new to forum...650sx

[thudd3rski]

hello all,

old new guy here. always wanted a pwc but never seemed to get around to it. purchased a 650sx last spring with a great motor but a little rough in the looks department. really like vintage stuff and always been a kawi fan so the 650sx seemed like a good choice. spent the spring sprucing it up and the summer learning to ride it. gotta say it was a great time...harder than i expected, but still a lot of fun.

here are the before and after...







wife and daughter were jealous so i picked up another project to rework this winter...



realize i am really late to the game and will be searching to forum for plenty of answers

 

[Sanoman]

Welcome

 

[JetWash]

Welcome , to be young again...1st ski i bought with some graduation money in '93 a '89 650sx. Two seasons later, I painted it,broke handlepole trying nose stabs. stayed with factory white. then typical add ons , hydroturf/handle bars/finger throttle/grips/intake/44sbn/fa/ tail cone for the pipe. We had a local shop,Hyper-tech that tried to support a couple local racers and was the place to get the goods. Made many trips to lake michigan on that trailer.

 

[McDog]

Welcome. Great job restoring it. You will be all smiles as you work your way through hopping on newer skis since that came out.

 

[mikidymac]

Welcome to the forum.
It is nice to see a 650 SX getting some love. People will talk crap about them but I really like them, maybe because it was my first ski so I have a soft spot for them. I would still love to find a stock 91-92 for the collection.

 

[97superjet]

I really enjoyed my 87 650sx, such a good learner ski, I really want a mint one. Welcome to the addiction, superjet should be next on your list

 

[thudd3rski]

while this one was a little rough on the outside, the motor is a fresh rebuild (less than 20hrs) with a few mods. just needed to replace a few hardened hoses and it was ready to go. previous owner took great care of it mechanically so it was a great way to get into the addiction.

 

[97superjet]

while this one was a little rough on the outside, the motor is a fresh rebuild (less than 20hrs) with a few mods. just needed to replace a few hardened hoses and it was ready to go. previous owner took great care of it mechanically so it was a great way to get into the addiction.

You got a B pipe and head on that thing, mint! lol I bet thats a lot of fun

 

[thudd3rski]

definitely is...especially when you are trying to learn to ride for the first time. took me a couple of outings to figure it out (long way to go though)

i have no experience with a stock 650...but it definitely feels quick. also came built with 38mm carb and waterbox. being at 5200' we need all the help we can get

 

[kevbo]

The 650sx has a relatively flat bottom and little grip for turning, it turns like a bar of soap. You can lean it over and rail a turn but only at low speeds. It is a little shorter, center of gravity wise, than a Superjet so larger riders need an extended plate and then aft hull extensions to make it plane easily. Smaller guys will have no problems. The Superjet has a lot more grip for turning and likes to turn flat. The Superjets pump is a little bigger and works better, especially at low speeds. The 650sx was never successful as a racer and fell out of favor with typical jetskiers. They can be good general purpose skis with a 750 installed.

 

[thudd3rski]

thanks for the info...mine is running an extended ride plate but taking note on the hull extensions. what about sponsons? worth it? probably mainly due to my inexperience but there seems to be a really fine line between railing a turn and crashing

 

[kevbo]

Front sponsons pull down when they are in the water. They will do some of the work for you in a corner. They can also make the ski wobble side to side in a straight line if mounted too low. I recommend doing maintenance and learning to ride it. They always need pole bushings installed after their first season of use. The driveshaft splines are often ruined by bad seals and careless installation. Pump seals are likely worn out by now, once water enters, the bearings rust and fail. You can get modified 750-800 impellers and use 750ss shafts. Straight handlebars will help any adult sized person get planed.

 

[thudd3rski]

thanks...did the oversized pole bushings right when i got it, but will look into the pump seals

 

[kevbo]

You can check the driveline by sliding the engine forward and spinning the shaft. It should be quiet and have seal drag. Any noise means rusted bearings. Clean and lube the splines while you're there.