550 vs Fx1 vs Super Jet

[E350]

There are some brilliant riders here whom I would hope would take time to post their experience for all those who come later.

Custom/Hybrid - Mini Monster

Does it flip

www.x-h2o.com

@Aquaholic @Flash-FX @special fx @wavewarrior @orangefinger @waxhead @Quinc, et al.

I am particularly interested why @orangefinger is now "rocking the super jet."

 

[streetroc]

I know this is an old thread but I thought I would reply since I have owned all three skis. The FX1 is hands down the best, no comparison.

550- Great ski to learn how to ride a stand up. It's very predictable and forgiving. It has a little bit of power and will go fast enough to keep you happy but it isn't overly powerful by any means. It's agile and handles pretty well but the Kawasaki engine isn't as reliable as the Yamaha.

Superjet- I have an older square nose but it was upgraded with a single carb 701. Definitely more powerful than the 550 but also heavier and doesn't handle as well. It's more comfortable to ride, especially in rough water. It also won't throw you around and beat you to death because it's much heavier and more stable. I've ridden other people's skis that have been upgraded with props, b-pipes, ride plates, etc. Those upgrades definitely make a huge difference and are well worth it if you want to stick with that hull but...

FX1- Absolutely the best stand-up jet ski ever made! I was lucky enough to find a completely original one in nearly perfect condition on craigslist about 8 years ago. It even still has the original grips and warning labels on it. There is definitely a steep learning curve when you first get on it. I already had several years of experience when I got it but my first few rides were a humbling experience. It's extremely lightweight, powerful, twitchy, snappy, and doesn't give any warning before you lose control. I spent an entire season getting thrown face first into the water over and over again. HOWEVER... once I got enough time in the tray something just clicked and the ski became like a part of my body. It wasn't twitchy or snappy anymore, it was just extremely agile. It does exactly what you tell it to do exactly when you tell it to do it. The stock 61X motor has tons of power and the ski is so light that you can really take advantage of it. I'm 6 ft and almost 200lbs and my bone stock FX1 throws me around like a ragdoll. Jumping wakeboard boat waves makes you feel like you're riding a freestyle motocross bike. It comes WAY up out of the water and more than once it has scared the **** out of me because I wasn't expecting to catch that much air. Yeah the 122 pump doesn't hook up as well as the 144 pump in my SJ, especially in rough water. However once you learn the ski you will learn to manage it and it hooks up just fine. Now I kinda prefer the mid-range and top end that it gives. I think Yamaha claimed 55mph stock. I've never measured mine but I can tell you if you pin the throttle wide open on flat water you had better be hanging on because it jumps into warp speed. I highly recommend a full face motocross helmet.

My FX1 is one of the best toys that I have ever owned and I will never sell it! I haven't even ridden my SJ in several years. It feels like a fat heavy pig by comparison. So if you ever get the chance to buy one don't hesitate. I promise you won't be disappointed.

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Depends on what you want to do with it , if we are talking about a stock machine and you are going to leave it that way FX1 hands down , if you are going to do mods to it I would go Superjet all day long, the FX1 is going to need a very expensive pump swap to handle more power and the 550 , well it's a 550 , if you can afford to take a pile of money pour gas on it and set it on fire then the 550 is the ski for you, in the end you will have accomplished the same thing .

I grew up with 550's and I always rode Kawis so I am not a hater by any means , but I have to be honest here I don't get the current 550 craze at all , do I wish I would have kept mine , yeah kinda , would I go backwards and spend a ton of money on another one , no , no I wouldn't .

 

[E350]

In my personal experience, owning a 1993 550sx with reed engine, a 1995 FX-1 and a 2019 Super Jet, the comments by @streetroc and @WFO Speedracer above are spot on.

I can't wait to get my 550x running again (I don't think I have ridden it since buying the FX-1 six years ago), so that I can compare the 550sx with the FX-1.

As far as the FX-1 vs. the SJ's, yes the 2019 SJ and my wife's 1994 SN SJ both feel like heavy pigs in comparison to the FX-1.

