Excellent video. I learned a lot.

I need to stop looking at cool shit i cant afford

I bought my first ski last year. I spent many many hours comparing the differences between the Yamaha and the Sea-Doo spark trixx. And it was videos like these that ultimately helped me make my decision, I got a 2-up spark trixx and I couldn’t be happier with it. With the spark the negative reviews I have seen from owners are because I don’t think they knew what they were getting when they made their purchase, if you are looking for the traditional wave runner experience from the reviews the Yamaha is probably the way to go, if you are looking for a “dirt bike for the water” trixx all the way 1) it is extremely fuel efficient, from my research more so than the Yamaha even though it has a much smaller tank, I usually use only half a tank when doing my beach riding all day 2) I am not looking for top speed I am looking for maneuverability, acceleration and jumpability, it matches much more powerful skis in acceleration (up to a point) is super tossable and I can go out on my spark when the lake is glass and get the ski almost completely out of the water due to the variable trim it’s amazing 3) I am a beach rider, meaning me and those that ride the ski have a beach and we go out for 15 minutes to 60 minutes at a time not all day so on board storage doesn’t matter to me 4) I like the closed loop cooling and the minimal maintenance it requires. 5) I am a single rider, both my wife and I hate to be passengers so the ability to take more that one MAYBE two people out at a time doesn’t interest me. 6) the level of confidence the trixx gives you is incredible, first time out after about 10 minutes of getting used to it I was doing the water wheelies, I’ve never been on a ski that I felt that comfortable with that fast. The ski is by far the most fun I’ve ever had on one, yes it will beat you up a little when choppy but I don’t think it’s as bad as others claim, when I want to relax and just cruise it’s does great (IMO), if what I described above is what you are looking for you can’t go wrong with the trixx

It’s called “personal watercraft” for a reason.. if u want more than two ppl riding that close to each other, you should look into a boat!

I have two 2019 Trixx, a 2up and a 3up. They are a blast and have been durable so far with over 70 hours on each. We ride them very hard, using 2 boats to create a wake that gets us 10- 15 foot out of the water. The plastic hull is a controversial topic but these skis have hit the water hard many times without issue. We finally cracked a hull BUT the rider hit a rock at 45 MPH. That would crack fiberglass as well. Everyone loves these toys, when we park the boats in a cove to relax, the skis never stop. As soon as a couple riders bring them back in, others are ready to take them right back out. These are freestyle toys, not a touring ski. Long rides in rough water trying to keep up with boats is a tough ride and you'll be pegging max RPM the whole way. Better off with a boat. The Sea Doo also has a closed loop cooling system keeping all water out of the hull and engine space with a bulge pump as well making it hassle free going back and forth between ocean and fresh water.

Good job! I have been a water-skier, wakeboarder, and toober for many years and have started to rent and look in to PWCs. Your video is extremely helpful. Thank you!

This is by far the most informative video for a budget (relatively speaking) watercraft I have seen to date! Reliability in a PWC is a tough one because of the salt water. I can tell you I have a 2008 Kawasaki STX 15 F, while it’s just giving me an issue now, after all these years it has been flawless up to this point. I have friends and acquaintances that have gone out and and spent $15-$25,000 on the big supercharged/ turbo charged Sea-Doos and and Yamaha‘s and they’ve blown engines, turbos and superchargers meanwhile all I do is change my oil once a year and the spark plugs every other year! Those friends have spent more $$$$ after 3 to 5 years on their skis just in repairs for what I paid for my ski and trailer new! That’s just nuts! A problem with these reviews when someone reviews them, they are all brand new, they don’t consider the long-term costs! I think that’s some thing that needs to be factored into these reviews Is the history of reliability on any given unit! This is by far one of the most informative videos out there when looking for a budget (relatively speaking) personal watercraft. To me that means everything because I don’t trade them in every two or three years. I also do my own oil changes and winterization. Having a naturally aspirated ski makes life so much easier for maintenance. Tell me guys and girls, does this make sense to you?

