2016 Yamaha V1 Sport Review

The affordable alternative to higher prices PWC

When Yamaha retooled the VX line for 2015, it knew not to dispense with the former design completely. The reason, of course, is that a VX model led industry sales for an almost unheard of 10 years. In short, it was an all-around winner, reliable enough to be a mainstay in rental fleets and please a generation of cost-conscious buyers. So, the company slapped on some new graphics, kept the model as its true introductory choice, and gave it a new name – the Yamaha V1 Sport.

If you’re a first-time buyer, or just looking for an affordable alternative to higher prices found upstream, be glad it’s back.

Killer Combo

The success of the craft now dubbed the V1 Sport lies in its hull and engine combo. Yamaha engineers and designers produced a mix of traits that make the craft near perfect for the low-end buyer. The craft is comfortable, stable, predictable, and yet can deliver a surprising degree of fun factor. Go out with the kids and you won’t worry about tipping them into the drink. Go it alone and you can carve a pretend buoy turn with precision. And those traits translate to a variety of water conditions. Yamaha has long been regarded as a rough-water standout, and the V1 Sport lives up to the billing.

The Yamaha V1 Sport offers a stable platform that still offers a fun riding experience. It’s an ideal craft for new riders.

The engine is the now-familiar 1,052cc MR-1, which produces about 110 horsepower. It’s at the low end of the scale, producing a top speed in the 52-54 mph range depending on load and conditions. Still, that’s a comfortable speed for its intended audience. Fuel economy stands out at about four gallons per hour at a 35mph cruise. Acceleration by way of its 155mm pump is respectable, too, enough to bring a grin to the kid’s faces when you punch the throttle, or take them skidding across the waves on a tube.

COMPARISON: Read our review of the 2016 Yamaha VX Cruiser HO

Handling also benefits from standard reverse. Though it’s the traditional mechanical version, being able to move the craft in and out of forward, reverse, and a detent-noted neutral makes it much easier to handle the craft around tight confines, and should ensure calamity-free docking. But yes, the handle is located below the throttle. I would suggest not trying to play a game of left-hand-on-the-throttle Twister, and simply making your maneuvers at idle speed.

The engine in the V1 Sport produces about 110 horsepower and offers a top speed of 52-54 mph.

Feature Set

In terms of appearance, the V1 Sport features the minimal graphics you’d expect at this price point, but a black hull and choice of white or silver metallic deck add some style. Those colors are paint, rather than gelcoat, meaning they shouldn’t fade as rapidly over seasons in the sun. The saddle is covered in just a single piece of vinyl, but its shape reveals some nice sculpting to keep passengers in their individual spots, and its upward slope better positions multiple riders so that all have an eye on the water. Underfoot Hydro-Turf traction mats are a nice bonus and fully cover the footwells and generously sized aft deck. Looking forward, twin rearview mirrors do a good job of keeping track of what may be overtaking you from behind.

COMPARISON: Read our review of the 2016 Sea-Doo Spark

Colors on the V1 Sport are painted on, which means they won’t fade as quickly in the sun.

Elsewhere the Sport includes a glovebox, complete with bottle holders, and 15 gallons of storage space, most of it in a bow tub. In front of the handlebars, a simple information display keeps tabs on vital info. Aft, a U-bolt handles towing duties, while a spring-loaded boarding step ensures occupants get back aboard should they disembark, willingly or unwillingly, in deep water.

Close(r) Competitor

Though priced for 2016 at $8,699, Yamaha likely sees the V1 Sport as a compelling alternative to the Sea-Doo Spark. And though at first glance that comparison may seem off the mark, closer inspection reveals the two craft may be closer than you think. Option the base model Spark up to comparable features – including three-passenger capacity, 90 hp engine, reverse, bow storage and aft boarding step – and the two craft are separated by about $1,300. While the base V1 ($7,899) is certainly much closer in price, the argument could still be made that for the extra cash you get a FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) hull, a larger boat with greater fuel, storage and passenger capacities, and more horsepower.

COMPARISON: Read our review of the 2016 Kawasaki Jet Ski STX-15F

You can pick up a new V1 Sport for $8,699.

You could also argue that, though it has a new name, the V1 Sport also brings with it one of the best resumes in the business.