FX-1 My FX-1... What should I do first?

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hurrican5547

Location
Connecticut
Hey all... just wanted to introduce myself, and my FX1.

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The past two years, I've basically learned how to ride it... I can carve, and tailstand... but now I want to learn more, and even try out the ocean.

I know it has a b-pipe... but that is all I'm sure off, What are the first mods I should do in order to get it ocean ready, and a good platform to learn freestyle on?

I'm assuming turf and footholds are the priority... followed by a rideplate/grate then pump, then more engine mods... but any more specifics?

Is this a good ski to learn flatwater freestyle? I've heard SJ's can be better for this...


Thanks!!!
 
tshank123

tshank123

Yo hablo ingles
Location
Vegas
Honestly, SJs are all around better for everything, but if you can freestyle an FX-1, you're the man!! I think you should consider the pump sooner rather than later. Its going to make the biggest difference out of any other mod. Footholds and turf are a must, but if you decide to do the 650 pump mod, you'll have to returf anyway, so it may be good to do them both at the same time.
 
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hurrican5547

Location
Connecticut
tshank123 said:
Honestly, SJs are all around better for everything, but if you can freestyle an FX-1, you're the man!! I think you should consider the pump sooner rather than later. Its going to make the biggest difference out of any other mod. Footholds and turf are a must, but if you decide to do the 650 pump mod, you'll have to returf anyway, so it may be good to do them both at the same time.
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How much better are SJ's? I always heard the FX-1 was the best because of the weight and whatnot...

If a SJ truly is better... then I don't want to spend all this money on my FX-1 when I can sell it and buy a SJ
 
motoman96

motoman96

Banned
Location
Lodi Cali
Keep the FX1 and do the pump mod, you will like it. Plus EVERYONE has a dam superjet, there were only like 1500 FX1's so I say keep it.
 
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hurrican5547

Location
Connecticut
motoman96 said:
Keep the FX1 and do the pump mod, you will like it. Plus EVERYONE has a dam superjet, there were only like 1500 FX1's so I say keep it.
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Honestly, i would love to keep it.. but if the SJ is a better platform anyways, I could buy one with work done much easier than mod my FX1...

I am not skilled enough to mod it myself, and from what I've seen there really is no Jetski following in CT, where I can get help.

I've also read that it is MUCH hard to barrel roll an FX-1 on flat water, any truth to this?

How are they compared to SJ's in the surf? I just want to backflip one day, and I want a ski that ca help me do this

Thanks! :beerchug:
 
tshank123

tshank123

Yo hablo ingles
Location
Vegas
If you're gonna post about it in this forum, you're gonna get biased opinions because we're all FX-1 enthusiasts. IMHO the SJ is a better platform for what you want to do. I know I'll probably be tarred and feathered for saying it here but its the truth. And if you get an SJ, get a round nose, its a better freestyle ski than the square.
 
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hurrican5547

Location
Connecticut
tshank123 said:
If you're gonna post about it in this forum, you're gonna get biased opinions because we're all FX-1 enthusiasts. IMHO the SJ is a better platform for what you want to do. I know I'll probably be tarred and feathered for saying it here but its the truth. And if you get an SJ, get a round nose, its a better freestyle ski than the square.
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so what are the advantages of the FX1? What is it better at than the SJ?

I know this has probably been beaten to death... but I appreciate everyones input
 
tshank123

tshank123

Yo hablo ingles
Location
Vegas
FX-1 is lighter, shorter, narrower. In freestyle lighter is better. Shorter is definitely something that most freestyle hull builders do. Narrower, thats where it gets too squirly. A good rider can overcome that, but a SJ is much more stable so its easier for almost any freestyle move. The freestyle hulls are coming out wider than SJs. In fact, an SXR hull (wider than SJ) is pretty good for freestyle except its too heavy and nosey.

Of course, the worst part about an FX-1 is the tiny pump, which is why everyone swaps them out. Swap the pump and its a different ski.
 
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hurrican5547

Location
Connecticut
tshank123 said:
FX-1 is lighter, shorter, narrower. In freestyle lighter is better. Shorter is definitely something that most freestyle hull builders do. Narrower, thats where it gets too squirly. A good rider can overcome that, but a SJ is much more stable so its easier for almost any freestyle move. The freestyle hulls are coming out wider than SJs. In fact, an SXR hull (wider than SJ) is pretty good for freestyle except its too heavy and nosey.

