2025 Top Speed of Jet Skis [Stock & Modified Listed]

The fastest you can expect to go stock will be between 65 and 70+ mph, but US models are governed to not exceed that 70 mph.

Hitting 65+ mph is not the normal top speed for every model, 40 mph to 70 mph is the range you can expect. When you line up all models, you get an average of 57 mph, which is still fast, especially if you have never ridden one before. I tell people, 40 mph on the water feels like 80 mph in your car! It’s a totally different feeling that you don’t realize until you hit the throttle for the first time.

For setting world records, you’ll find the PWC below with over 1,400HP hitting over 142 mph, which is just insane.

2025 Max Speed Chart

You’ll find in the chart below that speeds range from 40 MPH up to 70 MPH depending on the model, weight and conditions you ride in. If you need to go faster, you can buy after market PWC parts to squeeze more power out.

You’ll find these speeds may vary 5+/- mph with weight, altitude, fuel quality and water condition.

Coast Guard Limits

I need to cover how the US Coast Guard sets limits for your jet ski sold in the US.

This limit was set in place because they were getting faster and faster every year. People were getting crazy with them and something needed to be done.

Today, even the highest horsepower model (Sea-Doo RXP-X 325HP) will only hit 70 MPH. The WatercraftJournal talks about this more here.

The good news is that the manufacturers are more about who can get to 70 MPH the quickest. You can bypass this speed limit, and I’ll cover that in this post, but it’s an overall good thing to have. Most jet ski still have driving modes and slow keys to limit power if you’re concerned.

Also, if you’re outside the US, you don’t have these limits, but your top speeds isn’t that much higher either. Going quickly on water is so much harder than on land, water has greater friction.

You need to keep in mind that going 40 MPH on a personal watercrft feels like doing 80 speed in your car. Many new riders rarely reach beyond 40 MPH, as there is no other feeling like it. So a cap of 70 will feel like a cap of 140 to most people new to the sport. I know this may sound silly to some, but you’ll understand once hit the throttle for the first time.

The Fastest Production Jet skis

The fastest production you can buy from each of the manufacturers are listed below:

• Sea-Doo RXP-X 325
• Yamaha GP SVHO
• Kawasaki ULTRA 310X

These watercraft are the fastest, not just in MPH, but also in the 0 to 60. Even though two of them are over 300HP, they’re still capped at the 65 MPH in the US. How quick a 300HP muscle-craft can reach is just above 70 MPH, so it’s not a huge loss for US customers, but you can do things to bypass this limit.

Keep in mind, the faster the ski, the more maintenance and costs you got to do for it. Jet skiing is fun, but you pay for the faster speeds.

RXP-X & GP SVHO

The Sea-Doo RXP-X 325 and Yamaha GP SVHO have smaller hulls designed for racing.

In the US, you’ll find that all three manufacturers set speed limits to 70 MPH, but outside the US, you can exceed this speed limit by a few MPH. How can you get around these limiters? A few 3rd parties make bypass units.

RXP-X & RXT-X

These are racing crafts, and some models share the same engines.

For example, the Sea-Doo RXP-X 325 has a larger counterpart called the RXT-X 325 with the same engine but a bigger body.

The larger body handles rough waters better and performs better in straight-line racing. If you prefer versatility and towing, I suggest the RXT-X.

If you want raw top power and quick turns, choose the RXP-X.

RXT-X & Ultra 310X

If you want the fastest straight line model, then I suggest the Sea-Doo RXT-X 325 followed by the top of the line Kawasaki ULTRA 310X!

The Steps For More!

There are several ways you can make your jet faster, from easy to hard, let me cover them!

Easy Speed Increases

1. You should use the correct key or driving modes.
2. Remove extra weight, including the gear you don’t always need.
3. Make sure the wear ring and impeller are not damaged.
4. Make sure the supercharger is working if you have one.
5. Run premium, non-ethanol gas in your ski.
6. Get race sponsons.
7. Speed control bypass, some models computers won’t let you reach over a certain speed, so you need a module that bypasses the GPS signal.
8. ECU Tuning. It may require you to ship the ECU out or get it reprogrammed.

Hard Increases

1. RIVA kits.
2. Buy a faster model, some can only do so much.
3. Replace intake grate.
4. Get a new impeller for your watercraft.
5. Cold air-intake.
6. Performance exhaust system.

If you have a supercharged model like a Sea-Doo that uses GPS for speed, consider getting a speed control bypass for the easiest and quickest way to increase your top end.

Keep in mind that some of these modifications may void your warranty.

Go Slower?

Most models today have speed limiters that allow you to restrict the top-speed of the watercraft.

ECO

For example, you’ll find the top end of a Sea-Doo with ECO mode is 45 mph.

Learning Modes

Many models offer a learning mode or key that you can set the speed to 32–50 mph.

I used to advocate for learning keys, as they limited power for new and younger riders.

However, newer Sea-Doo models tend to exclude them in favor of diving modes like touring and ECO. While not quite the same, these modes allow you to get slower speeds.

Most New Riders Never Go above 40MPH!

People new to the jet skis are always shocked when I tell them that most new riders never reach beyond 40MPH.

To them, that is not that fast, but they’re used to their car. Your car has a cabin, with AC, and music blasting, you’re not a part of the elements anymore. A jet ski is different, especially since you don’t have a helmet.

Doing 40 MPH on a PWC feels fast, much like doing 80 in your car feels fast.

Feels Slower Than Normal?

If your jet ski feels slower than it used to be, it could be many things.

Most often, the problem is that you sucked something up. If the machine doesn’t feel like it won’t catch when you give it gas or get to the max speeds, then that is cavitation, and you’ve sucked something up.

If you have a powerful jet ski with a supercharger then when it fails you won’t get full throttle, your RPMs will reflect a lower number too.

If it’s a few MPH, then it could be scum build up on the hull of the jet ski. The more rough the hull, the slower it will be. It’s why the Sea-Doo GTI’s with the Polytec hulls took a slight speed decrease, as fiberglass was more slick.

The last reason is that the gauge is lying to you. Many jet skis use a paddle wheel to tell the speed. Some use GPS, but a cloud in the sky could throw it off. Seeing 5 MPH+- difference is nothing to worry about. I focus more on keeping track of the RPMs than the MPH, as it’s more reliable and less likely to lie to you.

Oh, and I can’t forget this one, but make sure the MPH or KPH wasn’t changed. I had a guy say his GTI topped out at 100 MPH stock, but it was set to KPH and caused him all kinds of confusion.

Don’t forget About Insurance

If all you care about is going fast, then make sure to get some jet insurance. I’ve seen the aftermath of jet ski accidents. I’ve even been in a few myself, with me ending up in the hospital.

Things happen, get the insurance.

Most states don’t require you have insurance on your vessel, but you would be a fool to not have it. This is especially true when you can bundle it with your other plans. I don’t have anyone to recommend, I just want people to be careful and be prepared.