Standup Vs. Sitdown – Why You Should Pick A Sitdown Jet Ski

This guide is for new riders who want to know the difference between the two. Learn a little about the history of both and see which one is a better fit for you.

Before we get into it, let’s go over the features that make them so different.

Comparison Chart

Let’s Cover The Jet Ski Terms First

Since this guide is geared towards new riders, I need to explain the common terms.

The word “jet ski” will get thrown around most because that is what most people understand. The other names are Personal Watercraft(PWC) and Waverunner.

The History

While stand ups are becoming rare these days, they were one of the first ones around!

The creator of the first stand-up was Clayton Jacobson II. He wanted a motorcycle of the water and was trying to mimic that with the stand-up jet ski. He figured standing up would give you more control, like it does on a dirt bike.

He tried at first with Sea-Doo (Bombardier at the time) but it never really took off in the 1960s.

With the failure, Jacobsen went to Kawasaki, and it took off for them. Kawasaki called it a Jet Ski, and that sprung what we know today!

With Kawasaki having such success, Sea-Doo jumped back into the market in the very late 1980s with their sit downs. Being able to sit down made the rider more stable in the water and built up rider confdence. Over the years, this focus on rider comfort caused the jet skis to get bigger over the years until the Sea-Doo Spark re-SPARKED the industry.

You also had Tiger Shark, Yamaha, Polaris, and many others try their hands at making PWCs. In the end, you were left with only 3, Kawasaki + Sea-Doo + Yamaha.

Interesting Tidbit of Sea-Doo

A little story time… I had a customer come in one day looking at Sea-Doo’s. He said he used to work for them and said if I could tell him the original name that Sea-Doo was going to be called, he would buy then and there.

Sadly, I had no clue.

He told me the original name was going to be “Sea-Dog,” yes dog, but due to a translation error, it was “Sea-Doo”. I don’t know about you, but Sea-Doo sounds better than Sea-Dog!

After looking this up, I found out that he was thinking of Ski-Doo which is a sister company to Sea-Doo and the Ski-Doo was supposed to be Ski-Dog which makes sense as it was a snowmobile replacing dogs sleighs. The name Ski-Doo carried over to Sea-Doo, and the rest is history.

Funny enough, I do get a few people calling Sea-Doo’s by the name of Ski-Doo! It doesn’t bother me, I call everything a jet ski, and that bothers some. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Who Makes Stand Ups?

Kawasaki & Yamaha are the only ones

As of now, you only have Kawasaki(SX-R) and Yamaha(SuperJet) making stand-ups.

Of the 50 or so models available from Sea-Doo, Yamaha, and Kawasaki, only 2 are standups. For the stand-up vs. sit-down debate, it looks like the sit-down models have won.

Sea-Doo Stopped making standups In 2007

Around 2007, Sea-Doo did have a stand-up called the 3D.

It was based off the XP hull and had 3 different riding modes. Standing, cart, and knee seat. It was popular when it came out but died off quickly.

It was also big for a standup, but the few times I got to ride the 3D it was a blast.

The standup Buyer

The biggest market for standups is racers, and that is what Yamaha and Kawasaki build for.

It was also only recently that Kawasaki even came back with a stand-up model and not only that, brought the first 4-stroke stand-up.

Stand-ups are not that popular

• The biggest reason you don’t see more people riding stand-ups is that it’s hard!!! It’s a workout to get going and ride. It’s not meant for relaxed cruising, but to be playful and fast.
• Another reason is that they were small and needed a 2-Stroke engine. 2-Strokes pollute more than 4-Strokes you find in sit downs today. New laws have made it harder and harder for manufacturers to keep up, which is hurting the stand-up market. This is why it was huge news to see Kawasaki come in with a 4-Stroke SX-R stand-up. It’s what the industry needs if it wants to continue.
• The last reason would be cost. You can get a stand-up for about the price of a mid-range sit-down model. You could even get a Sea-Doo Spark or Yamaha EX for cheaper and get more features. It’s not fair to compare the two, but to the average customer, the sit-down is the better deal.

One might assume that stand-up models, being smaller than sit-down models, would be less expensive. However, this is not the case! The demand for stand-up models is relatively low, resulting in lower production quantities. This limited production keeps their costs higher than one might expect.

I suggest Sit-Down Models

My general recommendation is to go with the sit-down. The people wanting the stand-ups are already in the sport and won’t need me to tell them to get one.

You’ll find a sit-down better all around, especially for families. You can carry more cargo and pull tubes where a stand-up can’t do either.

You’ll also find it easier to resale your used sit down than to sell a used stand-up. (Just play around with my used price calculator to understand the difference)

Unless you race them or want the thrill of a stand-up, there is no good reason to get one. The sit-downs have won the battle in the end.

Stand-ups Can Be Hard To Drive

Yes, but only if you have never ridden one before.

Here is a great video showing you how to ride a stand-up: