Positives:

• Strong bottom end, you can actually hop out of the water when you want to.
• Fast from a standing start, if you lean forward, it stays hooked up and takes off quickly.
• Excellent top speed, it's hard to believe this is a stock PWC running on regular gas.
• Great throttle response, at all speeds there is no hesitation, just instant power.
• Predictable handling, it has never slid out and it is very responsive.
• Good rough water ability, I have surprised several powerful 3 seaters in the chop when I passed them.
• Excellent wave jumping ability, you can get major air and land it easily.
• Very comfortable to ride all day and for long distances.
• Large glove box and it and the front storage compartment stay dry.
• Low fuel & oil consumption, I can travel about 75 miles on a full tank.
• Long spark plug life, 80 hours on the originals so far and no wear.
• Very dry ride, in less than 1 foot of chop my sunglasses don't even get misted.
• It doesn't porpoise.
• I like the design and the colors, it looks fast even sitting on the trailer.
• Exclusivity, I see few other Ultra's on the water.
• Very little exhaust smoke in no wake zones.
• It is comfortable to carry a passenger and you can still beat others who are riding solo.
• The pump stays hooked up really well.
• The back of the hull and the pump stay totally clean due to the rear exhaust outlet.
• It is a pleasure to ride anywhere, in all conditions.
• It runs great on 87 octane gas.
• It actually has adequate power in stock form.
• I like the upright, motorcycle like, steering axis.
• It comes stock with a trigger, not a thumb throttle.
• The hood has a gas strut and raises itself after you lift it a few inches.
• The hood feels solid, has hidden latches and hides the fuel and oil fill caps.
• It is easy to add fuel and oil and it holds a decent amount of each.
• The fit and finish of everything is first rate.
• The engine is really smooth, at all revs, due to the twin counter-rotating balancers.
• The engine, and the compartment, are well laid out and allow easy service access.
• The hull is made of fiberglass, not SMC. (Sheet molded compound which is plastic.)
• The hull has no stress cracks so far and I like to jump waves in the ocean.
• It is the first PWC that I have ridden that I feel doesn't need any engine, hull or control modifications to meet my needs.

    Negatives:

• The stock mats (foot well traction pads) are too slippery.  Aftermarket mats are a must.
• When the gas tank is totally full, the bow rides low in no wake zones and you lose a little top speed.
• It requires a lot of work to go fast in really big chop, but it is predictable.
• The front storage compartment is merely adequate, the plastic tub could actually be a few inches larger and still fit in the opening.
• The NGK R6918C-9 spark plugs used on the 1999's are $12 each, I'm glad mine have lasted a long time.
• If you are heavy, or a passenger gets on, deep water reboarding requires some balance. (Not a problem for me, but if you want maximum stability, buy a 3 seater.)

    I have not made any modifications to mine except for the factory Kawasaki seat cover and the Hydro-Turf mats.   Even more power and speed would be nice, but since I have a 4 year warranty I don't want to void that.

    Since the Kawasaki Ultra 150 was introduced in 1999, it has been the fastest production personal watercraft.  I realize that it is not the fastest PWC on the planet, but it does rather well for a stock boat.  When properly modified, there are numerous other makes and models that will beat a stock Ultra.  The point is, however, once they are modified they are no longer "stock" or "production".  They also would no longer have the factory warranty or run safely on 87 octane gas.  Comparing a stock Ultra to a modified PWC is comparing apples to oranges.  Perform comparable modifications to the Ultra and then see what happens.

    I have the need for speed and I have seen the problems that many of my friends have had with their lightly to highly modified machines.  Working on my engine and hauling five dollar a gallon race gas with me on a trip is not my idea of a good time.  My engine is stock, runs on regular gas and conventional oil, and even with my 220 pounds on board, I have not been beat.   I realize that it is not the fastest nor the best boat on the water, but for a stock machine with a four year warranty, I feel it is a good value and it is always a blast to ride.

    The following is not meant to put down other brands or start a flame war, I'm just describing the "grudge" races that I have had.  In 1999, all I had to do was cruise around anywhere, and out of nowhere, people would pull up next to me wanting to race.  In 2000, nobody sought me out, and many people that I pulled up next to would not race at all.  I find this somewhat amusing.  I have raced many other boats (40 to 50) including modified Sea-Doo XP & GSX Limited's, Yamaha GP 1200's, 2000 GP1200 R's, Raider 1100's and Polaris' (Polari?), usually from a standing start.  On smooth water, nothing has kept up so far.  In 2 to 3 foot chop an XPL and I were even for a mile or so until it smoothed out a little and I pulled ahead, he claimed his boat was stock.   If it was, it was faster than a modified '98 XPL that I raced on glass and easily beat.  (Ported, polished, 44 Novi Mikuni's, Rossier pipe, high compression billet head and race gas, blueprinted pump and impeller.)  At 220 pounds, I also had a good 50 pounds on the other two riders.  I have beat a few GP1200 R's in conditions of less than 1 foot of chop.  In big chop, who knows?  They are supposed to be the fastest PWC in big chop.  If I was going to race, I would build an 83 MPH super stock GP1200 R.  Did you see Nicolas Rius on his GP1200 R at the 2000 World Finals?  It was the fastest boat out there by far, really impressive.

    I read numerous message boards and many people say that the Ultra is scary in the chop.  Maybe my weight helps, but it feels pretty predictable to me.  It tracks straight and stays hooked up pretty well.  When I do catch air, it lands level and  relatively smooth.  I don't feel I need a top loader intake grate or aftermarket sponsons, they can reduce your top speed on glass by a couple of MPH.  Many Ultra owners put a Worx intake grate and Worx or Beach House sponsons on their boats and they swear by them.  I have not had an opportunity to ride one with these parts on it, when I do, I will tell you my opinion.  If you think that your Ultra is scary in the chop, then by all means get an aftermarket intake grate and sponsons.

    As you can imagine, I am really pleased with my Ultra and I'm being honest because if I was disappointed with it, I would warn others and I would sell it and buy another Yamaha or a Sea-Doo or a Polaris.   For me, it was the right choice.  For others, probably not.  I plan on keeping it until two strokes are outlawed ....