We ended up buying a 19 3 up 90hp Spark and a 2020 GTR 230. The 230 is double the weight. Honestly, we would have both been happy with just two sparks. The spark for their cost is quite amazing. The spark is almost as quick on acceleration due to the lightweight design. If I could do it all over again, I would have bought 2 Spark trixx 3 up fully loaded and saved LOTS of $$$. Great video as always!!

Great video: My dad owns a trixx and it is incredibly fun, didnt do the water wheelie justice tho you can get way higher up. And it has touring mode for fuel efficiency and sport mode for fast accelerating.

Been a boater all my life, but my boat was in the shop last summer during our family vacation/reunion, so I rented a couple of skis. I chose to rent 2 Spark Trixx models because they were available last minute and affordable (the guy gave me a 15% military discount). Since no one in my family had every ridden a PWC, I wanted something that was easy to learn but still fun for me and my boys. We're dirt bikers and prefer something nimble and flickable rather than all-out top speed. The Trixx models were just plain awesome for everyone........including those in my extended family that are obese and not athletic whatsoever. My family plays on toys all the time, so getting out there and doing wheelies and spins was simple and fast to learn. There was enough power to do anything we were brave enough to try. When my cousins' family got on them, the Trixx were still plenty smooth and stable enough for an extremely shy and fat 11yo girl with no muscle coordination whatsoever. Like her daughter, my cousin is also large and very unsure of herself when having to be physically active, but they each were able to have fun on the Trixx at their own personal levels of activity. Bottom line is this: the Trixx can be a blast for just about anyone in the water! The IBR feature is fantastic in that you get real braking on the water, a neutral position, and reverse. Having ridden PWCs in the 90's, this is a deal-breaker these days. Add in the adjustable trim feature and you have a solid PWC for plenty of fun. I'm 6'3/250 lbs and haven't been on a ski in over 25yrs, but the Trixx was more than fun for this dad-bod. If I didn't already have 2 boats in my garage, I'd likely get a pair of these for the lake.

Thanks for the knowledge I'm a 57 year old man who is still A kid at heart and I have no experience with jet skis but I will get this ski doo spark as my beginner I live in Colorado

Growing up we had a early 90s sea doo. It was a 2 seater, as long as everyone was under 150 lbs or so. Not stable or fast, but a blast to ride around. I bet that spark feels super stable in comparison.

Just so you know if you have the kawi put the reverse lever in the middle and it literally just stays still, the middle is neutral

Really good video. Great comparisons. Funny how the best pwc reviews are coming from an off road channel. 😂👍 Keep up the good work guys.

We own 2 Sparks: 90HP, 3-seater with reverse, in our 7th season, no issues. Most of the time use in Sport mode. We are on a smaller lake in central Ontario and use for booting around the lake. Given they are made of HDPE plastic, do not worry about guests using them and banging in to the docks, well not too hard. Easy to trailer and store. Key for selecting PWC is what your needs are, where you will be riding, how much air you want to get and how fast you want to go. And for guys, beware of sitting while pounding waves, if you know what I mean😜

Nice video. I have researched and tested jet ski's thoroughly for a few years. I'm not dissing Rotax engines, as I know they can be reliable, but Kawasaki and Yamaha have provided consistent reliability with their models. I'm glad Kawasaki continued using the 1498 cc engine. I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on a pair of stx160X's.

looking into buying my first jet ski. At first I thought spark trixx was going to be my least favorite, but amount of reviews I have read/watch and how everyone is talking about trixx, trixx is the jet ski I want to buy

I own an exr and I love it. As you said it does not feel super planted. Great for ripping donuts but if you try and turn in at high speed it does skip on top of the water which can be a little sketchy. And it doesn’t do well in choppy water. I ride with a buddy that has a vx limited and on flat water we’re side by side, but a busy day on the lake I can’t keep up without getting my ass destroyed and my arms ripped apart.

