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Kawasaki Jet Ski Horsepower Chart [New and Vintage Skis]

Kawasaki Jet Ski Horsepower Chart [New and Vintage Skis]

As a rule of thumb, a production Kawasaki Jet Ski can generate anywhere between 160 and 310 HP. Each of these powerful machines shares the same base 4-stroke, 1498cc, 4-cylinder engine, which is available in naturally-aspirated (160 HP) and supercharged (310HP) configurations. In contrast, the engine power of older models varied between 24.5 and 300 HP depending on the year and model.

If you want to find out more about the engine power of Kawasaki Jet Skis, this post is for you.

For your convenience, we at JetDrift have complied them under one roof!

How Much HP Does a Kawasaki Jet Ski Have?

Kawasaki STX 160

As the name suggests, entry-level STX 160 Jet Skis offer 160 HP.

This series includes the base STX 160, the STX 160X, and the top-of-the-line 160LX.

The entire STX line shares the same hull, and the naturally-aspirated version of the proven 4-stroke, 1498cc, 4-cylinder Kawasaki marine engine.

Examples:

  • Kawasaki STX 160: 160 HP
  • Kawasaki STX 160X: 160 HP
  • Kawasaki STX 160LX: 160 HP

Kawasaki SX-R 160

The only production stand-up Jet Ski from Kawasaki, the SX-R 160, also offers 160 HP out of the box.

This is no surprise since this machine shares its power source and jet pump with the STX 160 series.

Kawasaki introduced this model under the name SX-R 1500 but rebranded it to SX-R 160 in 2023.

Kawasaki Ultra 310

The recently revamped Kawasaki Ultra 310 family comes with a 310 HP engine, which makes these machines the most powerful production PWCs available.

The power source of the Ultra 310 family is a more powerful, supercharged configuration of the 160 HP STX/SX-R engine.

Thanks to an Eaton Twin Vortices Series (TVS) supercharger, this engine produces 50 HP more than its naturally-aspirated sibling.

The members of the Ultra 310 family are as follows:

  • Kawasaki Ultra 310X: 310 HP
  • Kawasaki Ultra 310LX: 310 HP
  • Kawasaki Ultra 310LX-S: 310 HP

How Much HP Do Vintage Kawasaki Jet Skis Have?

Let’s go back in time a bit and take a close look at the engine power of vintage Kawasaki Jet Skis!

300cc

Kawasaki’s smallest Jet Ski engine, the 294cc single-cylinder power mill, was rated at 30 HP.

This powerhouse was nestled in the lightest stand-up Jet Skis including the ’86-’88 JS300, and its successor, the ’87-’91 300SX.

400cc

The first production Kawasaki Jet Ski was the Kawasaki JS400 powered by a 24.5 HP engine.

This power source was a purpose-built, 2-stroke, 400cc, single-carb, twin Kawasaki marine engine.

Its predecessors were the hand-built Kawasaki WSAA and WSAB.

440cc

The Kawasaki JS440 was a more powerful version of the proven JS400. It enjoyed a 2-stroke, 436cc, single-carb, twin-engine rated at 27 HP.

The JS440 was introduced in 1977 and remained in production through 1992.

550cc

As a rule of thumb, 550cc Kawasaki Jet Skis produced anywhere from 36 to 47 HP.

The power source of these Jet Skis was a 2-stroke, single-carb, 530cc twin that came in many different configurations. The early piston port valve versions delivered 36-41 HP while the more advanced reed valve configuration put out 47 HP.

The HP ratings of each Kawasaki 550 Jet Skis were as follows:

650cc

You could expect the engine power of a 650 Kawasaki Jet Ski to be in the ballpark of 52-57 mph.

Most of these skis are powered by the single-carb, 635cc, twin Kawasaki engine rated at 52 HP.

Only the upgraded, ’94-‘95 X-2s had a twin-carb version of this engine, which produced 57 HP in stock condition.

Examples:

750cc

The performance of 750cc Kawasaki Jet Skis varied between 63 and 83 HP.

The power source of these models was a 2-stroke, 743cc, twin-cylinder engine, which underwent several performance upgrades during its lifetime.

It was produced in both single and twin-carb versions and got a major upgrade in 1995. This “Big Pin” 750 engine offered more power and durability, while the weaker (pre-’95) predecessor was labeled as “Small Pin.”

The HP ratings of production Kawasaki 750 Jet Skis were as follows:

900cc

Triple-cylinder Kawasaki 900cc Jet Skis could reach a whopping performance of 100 HP.

These machines shared the same 2-stroke, triple-carb, 891cc, triple Kawasaki marine engine.

Examples:

1100cc

1100 Kawasaki Jet Skis delivered 120-130 HP depending on the engine configuration.

Each of these machines was built on the same base 2-stroke, 1071cc, 3-cylinder engine marketed in both carbed and fuel-injected configurations.

The latter was baptized D.I. and delivered a remarkable 130 HP, while its triple-carb sibling was rated at 120 HP.

Examples:

1200cc

The most powerful 2-stroke Jet Skis from Kawasaki were arguably the 1200 models with a claimed engine power of 145 HP. In contrast, their only 4-stroke 1200cc Jet Ski, the STX-12F, was rated at 125 HP.