One of my buddies who still has his FX-1 from the days when he bought it new or was sponsored with it new, says that the SJ will feel more nimble once I get a pipe on it. But he does appreciate the linear throttle response of the stock exhaust but hates the lack of power compared to what it would be with a pipe.

But the SJ's are sooo much easier to ride. It is so easy that it is almost not fun. So on the SJ, I am just trying to do everything while riding faster.

I highly recommend @waxhead 's rear sponsons on the FX-1. And I am in the process of installing Tom's front sponsons on it too:



Both my wife and my buddy agree that they help the FX-1 carve turns easier, but they call them "training wheels" . . .

Adjustable Billet Sponsons

Why slide? Carve like the pros! Introducing the Wax Racing Products Billet 6061 Anodized Buoy Shredder Adjustable Sponsons. Forget about re-drilling your hull to fine-tune your ride. With our buoy shredders, you simply unbolt the blades, loosen the body, and adjust them up to 100mm in each...

www.waxracingproducts.com

At some point, I would like to try a shorter, wider aftermarket hull.

This review should probably be put right here:

 

[kevbo]

The FX1 is like Kawasaki 550-650-750 because you have get them on an edge to turn. Pre 08 Superjets have a lot more lateral grip and turn flat by simply moving the bars. They are much easier to ride. I prefer a 92-96 750 for edge to edge turning. To me they feel like a larger FX1 with a much better pump.

 

[waxhead]

I love the fx1. I just love the beserkness of them. We are building a new one at the moment for the business

 

[special fx]

FX is tops, but I may be a little biased

 

[blackkstar]

I just have a 90 SN with coffman pipe and that sort of stuff, 750 sxi, and I have a 550 with a 760 Yamaha and a protec pipe with the pump swamp. The 550 hull is a lot more challenging to ride, but once you get the hang of it it's a lot more playful, kind of like what streetroc was saying about his FX1. You can be pretty lazy on a superjet because the bottom is flat. The 550 hull needs a lot more footwork to keep it happy. It's also a lot easier to lean the 550 over and carve. The way my 550 swap is, it feels like the front and back weight placement makes a huge difference compared to the SJ. 750 hull has some of the characteristics of the 550 wanting to be tipped to turn, but it's much larger and it has some serious porpoise DNA in the hull. I guess if you've ever been on a 750 kaw it shares some characteristics but the 550 is just smaller, more playful, and 550 doesn't porpoise or do anything weird like the 750.

550 is definitely a much smaller hull and you can feel it. You can always do an engine swap in a 550. Specially if you have a friend/family with an older two stroke jet ski on a nice trailer, they can just give you the ski if you ask real nice and they'll have an easier time selling the trailer without an old two stroke on it, and you can sell the parts left over from the engine conversion to pay for it. Rhaas is sold out at the moment, it makes a good winter project.

I've never been lucky enough to be on an FX1 before but I have a feeling I'd really like it.

 

[brapperdoodle]

If I could go back and give myself advise knowing what I know now, I would have bought an FX-1 and never looked back. Many folks have different goals, but for me I can assure you I would have been completely satisfied and happy having only spent a few thousand dollars on a nice FX-1 and a pipe for it. Too bad a fell down the rabbit hole lol if I could sell all the hot-dog equipment, get a reasonable portion of my money back and a nice FX-1 I'd do it in a heartbeat.

 

[streetroc]

I love the fx1. I just love the beserkness of them.

That's probably the best description I've heard of it. It just has way too much power in way too small and light of a package. It's like the Shelby Cobra of the water. The insanity of the design is what makes it so fun. Even a bone stock one like mine has you feeling like you are barely hanging on for dear life.

One of my favorite things to do is to get it out on an open patch of semi-rough water and just rip the throttle wide open to see how long I can hang on to it. It instantly jumps into hyperspace and starts skipping over the tops of the waves while twitching and snapping every which way. Sometimes I can handle it, sometimes I get thrown face-first into the lake at supersonic speeds. But for those few seconds you feel like Wiley Coyote riding a giant acme rocket!