Since watching this video a month ago, I have bought two Yamaha EX Sports and can say without a doubt it’s the most fun I’ve ever had on the water.

I was on a spark 900 today. First ever ride on a jestski pwc and i recommend it. Way more fun than i thought.

I've got a few base model 2up sparks and they sit in the water for 6 months out of the year. I run them in the columbia river so we experience some serious wake. I personally find 40mph to be very harsh due to the wake caused by commercial traffic... so anything faster just wont feel safe. Also, if you're interested in buying one but you're worried about not having reverse, just keep in mind that you'll get used to not having it right when you get out on the water. I can dock and maneuver next to other boats and jet skis like its nothing... while getting slammed with wake. I would argue that if you want to get out on the water and you've never owned a jet ski before, go for the base model spark. I have put over 100 hours on one of them (and 50-80hrs on the others) over the past three years and I still dont feel the need to upgrade. But thats because I personally feel like the characteristics of a spark are not like a regular jet ski at all. They almost feel like a hybrid between a sit down and stand up type jet ski(and thats what ive become used to).

I was in doubt between a Spark Trixx and an EXR so I'm gald I watch this video right AFTER I bought my Rec Lite PWC 😫 Thankfully I went with the EXR 😅 I love it!

Absolutely what I needed.great info.pls do one on the sea-doo fish pro.thx❤️jenn

Great video, I'm looking for a pwc this summer and your information and advice has been very helpful. 😎👍🍻⚓

I’ve done a “boat” load of research before I made my purchase last year and I ended up getting Kawasaki STX15F. My main deciding factor was stability and reliability and it hasn’t let me down. A solid built machine. Not to mention the Black/Green is the sexiest in my opinion. In regards to neutral....I’m always forward with throttle wide open. Happy boating everyone! Stay safe!

Have had a base Spark for 3 summers. Starts every time. Zero issues.

I bought a 900 3up spark in 2014 when they first came out. Aside from maybe $1000 worth of repairs over a 6 year period, (Including Regular maintenance) The ski has been great to me. Salt water only aswell. Take care of your things and they will take care of you.

Thank you so much for the canadian prices too!! Helps so much

I ended up buying 2 of the 90hp 2 seat SeaDoo's and I'm glad I did. I get crap from Yamaha owners (none that have ever been on a Spark) about them not being stable and blah, blah, blah. Then I go out and do things that they can't. The advantage of the Spark is that they are light, very light. You can toss them around like nothing else on the water. There's a reason they are called personal water craft. I don't need or want 3 people on it or for that matter, 2 people. At that point they are a boat. SeaDoo created a whole market themselves and caught the others sleeping. The composite hull that Yamaha wants to bad mouth - it's one of the major advantages. Virtually zero maintenance. I don't have to worry about scratches and chips like you do with a glass hull. It takes a beating and never needs anything. Toy like - yup and that's what I like about it.

I bought a 2018 Yahmaha EX Deluxe after much research and talking to the guys who fix these for a living they all suggested the EX over a Spark. I have been very happy with my choice and have had it for 2 years now.

Nice vid and information as I am in the market searching for 2 jet skis and confusing which I should get now for my family. Thank you

I recently found myself in the market and chose the stx 160. Had a hard time finding a ski to purchase due to the pandemic, I have 2 seadoo gti 130’s and was looking for something cheaper but comparable. My base was 10,100 because I wanted cruise control for pulling tubes. I totally agree, reverse sucks compared to sea doo’s ibr system and no neutral sucks even more. I forget about everything I don’t like about the stx when I hit the throttle tho. That thing scoots but honestly I think it’s the only thing I like about it. The sea doo’s seem to handle much better too. I did not even look at Yamahas because I pull tubes a lot and the rooster tail just doesn’t work for me

Finally! I was looking for this video I had an 2005 Yamaha Waverunner. This was a life saver now I have the Waverunner EX

Personally I’ve ridden both the sparks and the ex and I will say for better handling and a more comfortable ride it’s worth the extra money. Maintenance on sparks means if anything major you have to unscrew 40 plus screws. Not to mention the ex will be much more durable. Over time I’m not necessarily a fanboy of either but I do tend to like Yamahas a little more

Thank you for this video. I just purchased the new yamaha ex deluxe 2021 waiting for it to arrive!!!

