scout495

I just purchased a 2011 Kawasaki Ultra 300 LX at the end of July and picked it up last week. The maiden voyage was this past saturday on greenwood Lake in New Jersey along with my wife, son, and daughter. we also brought along our 2010 Yamaha Fx Sho cruiser for the wife to operate. The day started out with me and my daughter on the kawasaki. I am 190 pounds and my daughter is six years old and 45 pounds.

She was seated in front of me. Immediately upon getting under way at idle out of the marina, I noticed that we were listing to port. I looked down at my daughter and she was seated straight. I then made a left turn out of the marina at 5mph and almost tipped without having any waves hit the starboard side. I originally thought maybe it was an exhaust issue at slow speeds and then got on the throttle to see if it straightened out. The list wasnt as dramatic but I found myself leaning to the right just to get a comfortable ride. We proceeded to a restaurant on the lake and then my daughter went on the yamaha with my wife and i took my son. He is 180pounds and 15 years old. When he got on the Kawasaki's rear deck sank about 1 inch completely under the water and water began to come over the rear deck and lay in the area where you rest you feet. I told my wife that I thought we might be taking on water somewhere in the back of the Kawasaki and we needed to get back to the marina which was about a mile away. The Kawasaki was completely unstable in the water, with the rear deck submerged at 30 mph. When I turned ever so slightly, I had to lean, speed up and muscle the machine to avoid tipping. We then got pulled over by the lake police for a safety certificate check.

When they stopped us he recognized the issue and let us go escorting us back to dock. When we got back to dock I expected to see the bilge filled with water when I took the seats off but it was bone dry. I then proceeded to the Kawasaki dealership who also own the marina. The owner took a ride with me at dock and thats when I noticed that the Kawasaki was listing approximately four inches to port with just one 200 pound man on it. The top of the rear port side deck was once again at the water surface. The owner felt the same issue and didnt have an answer except to say they never experienced anything like that and he would call kawasaki on monday. I left the machine there and proceeded home. Fast forward to today. Got a call from the dealership owner who spoke with Kawasaki techs who said they realize it lists but its within acceptable limits. He then told me to call Kawasaki direct and lodge a formal complaint. I did so only to deal with the most cocky stubborn customer service representative ever. He basically told me the same thing they told the dealership owner and proceeded to say that they are not making adjustments to the machine for me so deal with it. I told him that it is completely unstable and is at best a one person very uncomfortable and unstable ski and this was not acceptable. He refused to provide any sensible arguement why the ski was this way but kept telling me the ski is what it is and no adjustments will be made. I then asked to speak with a supervisor and he told me that he will transfer me to his voicemail but dont expect a call back. I'm seeing red at this point. I swear if this guy was in front of me he would be spitting his teeth out. He wouldnt even send a technician out to look at it.He kept his word, transfered me to the supervisors voicemail and no call back so far. I then called back the dealership and told him the results from contacting Kawasaki. He told me to let him contact his representative and we will take it from there.

The point of this long winded post is to warn potential buyers that the Ultra 300 LX has a stability issue that Kawasaki is burying their head in the sand about. I dont want to see anyone have the same issue. Its much more dramatic with two adult riders on board which is probably not the norm for this machine. I'm sure most people like to rip it around solo and have fun. Secondly has anyone else noticed the same problem with one or two riders on board.
I am sensing a long battle with Kawsaki on this issue. We'll see. Just as a point with three riders, me, my wife and son on the yamaha, I am able to stand on the rear deck without any instability issue and while underway the machine travels true with no list.

YamaDoo

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear about your misfortune. (I seperated your paragraphs to make it easier to read)

If one spends $15k on a new machine it should at the very least float properly. I know there is at least one guy here with a new 300, let's see if he can relate to this. Or go to the grrenhulk.net forum as there a few 300x/LX owners there who might be able to advise you better. Perhaps try to write a formal letter to Kawasaki demanding a replacement 300lx.

scout495

Thx. I did just tha. Hopefully someone over a the greenhulk forum will be able to help.

