1971-- FJR's long lost relative
- Thread starter socalrk
- Start date
Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:
TheRepairMan
Well-known member
WOW!
That's me right there! I bet that sumbitch would fly!
...but I held out until 1978 to get the first Jap cruiser. The SX650 Special.
Oh what fun it is to ride...!
RogerB
That's me right there! I bet that sumbitch would fly!
...but I held out until 1978 to get the first Jap cruiser. The SX650 Special.
Oh what fun it is to ride...!
RogerB
Last edited by a moderator:
markjenn
Well-known member
Neat photo. Was this concept based on the TZ750 race bike?
Yamaha had a wankel around this time too that came within an eyelash of production. But Yamaha wised up at the last minute and didn't follow Suzuiki's disastrous RE5 rotary to production.
Instead of either of these, Yamaha went conservative and produced the TX750 4-stroke twin which as a dismal failure. When this didn't go anywhere, they tried the XS750 4-stroke triple in about 77 which had moderate success. They finally joined everybody else in 79 with the inline-four XS11, which was a great motor in search of a chassis.
- Mark
Yamaha had a wankel around this time too that came within an eyelash of production. But Yamaha wised up at the last minute and didn't follow Suzuiki's disastrous RE5 rotary to production.
Instead of either of these, Yamaha went conservative and produced the TX750 4-stroke twin which as a dismal failure. When this didn't go anywhere, they tried the XS750 4-stroke triple in about 77 which had moderate success. They finally joined everybody else in 79 with the inline-four XS11, which was a great motor in search of a chassis.
- Mark
Last edited by a moderator:
I owned a '72 Suzuki 750 GT, the Water Buffalo, a 3-cylinder two-stroke. It was the genesis of my Sport Touring career.
The two-stroke was tuned to produce a very strong mid-range, and was highly drivable in traffic, on the highway, and on curvy roads. However, the large piston area of the triple produced a lot of Surging, the term for a "detonation" effect coasting with throttle closed. A four-cylinder 750 would not have. But, looking toward the future, the two-stroke was doomed to "drivability problems" if displacement were, inevitably, increased.
The suspension damping was minimal, and then very shortly, non-existent. Friction damping at the rear, and fish oil in the forks that deteriorated. When good fork oil was used, the valving, such as it was, wore out.
None the less, fitting a Wixom handlebar fairing, and fiber-glass bags from White Brothers (we made detatchable mounts), the bike did Tour well. That we "toured" to get to Sporting Roads Way Over There is what birthed Sport Touring in Southern California.
Ride-mates were Honda 750s set up similarly, and then with Vetter frame mount fairings, and even later, the Vetter bag package.
Soon the 903 Z1 Kawasaki was introduced, and I had one, and set it up with bought out touring accessories. I also had an R75/5 BMW at the same time, set up with Butler and Smith stuff. At sport touring, it was woefully underpowered, but cornered a little better than the other bikes in our crowd.
The XS1100 (XS11) soon proved to be the premier package -- in California it was delivered with the fairing and bag package I've since learned were options elsewhere in the US.
Despite the name or term "Touring" being applied to the packages, this was truly Sport Touring. The bikes had evolved into Litre Bikes, and we were adding long distance capabiilities to them. It's the "sporting", or High Performance nature behind (and within) these bikes that give legitimacy to "sport" in the Sport Touring heritage whose beginning we were a part of.
I doubt Yamaha made much of a mistake in not producing the GL 750 - in terms of Sport Touring heritage. Honda was certainly prominent in the Street performance market with its 750 (Kawasaki was really into Drag Racing), but the 750 Suzuki was the first to strongly suggest going touring on a high performance bike. They would not become a prominent Sport Player until the advent of the GS 1000, and still have never regained any prominence in long distance riding of Touring or Sport Touring nature (The absolutely still wonderful Katana bikes called Sport Tourers, are really just Mild Old Sport Bikes that won't kill a rider to travel 300 miles on).
Yamaha was early in its transition to four-strokes and hit the market at full stride. Setting aside the GL 750 allowed the proper (in terms of future success) focus on the four-strokes. The XS11 still provides an outstanding, fast and strong distance platform - by restored, or scrupulously maintained bikes.
Thanks, RK, for sharing an important part of our heritage.
The two-stroke was tuned to produce a very strong mid-range, and was highly drivable in traffic, on the highway, and on curvy roads. However, the large piston area of the triple produced a lot of Surging, the term for a "detonation" effect coasting with throttle closed. A four-cylinder 750 would not have. But, looking toward the future, the two-stroke was doomed to "drivability problems" if displacement were, inevitably, increased.
The suspension damping was minimal, and then very shortly, non-existent. Friction damping at the rear, and fish oil in the forks that deteriorated. When good fork oil was used, the valving, such as it was, wore out.
None the less, fitting a Wixom handlebar fairing, and fiber-glass bags from White Brothers (we made detatchable mounts), the bike did Tour well. That we "toured" to get to Sporting Roads Way Over There is what birthed Sport Touring in Southern California.
Ride-mates were Honda 750s set up similarly, and then with Vetter frame mount fairings, and even later, the Vetter bag package.
Soon the 903 Z1 Kawasaki was introduced, and I had one, and set it up with bought out touring accessories. I also had an R75/5 BMW at the same time, set up with Butler and Smith stuff. At sport touring, it was woefully underpowered, but cornered a little better than the other bikes in our crowd.
