and still to this day, the hood is still plastic and very flimsy, which really is of poor design. The hood we have to live with, but the fuel pump at least we have a fix.
Then came the 2026 JetSkis. I had a chance to check out the new STX 160LX in person at the IJSBA World Finals in Lake Havasu, AZ, and unfortunately, to my surprise things do not get better for the STX 160 platform.
I have to say how out of touch Kawasaki is with the new model. Let’s start with the exterior; lots of cleats on the new JetSki and a larger bigger bumper. All cool and all but this plastic fades within 2-3 years and needs replacement. Not something I want. Also, they used the new aluminized screws on the exterior that love to rust. I can’t say how much I hate that. I want a JetSki that looks great for years.
The matting on this model really left a lot to be desired, but I’ll let that be for now. The speakers are standard on the LX, which is a great upgrade, however I dislike the controls on the speaker pod! Everyone has a phone these days, everything should be either Bluetooth or controlled by the main display. I don’t understand why we are stuck in the Stone Age.
The glove box is much bigger, which I appreciate, but the USB’s in there are the same as the previous models which rust away quickly. Use gold plated contacts, with a thread on seal to keep things rustproof. I really think they shouldn’t put anything there at all unless it will hold up way better! This model did have the front accent lights and rear camera, which again I think leaves a lot to be desired as far as functionality. Not really useful on a JetSki in my opinion. The front accent lights get wet/let water in frequently and need attention regularly.
A big fail I think on this machine, which was really painful to see, was the complete removal of the rear storage tub, replaced by another plastic see-through door like on the Gen 2 310’s. I don’t see a purpose at all, so please, I would love some feedback on that! With that said, Kawasaki gave up a ton of storage under the back seat, which was replaced by a see-through door.
I think my least favorite change to this has to be the KSRD. KSRD has been around for a few years now and has had some revisions since it’s first implementation. That’s pretty normal with new stuff, but in this case, I really think the KSRD needed way more testing and tweaking before sending to market. I do like the theory behind the KSRD but I think it’s too temperamental and can be dangerously inadequate in times of need.
On an old model with mechanical reverse, if you come up quick to something or someone in some dangerous situation, you pull the reverse lever, the nose dives in the water but you do stop quick. That’s really our last resort safety measure. Now say the same scenario with the the KSRD. By the time the bucket thinks to come down when you are in danger, you’re already in trouble or you bailed off the ski already.
I dislike KSRD because of this, and I really believe the engineers who designed this actually do not ride in real world scenarios. Safety is one of the most important goals with any type of machine. I would never allow something that isn’t as safe as possible to leave my doors.
Now lastly on a positive note: the front hood was redesigned. It finally has reverted back to the old design with a piston and metal hinge. So the hood stays up and is very sturdy. What I don’t like so much is that they used the same piston shock from the old 12F/15F. So the aluminum hinge comes up very far, and is in the way a bit. If they only made a taller piston, the hinge wouldn’t have to come up at all.
Overall, I think the bad outweighs the good on the Gen 2 STX 160. Kawasaki is trying to put out something different, which I appreciate. However, I believe the guys putting out these ideas and implementing them are not actual JetSki riders. As someone who rides quite often, I would be making constant steps forward into improving safety, usability and of course reliability, rather than additional features and gimmicks.
