Does Suzuki Make Jet Skis? [Video]

Does Suzuki make jet skis? – This is a question of many jet ski enthusiasts, and the short answer is no. However, Suzuki manufactured jet ski engines for Tigershark in the ‘90s, and many of these machines were sold in certain parts of Europe and Japan as “Suzuki jet skis.”

If you want to find out more about these lesser-known models, as well as the mysterious “Suzuki Hayabusa jet ski,” this post is for you.

We at JetDrift have compiled all you need to know about Suzuki jet skis under one roof!

Does Suzuki Make Jet Skis?

To the greatest regret of many Suzuki fans, the Japanese manufacturer offers a wide variety of powersport vehicles but no jet skis.

However, Suzuki jet ski engines were commonly used in Tigershark jet skis and Wet Bikes from 1978 through the 1990s.

The first Suzuki jet ski engine was used in the 1978 Wet Bike. This machine was manufactured by Spirit Marine, a subsidiary of Arctic Cat. At that time, this American manufacturer used a Suzuki engine in essentially all of their powersport vehicles.

This early Suzuki jet ski engine was a 723cc, 50 HP, 2-stroke twin equipped with two Mikuni carbs. By 1985, the weird-looking Wet Bike got a more powerful, 789cc, 60 HP, twin Suzuki engine.

Although Arctic Cat discontinued this model in 1992, the company introduced its all-new Tigershark jet ski line a year later. Just like their predecessors, each Tigershark jet ski was powered by a Suzuki engine.

It’s a lesser-known fact that some Suzuki dealers in some parts of Europe and Japan sold these machines as “Suzuki jet skis.” At that time, Arctic Cat was not a well-known brand name overseas, and local dealers wanted to take advantage of the lucrative Suzuki name.

But let’s face it, these machines were nothing, but Tigershark jet skis labeled as Suzuki!

Unlicensed Chinese Suzuki Jet Ski Engines

Surprisingly, Suzuki jet ski engines made a comeback in the 2010s.

In those years, the Chinese Jiujiang Hison Motor Boat Manufacturing Co, Ltd. manufactured and sold jet skis with 1400cc, 150 HP Suzuki jet ski engines.

The company wanted to enter the U.S. market, but according to PowerSportBusiness, Suzuki stopped this attempt by citing licensing issues.

Does the Suzuki Hayabusa Jet Ski Exist?

This viral video about the mysterious “Suzuki Hayabusa jet ski” occasionally appears on social media. According to the owners of this footage, this machine is a jet ski powered by a 1300cc Suzuki Hayabusa engine:

But is that the truth, or is it just a clickbait title to grab more attention?

Kevin Shaw at The Watercraft Journal put an end to the mystery and clarified that this jet ski doesn’t house a Suzuki Hayabusa engine.

Instead, it’s a race-ready Yamaha FZR WaveRunner featuring a 1.8L SVHO Yamaha Marine Engine and an open “free-flow” exhaust system.

Conclusion

Contrary to popular belief, Suzuki has never made jet skis. However, the company manufactured 2-stroke engines for Wet Bikes and Tigershark jet skis from 1978 through 1999.

Some of these machines were relabeled and sold a “Suzuki jet ski” in some countries overseas, but it was just a marketing gimmick to take advantage of the well-known Suzuki name!