My bikes through the years

[Zwartie]

Been doing some cleanup around the house and came across a box full of old photos so I thought I would see if I could dig up a few bike pics to share...

Here's what got it started - my Dad on his 1972 Honda CB350. This picture was taken in '73. I was 5 or 6 years old when he brought it home and I remember burning my leg on the header pipe trying to get too close to it (unsupervised) after he came back from a ride. It left its mark on more than my leg...


My first bike - a 1979 Yamaha XS400. That's my brother's 1982 Seca 750 with the full Yamaha touring setup. This picture was taken in '82 or '83.


My second ride - a 1981 Seca 750. The original owner had chromed the valve cover and many other bits. I had originally wanted a new Vision 550 but they were no longer available in 1984. No regrets with the Seca. Never thought I would sell this one, but I did.


My third bike - a 1984 V45 Sabre with a Hondaline fairing. When I sold the Seca I had my eye on a 1988 Katana 1100 but that idea got sidetracked as I bought my first house instead. A year and a half later (1990) I bought the Sabre. First order of business was to replace the cams. Ended up riding it from Strathroy, ON to Calgary, AB and back in 1991 with my buddy who had a 1983 V45 Sabre.


In 1994 I sold the Sabre and upgraded to my first FJ -an '86 ambulance. In hindsight I could have bought an FJ four years earlier with what I spent on the cams. That's my lovely wife with the FJ. This picture was likely taken around '96


Now to my current ride - the Blue Bunny - a 1992 FJ1200. In 2005 I got the itch to get something a little more touring friendly. The larger fairing and raised handlebars did the trick. I put more kms on this bike than any other. Still not done with this one...



Zwartie

[rusjel]

Interesting collection there mate, nice pics

[Burns]

Looks like Sportster bags on that CB.  I put a set on mine too.  Isn't that 750 Yam a Maxim (not a Seca)?

[Zwartie]

Isn't that 750 Yam a Maxim (not a Seca)?

It's definitely a Seca. My brother had an '82 with the full Yamaha fairing and luggage and I had an '81. Same engine as the Maxim but the Maxim was the cruiser and the Seca more of a UJM.

Here's the Maxim:


Here's the Seca:


Zwartie

[Burns]

Of course it's a Seca, foolish me.  My eye was drawn to the lines of its neighbor and my feeble brain seems to have mixed the images.
I like all of the Secas, especially the 550 and 750 though the 650 is the only one I've owned.
Get set of scoots you've had Mate.

[ken65]

my 81 xj650 special(maxim) sold it not long ago but what a great bike.

[Burns]

my 81 xj650 special(maxim) sold it not long ago but what a great bike.

====================

It really is.  Seeing yours brought back memories of a Summer when I got PAID to ride one. I worked for EG&G and my "job" was to make about a 150 mile loop to the test track and back every day f. We rode the Yam, a 750 Honda and a GL500 Honda.  By far my fav was the Maxim. Very sweet scoot.

[The General]

my 81 xj650 special(maxim) sold it not long ago but what a great bike.

Hey Ken, I spied a strange looking Yamaha 4cyl (oxidised red colour) coming out of a street near my home with a pillion, last friday. Followed him to the local petrol station and said G`day.

Turns out it`s a 650 XJ that`s turbo charged. I knew a bit of their history, so relayed my understanding of their unreliability in the turbo department. ...Well, it turns out he`s not only a close neighbour with a shed full of bikes, lots of time on his hands, is ducking in for a beer,....oh, and he also owns a turbo business!!!

Some time in his shed organised. (He even has a hydraulic car lift modified for bikes!).......Can a XS1100 be turbo`d easily?....just wonder`n.   

[ken65]

hey Doug, was it factory yamaha or did he do it himself? A few of the faCtory turboed 650's owned by members of the xj site swear by them , but there good mechanics and their bikes are dialed in..

It comes as no surprise that there are sheds full of bikes in them hidden away.   Only a month or two ago i was walking around the block and out front of a house was an old fella standing next to a v max,

i went and introduced myself, anyway he's 78 ,rides the vmax everyday then showed me his old police model xs11.  Down the road from him theres shed with at least 4 or 5 bikes in it..

A friend of mine in the other direction has some of the nicest minty bikes you'll ever see , about 10 or so different bikes.

Be a big job to turbo a naturally aspirated motor, I bet your new friend would take any guess work out of it, i wouldnt mind having a look in there to be honest,   ken

[Dan Filetti]

my 81 xj650 special(maxim) sold it not long ago but what a great bike.

Ken-

I had the little brother to that bike: the 550 Maxim -lovely bike.  Way too soft and would wallow hard if you pushed it in a corner, but a lovely bike.  One of the best of the UJM's from the early 80's... 

Fond memories...

Dan

[ken65]

gday Dan, with that 650 i upgraded the suspension and it made a lot of difference.
Before i did that if you going around a corner and hit a bump the centre stand would hit the road.
550 owners reckon there a better bike than the 650 due to being lighter and if i remember there a 6 speed verses 5. .
I use to redline mine every time i took it out and never had an issue. They came alive over 6000rpm. IMHO they were an underrated bike. Unless you had one..

ken

[fj johnnie]

 Why are you wearing a girls bathing suit in the top picture Ben? Hah hah. Just kidding. Nice pictures. We all got the bug from someone. I had a 550 Seca. What an awesome machine.

[Bminder]

Hey Zwartie,
Thanks for sharing part of your life with us, that was really cool to see those photos.
Billy Minder