2000-2001 Yamaha XR1800 Specs and Review [Video]

The 2000-2001 XR1800 was the only closed-deck 2-stroke Yamaha jet boat ever built. This was also the most powerful model in the fleet powered by power-valved twin-155hp engines. Its larger brother was the bowrider-style LS2000, which housed a more reliable, non-power valved twin-135hp engine package.

In this post, you will find out more about this closed-bow Yamaha runabout and its key specifications.

 

Yamaha XR1800 Review

Hull and Top Deck

As a rule of thumb, almost every 2-stroke Yamaha jet boat featured an open, bowrider-style deck layout.

The only exception was the XR1800 designed with a unique, closed deck architecture. Due to its limited deck space, this model was only rated for five people.

When it comes to dimensions, this lively boat measured 16 feet 7 inches in length, almost eight feet in width, while its dry weight was only 1950 pounds.

Compared to its predecessor Exciter line (including the 135, 220, and 270), the XR was about one foot longer. Yet, it was still almost one foot shorter than its open-deck brother, the LS2000.

Just like its relatives, the XR also featured a relatively shallow-V hull design that ensured outstanding maneuverability but poor rough water capabilities.

Its relatively deep cockpit was designed in an exciting, geometric style with triangular and diamond-shaped lines.

It had two adjustable swivel seats, one for the driver and one for the side passenger. Behind them, there was a cozy bench seat rated for three.

Each of the seats featured deep, well-contoured cushions. These deep “wrap-around” bolsters not only held the passengers in place in the corners but also effectively absorbed the bumps.

The XR also featured five storage compartments.

Besides the deep storage tray under the rear sun deck, you could also find a ski locker, a port side storage, and two under-windshield storages.

Engine and Propulsion

The Yamaha XR1800 was often referred to as the most powerful 2-stroke Yamaha boat and with good reason. It was powered by two 1176cc, triple-cylinder, power-valved Yamaha marine engines that delivered a combined 310hp at 7250 RPM.

While the rest of the 2-stroke Yamaha jet boat fleet enjoyed simpler, non-power valved hearts, the XR was designed with more powerful, power-valved engines, featuring catalytic converters.

They delivered noticeably more power, but in return, they had less reliability and durability.

According to Boats.com, these engines ran smoothly and were perfectly synchronized.

Just like the engines, the propulsion system of the XR was also borrowed from Yamaha’s WaveRunners like the GP1200R, XLT1200, and XL1200 Limited.

The dual jet propulsion system of the XR was designed with two axial-flow, single-stage jet pumps.

They came standard with many advanced technologies including a manual reverse system, integrated clean-out ports, and three-blade, stainless steel impellers.

Features

The XR1800 came standard with a plethora of standard features, including a folding reboarding step, ski hook, navigation and courtesy lights, grab handles, deck drains, cleats, eyelets, and pump clean-out ports.

Storage units included a port-side glovebox, floor ski locker, center storage tray, under-windshield storage, and beverage holders.

Riding Experience

Every 2-stroke Yamaha jet boat had an aggressive attitude, and the XR1800 was no exception.

Its shallow hull was designed with maneuverability in mind, which made the boat agile and playful.

On an experienced hand, it was capable of astonishing tricks like spins and very tight turns. The downside of this design was that it offered a very bouncy performance on the chop.

The twin-155hp engines featuring six 44mm Mikuni carbs provided a crisp throttle response and an outstanding hole-shot acceleration.

Under ideal conditions, the top speed of the XR1800 was about 58-59 mph on GPS while burning almost 34 gph.

Considering a fuel capacity of 41 gallons, it offered a cruising range of 72 miles (or 1.2 hours).

Its remarkable engine power and jet propulsion made the XR popular among watersport lovers.

Drawbacks?

Surprisingly, there were a few! Let’s talk about them in detail.

Problems

In a nutshell, the biggest design flaws and common problems of the XR1800 were as follows:

Complex engine architecture

Compared to other 2-stroke Yamaha jet boat engines, the 1176cc engine package of the XR required significantly more maintenance. But even with proper care, it had less reliability and durability.

This was no surprise since this was the only power source in the Yamaha jet boat line that utilized power exhaust valves and catalytic converters. They added complexity to the engine and made it less reliable.

Sure, high performance and low reliability often come hand-in-hand.

Its oil lines also required periodic maintenance since they were prone to falling off or cracking over time and the lack of lubrication usually ended in an engine seizure.

To eliminate this risk, many 2-stroke Yamaha boats were converted to premix.

Cavitation

One of the most common problems of this model was arguably the cavitation issues in its pump.

Each 2-stroke Yamaha jet boat shared the same 155mm WaveRunner pump, which more or less matched the lower-performance models.

But due to its more powerful engines, it was much worse on the XR.

This could be mitigated to some extent with aftermarket impellers and pump internals, but it could not be completely eliminated.

Poor choppy water performance

The shallow-V hull of the XR offered poor rough water performance.

Limited deck space

The closed deck design of the XR was much less practical than open layouts.

The covered bow not only wasted deck space but also made it difficult to reboard from the bow.

Noise

Due to their 2-stroke architecture, the engines of the XR were much louder than their 4-stroke predecessors.

Storage

Due to its jet propulsion, it was not recommended to store the XR in the water long term.

Besides the risk of potential leaks and corrosion, debris was also prone to accumulating inside the pump.

Specs Charts

For your convenience, we’ve listed the key specs of the 2000 Yamaha XR1800:

Dimensions and Capacities

Overall Length	17’7”
Overall Width	7’8”
Draft	13”
Dry Weight	1950 lb.
Maximum people on board	3
Maximum load capacity	1100 lb.

Engine Specs

Number of engines	2
Type	2-stroke
Number of cylinders	3
Displacement	1176 cm³ (71.7 cu. in.)
Carburetor type	3 X Mikuni BN 44
Maximum Output (each engine)	310hp (2x 155hp @ 7250 RPM)
Maximum Fuel Consumption	16.9 US gal/h (64 L/h) each engine
Cruising Range (full throttle)	1.2 hr.
Fuel tank capacity	41 US gal (155.2 L)
Oil Tank Capacity	3.0 US gal. (11.4 L)

These specifications are for informational purposes only. For further information, please refer to the operator’s manual.

Takeaways – Looking for a Yamaha XR1800 For Sale?

If you are considering buying a vintage 2-stroke Yamaha jet boat, note the XR would probably be the worst choice.

It not only had high-maintenance, power-valved engines, but it also had the least practical deck layout in the entire fleet.

Because of this, you may want to take a close look at the more reliable LX210 or LS2000.

But if you’re stuck on the XR, you can find plenty of them for sale on eBay, Craigslist, BoatTrader, and other classified boat sites.

The asking prices of these boats range from $7,000-$12,000 depending on their condition and accessories.

References

Yamahaboats.com

Boats.com

Groupk.com