Wow 😮 I really learn a lot from u, I’m new in the market don’t know much about it and I’m a little confused witch one to buy is my first time but I would like to buy something with all the features like reverse that’s real cool 😎, thank you for the info sir.

My buddy's dad owns the Yamaha dealership in Chico California and he told me the EXR was the best for the money. Thank you sharing this video. Good info.

Great vid. The styling of the Seadoo speaks to me despite the somewhat less technical specs.

Can confidently say after kawasaki ownership. It has been amazing. Best jetski i have owned

Great video content… I went off of your information in this video content… And bought the Kawasaki STX160… And LOVE IT!!! I test drove an EXR after I bought the Kawasaki… Let me tell you… I’m sure glad I went with the Kawasaki… A better ride and it handles the chop a whole lot better!!! No Regrets!!! #TeamKawasaki

Great info. Was just at the lake and you brought it all home.

I have a kaw 300 lx ....i love it it's fast and stable......i like to sit on in the lake without worrying about tipping over.

The more I see these new skis, the more glad I am that I have my 89 Kawi 650sx and my 93 Superjet. These new floating couches should just be classified as mini boats.

You should do gas mileage or pwc equivalent. The spark will run all day on one tank of gas can the others do that? Pulling the skiis to get more gas takes time away from play time. Nice Vid!

Good stuff Stephen. You have taken the online spec sheet reading/comparing and turned it into a comprehensive hands on opinionated video that can give people a better perspective on what these 3 manufactured models have to offer in the real world. Since I have not been on one in decades, I was aiming for Kawasaki until you mentioned the price and the fact it has no neutral. Many people like to sit at idle and take in a moment of surroundings and or chat with others out on the water and not always be in motion. So big deal breakers to me. Still not happy with any of the prices. But IF I were to get one, based off what you talked about.. I suppose I would go with Yamaha as well. Because your recent experience with it is all I have to go on.

For those who don't have 5k + to drop on a toy, I would strongly recommend older 2 stroke Yamaha waverunners. Many can be had for far below 1k and can be just as fun albeit without a few bells and whistles. Hit FB market, Craigslist, or letgo. Waverunner vxr pro with 701 motor. Good stability and handling for 1 rider. Some have sick graphics. Waverunner III(3) with 701cc. Great stability for two up riding(more like 2.5 not 3). Heavier than others but great for passenger. Also has reverse bucket. Waveblaster 760cc. Great handling and acceleration. Carves turns and digs from slow speed. Less stable at no wake speeds especially with a second rider(WB2). Get a WB1 if you want to ride alone and do wave jumps and sport riding. There are many other old 2stroke available as well. I have personal experience with these and find them frequently on FB, CL etc. for low bucks. Slight mechanical inclination helps with these older ones. But if they have cylinder compression and pump ain't rattleing or seized, they are normally pretty close to being ready to run. Hope this helps someone.

Great video! Love the exr, and kawa; however its worth noting that while its not fair to compare the dry weight of the exr vs the curb weight of the Kawa. Because the dry weight from Kawa its 726lbs (not 844lbs).

One other thing is that the spark is made out of plastic which is way easier to tear a hole into rather than the Kawasaki or Yamaha which are made of fiberglass. Just a thing to take into consideration when buying the Spark or Yamaha. Great video

I owned a 300x and i found it heavy in the water had awesome power and go fast not a problem, but if I wanted to do tricks it was very hard to do

I have a 2019 Yamaha EX deluxe and a 2020 Yamaha EXR. both are a blast but definitely can tell the difference in power. You are absolutely correct in the quality difference between the the spark and the EX. when I upgrade, I’ll be sticking with Yamaha.

