What are the real costs of buying & owning a jet ski?

[Jetdrift]

We tried to collect and organize the most significant costs:

https://www.jetdrift.com/jet-ski-costs/

If something is missing, please don't hesitate to share it in a comment!

 

[Captain PegLeg]

Big difference in buying a runabout and putting 87 octane in it and running it around the lake, and buying a building a surf ski, going to daytona Freeride, buying beer, buying food, hotels, stripper money, party favors, broken parts beachside, fuel, travel expenses.... ect.

The cost of ownership varies..... ALOT.

 

[Sparkplug]

I'm well in the positive on skis. I'm about to build a 2015 xfr for under 10k, and already have multiple people offering me 12k+ when it's done. Gotta have that hustle in life.

I know guys who have rode prob 250 hours total in surf, and have over 100k invested. You can waste as much money as you want. But time is also money.

Its not expensive at all. You can hit the surf for under 5k. A ski is a chunk of fiberglass, a air pump, and a water turbine. Dirt simple machine. A 5 year old could build one. Motocross guys laugh at us constantly because we think we "tune".

Most people will perpetuate the notion that this is expensive and high maintenance. I got a bank account and a yard full of skis that says that totally isnt the case.



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[MarkWalker]

Endless...... Next question.

 

[KMN]

Let's take a 4k used Superjet over a couple years:

No depreciation
No winterizing cost, store in your garage or living room ;-)
No tax for me in MN at least
$45 for 3 year licensing cost
Minimal maintenance items. I just don't see any stock Superjets breaking.
Gas and oil, cheap really overall for how much entertainment it is.
No insurance.
Trailer or hitch hauler, buy used, won't lose any value

Owning a Superjet for me is super cheap. Almost no depreciation, gas/oil and minimal government fees.

Now, owning an aftermarket hull with all the fixins adds up. Just expect to dump money to obtain these and maintain them tip top. All worth it though, every dime blown and raised my happiness and added value to my life.

 

[Half flip95]

Its not expensive at all. You can hit the surf for under 5k. A ski is a chunk of fiberglass, a air pump, and a water turbine. Dirt simple machine. A 5 year old could build one. Motocross guys laugh at us constantly because we think we "tune".

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Not sure what you mean,
Never had to do much tuning on a modern mx bike. a tooth here or there and a click here or there. once you get your base suspension set-up you're pretty much good to go.

A really good running ski takes some attention to keep it tip top

 

[Quinc]

Let's take a 4k used Superjet over a couple years:

No depreciation
No winterizing cost, store in your garage or living room ;-)
No tax for me in MN at least
$45 for 3 year licensing cost
Minimal maintenance items. I just don't see any stock Superjets breaking.
Gas and oil, cheap really overall for how much entertainment it is.
No insurance.
Trailer or hitch hauler, buy used, won't lose any value

Owning a Superjet for me is super cheap. Almost no depreciation, gas/oil and minimal government fees.

Now, owning an aftermarket hull with all the fixins adds up. Just expect to dump money to obtain these and maintain them tip top. All worth it though, every dime blown and raised my happiness and added value to my life.

Insurance on my SJ for 3k replacement cost is around $100 a year. Mostly have it so if someone is riding it and hits a 100k Mastercraft..

 

[yamanube]

This isn't a real conversation, this is clickbait.

 

[Jr.]

Water toy by definition : Hole in the water in which to pour money!

 

[Sparkplug]

Not sure what you mean,
Never had to do much tuning on a modern mx bike. a tooth here or there and a click here or there. once you get your base suspension set-up you're pretty much good to go.

A really good running ski takes some attention to keep it tip top

Mx bikes get rode way harder. They actually have a air filter instead of a flame arrestor. They have tunes, gears, sprockets, suspension, tire tread, weight distribution.

Skis have a engine with carbs, and a prop. That's about the max your gonna tune it.

Superjets with 500 hours on them from 1991 are still around running perfectly fine. They are over engineered. Layman thinking they are pros are who makes this seem out of reach for others.

