2016 Sea-Doo range review

Sea-Doo has a new 300hp 1.6-litre three-cylinder engine with nine per cent greater displacement from a longer stroke and an impressive 15 per cent more horsepower than the previous biggest 260hp Rotax 1503 engine on which it is based.

The gain in power comes through a combination of factors including boosted supercharging, increased cooling, new low-friction cylinder technology, a precise fuel-injection system and more.

The new 300hp Rotax 1630 ACE is available on the 2016 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300, GTX Limited 300 and RXP-X 300 models, all of which we drove at the 2016 Sea-Doo Next Level Press Event in Nashville, Tennessee. For performance riders, the new 2016 RXP-X 300 lays claim to having the industry’s best power-to-weight ratio. It’s a real weapon among the three 300hp prototypes we commanded.

All the above-mentioned 2016 300hp models run to their governed top speeds of 115-120km/h (68-72mph), but it’s the way they get there that has changed. The acceleration is instant, exhilarating and tangible, generating significant G Forces that unleash your adrenalin and challenge your cornering skills.

While the hulls remain largely unchanged, there is now more of that impressive and welcome Ergolock seating across the 2016 Sea-Doo model range. The narrower seat design with leg-locking pockets allows you to use your big lower muscles rather than your arms to keep you in the ‘saddle’.

Sea-Doo also released the second-generation of its impressive iBR braking system. The new and improved version reduces nose diving, and noticeably so, when hard on the brake. This was achieved by jetting water to the sides and back aft at 45 degrees rather than straight down.

All 2016 Sea-Doo models come with new handlebars with Palm Rest Grips designed after extensive in-house human testing. The flared surface acts as a palm rest for a better ergonomic fit for the hand, adding to your comfort levels during extended riding. They are great additions.

Meantime, the game-changing entry-level Sea-Doo Spark is available in 2016 with three new colours: Blueberry (opening photo), Key Lime, and Chili Pepper, joining the Pineapple and Vanilla colourations, and six new graphic kits.

BRP has also increased the storage capacity significantly on many of its 2016 Sea-Doo 'skis, and it’s introduced a new range of home-to-water ridewear for 2016.

Meantime, BRP revenues increased by $171.6 million, or 11.2 per cent, to $1710.2 million for the six-month period ended July 31, 2015. The revolutionary Sea-Doo Spark has been credited with a fair bit of that growth.

"Two years after the introduction of the Sea-Doo Spark, we can now affirm that we have achieved our goal of rejuvenating the personal watercraft industry, knowing that it has grown globally by more than 25 per cent," said Jose Boisjoli, President and CEO of BRP in the recent financial statement.

Locally, JSW Powersports on the Gold Coast remains the biggest Sea-Doo dealer in the world, selling more than 650 units a year. Proprietor Jeff McNiven was among the 2500 dealers from around the world who flew to the BRP Club Nashville event following our visit as the first journalists in the world to drive the new 2016 Sea-Doos.

BRP Australia says the first 2016 stock is expected to arrive in December 2015. It’s created a pre-order tool on its website where you can place a deposit to secure access to the initial shipment of a limited number of craft.

Given our summers are polar opposites, Australia is set to receive the first shipment of the production-made 2016 Sea-Doos in the world (the units we tested were actually all prototypes). The next level of Sea-Doo watercraft has arrived and is about to Down Under.

Check the website for details at http://www.brp.com/en-au/vehicles/sea-doo-watercraft. Retail prices will be announced closer to launch.

See our additional articles from the 2016 Sea-Doo 'Next Level' Press Event in Nashville on our sites, including the detailed review of the new 2016 Sea-Doo watercraft, as well as a dedicated article on what it’s like to drive the new 300hp Rotax 1630 ACE engine!