YAMAHA V MAX SHO 90

This hot new outboard engine should prove a high perfomer.

Yamaha says the new V MAX SHO 90 outboard is designed to lead its class in torque and top speed. This motor will prove a nice fit on freshwater fishing boats, bay boats and pontoons, and represents the only performance four-stroke 90 on the market.

Now the smallest model in the V MAX line, the SHO 90 uses the same 1.8-liter single overhead cam in-line four-cylinder powerhead as the F90B model but swaps the standard 2.15-to-1 gear ratio for 2.33to-1 cogs and gets specific mapping in the electronic control unit (ECU). And to let everyone know you’ve got the hot motor, the SHO 90 features graphics similar to those on the big V-6 V MAX models. Retail pricing for the SHO 90 starts at $10,715, which is $310 more than the F90B.

The SHO 90 (VF90A in Yamahaspeak) has a 35-amp charging system that makes 28 amps available at just 1,000 rpm to help manage the draw of electronics, audio, aerators and pumps. The SHO 90 is not compatible with a digital control but may be equipped with the Yamaha