The arrival of the 2021 Yamaha GP1800R SVHO had many fans of high-performance watercraft wondering about the effectiveness of the changes versus the previous model.
While the supercharged 1.8-litre engine and hull remain the same as before, Yamaha fitted a completely new top deck, added launch control, and adjusted the overall weight balance of the watercraft by moving the fuel tank slightly lower and rearwards.
Well the guys at The Watercraft Journal have answered the call – the first in the world to do so – in a back-to-back speed test, hooking up both models to V-Box testing equipment, which uses satellites to precisely measure speed to two-hundredths of a second.
Above: Data from the 2020 Yamaha GP1800R SVHO speed test by The Watercraft Journal.
It’s next to impossible to get a 0 to 100kmh time on watercraft because the timing beacon is trigged by the slightest movement on the water, which is why The Watercraft Journal (and other marine testing sites) program the device to start the clock at 5mph (8kmh) and record intervals to 60mph (97kmh) as well as top speed.
Each Yamaha GP1800R SVHO was in showroom-standard condition and brimmed with fuel – and the same rider launched both skis in the same stretch of water, travelling in the same direction.
Above: Data from the 2021 Yamaha GP1800R SVHO speed test by The Watercraft Journal.
It may not surprise you to learn the 2021 Yamaha GP1800R SVHO was a couple of tenths of a second quicker, but to find out how it achieved this result, read the full story at The Watercraft Journal – and check out their detailed video analysis here.
There is just one word of warning for Australian readers. It’s worth noting the prices in The Watercraft Journal written review and video are in US dollars. For Australian pricing on the 2021 Yamaha GP1800R SVHO, click here.
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