Well, just to be clear, it's the lean-burn, direct-injected, 2-cycle packages that are their downfall. Those can be great for high power to weight ratios, for high maintenance racing. Our stock 2003 RXDI could indicate 65 MPH with me on it (GPS speed was about 63). However, they are poor for long-term use. Over the 16 years we had it, we toasted pistons twice. Pretty much a fact of life with those engines, because it's not immediately obvious when a fuel pump, filter or injector is giving up. The top end might only drop to 60, but the engine is in real trouble.
We currently have a 2020 170 HP Rotax 4-cycle that has been great and will do 57 with me standing up (has electronically limited RPM, likely to not be too much competition for the supercharged models).
Adding an undesirable power package to a mostly underwater outboard isn't innovation, it's a departure from reality.