Gotta pay to play with anything in life though. Pick your poison

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[bird]

the most expensive part is Fuel!

I'm paying around $15-20 an hour for gas and oil. That makes everything else look cheap($1000 crank got 1200 hours, less than $1/hr for the crank, etc).

1200 hours on my first SXR engine ~$18,000-$24,000 in fuel.

Let's take a 4k used Superjet over a couple years:

No depreciation
No winterizing cost, store in your garage or living room ;-)
No tax for me in MN at least
$45 for 3 year licensing cost
Minimal maintenance items. I just don't see any stock Superjets breaking.
Gas and oil, cheap really overall for how much entertainment it is.
No insurance.
Trailer or hitch hauler, buy used, won't lose any value

Owning a Superjet for me is super cheap. Almost no depreciation, gas/oil and minimal government fees.

Now, owning an aftermarket hull with all the fixins adds up. Just expect to dump money to obtain these and maintain them tip top. All worth it though, every dime blown and raised my happiness and added value to my life.

My buddy's 2015 that gets ridden 5 days a week in the summer has the following issues:
1. Broken Handlepole
2. Broken pump shoe
3. Broken intake grate
4. Peeling hull and hood

You need to ride more Kirk!

 

[Half flip95]

Mx bikes get rode way harder. They actually have a air filter instead of a flame arrestor. They have tunes, gears, sprockets, suspension, tire tread, weight distribution.

Skis have a engine with carbs, and a prop. That's about the max your gonna tune it.

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Changing air filters is tuning?

Just bolt it together and go probably works ok in the surf.

Hang loose brah

 

[mthomps]

Mx bikes get rode way harder. They actually have a air filter instead of a flame arrestor. They have tunes, gears, sprockets, suspension, tire tread, weight distribution.

Skis have a engine with carbs, and a prop. That's about the max your gonna tune it.

Superjets with 500 hours on them from 1991 are still around running perfectly fine. They are over engineered. Layman thinking they are pros are who makes this seem out of reach for others.

Gotta pay to play with anything in life though. Pick your poison

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That's great you essentially make money riding and your 5 year old builds all your skis while you research the mystery of mx bikes but the only thing left original on my 91 sn is the friggen gas tank, waterbox, and nose piece. Pm me about what you are smoking so i can help fund your xfr flip.

And thanks @Jetdrift for bringing to light the real issues this community didn't understand before.

 

[Sparkplug]

Put it this way, you can buy flips and tricks with jet skis. You absolutely cannot with mx.

The air filter reference was to an engine that sees alot more abuse.

If you think for a second a jet ski is more of a performance machine than anything with a transmission and wheels, ok.

Jet skis are dirt cheap. I mean everyone thinks I live in a trailer and have a 5 yr old, but I have 3 rickters. So its affordable for anyone



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[mthomps]

I will be sure to let some local mxers know what a stupid 4 year old I am next time my baby cousin rebuilds my idiotic single carb thanks.

 

[SmittySX]

You can make anything affordable if you want it bad enough. I don't think calling this sport "dirt cheap" is very accurate though..

 

[mikidymac]

It’s pretty nice an unsusporting website advertises here and created so much arguing.

I will say I have owned dirt bikes and skis since the 90’s and the last couple years the skis are way more expensive than dirt bikes. There’s no way a 1991 all stock dirt bike is going to average over $2k like the superjet. Just like a stock or modified 2005 dirt bike isn’t going to bring over $5K like a superjet.

Yes there might be a few here that can buy cheap and build them with cheap parts to have a small amount in a Rickter for $5K but that isn’t anywhere near the norm. Just like brand new dirt bikes don’t go for $20k.

Is it possible, absolutely but you can’t say it’s dirt cheap for everyone.

 

[TheBuzzard]

the price of fun is high...…...but worth every penny

 

[mikidymac]

Absolutely Buzzard. Spend whatever you are comfortable with and have fun, be it a $500 440 or a $30K Rickter. We all have different budgets and comfort levels.

 

[Harbor]

What are the real costs of buying & owning a crack pipe ?