650/X-2 Have 2 Blasters may pick up an X2

[escore]

Just wanted to see if any one who has, had or at least rode both can give me an opinion. I know the X2s have a big following but it seems like the Blaster really took over that niche. How do they compare? Would I have to do extensive motor mods to make it run decent?

And whats the deal with the 800 X2s? I dont see them or hear about them ever. Was that a deal like the Blaster II and they just suck or what?

 

[DementeD]

i just got my x2 and only rode about 2-3hrs so far but i love it. Theres plenty of options for the x2 motor wise, the 650 with some work is good, 750's are easy drop in's , 701's with a Rhaas kit are drop in's, theres also kits for 900/1100 kawi swaps...its pretty endless with these ski's depending on how deep your pockets are and how much time you have on your hands.

Id say check out pwctoday.com for x2 advice, seems to be a much bigger following there then here..
ive never ridden a blaster before either but id say they have to be a good deal different, i love the fact that the x2 is pretty much nothing behind the engine compartment, cant wait to cut the seat out and flat deck it and shave the hood these skis are a beauty imo. Nothing else like it.

 

[Wilke]

And whats the deal with the 800 X2s? I dont see them or hear about them ever. Was that a deal like the Blaster II and they just suck or what?

They are great from what everyone says, but were very hard to come by cause they were never sold in the US, had to be imported. Now there are several companies making AM hulls, but with any custom hull, they are expensive and not too many of them out there. And also it is more of a race hull (like the sxr) and several people who have ridden both prefer a modded gen 1 hull for freestyle.

 

[mydixiewrecked]

Like Wilke said, good luck finding a real gen 2 x2. They were made in iowa I believe. But werent sold in the US. The bottom hull and driveline are identical to the SXR. Only the top deck is different. There are a few A/M guys out there now (Bullet, Trinity, and George "Gtx2". Bullet and Trinity will basically make you whatever you want. Whether it be all carbon -5 inch hull, or a stock length fiberglass. You get what you pay for. George sells two options. A top deck conversion which he cuts the top off a SXR and puts a gen 2 x2 topdeck on. Or he has a WDK -3 light weight bottom that he puts his top deck on.

I have Georges top deck conversion. I love it. I would rather ride it than any gen 1. Whether it be around buoys or freestyle. I have also ridden a trinity version with built in front and rear sponsons. This was much lighter and flickable.


Check out pwctoday, the X2 following over there is huge compared to here.

 

[Wilke]

For blaster vs X2: X2 everytime for how I like to ride, Blaster has more power (with the engine options available for the x2 this pretty much disappears), better handling, and more speed, but it all comes down to the hull, an x2 really feels like a standup with fixed steering, a blaster feels like a small couch.

 

[iangdesign]

Fixed steer an SJ and get the best of all worlds! ;-)

 

[mydixiewrecked]

But its still a sj...

 

[Wilke]

^^exactly. I'd rather fix steer a 750sxi. To each his own, but I never found the SJ to be as appealing as most people do, too loose on the turns (I don't do %100 freestyle, I like to lay it over at speed occasionally), overpriced, and a dime a dozen. All IMO, your mileage may vary.

 

[escore]

I didn't realize the Gen 2 was not sold in the US. Go figure on that one. Sounds like its a lot like a blaster but more like a stand up which I like the idea of. I'll see what happens with this thing. One of my buddies that has a 3 seater turd may end up with it and I'd rather see him get it than me just so he has a real ski finally.

 

[Millah]

Ive had both, Sold my blaster, Now building an 1100 X2 for buoy chasing and still have a 650 x2 for messing around. Plus a sn superjet. The blasters felt like you were standing up on a couch. Too much like a sit down for my taste.

 

[Millah]

Any gen 2 x2 your looking at 10k if you can find one.

 

[mydixiewrecked]

gen 2 isn't like a blaster...its a sxr without a pole

 

[ses601]

i have had many blasters over the last 10 years or so, and just picked up a bone stock 93 X2. obviously, i like blasters (especially to just point and shoot to get monster height off waves). HOWEVER i have never had so much fun in the surf as today....3rd time on my X2, and now feel as comfortable as i'll ever be on it!!!

so as for my personal comparison....to me, the X2 is a micro sized blaster, only it carves sharper, cuts deeper, similar stance but yet flicks 10x easier

i was in maybe 2-3 foot waves that were pretty clean at times and just for the fun of it dropped down on the turf and tucked into a few waves. whenever i wanted, i could just loop back around, pop up, and launch the little guy every bit as high as i could with my blaster.....main difference is that today was THE BEST TIME I HAVE EVER HAD ON A SKI!!!!

