Description

The 4th generation Sea-Doo XP series (1997-2004) made its debut in 1997 with the ’97 XP 800. Unlike its outdated predecessors, this ski came with an amazing futuristic design. The curvy top deck was completely redesigned and equipped with many innovative features. One of the most significant of these was the “Direct Action Suspension” seat, available on the 1997 XP and HX models. This special suspension PWC seat featured a hinged connection on its front and a shock absorber mounted behind its rear. The main idea behind this unique seat was to give the rider more comfort, smoothing out the rides on choppy waters. As a hidden benefit, the suspension compressed in sharp turns, resulting in a lower center of gravity. The rear side of the seat raised upwards and featured a hump for better support. It looked like a motorcycle saddle rather than a regular PWC seat!

Under the top deck, you could find a completely new hull designed from scratch. This innovative 4th generation XP hull featured an “hourglass profile,” offering a unique riding experience. The hyperbolic design routed water down the sides of the hull, so it wasn’t stored by the side rail or the chines. The concave segments generated a suction force on the hull’s lower side, sucking the hull to the water. As you can imagine, this ensured outstanding cornering ability. On earlier Sea-Doo XPs finding the right riding position caused a lot of headaches, especially for novice riders. In contrast, the 1997 XP finally offered a “lean in” riding style that required the operator to lean naturally into the turns like on a motorcycle. Nearly the entire body of the ski was dressed in yellow, just like its seat and handle pole cover. This stylish design was completed with some parts in black like the sponsons, deck mats, rear grab handle, and the upper storage cover. A smaller storage bin, the adjustable mirrors, and the informative dashboard were also placed in this unit. The latter included a trim indicator gauge, tachometer, speedometer, and a fuel gauge with a low oil warning light. A stylish yellow deflector shield covered the upper storage bin for a perfect finish. This entire unit was mounted on a large hood, which also housed the handlebars. Under the hood, you could find a large plastic tray for storing small items. Removing this tray allowed access to the engine compartment. Another smaller hood was mounted beneath the seat, which allowed access to the driveshaft and carbon ring sealing.