Besides price, knowing how fast a jet ski goes is a question I get asked all the time.
Compared to cars, jet skis have a max speed they can go from the factory.
The fastest a jet ski can go is 70MPH from the factory.
The slowest jet ski in production is the 60HP Sea-Doo Spark that goes 40MPH.
Top Speed Chart
| Make | Model | HP | MPH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sea-Doo | Spark 2UP 60HP | 60 | 40 |
| Sea-Doo | Spark 2UP 90HP Convenience | 90 | 50 |
| Sea-Doo | Spark 3UP 90HP | 90 | 50 |
| Sea-Doo | Spark 3UP 90HP Convenience | 90 | 50 |
| Sea-Doo | Trixx 1Up | 90 | 50 |
| Sea-Doo | Trixx 3UP | 90 | 50 |
| Sea-Doo | FISH PRO SCOUT | 130 | 50 |
| Yamaha | EX | 100 | 50 |
| Yamaha | EX SPORT | 100 | 50 |
| Yamaha | EX DELUXE | 100 | 50 |
| Yamaha | EX LIMITED | 100 | 50 |
| Yamaha | JETBLASTER | 110 | 51 |
| Sea-Doo | GTI 130 | 130 | 52 |
| Sea-Doo | GTI SE 130 | 130 | 52 |
| Sea-Doo | GTI SE 170 | 130 | 52 |
| Sea-Doo | FISH PRO SPORT | 170 | 52 |
| Sea-Doo | FISH PRO TROPHY | 170 | 52 |
| Sea-Doo | Explorer Pro 170 | 170 | 52 |
| Yamaha | VX-C | 125 | 53 |
| Yamaha | SUPERJET | 100 | 53 |
| Yamaha | VX DELUXE | 125 | 53 |
| Yamaha | VX CRUISER | 125 | 53 |
| Yamaha | VX LIMITED | 125 | 53 |
| Sea-Doo | WAKE 170 | 170 | 54 |
| Kawasaki | STX 160 | 160 | 57 |
| Kawasaki | STX 160X | 160 | 57 |
| Kawasaki | STX 160LX | 160 | 57 |
| Sea-Doo | GTX 170 | 170 | 58 |
| Kawasaki | SX-R | 150 | 59 |
| Sea-Doo | GTR 230 | 230 | 63 |
| Yamaha | VX LIMITED HO | 200 | 64 |
| Sea-Doo | WAKE PRO 230 | 230 | 65 |
| Yamaha | VX CRUISER HO | 200 | 65 |
| Yamaha | FX HO | 200 | 65 |
| Yamaha | FX CRUISER HO | 200 | 65 |
| Sea-Doo | GTX 230 | 230 | 66 |
| Yamaha | GP HO | 200 | 67 |
| Yamaha | FX SVHO | 250 | 68 |
| Yamaha | FX CRUISER SVHO | 250 | 68 |
| Yamaha | FX LIMITED SVHO | 250 | 68 |
| Sea-Doo | GTX 300 | 300 | 70 |
| Sea-Doo | GTX Limited 300 | 300 | 70 |
| Sea-Doo | GTR-X 300 | 300 | 70 |
| Sea-Doo | RXP-X 325 | 325 | 70 |
| Sea-Doo | RXT-X 325 | 325 | 70 |
| Yamaha | GP SVHO | 250 | 70 |
| Kawasaki | ULTRA 310X | 310 | 70 |
| Kawasaki | ULTRA 310LX-S | 310 | 70 |
| Kawasaki | ULTRA 310LX | 310 | 70 |
Who Makes The Fastest Jet Ski?
Stock wise, it doesn’t matter.
All jet skis are limited to 70mph and Sea-Doo, Yamaha and Kawasaki can get there just fine.
If you ask me, Yamaha does better with the racing crowd, but Sea-Doo and Kawasaki have the jet skis with more horsepower.
The fastest jet ski can do 127MPH, here is a video of it.
Why Are Jet Skis Limited To 70 MPH
Well, technically, the limit is 65mph, but most manufacturers fudge the numbers to 70mph. This is also because many jet skis use inaccurate speed measurements like a little paddle wheel in the rear.
This limit is a gentleman’s agreement with the US Coast Guard. If there was no limit, you bet you would see jet skis going over 100mph.
The fact is that people don’t need to go that fast. Think about it.
Jet skis don’t have any protections, and they’re this small little thing on the water. They’re already dangerous enough, so having a limit is the best for everyone.
We just got brakes on jet skis in 2009 and wasn’t mainstream until 2015 when Yamaha Waverunners got their own version.
How To Make Your Jet Ski Faster?
A stock jet ski will never go over 70MPH. This fact is hard programmed in many of the computers of jet skis; if they see you go over it, they will slow the engine down.
To go faster, you’ll need programmers that can get around the limits put on the engine.
You can also buy kits that give your jet ski more power. Riva makes these kits, and it’s an involved process.
I’ve been on a jet ski with a RIVA kit that had it going above 80mph. While it was cool, and I can say I did it, I don’t seek to do it again. I find the smaller and more playful jet skis more my style, as they don’t get boring.
Keep in mind, some modifications can void your warranty.
Average Top Speed
While 70 MPH is the fastest a stock jet ski can go, it’s not the average.
The average top speed is 57 MPH.
To be honest, most new jet ski owners never go over 40 MPH, as the take-off power of all jet skis is a new feeling they’re not expecting.
It’s no accident that the average top speed is around 55 MPH, as that is where most people like to stay. Not every one wants to go as fast as possible. This is the sweet spot for top speed, and most non-supercharged jet skis can easily hit this number.
Limit Top Speed?
There are situations where you want to limit the top speed of your jet ski, say for the kids or friends.
Most models have a key or mode you can enter to limit how fast your jet ski can go. Sea-Doo has the learning key that can limit the top speed from 32 MPH to 50 MPH. Kawasaki also has a learning key and Yamaha has modes.
Most jet skis tend to have a slow-takeoff mode, which is a calmer launch but get to full top speed. It’s the take-off power that is most surprising to new jet ski owners.