Freestyle Whats the cheapest/ easiest way to get a good freestyle ski?

[yamahahaha]

haha, yea im not lookin for a super badass ski though I would be more than happy with this, I just would be afraid I would buy all the parts and not be able to install them into a hull.

 

[sjetrider]

You really have to commit and spend the $$ on all at once or pick one way or the other (small light hull or BIG POWER) and start from there and invest slowly. To get a ski that will do it all it takes it all IMO. You can spend $5k on a motor pump package and get rolls, stabs, arial 360's and more or spend $5K on a light short hull and start with a b-pipe to get the same. But to flatwater flip it takes the full package. Off big boatwakes either of the above will get you a flip combined with the balls to try it.

Your SKI DOO will only get you a start bro, sorry for the bad news. ANother option is to nut up and go big on a 650SX and get a sponsor LOL.

Dont get cought in the hype, riding a nicely powered SJ is fun as hell even if you dont flip. How many peeps love motocross riding but cannot backflip their bikes. Its not everything.

 

[baxt3r]

Backflips aren't everything? Psssht. Have you seen video from the World Finals? Just kidding.


Learn to do the work yourself. As much as I like supporting local businesses that support the sport, the amount of money I just dropped could have got me almost to a new hull. I'm probably going to pick up a SN and learn to do the engine and fiberglass work on that so I don't screw up my RN.

 

[D-Roc]

find a squarenose with a 701, footholds, pipe impeller and head..

yup if you get a cheap superjet with a 701 then you can start buying all the fancy parts one by one. there is no need to hurry, plan on riding every year and modding each year as budget allows. after modding your ski for a few seasons you will know how all the parts work and how to not blow up the 701. if your blowing up cheap little motors, your don't want to go buy a fancy motor just yet. learn to do some glass work and install some footholds, cut your hull and shed some weight anyway you can. power to weight ratio is what a freestyle ski is about. you can increase hp or loose weight. both give great results.

 

[Dmac80sc]

I started last oct. Bought a RN hull for like 700 and then started buying stuff here and there over the winter. Got just a 61x motor for now. Protec pipe and some other things but nothing crazy(yet) and it rips pretty good and has enough power to keep me going for a season. But they are pretty easy to work on if u look on here and ask questions and get a clymers manual will help LOTS.
I would say I have about 3 grand maybe a little more into the ski.

 

[tightithrash]

cheapest route is to move to the beach and rip a 1000 dollar SN and go bigger than anyone on a lake.

 

[Tyler Zane]

you can do anything on that ski with the x. if they have posted in this thread they are already willing to help.

 

[yamahahaha]

You really have to commit and spend the $$ on all at once or pick one way or the other (small light hull or BIG POWER) and start from there and invest slowly. To get a ski that will do it all it takes it all IMO. You can spend $5k on a motor pump package and get rolls, stabs, arial 360's and more or spend $5K on a light short hull and start with a b-pipe to get the same. But to flatwater flip it takes the full package. Off big boatwakes either of the above will get you a flip combined with the balls to try it.

Your SKI DOO will only get you a start bro, sorry for the bad news. ANother option is to nut up and go big on a 650SX and get a sponsor LOL.

Dont get cought in the hype, riding a nicely powered SJ is fun as hell even if you dont flip. How many peeps love motocross riding but cannot backflip their bikes. Its not everything.

yea im not lookin to flatwater bf, id rather just nut up and go big haha, Iv attempted some flips with my 650 off huge waves but i dont have foot holds so it hasnt worked out LOL. and yes I know the ski-doo wont get me an awesome ski, its only worth like $6000. as for getting sponsored goes... here in minnesota there isnt a real big community of stand up riders and im guessing it would be near impossible to get sponsored.. thanks for all your help though.

 

[Schmidty721]

Here's the path I took.

Last summer was my first year owning a jet ski (minus a brief stent when I had a js 550 for like a month). I started with a 1990 SN SJ with a 61x 701cc engine. The engine let go on me at the beginning of summer and I lucked out on getting a cheap stroker engine off here for $350 shipped. I ripped that all last summer and decided to build a BOB over this past winter. This will be my second year riding stand-ups and I'm on a 780cc powered Carbon BOB hull for about $6k. Granted I did all the work myself, including engine work (minus cylinder bore). I was very patient while buying parts and checked the forsale threads religiously all winter. Every question I had I was able to find an answer for here on the X.

