The pandemic has had different effects on people. Whether it is from the effects of the COVID-19 virus itself or the year-and-counting quarantines we are all facing, it has made a lot of us nuts. So it’s no surprise that it would manifest itself in jet-skis being converted into scooters. Everyone is doing it-it’s the next big thing.

Actually, it isn’t. But there are crafty peeps around the globe converting these old personal watercraft into scooters. Or rather, they’re attaching the watercraft shells over scooters and calling it a day.

Nick Stemple’s “skootski not Sea-Doo”

YouTube is full of these wacky motorbikes going back years, so it is not a new phenomenon. Tik Tok and Twitter have only added fuel to the fire with builds like Nick Stemple’s “skootski not Sea-Doo.” What started as a plea for forgiveness after his wife backed into a pole begat a story on local news channel WTAJ. When something is not only goofy but has a goofy name it is bound to take flight. 

Stemple’s scootski began as a Honda Elite 250. A Bombardier Sea-Doo shell was bonked onto it. From there Stemple began documenting his scootski misadventures on YouTube. Without the need to change gears it is a pretty simple transformation. All of your controls are on the handlebars. Since this first version, he’s updated the scootski.

You basically bonk a jet-ski onto your donor bike

Now it rocks a Suzuki Burgman 650. More power was the main impetus in revamping the scootski. Now it is more highway compliant with lights, a license plate, and mirrors. Builders like Stemple are mostly mum about how to go about converting your scooter but the task is pretty obvious. You basically bonk a jet ski onto your donor bike. 

For a more detailed dive, the Cunningham Garage gives a pretty thorough rundown on the conversion. Basically, it amounts to cutting away some of the Sea-Doo shell for clearance. Then, place the shell over the bike, and fashion some metal brackets to attach the body to the bike frame. 

Mostly a jet-ski just sits in the garage all of the time

Look, mostly a jet ski just sits in the garage all of the time. Why not do something else with it? Though once you begin you can’t go back because you’re cutting holes into the jet-ski’s hull. But if your jet-ski is broken it probably isn’t worth fixing it. Now you have something you can do with it without that trip to the city dump. 

So, is there more to this? No, not really. It’s a sort of dumb idea that people have a positive reaction to. Whatever makes your boat float. Or rather, whatever glides your scootski down the highway…