Yamaha's WaveRaider was unveiled in 1994 to be sold along side the brand's popular WaveRunner models. The first models used an 80-horsepower engine that helped mark what the company marketed as a new era in personal watercraft speed racing. Although the WaveRaider did not undergo as many revisions as the WaveRunner, many models remain on the water.
History
Development of the WaveRaider can be traced to 1986, when the Yamaha company began selling personal watercraft designed for people to ride much like they would a bicycle or a horse. It was called the WaveRunner. The WaveRaider debuted eight years later.
Power
The WaveRaider's 701 cc engine packs 80 horsepower. Just one year after the watercraft's release, in 1995, Yamaha began manufacturing WaveRaiders with 1100 cc engines. The more powerful WaveRaider contained 120 horsepower that could push the watercraft almost 60 mph.
Performance
The WaveRaider has a two-stroke engine. The RA700 models run on two cylinders. The RA1100 runs on three. Maximum output of an RA700 is 6,250 rpm. The RA1100 went up to 6,500 rpm.
Measurements
The WaveRaider weighs between 388 and 540 lbs. with an empty fuel tank, depending on model. It has a fiberglass hull. The watercraft is 9.42 feet long and 44 inches wide.