By Will Burgess

One of our favorite kinds of Throwback Thursday posts at APS are looks back at the one-off or unusual watercraft from the wild west days of the 1990s, and this one is no exception.

In the world of personal watercraft, you’ve got your standup skis, and you’ve got your sit-down couches. Decades before Sea-Doo unleashed the Fish Pro on the world, Yamaha was putting a lounging seat and shallow foot well at the bow of their craft, which honestly does make it the ideal PWC for sitting a spell and fishing in the 90s!

But was the MJ-650M ahead of its time, or maybe one of those kinds of PWC that were best left in the drafts?

In 1990, the MJ-650M was one of eight Waverunner models offered, and the only one with the fixed front seat shown. The downside: you couldn’t find it outside of Japanese dealerships, where this craft sold for ¥974,000(JPY), or the equivalent of $8,000 today.

The craft was based on the WaveRunner 3 (WR3) hull and was essentially designed to compete with a little hybrid craft called the Kawasaki Jet Mate.

While the rare and unique Jet Mate is another #Throwback story for another time, we can certainly take a guess at why the MJ-650M never made it to American shores. Just imagine the kinds of riders going full-throttle with a buddy “incorrectly” sitting at the helm seat.

Perhaps Japanese sensibilities prohibit using this kind of Waverunner for anything but lounging after throwing anchor, but this is without a doubt one of those kinds of PWC that makes someone from The States take one glance and say, “Hold my beer.”

…Or, perhaps not, as this video demonstration shows us (skip to 6:45 to watch it flip with a front seated passenger, and as they both subsequently try to reseat themselves in the water.):

Okay, sensibilities be damned, that looks like a lot of fun!

The MJ-650M rode the Waverunner lineup until 1995, when the models were refreshed and all 650cc or lower craft were eliminated for 700cc and above Waverunners with traditional saddle seating or stand-up offerings.

For a closer look at the 1990 lineup of PWCs, visit Used-Jet.com.

Will Burgess is a journalist with Adrenaline Powersports Mag