Sea-Doo GTX iS 255 and RXT iS 255

The transformation is complete. Where once the reference to personal watercraft (PWC) as being aquatic dirtbikes was somewhat of a stretch, it's now no longer so far fetched.

Let's look at the obvious similarities between the dirt and aqua squirters. At least five motorcycle manufacturers make PWCs. Bikes and PWCs have handlebars.

They both have powerful engines -- relatively speaking -- and the PWC donk is often a derivative of a bike engine. They have seats and a throttle on the right-hand side of the bars. You lean into the corners, you can jump both and the amount of aftermarket gear stretches the unreachable abyss. But the final step in the transformation has finally been taken. Sea-Doo, owned by Bombardier Recreational Products, has just introduced a brake and suspension to its RXP and GTX machines. That makes it a 'waterbike' in our book.

I recently swapped my UFO riding gear for a pair of Billabongs and put a couple of Sea-Doos through their paces in the tranquil Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort on Moreton Bay Island (Qld). Man, I really do go through hell to bring you the stories.

POWER TRIP
Sea Doo is the world leader in PWCs. Be careful not to call them jet skis though because that name is owned by Kawasaki and both camps are fierce rivals. Not so long ago Kawasaki got the jump on the rest by introducing a 250hp jet ski onto the market, which Sea-Doo then topped by another 5hp. These machines are seriously powerful and not for anyone harbouring even the slightest amount of 'girly-man.'

Where do you go from 255hp? There's talk of near 400hp machines from the likes of MV Agusta and HSR-Benelli. This is a huge leap in big numbers considering that in 1973, Kawasaki's Z1 pounded the waves with a whopping 82hp. Good luck finding another machine that's more than tripled its horsepower in less than 40 years. Let me tell you this; we don't need more than 255hp.

The two models on trial on this particular sunny Queensland day were the GTX iS 255 and RXT iS 255. The GTX iS is the all blingin' and dancin' luxury model. It's the Humvee of the PWC. If Batman was to buy a PWC, this is the one he'd go for.

You can scare the bejesus out of two passengers on the GTX iS and then grab a sensible sandwich from the 62lt (that's more than the average bar fridge) of watertight storage onboard. The speedo is not a speedo on the GTX iS: it's called an information unit. It's a pretty apt description actually, as it displays everything short of a TV guide and stock report.

The RXT iS 255 is less bling and more fling. Clocked hitting 0--80km/h in 2.9 seconds, the RXT iS will do nothing if not make your arms a little longer. But the story here isn't a comparison between these two models, but rather the innovations Sea-Doo has bequeathed on the duo.

TECH TIME
Before I go any further, let me state that if this business of putting a lower case "i" in front of the name of every new product doesn't end soon, I'm going to call for a jihad on marketing departments. How long will it be until I'm watering my garden with an iHose?

The 'iS' in the Sea-Doo model name denotes that the craft has 'iControl' features installed. These carry the abbreviations of iBR, iS and iTC. iMust say that although iLiked the iControl features iDon't think much of their names.

It's the iControl features that bring the Sea-Doos closer to our bikes though, so let's persevere.

The most outstanding has to be the Intelligent Suspension (iS) system. Basically, the top deck is allowed to move independently of the hull by way of a swingarm. It affords an impressive 15cm of travel which is fully adjustable via an auto mode or a switch on the bars. This obviously allows for a ride far less battering and therefore less fatiguing.

Next we have the Intelligent Brake and Reverse (iBR). As sceptical as I was about the effectiveness of a brake on a PWC, this system is really impressive. By way of a lever on the left side of the bars the brake will pull you up in fairly short order from even 'ludicrous speed.' Keep it engaged and you'll slip into reverse, to back away from any large and menacing fins.

Intelligent Throttle Control (you guessed it, iTC) incorporates a cruise control mode that allows you to take a break from the 255hp and fit your arms back into their sockets.

SUMMER SMASHER
One thing that's not possible to draw a comparison between the likes of a bike and a PWC is the awesome thrill of 255hp. Nothing I've ever ridden accelerates like a PWC. Nothing is so genuinely hard to hang on to when it's belting full noise. It's all relative of course, because a 255hp dirtbike would be nothing more than a trench digger.

The iControl systems are brilliant and have made the crossover from dirt bike to PWC a little clearer. Coming into summer, this might just be the thing to empty those large adventure seeking wallets in between trailrides.

Contact your local See-Doo dealer for more information.