Owner's Manual

Does anyone know where I can get a copy of the Owner's Manual for an '82? Free is better, if possible.

Thanks!

EDIT
XJ550. Sorry!

 

An '82 what exactly?

http://www.4shar ed.com/dir/DVt Afjvr/_onl ine.html (remove the spaces) has a pretty good collection of free XJ manuals.

 

what do you type into the search?

 

I've done everything from"Manual Yamaha XJ550" to "XJ550 Owner's Manual." I had found a really good .pdf copy of the full manual, but now it's password protected and there's nowhere to sign up. I'm new to this bike and to motorcycles, so I'm really looking to read up on it while I'm learning how to drive the thing.

 

I am also looking for an owners manual. I copied and pasted the above url after removing both spaces ( why you put spaces in there I don't know) and it wouldn't come back with anything found. I'm looking for the 750 seca 1982 one - if you can help

 

Rick- Try here. ( http://www.classiccycles.org/1852/1936.html ) The manual I'm looking for is on there as well, but when I download it, it says it needs a password. I just downloaded the one for the 750 and it didn't need one. See what happens and let me know?

 

Wait whoa stop.

It's not an '82 Chevy, it's an old motorcycle.

There are certain things that need to be attended to before you start riding it and get hurt. The rear brake on these bikes is known to delaminate; you have to VISUALLY CHECK the brake shoes: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=15874.html

You need to replace the fluid in the front brake immediately, even if it seems to work; old fluid that has acquired moisture (that's its nature) can boil when it gets hot and lock the front brake on you. Brake lines last five years; yours may be original. The entire front brake system needs to be rebuilt but until then at least change the fluid.

How many miles on the bike? What condition are the chain and sprockets in? That one can not only drop you on your butt but tear up the motor in the process (broken rear chain.)

My point is this: These are things you need a SERVICE manual for. The owner's manuals are next to useless (I have one for very one of my bikes, but just because, not because of any valuable information.) Clymer makes a halfway decent book for the 550s, the factory book (eBay) is better.

You're going to have to spend a little bit of money to make the motorcycle safe and reliable. Your first investment needs to be a service manual, not an owner's manual.

You need to learn the bike THEN learn to ride it. Not the other way around, you could get hurt. It's almost 30 years old.

For those folks looking for Owners Manuals just to have (like Moi) they come up on eBay all the time. DO NOT pay $25 or $30 or more for one; I've even seen them for upwards of $75. I carry one on both 550 Secas, H and K models, and have a brand new spare sitting on my desk that I paid a whole $5 for. Don't go over $20, just wait and lurk.

 

I realize that and I'm not rebuilding anything. I want the Owner's Manual so I can know where things are.
It's got 24k on it, in good condition. The guy I bought it from called it his 'baby,' garage-kept, neat and clean. Needs a post-winter oil change, though. When I get more familiar with bikes and how they work, maybe then I'll think about rebuilding things. As I said, I'm new to motorcycles, so taking apart what I can't put back together properly is just dumb.

 

NOT attending to 30-year old negelected maintenance when such neglect can KILL YOU is even dumber.

There are a lot of clean bikes out there but they still need the same things attended to if they are to be safe and reliable.

It's NOT a new bike, no matter how well kept it might appear to be. Until you have first hand knowledge of the age of important safety items, you shouldn't be riding it, plain and simple. You could get hurt or worse.

You can't go on appearances, or how clean it is. You have to CHECK. My '83 looked quite nice; the rear brake in the pics in the link I posted had only 7100 miles on it; and it was seriously delaminated. It worked fine; it would have worked TOO WELL had the shoes fully separated and locked it up on me at say, 60mph...

Tires last 6 years, max. Check your date codes. Ask the previous owner about the front brakes, are they new lines? Do you want to find out when one pops on you under braking? Do you really want to experience a front wheel lockup? (It just happened to one of our members, at low speed thankfully.)

Like I said, it's not an old car. Neglected maintenance on an old bike can kill you. Think about the consequences of an unexpected rear brake lockup. Read the numerous posts in my linked thread from the guys IT HAPPENED TO.

Ignorance is not bliss; continuing neglect is not dumb. Ignoring it is.

Get a service manual. The owners manual was for the bike when it was new. It ain't no mo.

 

Okay, but I asked for information on the Owner's Manual. Did you read? I don't WANT a Service Manual. Not yet, not right now. My search is for the Owner's Manual, NOT the service manual. I said I'm new to motorcycles, and I'm not sure how not reading the Owner's Manual on a new piece of equipment, regardless of age, before you zoom off on a highway is acceptable. I want to learn about my bike, where things are and how they should go. This is Step 1. When I want the service manual, I'll post that I'm looking for it. That's Step 2.
You should calm down with the assumptions of ineptitude and carelessness. It's not very friendly.

 

Take what fitz is telling you and seriously think about it. don't try to read into it, and don't take offense at how adamantly he wrote it. He's right, it's for real.

