Are RIVA's Sponsons That Good? WCJ Quick Topics

This Quick Topic segment was taken from our full-length podcast titled "Don't Be a Distracted PWC Driver" and can be viewed in its entirety HERE: • Don't Be a Distracted ...
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#pwcjournal #rivaracing #sponsons

[@mikehuesser1058]

Waiting on Riva sponsons for my 2019 gp1800r, thanks for your easily understood explanation. Just reattached the round internal nut\washer w/ rtv sealant on the Rxt300 that I spun removing the stock intake grate, whoops! I'm installing the Worx intake grate that you recommended 😉. Thank you for your helpful information.

[@watercraftjournal]

We've never recommended that part.

[@one_day_at_a_time9915]

I just ordered these , I'm running a full out stage 2 with the Riva ride plate. Will these help with proposing???? like really help????

[@jasonmekush5280]

I just may have to try some on my 2016 FZS stage 1, a little more bite would be nice.

[@watercraftjournal]

Traction always helps.

[@edemkounou7734]

I have the worx sponson on my 23 fx limited svho, I felt that the stability went away compared to the stock sponson. Which means that I have to apply a lot more throttle to have the ski go forward otherwise it. The only good thing is that it does hook however it is unpredictable when it's going to bite which isn't what I wanted. I only set it to 2 as it has 4 settings g in total. I am really not loving it at all. I haven't touched the I take grate yet. Any idea why the ski behaves like that? Is that because it doesn't like the sponson. I just Tate the instability. I rather a stable ski over turning abilities

[@fizzle_4625]

My fx has workx sponsons that seem to be shaved to have a step like that, even the base of it has been shaved down

[@watercraftjournal]

Somebody modded them for sure.

[@Landerh1984]

I hated my riva sponsons for my 21 FX SVHO . Made the ski very unstable with a passenger at low speed. I tried all 3 settings with no luck. Called and talked with Brian at riva and even stopped by Riva in Key Largo to have them take a look. No one saw anything wrong with the installation or the sponsons so I ended up sending them back. High speed cornering was insane but I didn't want to sacrifice stability at low speed as I spend 90% of the time just cruising with a passenger.

[@WaterDR-tw8re]

That doesn’t make an sense…. I have a 19…no issues. The sponsons should make the machine more stable even at low speeds.

[@Landerh1984]

I agree 100%. I have only seen 1 other person post about having the same experience. My thoughts were that they had to somehow be installed wrong or the wrong sponsons but after sending detailed pictures from all angles to Riva they said they looked good to go. Without a passenger and with them in the highest position they weren't terrible but still didn't track straight. Any other configuration at low speed felt like riding in a boats wake with the ski tilting side to side and constant fish tailing causing me to constantly have to correct it. I waited almost 3 months for them as they were the last parts to arrive out of a nearly $4000 order and was exited to get them installed the night before I left for vacation with the ski. I didn't bring the stocks with me and didn't get to ride much at all due to the handling issues. My girlfriend wouldn't ride with me because of the constant tilting and fish tailing so we just left if on the trailer all week and rode on my friends boat.

[@watercraftjournal]

@WaterDoc S is right, something ain't right - not with the sponsons but your FX. What other mods did you perform?

[@Landerh1984]

@@watercraftjournal Riva stage 1 plus. It handles great with the stock sponsons.

[@Landerh1984]

I still have the gen 3 power cooler, intake manifold upgrade kit and pro series cooling kit left to install if your wondering about price difference.

[@pauldearnley9564]

Hi Kevin great content as always looking at fitting sponsons on my 2017 fx but over in uk they are nearly twice the price of the worx! After watching your great video later riva models hand the step like you explained but for the 2017 model they are flat just as the worx what are your thoughts should I still stick with riva?

[@watercraftjournal]

We've given you a wealth of data on the RIVA vs. Worx sponsons and the testing that goes into one vs. the other. You can make your own decision.

[@pauldearnley9564]

@@watercraftjournal exactly that’s what I was meaning however the ones for the 2012-2017 ones are very similar I want to go with the riva but in later years you was explaining how the riva are far superior engineered with the step in them for the year of my ski this doesn’t seem to be the case that’s all I was asking!

[@avalanche1220]

Given that worx is the only aftermarket brand (to my knwoledge) for an old gsx, are the worx worth getting over stock for the 300 price point?

[@watercraftjournal]

For a GSX? We suppose

[@brandonduncan9449]

Thank you for this breakdown!!!

[@watercraftjournal]

You are so welcome!

[@gregfaucher6338]

Is that something I’d want on my 20 GTI SE 170? Or is this a “racing” mod?

[@watercraftjournal]

It's not so much a racing mod as it is a cornering/handling mod. Similar to putting superior traction tires on your daily driver.

[@gregfaucher6338]

@@watercraftjournal ok thank you for the info. Since we ride mostly on the Hudson River, which is pretty wide, it’s probably not something that would be worth the money. Love the channel, I’ve learned a lot from you. Keep up the great work.

[@patan77]

What sponson do you recommend for a kawi stx160lx Kevin?

[@watercraftjournal]

Ugh. Tough one. I'd say R&D Racing, but they've been out of business a while. I haven't tried Kspeed's so I simply cannot comment. -K

[@ericthompson165]

Riva Ultra 300 sponsons w/Modified hardware.

[@mikemayoral7356]

Hi Kevin. I just saw this video and was wondering what your take was. Apparently the sponsons on a RXT-X (and perhaps other models) are adjustable. In this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/robbZYubqt5_jrs this guy bought some Riva racing sponsons and while he was taking off his RXT sponsons, he saw that they can also be adjusted. So, he decided to adjust them to the lowest setting (Sport) before switching over to the Riva sponsons. Once he tried the RXT sponsons in the new sport setting, he said that it handles so much better and that he decided NOT to put on the Riva sponsons and most likely sent them back. Have you tried riding an ST3 hull with the sponsons lowered to the sport mode to see if there is a better performance with the stock Sea Doo sponsons? Just curious.

[@watercraftjournal]

Um, yeah. The 2010-2017 X-Package had "adjustable" sponsons that did little to nothing. His ski is NOT a ST3. It's a S3. Very, very different machines.