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Yamaha Jet Ski? You are Wrong, it’s WaveRunner! [Video]
Many people are looking for “Yamaha Jet Ski”. This is entirely wrong because Yamaha Jet skis do not exist!
Continue reading in order to find out more about the current Yamaha WaveRunner models and the confusion associated with the watercrafts’ different names.
Before we move on any further, it is very important to clear out a major misunderstanding. When it comes to watercrafts, there is widespread confusion regarding what the generic name of the machine is, what is the name of the manufacturers and what is the brand name.
There are numerous names including PWC, personal watercraft, Tigershark, Wet Bike, WaveRunner, Sea-Doo, Jet Ski, Yamaha, Kawasaki, AquaTrax, Polaris, and many more.
In fact, the term ‘jet ski’ is a registered trademark of the company Kawasaki and there is no such thing as a Yamaha Jet Ski, a Sea-Doo Jet Ski or a Honda Jet Ski”.
The confusion is further heightened when rental companies and dealerships advertise their machines by using the term jet ski with manufacturers’ names other than Kawasaki. You may have seen Yamaha Jet Ski for Sale or Yamaha Jet Ski rental in some places!
Not Yamaha Jet Ski, it’s WaveRunner
As mentioned before, the term “Jet Ski” is a registered trademark of the company Kawasaki Motors Corporation.
So, why does everybody use this name? This is because of the fact that the Kawasaki Jet Skis were extremely popular in the 80’s and 90’s.
As it happens with most products, the most popular brand name catches on as the generic name of the product. This is what happened with watercrafts and people generally started using the term “jet ski” to refer to personal watercrafts.
So much so that even official documentation relating to the laws and regulations about the machines referred to them as jet skis!
However, no matter how widely accepted and used this term becomes, it is still the registered trademark of only Kawasaki and other manufacturers or competitors cannot use it while advertising their product. If they do, they can face serious legal charges for copyright infringement.
This is why you will not be able to find any “Yamaha Jet Ski” on the market. It would be like trying to find a “Chevrolet Mustang” or “Ford Camaro”; plain ridiculous.
The brand name for Yamaha’s
watercrafts is WaveRunner.
Watercrafts in the WaveRunner line include several good ‘sit-down’ models and a stand up watercraft, the Yamaha SuperJet, as well.
In the past, Yamaha WaveBlaster and WaveJammer were also part of this line, but these are not manufactured anymore.
Other manufacturers
Similarly, as mentioned above, you can’t find any Sea-Doo jet ski on the market.
You can find only exclusively Kawasaki watercrafts with the brand name of Jet Ski.
To further clarify this confusion regarding brand names, manufacturers and generic names, we, at JetDrift, have created a small summary table containing all the main manufacturers and brand names for you.
Some of these manufacturers have since halted their production of the watercrafts while others are still operational and quite popular.
| Started | Ended | Brand name | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | - | Sea-Doo | Bombardier (BRP) |
| 1972 | - | Jet Ski | Kawasaki |
| 1978 | 1992 | WetBike | Arctic Cat |
| 1985 | 1993 | Wet Jet | Koronis Part Inc. (Sold to MasterCraft) |
| 1986 | - | WaveRunner | Yamaha |
| 1992 | 2004 | SeaLion | Polaris |
| 1993 | 1999 | Tigershark | Arctic Cat |
| 1994 | 1997 | Wet Jet | MasterCraft |
| 2002 | 2009 | AquaTrax | Honda |
| 2004 | 2006 | Hydrospace | Hydrospace (sold to Benelli) |
| 2006 | - | Burrasca | Belassi |
| 2008 | - | Krash | Krash Industries |
| 2018 | - | Narke Electrojet | Narke |
| 2018 | - | Orca | Taiga |
History of Yamaha WaveRunners
The trademark YAMAHA comes from the name of the founder of the company, Torakusu Yamaha.