Just found a Yamaha Ex sport here in SD for $4500 it has a lot of mileage but these motor are rock solid can even go 1000 hours with proper maintenance..

We absolutlely love our sparks! ( 90hp 2up & 3up) if you're buying in this segment, you would be ok with not getting the highest feeling quality because you're buying for the sheer enjoyment these provide. For the price of some of these other Y or K models, you can get a base nodel SeaDoo GTI, it just all depends on what you're looking for. For us personally, the Sparks have provided such cheap and reliable fun. We've even put grandparents on them and although they do feel light and not as stable as a full size ski, nobody felt as if they couldn't handle or control it.

I'm not in the market for a PWC but I loved this video!!

Please do more uploads on PWC's! Even older models. I'd love to see a review on an earlier yamaha fx sho or seadoo rxp 215!

Excellent review and explanation 👏👏 it was very helpful, thanks a lot.

Great review and agree with everything. I am curious how you feel your Yamaha choice would compare against the Seadoo GTI model?

Thank you! I think you've just helped me make up my mind to buy the Yamaha ex👍👍👍👍👍

This was such a great informative video. What would you rec for 14 and 15 year old? Thinking the spark trxx is still the best for them.

Dude, I have a limited VX, two of them actually. Yes, they don't hit 65mph like others, but cruising around? Yes. My 6/8 yo kids love it and every once in a while we tow a big mable tow-able and it's great. We've been averaging less than the WOT of 8gph and go consistently 4-6 hours cruising @35=-45mph at 3/4 throttle or less. I have 9 to 12 hours on them and need service now. It's not necessarily expensive, but you need to take it for service. Also buy med rx fuel stabilizer. 1 bottle of like 3.5 oz split between two skis every time you fill up, or portion out to partial tanks as part of your top off, etc.

Terrific. Fantastic detailed analysis. Very helpful.

In canada, the EXR is only $500 behind the STX in MSRP. The kawasaki just accomplishes a lot more

Which one is better for older teens who drive cars but not much water craft experience aside from riding in a boat? This would be on a large lake/river system with very choppy water (often waves everywhere 2+ feet or higher) due to the volume boat traffic.

My main concern is towability. I have a 2008 Lexus ES350. I'm leaning towards the Yamaha, but I'm not sure how my car will handle towing it. I know I can easily tow the Sea Doo Spark, just based off of how small it looks.

A great job comparing these. Very useful, thanks!!!!!

Hey Great video!!! I was wonder which one do you think would be better for renting out to the public and personal use? I would absolutely appreciate a reply thanks !!

Never owned one and rode one two different times twenty something years ago it was fun. Now that I'm older and want something a little different to do I've Been kicking around the idea of buying a pwc for a couple of years now. I'm still torn between a Yamaha and Kawasaki? my main concern is performance protentional from the smaller models I like the power of the bigger ones but don't want to deal with the size of them. Decisions decisions

You didn't go into fuel consumption and range. I'm an outlaw and sometimes I have to make long jumpes. During winter 5 to 10 foot are common on a good day, and when you stuck out in the bush which one is the more comfortable to sleep on. And do any of them give off a bigger radar signature than the other. And who would have the best impeller mods. I hear a lot about that.

Thanks for the video! Love my waverunner EXR, test drove against a spark 3up 90 and preferred the yamaha!

The STx160 is a freaking beast , just a Kspeed kit and will be over 62MPH gps

What ski would you recommend based on rider size? I'm 6'2" 280lbs. I used to ride 2 seater Polaris 15 years ago. Thinking I would need something more stable these days.

