RiDE The Future – The Evolution and Innovation of Modern WaveRunners

Personal Watercrafts, more commonly known as PWCs, have been around for a long time and fundamentally stayed the same. The technology, however, has improved significantly and made this leisurely riding experience much more comfortable and enjoyable for everyone involved!

From audio packages to built-in GPS functionalities, a modern WaveRunner PWC has a lot of amenities for its rider including the revolutionary RiDE technology. But what is RiDE and why is it on a WaveRunner? Well, let’s start at the beginning, RiDE is actually an acronym for: Reverse with Intuitive Deceleration Electronics, sounds complicated but looking at the full version we can see that this technology can be broken down into two core functions: reverse and deceleration.

But how do these features enhance your riding experience? Let’s find out!

A WaveRunner equipped with RiDE will have two throttle-style levers on the handlebars. The lever on the right (starboard) is your standard throttle for shifting into forward and throttle control, while the one on the left (port) is dedicated to reverse. The reverse lever is both the shifter and throttle, just like the starboard lever but for the opposite direction!

Having the left lever as both the shifter and throttle allows for single action shifting, you simply pull the lever into the bar and your WaveRunner is now in reverse. Ideal for maneuvering at low speeds such as docking or getting on and off a trailer. Not only do you have access to reverse at your (literal) fingertips, but you also don’t need to take your hands off the handlebar to switch into a mechanical reverse like you did on earlier models. The separate lever allows for easy switching between forward and reverse so you can get the exact speed you want or even slow down your glide which leads us into function two, deceleration.

Previously it was technically impossible to decelerate a PWC quickly without creating spray and losing stability. But now with RiDE, we’ve made the impossible possible. Giving peace of mind by allowing control without the need to remove your hands from the steering.

While underway a rider on a WaveRunner equipped with RiDE can apply the port side throttle lever causing the jet thrust to move sideways and cut down forward thrust. As a result of this jet stream diversion, you’re able to substantially cutdown on the glide distance.

Simply by applying the left lever on the handlebars, an electronic signal is sent to a “gate” attached to the jet housing which lowers down and redirect a portion or all of the jet-stream coming out of the WaveRunner. The amount of pressure applied to the lever dictates how much of the jet thrust nozzle is redirected by the gate. The harder you pull, the faster you’ll break and the faster you’ll move in reverse.

Technology like RiDE levels out the water and provides an easier, safer experience for anyone who is looking to hop on a PWC for a day on the water!