Yamaha was established in 1887 as a piano and organ manufacturer in Japan. In the year of 1955 the company looked for new opportunities and started to manufacture motorcycles.
But they did not stay on the mainland with their machines!
The economy of Japan experienced a great boom in the 80s. Because of this, the incomes started to rise which is what allowed people to afford more recreational activities. Marine sports were definitely not an exception!
Yamaha grabbed the opportunity and entered into this market as well. Along with basic boats, they started to manufacture watercrafts and released their first WaveRunner, the 500T, in 1986.
Soon after the release and success of the 500T, several other models were introduced into Yamaha’s fleet.
Current WaveRunner models
Yamaha has a wide range of watercrafts reflecting the market’s needs. It currently offers 18 different models, with price tags ranging from as low as $6.799 up to $17.399.
If you would like to discover all of these current Yamaha WaveRunners, you can start here.
In this tool, you can browse or compare the models with each other and with models from competitors as well. All models are classified in different categories which makes it easier for buyers to make their purchase decisions.
There are many factors and specs to consider before you make your final decision:
Make sure that you have enough information about each of these specs and factors before making your purchase and investing a great deal of money into a PWC.
Let’s take a look into each category of Yamaha watercrafts and learn more about the models one by one!
You can also view this short review about the Yamaha 2019 WaveRunner line here:
Rec-Lite WaveRunners
Reflecting for the marked demand for smaller watercrafts, Yamaha started their Rec-Lite line in 2015 with the EX series.
The Yamaha Rec-Lite WaveRunners have the smallest sizes and price tags as compared to all of the other current models.
Their lightweight and dimensions make these watercrafts fun to ride. The smaller hull also means that these watercrafts are really maneuverable on the water and also easier to store.
They can be stored easily on boat platforms and can even be towed by a smaller car. The smaller hulls also come with smaller engines; you can expect for 100-110 HP in this category. While the top speeds are around 40-55 mph.
They aren’t the fastest WaveRunner models which makes them safe for even children.
What’s more likable about these crafts is that they are quite affordable and incur the lowest maintenance and running costs as compared to other models. Once you have a Yamaha Rec-lite, you can expect unbelievably good fuel consumption numbers. The models in this category include:
Recreation WaveRunners
As with all other brands, the Yamaha Recreation watercrafts are the most popular models and they are also the best choice for beginners.
They are easy to handle, with larger and more stable hulls and 125 HP to 180 HP engines.
This means greater stability, and more rider and gear capacity for the customers. Expected top speeds can be as high as 40-60 mph.
Another major advantage of this category is that all of these models come with the Yamaha RIDE system that helps make the whole experience better for beginners.
It provides essential assistance to first-time riders and that is what makes these watercrafts safer and more consumer-friendly. You can check a short video about how the RIDE system works here:
The most popular models in Yamaha’s Recreation category are:
- Yamaha VX-C 2019
- Yamaha VX 2019
- Yamaha VX Deluxe 2019
- Yamaha VX Cruiser 2019
- Yamaha VX Limited 2019
- Yamaha VX Cruiser HO 2019
Don’t hesitate to click on the names to discover more about the models; the specs, pictures, videos and much more!
Luxury and Performance WaveRunners
Often classed together, the Performance and Luxury categories by Yamaha are the top class in case of watercrafts.
These models have the largest hulls, and with 180HP and 250HP supercharged engines.
You can expect the highest top speeds (even 67-70 mph!) and the best acceleration from these models.
These are, however, not recommended for beginners. If you do have prior experience of riding watercrafts, they may be the most fun for you.
All of these models arrive with most of the extras and features, including the Yamaha RIDE system by default. Without further ado, here are the 7 fastest WaveRunners on the market:
- Yamaha VXR 2019
- Yamaha FX HO 2019
- Yamaha FX Cruiser HO 2019
- Yahama GP1800R 2019
- Yamaha FX SVHO 2019
- Yamaha FX Cruiser SVHO 2019
- Yamaha FX Limited SVHO 2019
Yamaha SuperJet
The first Yamaha SuperJet was released in 1990, and has gone through several hull and engine changes and improvements since then.
