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Good Reading on the History of the XJ650

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by Simmy, Feb 26, 2020.

  1. Simmy

    Simmy Well-Known Member

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    tj. and Franz like this.
  2. kerriskandiesinc

    kerriskandiesinc Active Member

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    Read them all.....thanks for that !!!
     
  3. Simmy

    Simmy Well-Known Member

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    I loved the story about the pre-prototype FJ1100. Yamaha had the frame ready but didn’t have a litre plus engine ready so they used a big 4 from another manufacturer in the test mule.
     
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  4. kerriskandiesinc

    kerriskandiesinc Active Member

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    Wondering which one!!

    I particularly liked the candid-ness that Yamaha, as 2 stroke kings, were sometimes OFTEN playing catch up, in the 4 stroke game...although, GTS1000, etc, proved they could innovate, when pushed !
     
  5. Dave in Ireland

    Dave in Ireland Well-Known Member

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    I like the way the pig-like handling of the XS1100 was glossed over.
     
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  6. kerriskandiesinc

    kerriskandiesinc Active Member

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    I was always sorry they didn't make the XJ series 3 cylinder either.....honestly, the XS 7....never rode the 8, wasn't a terrible engine, it DID seem to have a little more mid range thrust than my 4 banger Suzy, obviously lacking in top end, but they COULD have carved themselves an (almost) unique 3 cylinder heritage long before Triumph did it.....I guess the somewhat unrelibality stories surrounding the XS7 made them think they had to distance themselves from that, with the new XJ series?

    I STILL think a 3 cylinder XJ could have been something even more special !!

    I'm GLAD they glossed over the frankly horrific looking XS 1.1 Martini Yamaha...remember that monstrosity>? !!
     
  7. Dave in Ireland

    Dave in Ireland Well-Known Member

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    I never got the animosity the XS750 generated. I had the last version of the 750, where they'd sorted all the gripes, and it was basically sound, handled well enough and quite economical. 48mpg no matter how I rode it. That economy was brought about by the factory setting the carburettion absurdly weak to pass emissions. So much so, that when the exhaust baffles started to go, the bugger would hardly start.
    Perhaps the buyers of the early marks of the 750 were sorely disappointed at having been taken in by the hype and feeling let down by the mechanical maladies. The only one I ever worried about was the 2nd gear problem, but long after having sold the bike I discovered the version I had had been fixed anyway, so I worried over nothing.
    It was a heavy brute though - at that point it was the heaviest bike I'd ever owned. Still, getting a GS850 later I felt right at home.
     

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