The XS1100 (XS11) soon proved to be the premier package -- in California it was delivered with the fairing and bag package I've since learned were options elsewhere in the US.
Despite the name or term "Touring" being applied to the packages, this was truly Sport Touring. The bikes had evolved into Litre Bikes, and we were adding long distance capabiilities to them. It's the "sporting", or High Performance nature behind (and within) these bikes that give legitimacy to "sport" in the Sport Touring heritage whose beginning we were a part of.
I doubt Yamaha made much of a mistake in not producing the GL 750 - in terms of Sport Touring heritage. Honda was certainly prominent in the Street performance market with its 750 (Kawasaki was really into Drag Racing), but the 750 Suzuki was the first to strongly suggest going touring on a high performance bike. They would not become a prominent Sport Player until the advent of the GS 1000, and still have never regained any prominence in long distance riding of Touring or Sport Touring nature (The absolutely still wonderful Katana bikes called Sport Tourers, are really just Mild Old Sport Bikes that won't kill a rider to travel 300 miles on).
Yamaha was early in its transition to four-strokes and hit the market at full stride. Setting aside the GL 750 allowed the proper (in terms of future success) focus on the four-strokes. The XS11 still provides an outstanding, fast and strong distance platform - by restored, or scrupulously maintained bikes.
Thanks, RK, for sharing an important part of our heritage.
C
Centerline
Guest
And Kawasaki had their insane Widowmaker, the H2 750 triple.
Had a gorgeous blue '72 one while in school and somehow survived to tell.
Graduated to the Z1 in '75. Both great legendary bikes.
Had a gorgeous blue '72 one while in school and somehow survived to tell.
Graduated to the Z1 in '75. Both great legendary bikes.
BobbyBlue
Arrhythmia and Blues
Wow, Thanks for the bitchin history lesson for us ...ahem...younger guys. My first true street bike was the RD250 in my avatar. I am 15 in this pic and proud as a peacock ! This was '76 and I soon upgraded to the new RD400. Man it was sure fun here in the Texas Hill Country...and with a set of Basani chambers the deer stayed away !! A friend had a Kaw H1 500 2-stroke triple and that thing was a blast...until ya tried to turn it !!!! Ahhhh...the good ole daze....
Bobby
Bobby
redgum
Member
Hey Bobby... same here. My first bike after I got my licence was the RD250. Great little bike to have a blast on and cheap and easy to get a few extra hp out of. Could wheel stand right through to 6th gear if you kept it within its tiny 1500rpm power band!
I later played with the Kwaka 500 2 stroke but chose life instead...
I later played with the Kwaka 500 2 stroke but chose life instead...
dcarver
Well-known member
I still want a rd350 or 400. Found an exemplary example 4 months ago, missed it by 10 minutes. Had the cash, time, truck and trailer to get it.
Now I just wany my FJ. (hmm, maybe I need to create some I want FjR lyrics around the Brothers in Arms tune..
Now I just wany my FJ. (hmm, maybe I need to create some I want FjR lyrics around the Brothers in Arms tune..
Parachutist
Member
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2005
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 0
The XS-1100 was my change from "Brit" bikes to Japanese, never regreted that change. My first bike was the old " HD Knuckle Head ", which I sold after getting married, and getting out the service. That was when I bought my first car. Could'nt afford all three at one time. Got back into bikes with a "BSA" in the beginning of the " sixties" and been back rideing every since. The Yamaha XS 1100 gave me lots of miles and lotsa memorys. I had it sitting in my collection area along some of my favorites for some time and then passed it on to our son-in-law. He and I went on a little 4000 mile trip this summer and he had the XS 1100 running like a champ. It's in the 100,000 mile neighborhood and he's talking "Goldwing" now. Any time I see someone mention a XS 1100 I feel compelled to sound off, I really loved that bike. Oh yes, I'm on the cusp of 76 years and love my 05 FJR.
designeraccd
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2005
- Messages
- 248
- Reaction score
- 0
Aaahhh yes the old RD series Yamahas: fun, strong running and good handling bikes that were comfy enough to ride for 30 minutes or so! Nonetheless I still have the '74 RD250 I bought myself as a college graduation present. The bike has aged well and (the last time I rode it, years back) still ran strong, handled fine and stopped nicely given its drum brakes. She sure "feels" better than my 1965 Honda CB 77 Super Hawk, and of course will easily "smoke" the Super Hawk...literally and figuratively! DFO 
Last edited by a moderator:
snikr
Well-known member
WOW....the Kawasaki H2 and the RD 350. I owned both and lived to tell. Do those bikes bring back my youth. Or am I just OLD?
Tom
Tom
took a Suzuki GT380 (3cyl./2 stroke) from Denver, Co. to Madison, Wi and back, a long time ago in a life time far, far away. About 180 miles from Denver, I remembered I hadn't checked the oil tank at last fill-up. (Too much of a hurry to just get there!). HOLES ON ALL THREE PISTONS! :angry:
Got home in the Greyhound. Had to go back with a pick up truck to get it.
It was fast. It could beat most Hondas on the road BUT
I never owned another one of those 2 strokers, ever again. :erm:
Got home in the Greyhound. Had to go back with a pick up truck to get it.
It was fast. It could beat most Hondas on the road BUT
I never owned another one of those 2 strokers, ever again. :erm:
Similar threads