We're all here to keep these bikes alive, keep the owners alive, keep the bikes in as best condition as we can, improve them in anyway possible---and keep the owners in the best condition that we can, AND improve THEM in any way possible.

One of those ways is through doing what he suggests. Many many many of us have already do/have done those things as well as learning other necessary things.

many on here have had the "new":

brakes that locked up from delamination
carbs not really cleaned at the "church of clean"
tires that were really too old
master cylinders needing a real rebuild

A guideline that a lot of us have also adhered to is: No matter how nice, or what a previous owner says was done-- just ASSUME that NOTHING was done, and check it/do it anyway.

Countless owners here have bought that nice looking bike that "the carbs have been totally cleaned out" only to find that it actually meant anywhere from "I am gonna say that just to help get a quick sale" to "the carbs were sprayed with carb cleaner so they're all done", to, etc.... and etc........

My first 650 Maxim came from PO with "the c arbs are nice and clean, I rode it to work every day, but just stopped riding it two years ago and its been sitting inside ever since. It'll start right up." Well, a bettery, two tires, brake pads front and back, rebuilt master cylinder, cleaned front caliper, fresh brake fluid, carbs thoroughly cleaned, fresh oil and new filter later I was on the road. Perfectly safe, never a problem, received a second place trophy, sold the bike last summer. It went to the new owner with: cleaned carbs, a new battery, fresh brake fluid. I told him that, but also told him to do it all himself AGAIN for two reasons:

1. so he would SEE that that is what I gave him
2. so that he would KNOW that the things were done since HE did them AGAIN
3. He will also be bringing it back over this spring for a valve-shim check as part of the sale agreement.

Again, LISTEN to what fitz and others tell you. We are ONLY here to help. If you choose not to, hey we can't stop you....it's your life. Literally, it's your LIFE. WE don't want to read the opposite.

I'm not trying to scare you. Or...........now that I think about it, maybe I am.

FWIW, YMMV

Dave

 

I'm only assuming you don't know what you've gotten into by what you're asking for.

The owner's manual is basically useless; it's nice to have for nostalgia's sake, but the real info YOU NEED to KEEP FROM GETTING HURT is in the service manual.

You've made it clear you're riding a 30-year old bike you know nothing about.

THAT'S A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO DO.

My apologies if trying to keep you from getting hurt seems unfriendly. It's not, or I'd keep it to myself and let you get dropped on your butt.

I'm just speaking from the experience you don't have yet. If you want to learn the hard way, go for it. But it could cost you a trip to the hospital. Honest.

 

There's 3 spaces. I didn't want to directly post the proper link in case someone may want the info removed for copyright reasons. It's got a bunch of hard-to-find manuals, and I'd hate to see them get taken down!

Oh, and I gotta agree with fitz: the 30-year old owner's manual won't teach you much you shouldn't already know, except possibly where some minor stuff is located. The service manual tells you what to check and what specs to check for to help make sure the bike is safe.

 

I understand the safety concerns of an older bike. I do. I'm not pretending to be an expert on any of it. I bought the bike from a guy I trust. He rode it to work every day, and made sure it was well-maintained. Yes, he wanted to sell the bike for something bigger, yes it's still a sale. But I didn't buy it for the heck of it, sans information or sense.
I just want the manual. That's all. I just want to read it. I literally JUST bought the bike. Since it's my first, I want to learn about it from the ground up, and I feel like that's the Owner's Manual. Then I can graduate to actually learning how to ride it, how to shift. That's all I'm interested in right now. If I can find a Service Manual, then great! I'll hang out to it and read it when I get there.
I'm dismissing anybody's concerns as stupid or unwarranted. Thank you for them. But coming on so strongly with them is, as I said, on the unfriendly side.

 

I can guarantee he is not trying to be unfriendly. What he is saying is the owners manual will not give you the information you need to know or that you are looking for. I am new to bikes as well, I have owned my Maxim for almost 18 months now without even riding it yet because I am going to make sure it is 100% safe prior to riding. Hope you find what you are looking for but have patience.
Safe riding

 

The "Thrill-ride Euphoria" that accompanies riding a Motorcycle for the first time; had trumped many a persons Good Common Sense once the Engine is started.

But, if you take-off on a Motorcycle that is unfit for any reason known or ignored; you playing a dangerous game with the odds against you.

Pushing a Bike home is an embarrassing situation.
Losing power in traffic will get you hurt.

Bad tires or Brakes not working increase the chances that you're going to get carried into Church by six of your close friends.

 

A motorcycle owner's manual is not like a car manual. It does not cover safe riding, how to turn safely, or anything like that. It will basically tell you that it has a horn button and that the throttle is on the right. Not just the XJ manual, ANY motorcycle owner's manual.

If you aren't comfortable working on the bike, then have the PO help you work on it. By working on it, you will much better understand how to ride it safely, and you know that the mechanical parts are safe as well.