The most popular models in this class were as follows:

1500cc

As a rule of thumb, the engine power of a 1500cc Jet Ski ranges between 160 and 310 HP.

Kawasaki derived its 4-stroke, 1500cc, 4-cylinder, fuel-injected engine from the ZX 14-R motorcycle series. Today, this is the only production Kawasaki Jet Ski engine that is available in a naturally-aspirated (160 HP) and supercharged (310 HP) configurations.

This power source had also been used in many older Kawasaki Jet Skis, including:

Naturally-aspirated models:

Supercharged models:

Kawasaki Jet Ski Horsepower Chart

For your convenience, we’ve compiled the HP ratings of Kawasaki Jet Skis into one chart:

YearsModelHPDispl. (cc)
1973-1975WSAA24.5400
1973-1975WSAB24.5400
1976-1981JS40024.5400
1977-1992JS44027436
1982-1985JS55036530
1986-1989JS55041530
1986-1988JS30030294
1986-1993X-252635
1987-1991300SX30294
1987-1990650SX52635
1989-1992Jet Mate52635
1989-1996TS (650TS)52635
1990550SX41530
1991-1995550SX47530
1991-1995SC (650SC)52635
1991-1993650SX52635
1992-1995SS (750SS)63743
1992-1995750SX63743
1993-1995Super Sport Xi (750SS Xi)75743
1994-1995X-257635
1994Super Sport XiRNA743
1994-1995ST (750ST)63743
1995-1997900 ZXi100891
1995-1997750 ZXi83743
1995STS (750 STS)80743
1996-1997STS (750 STS)83743
2001-2002900 STS100891
1995-1997750 SXi75743
1996-20031100 ZXi1201071
1996-1997SS (750SS)70743
1996-1997Super Sport Xi75743
1997-1998900 STX100891
1999-2000900 STX100891
2001-2006900 STX100891
1997-19991100 STX1201071
1998550SX47530
1998750 STX83743
1998-1999Xi Sport80743
1998-2000SXi Pro75743
1999-2005Ultra 1501451176
2000-20041100 STX D.I.1301071
2001-2004Ultra 130 D.I.1301071
2002-20051200 STX-R1451176
2003-2011800 SX-R80781
2003-2007STX-12F1251199
2006-2008X-280781
2004-2020STX-15F1601498
2007-2022Ultra LX1601498
2007-2008Ultra 250X2451498
2009-2010Ultra 260X2601498
2011-2013Ultra 300X3001498
2011-2013Ultra 300LX3001498
2014-2021Ultra 310X3101498
2014-2021Ultra 310LX3101498
2014-2021Ultra 310R3101498
2017-2022SX-R 15001601498
2020-STX 1603101498
2020-STX 160X3101498
2020-STX 160LX3101498
2022-Ultra 310X3101498
2022-Ultra 310LX3101498
2022-Ultra 310LX-S3101498
2023-SX-R 1601601498

This chart is for informational purposes only! For exact specifications, please refer to the factory manual.

Takeaways

As a takeaway, we’ve answered the most common questions on the topic:

How Much HP Does a 2-Stroke Jet Ski Have?

A 2-stoke Kawasaki Jet Ski can generate anywhere between 24.5 and 145 HP.

How Much HP Does a 4-Stroke Jet Ski Have?

The latest 4-stroke Jet Skis are powered by a naturally-aspirated 160 HP, or supercharged 310 HP engine options, while some vintage models were designed with a 1200cc, 125 HP power source.

How Much HP Does a Single-Cylinder Jet Ski Have?

Kawasaki produced only two single-cylinder Jet Skis, the JS300 and 300SX, both of which were powered by a 2-stroke, 249cc, single engine rated at 30 HP.

How Much HP Does a Twin-Cylinder Jet Ski Have?

Depending on their design and features, the power of twin-cylinder Jet Ski engines varied greatly. The single-carb configurations of these tiny power mills were rated ad 24.5-70 HP while their twin-carb brothers delivered 75-83 HP.

How Much HP Does a Stand-Up Jet Ski Have?

Vintage 2-stroke Kawasaki Jet Skis produced 24.5-80 HP depending on the model, while the production 4-stoke SX-R 160 was rated at 160 HP.

How Much HP Does a 3-Seater Jet Ski Have?

Simply put, a 3-seater Kawasaki Jet Ski can generate anywhere from 160 to 310 HP. The naturally-aspirated models like the STX 160 series offer 160 HP and supercharged 3-seater Jet Skis put out a whopping 310 HP.

Which Jet Ski Has the Most Horsepower?

The most powerful Jet Skis from Kawasaki are the Ultra 310 models powered by a 310 HP supercharged engine.

Which Jet Ski Has the Least Horsepower?

When it comes to production models, the least powerful Jet Skis are the STX 160 series as well as the SX-R 160 stand-up Jet Ski. Regarding vintage models, you could expect the least amount of engine power (24.5 HP) from the JS400.

What is a Good Horsepower for a Jet Ski?

As a rule of thumb, 160 HP is more than enough for a Jet Ski if it is being used for recreational purposes. When it comes to racing Jet Skis, those machines are powered by the most powerful, supercharged (250-310 HP) engines for obvious reasons.