How to choose the right board for surfing with a motor?
The basics
Motosurf (Motosurf) is the only common definition for any surfboard with a motor. The Motosurf World Cup is currently the only international competition in this discipline. Motor bikes are often called “Jet Board” or “Jet Power Board” or “Power Board”, and you can also hear “Electric Surf Board”, but this only applies to surfboards with an electric motor. In Russia, all boards with a motor called Jet Surf (Jet Surf), although this is wrong. In fact, JetSurf is the trademark name of the Czech company MSR Engines. Just as ESurf is the name of a specific model of the company«Mertek». But on the Internet you can meet a variety of names of this sport.
We are constantly asked which moto surf is better to choose for yourself. Yes, indeed, today there are plenty to choose from. In our store there is a huge variety of models of surfing with a motor. We specifically try to maintain a large range, so that you have the opportunity to choose the most suitable motorcycle in the parameters. We do not promote a specific brand, but try to provide the most objective information, as we test all the boards ourselves, visit factories and meet with the founders of companies.
Until recently, the company was the only player in the market. JetSurf from the Czech Republic, but now the situation has changed. There are more and more worthy competitors. We must pay tribute to the company JetSurf for the fact that they still hold the leading position and to a certain extent push the market. Also it is worth remembering the American company “Jet Ski”, which has already sunk into oblivion, which became the pioneer of serial production of surf boards with a motor. The weight of the first motorcycle surf reached 70 kg and now they look like dinosaurs. Jet Ski Power Board ceased to exist 10 years ago, while JetSurf just entered the market. Yes, and the first jet surfs differ from new developments approximately like a steam car from a brand new Tesla. The industry is developing rapidly, even the first electric models of three or four years ago already look like archaism, against the background of new models that are twice as fast in speed and also twice as small in weight.
Why Motosurf, and not other types of powerboat
By the beginning of the 2019 season, we decided to write for you detailed instructions on how to choose the bike, what to look for and where to buy.
So, you decided to buy a surfboard with a motor? This is certainly an excellent investment that will give you and your friends a lot of pleasure and fun. Few water sports and entertainment can be compared with the moto-surf, according to the degree of drive and freedom of movement.
Remember that moto surfing, unlike classic surfing, is possible, wherever and whenever, in any weather. Any reservoir is suitable, as long as it is not a swamp, overgrown with mud, with a large amount of garbage, since foreign objects can fall into the water cannon, which can lead to its damage. For the rest, there are no restrictions. You do not depend on wind, boat or waves as in other sports (kite surfing, wake surfing and classic surfing), although you can ride moto surfing both on the sea and on ocean waves.
In addition, it is worth noting the extraordinary mobility of all moto surf, you can move freely with them anywhere, unlike an aquabike or a boat.
Jet Surf vs Jet Ski
The cost of a new aquabike and motosurf is comparable, nevertheless, the motoSurf unequivocally wins this comparison, surpassing the aquabike in literally everything except the maximum speed, the ability to travel long distances and take passengers. But if we take such parameters as: ease of operation, sensation from riding, “Fun”, sports loads; in this the motosurf is much more interesting and promising. Being engaged in motosurfing, the whole body turns on, you get an incredible feeling of free sliding on the water surface, it’s not like sitting on a stool with a motor, albeit a water one. The exception, perhaps, is a standing jet ski – this is also an active and interesting sport, although many fans of the “stanchion” are already transplanted to the Jet Surf, noting that it is much more exciting and diverse.
Choosing a motosurf
Cost always matters, therefore it is necessary to immediately navigate in prices.
If you are limited in budget, look for the most affordable motosurf, then keep in mind that there is practically no choice for cheaper than 300,000 rubles and in the near future you should not expect a price reduction. Chinese manufacturers didn’t try, they didn’t manage to create any motorcycle rifle for a similar price. We managed to find only one Chinese manufacturer, producing a worthy product, and its cost in Russia is 450.000 rubles.
There are several reasons why prices continue to be high. First of all, this is a piece of production, technology is very complex (it takes several days to create one case), expensive materials are used (carbon), original engines are assembled by hand. Each board is tested on the water (in a special pool). Thus, high prices are justified by extremely complex technology and product quality.
Motosurf up to 500 000 rubles.
Theoretically, you can consider the option of used Jet Surf, but we do not recommend such experiments for several reasons. Jet Surf is not yet a mass product and, moreover, sales in Russia are not large, so that we could talk about some kind of secondary market. Used Jet Surfs are extremely rare, their prices are high and it is worth remembering that the engine is about half the cost of the entire board; In our store you can find excellent boards with warranty and delivery.
Sea Horse — Inflatаble Jet Ski – 4 500 euros
This is the original Russian project, created with the participation of our company, the design office in St. Petersburg. It is produced individually to order. Production time – a month. The engine is used by the Yamaha Jog motor scooter, which means there are no problems with service and parts search. In addition, a one-year warranty is provided. This motosurf is not fast, but easy to use, practical and very compact, due to the inflatable body, which can be removed in a bag.
