Kawasaki Jet Ski is about to come back from the brink – and is not vacating the personal watercraft market anytime soon – Kawasaki Jet Ski executives have told Watercraft Zone.
Having lost market share to Sea-Doo and Yamaha WaveRunners over the past decade – as sales of personal watercraft have surged – Kawasaki Jet Ski representatives have pledged a rollout of new models in key segments.
In an interview with Watercraft Zone at the 2022 Sydney Boat Show, the national sales and marketing manager of Kawasaki Motors Australia, Robert Walker, said the company planned to introduce more Jet Ski models and expand its dealer network within the next two years.
The fightback plan – and long overdue Jet Ski model range revival – are in stark contrast to industry speculation that Kawasaki had moved its focus away from the personal watercraft sector.
Last year, Kawasaki Jet Skis represented 6 per cent of personal watercraft sales in Australia, compared to market-leader Sea-Doo (77 per cent) and second-placed Yamaha WaveRunner (17 per cent), according to confidential industry data obtained by Watercraft Zone.
“We want to expand our market share and that means we will need to introduce new models and appoint more dealers,” Mr Walker told Watercraft Zone. “The company is fully behind expanding and growing our Jet Ski model range.”
Mr Walker says while shipping delays pushed back Australian deliveries of 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 models by at least six months this year, customer waiting times are expected to be reduced next year.
“We believe we will soon have zero production constraints and that means we can bring in enough stock to meet demand,” Mr Walker told Watercraft Zone. “We’re also going to have an expanded lineup.”
The Kawasaki Australia executive would not disclose any information about future models as those plans are still under wraps.
However, he did confirm the 2022 Kawasaki Ultra LX non-supercharged Jet Ski (pictured above) is the last of its generation – until a revamped mid-priced model range fills that void in 2024.
“The Kawasaki Ultra LX comes out of the range next year, but there will eventually be another model that will fit into that category,” Mr Walker told Watercraft Zone.
“We have a couple of model variants on the drawing board that we will add to the range.”
Industry insiders have speculated the Kawasaki Ultra LX non-supercharged Jet Ski could be revived in 2024 with two or three model variants – rather than just one, as has been the case since 2007 – to better compete with the likes of the Sea-Doo GTX 170 and Yamaha FX HO WaveRunner series.
It is most likely the new top deck and new technology introduced on the overhauled 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 supercharged range could also be adapted to create a broader Kawasaki Ultra LX non-supercharged line-up.
“If someone was writing a wish list, that’s potentially what some of our customers would appreciate,” said Mr Walker.
“We have access to the hulls, we have access to the top decks, and we can mix and match.
“There won’t be a 2023 Kawasaki Ultra LX, but there will eventually be other Jet Skis in that segment of the market.”
During the global pandemic, Kawasaki Jet Ski dealers in Australia have largely been relying on revenue from workshop service bookings to keep their showrooms open, as production slowdowns and shipping constraints slashed their stock numbers.
Kawasaki’s revival plan will come as welcome news to dealers – and Kawasaki Jet Ski fans – given it appears the company will be better represented in the booming mid-priced, full-size, three-seater personal watercraft class.
“Kawasaki has largely ignored the non-supercharged market, but that segment can no longer be ignored,” said one Kawasaki Jet Ski dealer who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“Kawasaki deserves to have a range to rival to Sea-Doo ST-3 (models) and the Yamaha FX. There is no reason we can’t take sales away from those skis once we have the right product.”
| Year | Sea-Doo | Yamaha | Kawasaki | Total market |
| 2021 | 5345, down 5 per cent | 1210, down 44 per cent | 415, down 25 per cent | 6970, down 16.7 per cent |
| 2020 | 5650, up 11 per cent | 2165, up 13 per cent | 550, up 49 per cent | 8365, up 13.7 per cent |
| 2019 | 5070, up 8 per cent | 1920, up 25 per cent | 390, down 24 per cent | 7380, up 9.7 per cent |
| 2018 | 4695 | 1530 | 485 | 6710 |
Above: Sales of personal watercraft in Australia, and the percentage change from the prior year. Figures have been rounded.
MORE: Follow us on Facebook
MORE: Jet Ski waiting times, what to do if you’re stuck in a queue
MORE: Yamaha Australia apologises for extended delivery delays
MORE: Our earlier coverage on Jet Ski stock shortages in Australia
MORE: 2022 Yamaha WaveRunner prices and model changes
MORE: 2022 Sea-Doo prices and model changes
MORE: 2022 Kawasaki Ultra 310 prices announced, sold out til mid-year