2020 Sea Doo Rxp X 300 Top Speed

2020 Sea Doo Rxp X 300 Top Speed

In bowling, 300 represents a perfect score and for Sea-Doo, it means the same thing when talking about its new RXT-X 300

Sea-Doo's big news for 2016 is the unveiling of a new 300 hp 1630 ACE engine, which ratchets up the attitude on three new models. Not only is it more powerful, but it's lighter for a better power-to-weight ratio. The Lava Red/Monolith Black color scheme on the RXT-X we tested (White and Day Glow Yellow is pictured) seemed appropriate, given its hotness.

Unique Factor

Setting aside the new 300 hp engine for a moment, what makes Sea-Doos unique from other PWCs on the market? One standout feature is the Ergolock System, which makes riders feel as one with their machine. The seat is narrower up front, which allows riders to squeeze their knees closer together and lock into position for hard turns. Angled footrests work in tandem with the seat to wedge riders in. The last pillar of the system is the fully Adjustable Ergonomic Steering (A.E.S.) handlebars with eight points of adjustment, because one size does not fit all. This year, the handgrips feature a wide flange, to give the meat of one's palms a place to rest. It adds up to a machine owners can ride hard for hours and not pay the price for the next day.

Performance

Having ridden the previous 260 hp Sea-Doo, I thought there was no way — short of strapping on a pair of Acme rockets — Sea-Doo's designers could boost the thrill of acceleration, but that's exactly what they did. I tested the new RXT-X on the Cumberland River in and around Nashville for a couple of days, and that first pull on the billet aluminum trigger throttle let me know I only thought I had experienced the ultimate rush of acceleration. Sea-Doo says its acceleration is capable of exerting one G-force, but what's amazing is how smooth the power comes on. It's easily manageable, even for intermediate-level riders. The performance numbers were impressive. Using the highly unscientific one-thousand-one timing method — hey, you try holding a stopwatch while driving this beast — I got to "one-thousand-one…one," or just slightly more than one second, to 30 mph. Top speed was in excess of 71 mph, since it was brought from Canada for our press event and wasn't subject to the U.S. Coast Guard agreement that will limit Sea-Doos sold in the U.S. to a max of 68 mph.

Sea-Doo didn't just re-map the onboard computer of the Rotax 4-TEC 1503 engine, which was Rotax's second generation 4-TEC performance four-stroke tweak of the original 1494 cc version, introduced in 2001. Sea-Doo's new 1630 ACE (Advanced Combustion Efficiency) has a 9 percent larger displacement, thanks to its longer stroke, a positive effect of which is to increase midrange torque. In fact, its burst of acceleration from a pedestrian 35 mph to top speed was one of its more memorable traits. The supercharger was totally redesigned to provide 30 percent more boost for better "right-now" power. A new, larger intercooler has twice the cooling capacity, which is vital since cooler air is more dense and allows more of it (and fuel) to enter the combustion chamber.

Handling

Sea-Doo offers two high-performance hulls. The first is the T3, found on skis such as the RXP-X, which is relatively short at 130.6 inches and is optimized for running buoy courses and general turning mayhem. The S3 hull on the RXT-X is designed for a different purpose. It's longer at 139.2 inches and has a stepped, deeper-V design that's made to slash through choppy water with ease. Its 913-pound dry weight adds to its stability, and it can handle three riders (up to a total of 600 pounds). The high-performance electric Variable Trim System (VTS) allowed me to trim down for a fast launch and then trim up to reduce wetted surface for really stable, high-speed running, or to correct for changing conditions.

The X-Package includes three-position, adjustable sponsons that allow the rider to dial in the ride of choice: higher for better freestyle riding or lower for more aggressive turning. There's also a new winglet than enhances lean angle. Despite weighing nearly half a ton, this three-seater was surprisingly nimble. It can't lean over as far as the RXP-X, but it's capable of carving hard, accurate turns while throwing up a spectator-wowing wall of water.

High-Tech Cornucopia

Everything about the RXT-X is state of the art, starting with the Intelligent Brake & Reverse (iBR) system, which gives the RXT-X (and all other Sea-Doo models) the ability to stop. Now in its second generation, iBR has received some improvements. When you are cruising and want to stop quickly, pull the left handlebar lever to drop the bucket like a sea anchor; then, as it begins to slow, reverse thrust is added, allowing it to stop up to 160 feet faster when stopping from full throttle. I noticed the actuator was faster to deploy the bucket and that the front end didn't dive nearly as much as the previous versions.

To save space, the center gauge overlaps the outer two, and at a glance riders can see everything they need to know about engine performance. Since it's all digital, info such as distance to empty fuel is displayed, and on the X-machines like the one I tested, supercharger boost is displayed, so riders can see the load the ACE engine is under. There are three performance modes. Sport Mode should be indicated by little flames on the gauge, since it's the hair-on-fire performance profile. Touring Mode brings the power on more slowly and is ideal for carrying passengers or towing skiers. ECO Mode helps wring every last mph out of it when cruising. A new, larger dry bin up front increases total storage to 42.8 gallons, and given its 14.9-gallon fuel tank, cruising is in the picture. The only decision you have is how fast you want to get there.

2020 Sea Doo Rxp X 300 Top Speed

Source: https://www.boatingworld.com/boattests/sea-doo-rxt-x-300/

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