how much will i need to mod my 01 sj for freestyle?

[wydopen]

if i got an fx-1 instead, would that require less mods?

more

 

[letsgo]

I just got my 02 SJ and took it out for the first time yesterday and again today. It is getting easier, but whoa it is unstable while standing, on my knees I can do donuts now all day long, but they have no skin left. I'm just working on how much pressure to put on each side while turning standing up so I don't get dumped every time i turn halfway sharp. This thing is a blast though and you'll love it, I can tell already that this thing(stock minus plate/grate, prop, and bilge and another small thing or two) has plenty of power to do a lot of tricks, sure I don't expect to do inverted tricks on the lake with stock power, but the hull needs reinforcing and footholds first anyways.

I say just get one and ride while its still summer, and work on building it up this winter when you won't be able to ride anyways(unless your immune to hypothermia), thats what I am doing, mainly just cheap hull mods for me(footholds, hydroturf, reinforcing, modding stock hood), maybe head milling and a pipe. You don't need a modded beast this season anyways, its going to take you a while just to be able to ride it well before you even think about flips. My superjet is about the most unstable thing I've ever ridden, but wow is it fun. But for now, just ride with stock power, learn to ride stock and then add more power when you are ready for it.

thanks for the feedback. yeah, i rode a stock 01 sj last summer and boy, for me, it was very unstable. it felt very loose and tipsy. i did not like the way it felt, but that's probably because i'm used to riding kawasaki standups. i found it to be squirlier (sp) then my 550sx. people tell me that it's crazy to say a roundnose was less stable then my 550, but my 550 stays planted in the water and i could move a lot more on it without tipping over and falling. i know, i know . . . it's me not the ski.

i guess the problem was i was trying to ride it like a kawi and i was leaning too much or something. i've been told that putting handling mods and more time on it will create a much better riding experience for me and i'll end up swearing by superjets like everyone else. so i'm just going to take a leap of faith and get a sj instead of a 750sxi pro or sxr because soooooo many people swear by superjets over kawi standups. if i were making my decision from my riding the sj last summer, i'd be getting an sxi pro or sxr.

oh, and i live in northern california so i could ride all year if i wanted (with or without a dry suit), but i usually ride from st. patricks day to halloween.

 

[Vumad]

I see posts about how to shorten a pole, but I don't see anything as to why it would need to be done. I'm not in the market to do that to my new ski, but I'm just curious as to why it's needed. Maybe it's a freestyle thing, or maybe I'm handling the ski wrong. I find that with the current length of the pole, that if I stand back on the ski, I am leaning foward to hold the pole without extending my arms too far. I'm shy of 6' so my arms aren't short. Maybe I am too novice to stand right, or maybe I should be leaning over pushing into the pole and it just doesn't feel right yet.

On a similar topic, I read about pole springs that make the pole weightless. What's up with those. I noticed after 30+ mins of riding w/o a break, that pole gets pretty heavy.

Is this ride plate I was told this ski has something in the pole?

 

[hermanns]

thanks for the feedback. yeah, i rode a stock 01 sj last summer and boy, for me, it was very unstable. it felt very loose and tipsy. i did not like the way it felt, but that's probably because i'm used to riding kawasaki standups. i found it to be squirlier (sp) then my 550sx. people tell me that it's crazy to say a roundnose was less stable then my 550, but my 550 stays planted in the water and i could move a lot more on it without tipping over and falling. i know, i know . . . it's me not the ski.

i guess the problem was i was trying to ride it like a kawi and i was leaning too much or something. i've been told that putting handling mods and more time on it will create a much better riding experience for me and i'll end up swearing by superjets like everyone else. so i'm just going to take a leap of faith and get a sj instead of a 750sxi pro or sxr because soooooo many people swear by superjets over kawi standups. if i were making my decision from my riding the sj last summer, i'd be getting an sxi pro or sxr.

oh, and i live in northern california so i could ride all year if i wanted (with or without a dry suit), but i usually ride from st. patricks day to halloween.

I live in florida and won't touch the water from mid nov to mid or late march, I guess I just can't take the cold lol. I thought northern cali got pretty cold? Whether you ride it or not in the winter, you will at least ride it less and can get some mods done to the hull. I plan on reinforcing mine and doing footholds this winter. I may do a few more things, but definitely those. I may shorten the handlepole sooner though depending on how good I get at riding this thing plus I am 6' 2 and don't really know how much harder(or easier) it will be to ride with a shortened pole, it seems like I would really have to bend more. I think it will probably just be best to learn with it close to stock like it is now(worx plate/grate, solas prop, polespring) and then add mods as I get better, you should be able to tell the difference a lot better than way.

I did the same leap of faith you are talking about. I wanted a standup and figured based on 90% of the people on here saying superjet that it must be pretty good, that and I have always been a fan of yamaha skis. I say just get it and learn. I hate getting dumped as much as I am now, but I have only had it 2 days, and I can already tell it will be great once I learn a little better.

 

[letsgo]

I thought northern cali got pretty cold?

you know, it's funny because a lot of people think that because the most popular city in northern california is san francisco. and san fransisco is like the pacific northwest. mostly overcast and/or foggy days and pretty cold compared to most of california.

however, other parts of northern california (especially as you get more inland) remains pretty warm throughout the year.

 

[wydopen]

you know, it's funny because a lot of people think that because the most popular city in northern california is san francisco. and san fransisco is like the pacific northwest. mostly overcast and/or foggy days and pretty cold compared to most of california.

however, other parts of northern california (especially as you get more inland) remains pretty warm throughout the year.

the winter is the best time to ride..

 

[wolf]

Yep, winter riding out here is good. I've yet to ride in the surf, but Cali winters feature mild weather out at the coast, at least between storms.

We used to ride the brown/ white water on the upper Sacramento river and its tributaries all winter- hairy. There's nothing like creek riding during big runoffs. I'd like to think that I'm smarter now, and wouldn't ride that stuff anymore.:biggrin: I don't scare easy, and I remember getting what the climbers call sewing machine leg in anticipation of trying to get up some dicey chute sections... freaked OUT! BWAHAHAHAHAHA Had my limited SN WFO at the top of one chute, with it just inching forward, and that boat probably went near 50 mph... in a place where a fall meant getting strained through a tressle or a fence. Damn, we were dumb.

 

[wydopen]

Yep, winter riding out here is good. I've yet to ride in the surf, but Cali winters feature mild weather out at the coast, at least between storms.

We used to ride the brown/ white water on the upper Sacramento river and its tributaries all winter- hairy. There's nothing like creek riding during big runoffs. I'd like to think that I'm smarter now, and wouldn't ride that stuff anymore.:biggrin: I don't scare easy, and I remember getting what the climbers call sewing machine leg in anticipation of trying to get up some dicey chute sections... freaked OUT! BWAHAHAHAHAHA Had my limited SN WFO at the top of one chute, with it just inching forward, and that boat probably went near 50 mph... in a place where a fall meant getting strained through a tressle or a fence. Damn, we were dumb.

bring that thing down to pismo next month

 

[wolf]

highjack on[ that boat is long gone, sold in '97 or so, but I've a new one now, heh heh. You'll be the first one I'll be warning when I find some time. Vacation with the GF starts tonight, then it's a full calendar for a while- damnit, something has to give. I'll get there.] off. sorry letsgo.

 

[wydopen]

highjack on[ that boat is long gone, sold in '97 or so, but I've a new one now, heh heh. You'll be the first one I'll be warning when I find some time. Vacation with the GF starts tonight, then it's a full calendar for a while- damnit, something has to give. I'll get there.] off. sorry letsgo.

whenever man..i ride a couple times a week..hit me up