Sniper

Was just reading your post, gotta say im a kawasaki fan got an ultra 250x myself & although it chews a bit of fuel i find it very stable.
Your not the first one to complan about kawasakis customer service as on youtube theres a 07 ultra250x that first time out the engine blew, found out it was a defect with the engine & kawasaki basicily washed there hands from this guy.
Like i said i like the kawasaki skis but would definitely think twice about buying a new one if thats how you get treated by customer service.
I feel sorry for you mate & hope this nightmare ends soon.
Cheers & good luck.

ange5583

Every time you seadoo losers talk, its always "highly modified RXT smoking everything in sight". Can you show us one video with RXT is winning a race against 300x.
Yeah, the only thing your smoking is some sort of drug.

Other Members,
A stock 300x has an unbelievable hole shot, fantastic acceleration right up to full speed and handles like a BMW sports car. I know because i have one. lov it. Just check out You Tube vids and reviews and Google "Kawasaki 300x Hole shot
"

Outlaw

Tell that to the guy who started this post and the other unlucky 300x owners who have posted problems with cracked hulls right thru the engine bay.
As far as my ski goes it started with 215 hp now it is 300 hp same as the 300X so that is fair race. If I could find a 300X I would to video it but I doubt the owner would want to be taped losing. I don't need you tube cause I know how fast my 5 year old RXT is.

Oh, by the way what do you have to say about the lousy customer service and Kawasaki's middle finger warranty

Even the Kawasaki dealer admitted it was screwed up!

__________________
2006 RXT with RIVA STAGE THREE KIT 295 HP

2009 RXT-IS 255 HP

2008 GTX 215 HP



Land Rocket - 2003 Z06 Corvette, Chevy

ange5583

Stop misleading members, all jets skis can have problems depending on how they are treated with some more than others ie wake jumping and lack of general maintenance. Like all high performance vehicles need to be serviced correctly and on time.
My 300x is one of the best ski's i've rode. Although your heavily modified 5 year old RXT could possibly win a race only on flat water . But it would need to be heavily modified and dead flat water to do so.
Yes I agree customer service re this tread was crap, but i heard the same with Seadoo ie damaged to SC washers

just surfing around different forum's and noticed your writing the same comment that your old shitbox could smoke 300x. How odd, your bragging about winning something your never raced. Sounds like your green with envy to me.

Outlaw

This will be my last post on this thread cause this is a no win situation. You are wrong if you think I am envious of any Kawasaki. As far as I am concerned they are the weak sister of jet ski companies and the next one to stop making skis due to lack of sales. So your conservation will be a mute point at that time. I truly hope to run into a 300 X cause guys that know how it runs compared to mine, know I would win under the conditions you described. But off shore or heavy chop the 300X would win.

Take Care

__________________
2006 RXT with RIVA STAGE THREE KIT 295 HP

2009 RXT-IS 255 HP

2008 GTX 215 HP



Land Rocket - 2003 Z06 Corvette, Chevy

ange5583

i agree outlaw,
lets agree to disagree, but i,ve been riding skis for years found seadoo ok but being a three cylinder and the SC being more a turbo charger an a SC makes them lack response from the hole (300x kills it). Also found Kawasaki 250x weren,t so good, then 260x was a much better ski but great in choppy waters. Then lesson learnt with both they come up with a complete redesigned and released the Kawasaki 300x. The power is awesome and a real power house (Stock) with unbelievable handling from flat to heavy choppy.
Yamaha is a nice ski but after a while boring to ride. many due to the engine having a long piston stroke so can't rev up as fast as a short stroke engine, (such as the Kawasaki's engines). Final word, Kawasaki Nina engines same used on high performance bikes, red lines @ 14,500+ RPM. Jetski only need to rev up to 8000 RPM hence they are bullet proof.
Cheers.

bt300lx

I purchased my ultra 300 lx today and immediately took it to the lake. My passenger got on the pwc and it immediately tipped over to the left. We got back on and took off and I found myself leaning heavily to the right to keep the thing straight.

We took a break from riding and decided to jump in the lake. When I got in the lake I noticed the waverunner was leaning to port on it's own. I then looked at the back stabilizers and the one on the port side was submerged while the one on the starboard side was out of the water.....this is while no one was on pwc.

I called the dealership and spoke to the service department and salesman. They are both researching this and will call me on Monday. Meanwhile, I'm going out with some friends tomorrow who are renting waverunners. The sad part is while they will be having fun on stable, rented ski's, I will be leaning to the right trying to keep my new purchase upright.

The dealership I work with has been very good to me in the past. I'm hoping this issue will be cleared up ASAP (next week) so that I can start enjoying my waverunner before I have to make the first payment!