As far as learning how to ride, your best bet is to find a riding course. They use lighter bikes and teach you how to start, stop, emergency stop, shift, mirror check, corner, etc., safely.

I was a new guy once, too. The Wizards don't mean anything by what they say. They are just trying to be helpful and protective.

Just think of the manuals like this:
The owner's manual is the pamphlet pinned to the corkboard inviting you to church.
The service manual is the bible explaining how the world came to be.
Personally I'd much rather have the whole book instead of just a verse.

 

Seeing as you think all the really good advice is coming off as unfriendly, then here you go. Sorry I couldn't find a free one, but these seem pretty cheap.
Good luck with the bike!
http://shop.ebay.ca/?_from=R40&_trksid= ... Categories

 

Xjcd.org
Order it from there. Best 10 bucks u will spend for your xj bike

 

Okay. I thank all of you for your concern and it really is noted. I have no interest in zipping off on a bike I don't understand, so I just wanted to read up, just have it. Now that I know the manual for a bike is not like the manual for a car, I understand a bit more why you were pushing the Service Manual instead.
And now, as promised, I am looking for the Service Manual.

 

Good job my young padawan. I no longer feel a disturbance in the force.

Now, PICS!!! WE LOVE PICS!!!

We also love to answer questions and help each other out. Some of us, if we live somewhat close, will even offer to come help if you need it. So please don't be afraid to ask for help. And remember that the only stupid question is one that wasn't asked.

 

This NOTICE appears on its OWN Single Page just inside the Front Cover of ALL Yamaha Factory Service Manuals.

 

In the process of cleaning it up a bit.

 

Thanks, RickCoMatic. I'll see what Amazon & Ebay have to offer.

 

Welcome to the site Redsix !!

That's the MOST comfy looking seat !

 

TtR- Thank you! It is very comfortable seat!

 

Hey mine had a seat like that. Then I murdered it for being WAY too big for my liking haha.

 

Xplicit - That's what I intend to do. It's comfortable, but too big. How much did you cut it down? Is it easy to do, or is it best left to those with knowhow?

 

I will pitch the usefulness of the owners manual. It is a basic guide to where everything is, general adjustment and basic service. Useless it is not. Sure, I purchased my service manuals first for most of my bikes but I still pick up the owners manuals to have on the bike for those away missions. It is by no means a service manual but will help the uninitiated become familiar with their machine (or at least we hope so).
Red, while the initial blush may seem harsh, please know it is not intended to be such. The folks here truly care if you get home at night and in a few instances, the hair on the back of the neck goes up when we hear of a 30 year old bike hitting the road under the guidance of an inexperienced rider. We are fairly passionate about riding and keeping our shared experience as fatality free as possible (and we have suffered losses here). Enjoy the experience we have to offer and the brotherhood of the open road, I hope we'll hear some good stories from you in due time.

 

Thanks, Robert. I'd like to have a copy of both manuals, now. So I can see for myself. I don't intend to work on the bike on my own, but it will help to understand what goes where and what it does.

 

Unless you know somebody who will, or are made of money, you're going to need to learn. Like I said before, this isn't an old car. You won't find many shops that will even touch a bike this old; the Yamaha dealerships won't. Quite often, if you do find a shop that is willing to take your money, that's all they'll do. We've had dozens upon dozens of horror stories from folks who paid some back-alley bike shop way too much to screw up their bike for them.

Owning, riding, and maintaining a bike this old is pretty much a DIY situation, honestly.

 

Red, earlier one of the posters suggested you take a class on how to ride your bike. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation puts on courses at many community colleges and other places across the country. They have several different courses including Rider Street Skills, and Advanced rider street skills. I took the first one so long ago we had to pedal the bikes! It is actually a lot of fun. They provide the motorcycles which are little bitty things like 125's and 250's. Very light and easy to learn on. There is sit down class instruction as well as plenty of time to ride the course and put to use what you learned in the classroom. The goal of the course is to get you comfortable on a bike and to teach you the basic skills you will need to keep yourself alive out on the mean streets.

Again, the course is a ton of fun. You even get to race your classmates. The winner is the LAST person to cross the finish line without putting a foot down! This exercise teaches you loooooow speed control.

Have fun and stay safe my friend!

Loren

 

Red the seat isnt to terrible to shave down yourself. Right now I am stuck on getting mine re-covered. I don't sew and I am trying to find somebody who can haha.

 

Bigfitz- The guys I take my car to do bikes as well, and they're awesome guys. They'll take good care of it and me. I'm lucky to have found them.
wamaxim- There's a bike safety class offered through the DMV here, and I intend to take it. It's full through the end of May, and with my work schedule, I wont' be able to make it until July. But it's definitely something I'm going to do.
Xplicit- Let me know how that goes. I might do mine myself.

 

http://www.4sh ared.com/get/T6rd E9Gx/XJ750J_owners_man ual_xj750_j_.html

Link to Owner's Manual, if you haven't found it yet.

There's "3" obvious spaces in that link.