I was a little confused for my next purchase in winter 2020. undecided with the Sea Doo or Yamaha. After watching this video I will buy EXR

This was a good video, but I think you should have mentioned that if customers are willing to spend the money for a Waverunner or Jet Ski, then another option would be the Sea Doo GTI and compare what Sea Doo offers with a similar price point to the other 2 ski's.

I'm pretty sure the base Spark has just .7 (YES, .7, not 7!) gallons of storage because all you get is the glove box. The front storage bin is an accessory at $160 US.

Funny thing about those seadoo spark 60 vs 90 configurations. They're the exact same engine. They just have a different tune on them. When you have the 90hp config that give you sport mode which will utilize the full 90hp. There are a lot of people out there that will buy a 60hp and just add a tune to it which unlocks the 90hp and sport mode. There are also common tunes to go to 110hp or even 130hp.

I’m looking to purchase one between the spark trixx or the EX sport . Which one is better when it comes to durability?

I have A ex deluxe and im very happy with it

Great comparison. Thank you!

Great video bro this helped a lot

Just bought a base ex so far loving it definitely not the most stable but damn that thing is fun

Very informative and put into terms that I understood. Simple is best

Thank you so much, this helped me out a lot!!

Excellent content, and very informative. Thank you. I believe you never mentioned your name? Great job.

just buy an old 2stroke. If you want a boat, but a boat. If not, buy a wave blaster or superjet.

You can tune the spark 60 horse up to 110 hp.. the 90 and the 60 is the exact same motor. Just ECU tuned

I went with a pair of 2020 VX Limited Yamahas, got them for 10300 each. They are aweseme. Although I did flip one over the other day lol...good thing I watched a lot of videos on how to flip it back over :). Next time, I want to move up one model, to the 4 cylinder to go a little faster (non super charged, I don't want to put premium in there, 87 is what I want). I tried the spark, kawasaki and the ex models. Yamaha was the funnest for me, and it's easy to work on. Also the 8 gal per hour on wide open throttle lasts 2 hours. We usually go out for 3-6 hours and the gas lasts a long time. I noticed at 75% throttle, I'm doing 40mph. If I gun it, it goes 10 50 but then the gas goes BYE BYE SUCKA lol.

I was thinking about buying two Seadoo Sparks, but now I changed my mind. The Yamaha is a fiberglass hull, not Seadoo Plastic. The Yamaha is made in the US and engine comes from Japan. .. I own a lot of BRP products and happy with them. But the Spark comes from Mexico..

I have a 3up 90 hp Spark and a Yamaha Ex Sport. The Spark has been tuned and I swapped out the impeller. Now it’s just as fast as the stock Ex. Well.. the Ex has a slightly higher top speed and more comfort.

I'd get the 2up spark and pretty sure i'd have all the fun in the world with it !

Only issue with the spark is the plastic haul instead of fiberglass

which would you buy for a family kids, teen and preteen?

Well done video, I have been a subscriber on your channels for years. In my opinion, I disagree with your thoughts on the ex handling vs the spark. I would ask others to watch some more videos of pwc specific channels, and better yet get out and ride them! Cheers

Would the yamaha wave runner ex be good if im taking multiple passengers? I was looking at the sea doo spark and i heard theyre not good for that.

Never bought a boat or jetski before.. should i buy new or used? From dealer? Is the msrp negotiable like with cars?

Good info, For your opinion,Yamaha cruiser VX HO Or Seadoo SE 170. Which one you prefer, reliability, I like the seadoo new design for there cooling system but to much computer involved on seadoo. Yamaha hi output is tested. Help me to decide Thanks

Insane that all these models are $2k more now in 2023. Crazy

Thank you, this was a big help

I have a 2019 Yamaha exr and love it!!

the issue with this is the sea doos are selling for over MSRP I remember when the spark came out for 5500 I was finding base trims selling for 7k

I would only use the jet ski a few days a year in the summer, what should I get ?

What is the top speed of all 3 equipped with the biggest engine options