Of course, the worst part about an FX-1 is the tiny pump, which is why everyone swaps them out. Swap the pump and its a different ski.
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If I am to keep it, swapping the pump would be the first thing I do... is it better to piece it together? Or buy bolt in (blowsion)?

So basically... I can do everything on both... but I need to be better to do it on an fx1
 
MNTURBO

MNTURBO

Location
Minneapolis, MN
as far as mods go, if you are planning to go crazy with mods, I would buy a ski that has already been tastefully modded, because it is far cheaper. If you want a pump conversion, a new prop, a head, footholds and all that good stuff, you can find a FX-1 with all that for $2500. If you end up wanting all the bolt ons, head, prop, footholds, bars, grips etc, it will probably cost you upwards of $1500-2500

As far as Fx-1 vs SJ's go, after riding my fx-1 for a week I had learned enough so that my FX-1 does not seem squirrely, or difficult to manage at all. Riding a SJ is a piece of cake.

BTW I'm a fan of the SJ pump conversion... to each his own
 
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hurrican5547

Location
Connecticut
MNTURBO said:
as far as mods go, if you are planning to go crazy with mods, I would buy a ski that has already been tastefully modded, because it is far cheaper. If you want a pump conversion, a new prop, a head, footholds and all that good stuff, you can find a FX-1 with all that for $2500. If you end up wanting all the bolt ons, head, prop, footholds, bars, grips etc, it will probably cost you upwards of $1500-2500

As far as Fx-1 vs SJ's go, after riding my fx-1 for a week I had learned enough so that my FX-1 does not seem squirrely, or difficult to manage at all. Riding a SJ is a piece of cake.

BTW I'm a fan of the SJ pump conversion... to each his own
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I think I'm just going to turf and foothold... learn how to ride in the surf this year, and then buy something already built for next season :Banane01:
 
driftmaster

driftmaster

Location
Little Rock Arkansas
hurrican5547 said:
I am not skilled enough to mod it myself, and from what I've seen there really is no Jetski following in CT, where I can get help.
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I think if your skilled enough to ride a ski your skilled enough to do most of the work yourself. Good thing about Jet Skis you don't need a lot of tools to work on them. What little work that will need special tools you can take to a local ski shop, machine shop or send it off. All fiber glass is is two part epoxy. Have you ever mixed some JB weld to fix something? On my winter ski project the tool most used has been a $40 Dremel.
As far as ever needing help or a "following" what do you think the X is about? Looks like you can read and write. Just take a look at the thread you started. Sounds to me you just need a little confidence.
 
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hurrican5547

Location
Connecticut
driftmaster said:
I think if your skilled enough to ride a ski your skilled enough to do most of the work yourself. Good thing about Jet Skis you don't need a lot of tools to work on them. What little work that will need special tools you can take to a local ski shop, machine shop or send it off. All fiber glass is is two part epoxy. Have you ever mixed some JB weld to fix something? On my winter ski project the tool most used has been a $40 Dremel.
As far as ever needing help or a "following" what do you think the X is about? Looks like you can read and write. Just take a look at the thread you started. Sounds to me you just need a little confidence.
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haha, it's more of a "there's noone around here to show me how". I didn't realize this forum was going to be as welcoming and willing to help as it is...

Lots of other forums aren't quite the same
 
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Goosalandi29

Location
Coal City, IL
pump conversion

tshank123 said:
Sums it up.

Much cheaper to do a 650 pump swap than anything else. Read through the pump swap threads to get an idea of your options.
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Or you can get a hold of a 144 pump and talk to bonzi bob if you don't want to hack your hull...thats what i did. If i had to do it over again i would probably go with the hack job though :)
 
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Goosalandi29

Location
Coal City, IL
I bought a stock FX-1 last year for 1400 ... i stole it pretty much :) now i have about 1200 sunk into it so far, so if you can find an FX-1 with the footholds, tubbies, pipe, and pump conversion for under 2500...that is a good deal in my opinion
 
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