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The XZ550

Started by WhiteBeard, June 03, 2012, 03:37:44 PM

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WhiteBeard

June 03, 2012, 03:37:44 PM
Saw this bike for sale, about two hours from where I live, and it caught my attention.
Anybody here has one?

fj11.5

#1
June 03, 2012, 05:11:36 PM
no , but they look alright  :good2:
unless you ride bikes, I mean really ride bikes, then you just won't get it

84 Fj1100  effie , with mods
( 88 ) Fj 1200  fairly standard , + blue spots
84 Fj1100 absolutely stock standard, now more stock , fitted with Fj12 twin system , no rusted headers for this felicity jayne

WhiteBeard

#2
June 03, 2012, 05:15:33 PM
Yes! They do, don't they?



Only bad thing is they're shaft driven like the XS's.

fj11.5

#3
June 03, 2012, 05:51:44 PM
like a mini Fj, , I had a shaft drive xj 750 , awesome bike , shaft drive was great   once I got used to it , and never missed adjusting the chain , best under a litre bike I've ever owned , they used to race them here no extra mods  :yahoo:
unless you ride bikes, I mean really ride bikes, then you just won't get it

84 Fj1100  effie , with mods
( 88 ) Fj 1200  fairly standard , + blue spots
84 Fj1100 absolutely stock standard, now more stock , fitted with Fj12 twin system , no rusted headers for this felicity jayne

ApriliaBill

#4
June 03, 2012, 06:14:27 PM
I owned one of these bikes, Slow, Like almost a 16 second quarter mile, now that said, once you got them rolling, it was a beatiful thing. They handled very well and rode like a much bigger bike, great for touring, very comfortable, and I liked the fit and finish. I actually ran with a guy and it seemed everybody in his neighborhood had one. They were wonderful bikes, but then there was a 550 race on and every maker brought out killer bikes. But when I run into those guys, enevitably everybody talks about those bikes and how good they were...

Tor-King

#5
June 03, 2012, 06:26:59 PM
Hey, Whitebeard!

I did not own one, but I have ridden one back in '82 or '83.  It was a great little bike and at that time was quite unique looking.  It was known as the Vision here in Canada.  I think it was only made for two model years as sales were poor.  I guess it never caught on.  They are sure becoming a rarity.
1993 Yamaha FJ1200
1988 Yamaha FJ1200
1986 Yamaha FJ1200
1984 Honda Nighthawk S 750
1972 Yamaha XS-2
1972 Honda CT70
1974 Honda CT70
1992 Yamaha DT50 MX
2012 Honda CBR250R
2008 Honda CBR125R

ApriliaBill

#6
June 03, 2012, 06:56:14 PM
Quote from: Tor-King on June 03, 2012, 06:26:59 PM
Hey, Whitebeard!

I did not own one, but I have ridden one back in '82 or '83.  It was a great little bike and at that time was quite unique looking.  It was known as the Vision here in Canada.  I think it was only made for two model years as sales were poor.  I guess it never caught on.  They are sure becoming a rarity.

Yep, the dealers down here took a bath, the bike was ahead of it's time, nobody at that time trusted shaft drive and liquid cooled, we were neandrathal in the USA, so many of us took advantage, we were buying these for 1,100 U.S. about a third of m.s.r.p. I think they sell for more now, then most paid new.

JCainFJ

#7
June 03, 2012, 11:29:55 PM
I still have one, an 83. 1/2 of a VMax or Venture. Weird carbs, and brakes. Oil pump and crank problems on most of them. I added a Fox shock and a set of RT emulators. I also built an exhaust system using a pair of SuperTrapp mufflers that made a big improvement  (I was able to run it into the revlimiter in top gear after the exhaust mod).  Most dealers will be no help at all.

WestOzXJR

#8
June 04, 2012, 12:51:58 AM
Quote from: WhiteBeard on June 03, 2012, 05:15:33 PM



Looks like the lower fairing shrunk after someone threw it in the clothes dryer.

Nitrous is nice but I'd rather be blown.

We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are. -Anais Nin

Firehawk068

#9
June 04, 2012, 09:41:57 PM
I owned one of these in my mid 20's..........It was a nice riding bike. I bought it for $500 back then, and had to do the usual neglected-bike maintenece. Tires, fork seals,brakes, carburetor clean/rebuild.....The fuse box melted on mine, so I replaced it with a newer blade style fuse box. I rode it around central NY for a few years before selling it for around $1500
It had a single 2-throat carburetor if I remember correctly, wich was a PITA to tune, but it ran good once I got it to run properly.
I used to get around mid to high 50's for fuel mileage with it.
It was a 550cc twin with 4 cams, and 8 valves. Each exhaust valve had it's own exhaust pipe.
Parts for it were getting hard to find back then. I imagine they would be near impossible to find nowadays.
It didn't have a ton of power, but it was alot more peppy than my Dad's CX500 Honda. We'd go on rides together, and switch bikes.
He wouldn't want to switch mine back..........

Here was Mine. 1982 XZ550R Vision




Here's Me............Back in the Day  :good2:
Alan H.
Denver, CO
'90 FJ1200

Tiger

#10
June 12, 2012, 08:18:59 PM
 :hi: I've been running an '82 with lots of '83 upgrades for the last seven years and they are a real fun ride...great in the twisties. Infact I had mine, along with my brother and his '82, down through the 'Tail of the Dragon' 3 weeks ago...such a blast!!!
Over the last three/four years I've bought/rebuilt/sold 22 of these 550cc, shaft drive, water cooled, 70 degree V twins. They were only in North America for two years, '82/'83. The '82's garnered a lot of bad press in the U.S. when Yamaha launched them...they did major upgrades for the '83 model...U.S. press were veeeery happy...and Japan pulled the plug :dash2:
The two pictures show a 'Canadian Edition' Red & White '83 and a 'American Edition' Black & Gold '83.
Sorry to ramble on a wee bit...but I do love these Vision/XZ550RJ/RK's :good:

They have a great owners club site at www.ridersofvision.net ... Tell them Tiger sent you  :good 
        :good2: ....... TIGER .......  :good2:
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely, in an attractive & well preserved body...but rather to slide in sideways, body completely worn out and and with your last dying breath screaming, "HOOOYA LIFE, lets try that again"!!!
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