Undoubtedly, you’ve read The Watercraft Journal defend the Kawasaki’s offshore/rough water prowess but at the cost of ripping top speeds equal to that of Sea-Doo and Yamaha. The Ultra dominates in chop due to its deep-V hull and overall heft. Simply put, that means that the Kawasaki sits deeper in the water.
With so much wetted surface, the Kawasaki simply produces far more drag than its slipperier competitors when in glassy conditions. Having to push so much mass through the water requires some serious power, and getting the big JetSki to displace water quicker means some serious know how.
Thankfully, RIVA Racing has managed to do both. Requiring a great deal of effort, RIVA managed to redesign its Performance Ride Plate (including a higher ramp, deeper runners and a center skeg); perfected the pitch on a Solas Concorde 14/18 impeller; added a wastegate block off plate; and introduced a billet aluminum K3 supercharger pulley with all stainless hardware and idler pulley.
Of course, the most important feature is the use of RIVA’s Maptuner Nano tuning bundle. This incredibly easy-to-use dongle plugs directly into the supplied diagnostic cable, allowing tuning upgrades to be made through your smartphone app; as well as a king’s ransom of live data and decoding tools.
The end result is a Stage 3 Kit that delivers a repeatable 80mph @ 8400rpm (RIVA states the test unit was a 2023 Kawasaki Ultra 310X ridden in fresh water with 180lbs rider; 1/3-full tank), ignition timing is very safe for use with RIVA’s Stage 3 pulley. Equally, it was all done using the factory waterbox and air intake.
Here’s the original press release from RIVA Racing:
Our Stage 3 Kit delivers a huge performance gain with simple bolt-on modifications! Delivers great acceleration and a top speed increase of 13+ MPH.
The Maptuner Nano Bundle delivers instant plug-in horsepower!
Includes everything you need to connect to and reflash your watercraft’s ECU in one complete package.
Flash your vehicle’s ECU for more power, monitor and log critical engine data, read & clear error codes all from your smartphone! This revolutionary app based device is controlled with your phone via wireless Bluetooth connection. Intuitive & easy to use with a few simple steps!
There is no limit to the number of vehicles or tunes you can reflash with the Nano. Simply purchase one tuning license for each vehicle that you would like to program. This gives you access to RIVA’s world famous Tuning Library along with unmatched technical support. Easily switch between performance tunes and then back to stock settings if you wish.
Features and Benefits:
- Wireless Bluetooth connectivity to Android or iOS smartphone.
- Switch between performance tunes quickly & easily.
- Restore stock tune settings if you wish.
- Reflash your ECU instantly without shipping it out for programming.
- Allows reading & clearing fault codes.
- Includes live monitoring & data logging of critical engine data.
RIVA Wastegate Block-off Kit is installed. Billet block-off plate replaces the factory wastegate valve on your intercooler enabling maximum boost and engine performance.
RIVA ‘K3’ Supercharger Pulley Kit is installed. Smaller in diameter than stock, it produces over 3psi of additional boost delivering incredible horsepower and torgue. Made from billet aluminum and coated with a special military spec material for improved belt wear and corrosion resistance. Stainless steel idler pulley is matched with stainless steel precision sealed bearing.
Solas Concord Impeller is installed. New design incorporates a large blade area and superior hub design that deliver increased acceleration and top speed. Billet nose cone included.
RIVA Performance Ride Plate is installed. Our ride plate increases top speed and significantly enhances handling characteristics.