SupJet – 3,600 euros
Strictly speaking, this is not a motosurf, but a Sup Board with an electric motor. On it, you can not ride with the wind, but nevertheless it is more interesting than the classic Sup. You can drive more distance, move faster, help yourself with a paddle, or just enjoy sitting or standing on the board without any effort. The board is very reliable and simple, suitable for all ages. In demand in rental and water entertainment centers for the whole family.
Manta — 5 200 euros.
Onean produces a similar product called the Manta board. This is also a Sup board with a small but slightly more powerful electric motor. In addition, you can ride Manta together and even three. This is about as an inflatable mattress that floats itself, suitable for family holidays.
eSurf – 6500 euros
This is a Chinese, but original and sufficiently high-quality and reliable product with a one-year warranty. Board inflatable ie Easily folds into the trunk of a car. Suitable for children and adults, there is no special weight limit. It is completed with a hydrofoil, it will not allow to hover above the water as on eFoil, but serves for greater stability during riding. You can count on speeds of up to 30 km / h. This is not a sports option at all, but rather a good toy.
Onean Carver – 6 800 euros
Spanish company Onean was the first on the market who made an attempt to significantly reduce prices. First customers have been waiting for their boards for several years. Already with the launch of mass production, the queue was at least six months. But in fact, everything was not so simple. Onean Carver is a good working board, shaped like a classic surf, but if you weigh more than 70 kg, you will not be able to squeeze a lot out of it. This board is great for children, fragile girls and men with low weight, otherwise the speed will be too low.
Professional sport
As mentioned above, the only official competition in this sport is the World Championship of Motosurfing: Motosurf World Cup
It takes place in several stages around the world. Follow the schedule on the website: http://motosurfworldcup.com/
Championship rules allow the participation of riders with any models of motosurf, weighing no more than 20 kg. Not one of the electrical surfing today for these parameters does not fit, they are heavier. In terms of speed and maneuverability, the motosurfs with ICE (internal combustion engine) are superior to electric boards.
The vast majority of professionals choose a model «Titanium» from JetSurf, some ride on «Race», slightly less popular model «Factory GP». If you want to try your hand at racing, then the best choice would be “Titanium” or “Race.” The difference between the model “Titanium” in the structure of the muffler, it is worse protection against ingress of water, but more power. It should also be noted that JetSurf does not give a guarantee for the model “Titanium”. This is the policy of the manufacturer. This model will have to wait, it is made by piece and rarely available from dealers. But you can order your original design.
JetSurf: GP or Race
Not many people know that these two popular models have the same engine. Models differ in some accessories, a form of the case and fastenings for legs. The Race model has traditionally only two mounts, which suggests skating in the same rack (right or left). On the model Factory GP are 4 mounts, which allows you to ride with the right and left pillar. By the way, these mounts can be easily replaced and put 4 mounts on the Race model. Slightly more complicated, but you can also put more convenient fasteners from Race on the Factory GP model.
Now about the shape of the body. The sensations in the rotation of these two boards are different. At first, you are unlikely to feel these nuances, but if you get used to riding on one board, you can notice a significant difference in sensations transferring to another model. The body of the GP is flatter, more angular (somewhat similar in shape to the Wake board or kite board) and more stable, due to which it is somewhat easier to drive in a straight line. The body of the Race with rounded edges, which allows you to confidently lay on sharp turns and reduce the radius. Race is a more professional model and even though the engine is the same, it tears from a place more briskly due to the detailed system settings.
Model Ultra Sport, in 2019 was renamed to just Sport. Despite its name, this model is more suitable for amateurs than for participating in competitions. This model is the most reliable in the JetSurf lineup due to the most gentle mode of engine operation. On the rental centers and water entertainment will be discussed below.
Equipment rental centers
Today, motorcycle surfing centers are opening all over the world, novelty stirs interest, people gladly decide to experience new sensations. Therefore, renting equipment on the beach or the lake is a great business idea.
Sport models or Ultra Sport from JetSurf, are popular in the rental business. But we must understand that on the Jet Surf, not everyone will be able to ride and not immediately. Therefore, it is worth creating not just a rental, but rather a training center. It is advisable to have a room near the water, where you can immediately give lessons to anyone who has decided to rent a motosurf. Usually, training takes from 30 minutes to several hours, after which a person can already ride on his own. Nevertheless, the technique requires attention, for example, the board should not be flushed. It is much easier to deal with electro-surfing, they can be drowned and turned over. They practically do not require training, except for elementary safety rules.
Motosurfing team recommends a model for rental centers Mogrel, from the manufacturer Torque. Contact us and we will provide you with a detailed plan for opening a rolling business based on Torque jet boards. All Onean models are great for rental, given that the batteries change easily and charge autonomously. SUP boards are also very popular, which have already been discussed above (SupJet and eSurf).
Is there a better board?
This is probably the most difficult question for which, of course, there is no definite answer, since each manufacturer believes that it is his products that are the coolest ones. For example, the board Awake It has really impressive characteristics, despite the fact that the price on this board, although high, is even lower than some models. Lampuga. The problem is that we do not yet have enough data from buyers, who can already give us feedback on the use of this surf in real conditions.
