End of an era: Yamaha SuperJet

The Yamaha SuperJet, the Japanese brand’s race-bred stand-up watercraft, will be killed off at the end of this year in response to tough, new emissions standards for marine craft.

The high-powered 701cc in-line twin-cylinder two-stroke powered SuperJet (the world’s best-selling stand-up model) has been the preferred weapon in power ski championship closed course racing, as well as becoming something of a freestyling icon.

However, Australia’s shift to new emissions standards for outdoor and marine engines that kick in from July next year have effectively signalled the death of two-stroke and carburetor-fed powerplants – crucial for the SuperJet’s high-performance, lightweight construction.

The loss of the WaveRunner range icon also comes a year before the three-generation SuperJet line was due to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

“Due to new two-stroke emissions laws coming into effect in Australia, 2018 will mark the end of the SuperJet in the Australian market,” Yamaha Marine said in a statement.

“The sleek, race inspired hull – designed in consultation with world champion racers – delivers razor-sharp handling and performance that leaves the competition in its wake,” it said.

“The SuperJet’s physically active style of riding builds fitness and strength, requiring the rider and craft to operate together in perfect harmony in order to master this craft. For pure water sport excitement, nothing matches a Yamaha SuperJet,” the blurb continued.

Under the new emissions standards, marine engine makers were not legally permitted to bring two-stroke engines into Australia  from July 1, 2018. Any two-stroke marine engines still in stock as at July 1, 2019 – a year after imports were banned – have to be either re-exported or destroyed.

The circa $12,000 twin-cylinder SuperJet uses a high-performance 144mm Hyper-Flow jet pump, using a stainless steel impeller to propel the watercraft via an adjustable steering nozzle.

A new SuperJet was not among the fourth-generation Yamaha WaveRunner models revealed in the US last month.

Under those changes, the championship-winning GP1800 introduced two years ago will be renamed the GP1800R for 2019, and gains new graphics and important under-the-skin tech changes.

Yamaha’s other race-winning WaveRunner, the VXR, retains its naturally-aspirated 1.8-litre engine but among other changes gains a new lightweight NanoXcel2 hull.

An all-new VX Cruiser HO adds tiered seating and gains a naturally-aspirated 1.8-litre four-cylinder rather than the TR-1 three-cylinder engine used across the rest of the VX range.

The EX gains a new entry-level EX-R, which will get a more powerful version of the TR-1 1049cc three-cylinder engine and the NanoXcel2 hull.

The Yamaha WaveRunner’s flagship FX SVHO and FX HO models gain new decks and hulls, and add touchscreen displays for the first time. It also includes sturdy mounting points near the base of the handlebar assembly for accessories including phones, navigation devices, speakers or fish finders.