Overview
If you’ve ever asked yourself what it would be like to have a machine that racers use to win trophies, then bring your checkbook on over to a Yamaha dealer and sign a contract for the GP1800 and find out. This is a WaveRunner with the largest engine Yamaha makes, put into the lightest production performance machine with a race inspired hull. In short, it’s an adrenaline thrill ride that is not for the faint of heart.
However, if you’re an experienced rider, interested in closed-course bouy racing in a high performance rocket, then stop and take a look at this. The GP1800 is built with you as the target audience.
The Power Plant
We’ve always said that there’s more to performance than a bigger engine but Yamaha didn’t get the memo. It took the biggest engine it makes and dropped it into this WaveRunner. So what we have here is the 1812cc supercharged and intercooled, 4-stroke, 4 cylinder, 16-valve Super Vortex High Output engine. That’s the top of the food chain… there is no higher.
The SVHO engine features a high-performance intercooler, increased supercharger air intake capacity and boost, and a modified fuel injection system for increased fuel flow.
Add to that the fact that it’s driving the 160mm, 3-blade, 16.4-degree pitch, stainless steel impeller through an 8-vane high pressure jet pump and you start to get a feel for what we’re talking about.
The Hull
The hull is designed around the most winning watercraft raced today, the Yamaha VXR. It’s a super lightweight hull made with Yamaha’s exclusive NanoXcel2 technology that is sheet molded under extreme pressure to produce, what is according to Yamaha, the strongest and lightest hull and deck available in the industry
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