as for the power, i was pretty surprised. i guess because of the weight difference, the stock X2 felt pretty much like a stock 61x blaster! i STRONGLY reccomend the X2 :beerchug:

 

[crazy4sand]

i have both IMO their both fun on their own level. x2 is fun at low speeds and to slide it around

 

[Vumad]

Blaster is easier to ride but harder to get onto. The X2 has a very poorly designed hood so it likes to ingest water and sink. I am a fan of the yamah motor but the kawi motor is ok I guess. x2 handles poorly at high speeds like 45+ and falls over for no reason unlike the blaster. The blaster is wider and has a better rocker so it has more pop in the surf. The X2 has a pug nose and puses water forward, so there is constant face spray. The blaster is a buy it, ride and it bolt on to it kind of thing. The x2 is poorly designed, and is a boat that is very customized, and I mean by hand, not aftermarket. Some people offer X2 bolt on hull mods but most X2 work is done by the owner by hand. The Blaster is a boat, but the X2 is a hobby. A lot more pride is taken in the X2 because every motor takes a custom fit, everyone has a different opinion on hull mods, every X2 is custom. Blaster just have a different assortment of the same parts. Blaster is a great boat. X2 is a ty boat that is really fun to ride and a good hobby but not something you can rely on unless you have done a good job redoing it. Stock x2 = bobber. keep the hood foam, and any other foam you think might be a good idea to remove.

Read the X2 mods sticky. Lots of ideas there.

 

[Vumad]

I forgot to mention that the Blaster is boring for me. I think it's lame on the flat. never raced bouys with it though, might be good for that. But flatwater freeride on a blaster with bolt ons was boring compared to the X2. X2 is more fun in the surf too I think. Lighter. yamaha is a better motor and the water ingestion problems with the X2 are a real big pain. X2 needs hull work to rock and care taken to protect from water, but it's lighter and thus more fun to ride. Like SXR vs SJ. SXR kills on the bouys and comes with more power, but the SJ is easier to throw around, better for free ride, can do ok on bouys and with a few bolt ons is damn good fun.

 

[escore]

Sounds like I should buy it if I can. I think Id rather have a SJ but it may be out of my price range for a while.

 

[Vumad]

Sounds like I should buy it if I can. I think Id rather have a SJ but it may be out of my price range for a while.

A square nose SJ isn't too much more money than a X2, is a much better platform requiring less work and interchangeable parts with your Blaster. If you want a X2, then get a X2. If you want a SJ but are getting a X2 because it's cheaper, you might end up disappointed. Get a decent conditioned used SN SJ for about $1500 and save for a Tom21 conversion hood.

 

[ses601]

A square nose SJ isn't too much more money than a X2, is a much better platform requiring less work and interchangeable parts with your Blaster. If you want a X2, then get a X2. If you want a SJ but are getting a X2 because it's cheaper, you might end up disappointed. Get a decent conditioned used SN SJ for about $1500 and save for a Tom21 conversion hood.

i have wanted a SJ for years, and bought an X2 because it was 10x cheaper. i never expected i would like the X2 this much, but i do. it's bone stock, i plan on doing nothing to the motor/pump/hull (except maybe a couple more hood latches). so far, it has handled landings from 6-7', effortlessly pulling out of them. barely takes on any water if/when it tips, AND I HAVE NO BILGE PUMP other than the stocker.

i have ridden different fixed steer setups, superjet setups, kawi setups, etc. and i couldn't be happier with the way this little ski is - from reliability to weight to legs apart stance to fun factor, and so on. it will never cease to amaze me why so many people feel like they need to put tons of time and money into stuff.....funny how those are most of the ppl always breaking down or sinking while other ppl are out there burning gallons and gallons of fuel

 

[escore]

I think I would like both a whole lot and the X2 I'm considering should have a few good bolt ons so for the money I'm thinking why not check them out and see what I think. I could probably flip it for what I have in it if I didn't like it anyway. I am struggling with the cost of an decent SJ because I'm a do it once and do it right guy so I want a rn for sure and my buddy has a really well built one. I do have a lot of back issue riding a stand up and the handle pole is very foreign to me coming from an ATV racing back round. I think I would adjust to it with time but again the X2 is a good price and a world I think I want to check out for sure. I just had no idea how they compare to a blaster. Its a real shame Kawi did something as cool as bring them back but didn't do it in the US.