My advice to you is to pick up a 701cc SN sj as others have suggested. Try to find one with footholds, but if not they are not that hard to install yourself. Ride it for the summer. Next fall you can make the same decision as I did. My choice was either a serious engine upgrade or aftermarket hull. Being that I had a pretty powerful engine I opted for a new hull. I took my time purchasing a hull until the BOB hull I have now was listed for sale used. Once you have the superjet, everything will transfer over to "most" aftermarket hulls. At that point you only need to upgrade whatever components you desire. Typically the only thing that won't transfer over is a SN pole and midshaft (90-93).

Last, where are you in MN. I grew up in Mankato and now live in LaCrosse. Look up the TCjetpilots. They have a group on facebook too. There are a handful of guys riding very nice skis from the area. You'll be able to find help if you need it man. Just ask.

I owned 5 SN SJ's in less than one year. Two I drove to Kansas to get, but there are skis around. Just keeping looking!

 

[yamahahaha]

that is sort of exactly what i was thinking, i found a sn superjet on cl near me for 1900, no footholds, and jetmaniac sent me a link to a nice 718 engine that supposedly would bolt right into a stock sn, if i got that set up then I could ride it for a year and over the winter hopefully find a used bob, many even gen 1, and transfer everything over, only problems are im not sure how much all this would cost, I have to sell my sled to get some money, and I am not to good with engins and stuff yet some im affraid id get a bob and not be able to transfer it over, BTW i live in prior lake (about 45 min south of cities) and I am planning on going up to lake minnetonka a couple times.

 

[Nuklear6]

fx1 fx1. lets see other then needing a pump change, it is shorter, MUCH LIGHTER, has nose rocker, even a little bit of tail rocker, and comes stock with a 701. add some tubbies (and a pipe of course) and it will have every bit the pop off a set up wake any after market hull will have.

 

[grezzmky]

You probably wont need the BOB for quite awhile or even ever. Get any SJ you can and you will take it to almost any level you want. nothing is really that hard. I would say if youve never put a ski togather or even taken one apart and dont have much mechanical knowlage you probably dont want to start with a bare hull. not that it cant be done with all the help here but i forsee you not following through. once you instal foot holds and refoam you would have enough confidence to shorten it a year or so later... And whatever motor is in it can always be changed. Its not like making a new computer controled v6 car a v8. Its a bolt in swap. 650/701/760.... most parts are interchangeable. Just get any good deal SJ you can. I have a 650 with EVERY aftermarket part I coulf find. I have THOUSANDS of dollars in it plus a $8000 airbrush job on it. I bought a bone stock RN the day after I finished the 650 and it has NEVER been in the water since. You will be happy with the SJ with some footholds.

 

[grezzmky]

But if you think a tricked out 650 like this (and the build 750 motor in it) is something you want I would think about a trade for your sled.

 

[Matt_E]

You missed that he wants to fw flip.

 

[grezzmky]

No you ALL missed that he said multiple times that he does NOT want to FW flip. We wants to have a better chance off Wakeboard wakes.

 

[deftons56]

You probably wont need the BOB for quite awhile or even ever. Get any SJ you can and you will take it to almost any level you want. nothing is really that hard. I would say if youve never put a ski togather or even taken one apart and dont have much mechanical knowlage you probably dont want to start with a bare hull. not that it cant be done with all the help here but i forsee you not following through. once you instal foot holds and refoam you would have enough confidence to shorten it a year or so later... And whatever motor is in it can always be changed. Its not like making a new computer controled v6 car a v8. Its a bolt in swap. 650/701/760.... most parts are interchangeable. Just get any good deal SJ you can. I have a 650 with EVERY aftermarket part I coulf find. I have THOUSANDS of dollars in it plus a $8000 airbrush job on it. I bought a bone stock RN the day after I finished the 650 and it has NEVER been in the water since. You will be happy with the SJ with some footholds.

You didn't actually pay $8000 for that paint job did you...?

 

[AZRIDER]

they did a good job of making the rivets look good

 

[Matt_E]

No you ALL missed that he said multiple times that he does NOT want to FW flip. We wants to have a better chance off Wakeboard wakes.

Sorry, you're right. I was thinking of a different thread.

 

[deftons56]

they did a good job of making the rivets look good

Yeah, its deffinately a cool looking paint job......but 8 grand on paint? I'd rather have a Rickter or xscream motor lol.

 

[AZRIDER]

agreed