Which board is the fastest?
This question is easier to answer. To date, top models with an electric motor surpass petrol models in speed. A speed record of about 60 km / h belonged to a not long time model GTR from Lampuga, and now the same specifications declare Radinn и Awake, whereas for gasoline engines a record of 55 km / h.
PETROL VS ELECTRO
This is the central topic of the article, and this choice should be determined first of all by those who decide to purchase a jet-board for personal use. Consider the pros, cons and features of gasoline and electric boards.
As mentioned above, if your goal is professional sport, we recommend choosing only gasoline boards. And in any case, if you are closer to the sport, extreme and drive, the engine will be more suitable for you. But this is motor sports. Be prepared for the smell of your hands. All gasoline engines are noisy. If you want to ride on a small lake, surrounded by private houses, please note that you will not be welcome. Far from all reservoirs allowed to use the engine.
So, the gasoline surf is sharper, more agile, it has more potential for the development of skill, various tricks, jumps. On the board with the ICE you will not eat immediately, even if you have extensive experience in other sports. At least one day will be spent on training. Learn to start and get up on the board. There is nothing difficult in this and usually it takes several hours to learn to stand on the board, though not very confidently. Keep in mind that surfing engines should not be stoked, so you should be careful and give caution to inexperienced friends to ride. And if you give, it can be dangerous for your board, and for friends.
For all gasoline engine surfs, we get up just on the go ie at the beginning we start, we start and only then we get up on the board. I do not want in this article to go into the details of training, for this there is a separate manual. You will have to learn some rules about how to handle technology, you need to use WD-40, oil for two-stroke engines and, of course, gasoline (gasoline is mixed in advance with oil and then refilled). There is nothing difficult in all this, but if you are used to skating your Seabob into a power outlet and forget about it until the next day, then this is not an option with Petrol boards.
Yes, electrical surfing in this sense is much easier. Just stick in the outlet and charge. Especially now, removable batteries are installed on all electric surfers, i.e. You can ride and simultaneously charge the second set of batteries, and then just change the batteries and continue riding.
Electric surfing is possible without fear of being submerged, thanks to waterproofing it is safe. On electro-surfing you can sit and lie, as a rule, adults and children can ride. If we talk about the minuses, it is weight. Electric boards weigh more due to heavy batteries. The motosurf itself, without batteries, can weigh up to 15 kg, plus a battery pack of another 15 kg. Gasoline boards are much lighter, their weight does not exceed 20 kg. It is possible to take the electricity from the car to the reservoir in turn, first the board, then the batteries. In addition, many manufacturers now offer comfortable trolleys on wheels.
Riding time.
Riding time for gasoline surf is longer, and is 2 hours, and the model Jet Surf adventure up to 3 hours without stopping. In the most advanced elektrosporf, the time of continuous skiing on one charge will not exceed 40 minutes. But to solve this problem, you only need to purchase fast charging and an additional battery.
By the way, keep in mind that surfboards with ICE also have a battery that needs to be charged (it is needed for a starter).
Electrofiles
Electro-Foyle or eFoil is a new direction in motosurfing, which began no more than 2 years ago. And in the mass sale of electro-surfing with a hydrofoil, appeared no more than a year ago. Videos of surfs hovering above the water, as if driven by an unknown force, literally blew up the Internet. Read more about Electro-Foils in our article.
I, as the author of this article, highly recommend that you experience these incomparable feelings of free flight over water, literally breaking the laws of gravity. You will feel an incredible ease, freedom of flight. The board responds literally to the slightest change in body position. The feeling of movement in all planes of space. The maximum speed reaches 40 km / h.
As for the choice, at the time of this writing, in the spring of 2019, we have the best boards in this segment: Flite board & Lift Foils. Only these two companies are doing really worthy and proven moto surf with gidrofoil. All other projects and declared models remain nothing more than projects. No one has seen them alive and there are big doubts that they will generally get to the market in this form and for such a price. Both of these companies have come a long way before creating their own electric foils. Both models are very high quality, beautiful and reliable, make a worthy competition to each other. The only difference is that Lift Foils are boards that have been tested many times in battle, and have received many positive reviews. A Flite only enter the mass market, but they have a number of interesting technical features and features.
When to buy?
This is actually a more serious question than it might seem at first glance. Most manufacturers are still tiny enterprises that do not cope with the volume of orders worldwide. The queue for the most popular models can reach the year. This situation is not uncommon in the yacht industry. Expensive sought-after yachts have to wait, sometimes for years, they are almost impossible to get “tomorrow” only if you buy up a place in the queue, which can be done by no means always. And as the Russian saying “prepare sleighs in summer” says, so buying a motoserf in high season or at the beginning of the season is a bad option, because getting it quickly is most likely not possible. Ordering your jet board in the winter, you are guaranteed to get it by the beginning of the season, at this time the manufacturers are the least loaded. It should also be understood that in addition to the production queue, logistics also takes time. All boards are delivered under the order, in Moscow, as a rule, it is rarely possible to find a motosurf in stock.