This watercraft is a unique model among all of the other Yamaha watercrafts.
It’s a stand up watercraft which means you can ride it in a standing position. You might need some additional athletic skills to ride it and the start is much harder to master as well.
Moreover, riding a Yamaha Superjet is mainly a solo activity because you can’t take any passengers (or gear) with you. This is why it is not regarded as a family-friendly model. So it would be correct to say that the Superjet is definitely not for everybody!
Despite this, however, the SuperJet promises a lot of fun while riding, which is not comparable with the “sit down” types of watercrafts at all. It arrives with a really small-weight hull (306 pounds) and 73 HP performance which gives it the best power to weight ratio among all of the Yamaha watercrafts.
The small hull and light weight mean you can launch, trailer and store this watercraft really easily.
Additionally, while it still arrives with a two-stroke engine, this model is much more fuel efficient compared to an average watercraft.
Yamaha WaveRunner rentals
It is not difficult to figure out that every “Yamaha jet ski rental service” offers Yamaha WaveRunner models for rent.
If you can’t make up your mind about which WaveRunner to purchase or would like to simply ride different Yamaha models, you can do so easily through WaveRunner Rental services.
Yamaha models are regarded as legendary for their reliability and durability. This is why you can find these models in many watercraft rentals nationwide.
The Yamaha VX models are the top choices of rental services, but the new Yamaha EX and Yamaha EX Sport models are also available at many rentals.
Flagship models are less common at rentals, but with a little luck, you can find a few rentals that offer even the GP1800R or FX SVHO models for rent.
If you would like to find a watercraft rental service in your area, don’t hesitate to use our free nationwide rental locator.
You can also make good use of our infographic step by step rental guide and another one on how to avoid unethical practices of some rental companies to make your experience more convenient!
Takeaways – please forget “Yamaha jet ski”
The most important thing to take away from this article is the fact that there is no such thing as a Yamaha Jet Ski.
The term “jet ski” is the registered trademark of Kawasaki which is why it is not wise to use it to refer to PWCs by any other manufacturer. Additionally, remember the generic names of the machine that include watercraft and PWC.
The brand name for watercrafts manufactured by Yamaha is WaveRunner.
They are a well-known manufacturer that has been operational in the industry for decades. Yamaha currently offers 18 different models in five model categories:
- Rec-Lite
- Recreation
- Performance
- Luxury
- Stand-up
The (US) prices of these range from $6.799 to $17.399 depending on the model. There are many useful extras and features available for the Waverunners like the RIDE system and you can discover and ride the different models in many watercraft rentals nationwide.
The Rec-Lite watercrafts are the most lightweight and affordable out of the lot. They are very easy to move around in the water because of their small hulls.
These models have low maintenance costs and can be stored easily. The recreational category has watercrafts that are slightly bigger in size and a little more stable. They have moderate top speeds which provide a perfect package; fun and safety so they are the best choice for beginners.
On the other hand, the luxury and performance WaveRunners are the most expensive and high-tech. they come with supercharged engines and crazy top speeds.
Their huge size makes them more stable but the high speed poses a risk so they are not recommended for first-time riders.
The stand-up watercraft by Yamaha, the Superjet, is the most unique out of the lot. It enables the rider to enjoy the waters while standing up.
This watercraft is not family-friendly as they only have the capacity of one rider so they are not recommended for families. But for anyone who is looking to have wild fun in the waters, they can be a perfect choice.
Contact your local rental service and have a test ride of each model in order to find the one that best suits your style, liking, and temperament. Make an informed decision because once you purchase a watercraft, it might be a waste of money if you do not have the fun you are supposed to have with it.
We hope our short review about the Yamaha Waverunner was helpful in your quest to find the perfect watercraft.