Interesting numbers

[RobTx]

I was at the Motorcyclist Magazine website.  www.motorcyclistonline.com   Looking at performance data of current bikes and the Cycle World road test of an '82 Vision, it seems we don't give up much in straight line performance.  Here's some numbers:

82 Vision                           12.93 @ 98.79
01 BMW R1150GS                12.84 @ 103.1
01 Ducati 750 Sport             12.75 @ 103.3
01 Honda Shadow Spirit 750  14.89 @ 86.7
01 Kawasaki Ninja 500R         12.81 @ 101.2
01 Suzuki GS500E                13.65 @ 95.5
01 Suzuki SV650S                12.60 @ 109.4
01 Triumph Bonneville           13.57 @ 96.4

Of the bikes on this list, the Vision is most similar to the SV650.  Despite being 20 years older, heavier and giving up 100cc, it's only half a step behind it (and 10mph) in a straight line.  Compared to the two 500's which are both much lighter than a Vision, the numbers are very similar.  
Rob

[Bernard Lajoie]

Please give me a break! A vision is simular to a SV-650!HA! If you ever rode an SV-650 you would find the nearist dumpster and put your vision in it! Get real! In the REAL world and not in Magizine land the vision is a total snail to the SV(having drag race tested the two,I own both!)stopping power not even close,cornering (I won't even go there,GS-500 will even waste it!)Top end,better get note from your mom & a GPS cos you ain't going to see it for long!OK its a water cooled DOHC 4-valve just like the SV,O-yea it's got two wheels also!thats about it.5 gallons of gas and a match and problems are thru,no more shorted stators,no more oil filled starters,no more junk starter clutches,and the list goes on and on.Wake-up ladies it's 2003 not 1983 the japs gave up on it after 2-3 years,Hell they stole my carb set -up back in 85' when they were checking my vision out at Daytona then put it on the 500/535 virago(yes,it's my set-up you'll see!)Anyway get over this dated POS and get a real bike(an SV-650 w/M-4 pipe is a good start)life is better in the real world you can't break the SV,the vision breaks all by it's self you twits!cheers,FTW

[sdinino]

My buddy loaned me his SV-650 for a few weeks when I was doing head gaskets on the vision. I gave it back happily. I don't need to go 0-100 in 4 seconds... and I don't like hunching over the tank... and I hated greasing up his chain. The braking power was nice but if you're not going 95 on the sidestreets you can manage. The only think he had that I really envied was the low fuel warning light.

Yeah, my vision is nearly 21, but its comfortable. And I don't have a few thousand bucks laying around to spend on a new machine.

[RobTx]

If you read the post, I was only comparing one thing, quarter mile times.  I've ridden an SV650 and it'll soundly trounce the Vision in any category.  I would gladly trade my Vision for any bike on that list.  By most similar I meant water cooled, medium displacement, V-twin.  I'd love to have and SV and it'll probably be my next bike.  Obviously the Vision is nowhere near as refined as a modern bike.  It was the beginning of the technology that led to more modern bikes and as such, had just about every bug imaginable, carbs and electrics for starters.  I just thought it interesting that at this bike, despite all its weaknesses can be still have enough performance (in a straight line at least) to keep up with more modern hardware.
Rob

[Rick G]

Don't let Bernie  get under your skin,  He pops up every now and then  to impress him self.  He keeps forgetting that opinions are like  a** holes  everybodys got one!
I don't know Bernie,  but I think he's probably a very knowledgeable technician, (just ask him!) LOL
 As to the SV650 , Yes it stops  well and handles great,  but I wouldn't buy one  , until I figured out what to do about the horrible seat (and riding position , its all scrunched up) the one I rode had a Corbin seat , but that did not go far enough, not nearly so.  the pegs are  too high and too far back (for me)  And I don't want a chain, not for $6000.00.

[Dave T.]

I wish they wouldn't have given up producing oversize pistons for the Vision. I tried to get the .040" oversize pistons for my V when I rebuilt the top end, but they quit making them. Also it would have been nice if Wiseco had a 1 or 2 mm oversize high compression piston for the V. Since the carbs are already oversize, it would have been a better performance option for the V. I don't know how much room there is to punch out in a stock V cylinder, but I don't think 600cc would be possible, maybe close.

I would like to drag my V and see what kind of 1/4 mile time it can run. I'd hope it can still run under 13 seconds, but I should probably go on a diet since I'm around 200 lbs. ?:P

It would be nice if Yamaha made 2 high performance V twins for 2004, a 600 and a 1000 (of course it would smoke the Suzuki's). I still think the V-twin sportbike sound it the best sound out there.

[bikeseamus]

Wow Bernie!    Thank for your input!    I thought I was having fun, and being aware of my bike, and come to find out I'm a sleeping lady with a piece of garbage! How did you get your sexuality into it?  I would be honored that the best engine builder in the world copied my engineering at Daytona! WOW! Hey pal, what are you doing with a junky slug like an SV when you could be riding an Aprilla Tuono? Trash for suspension and a ladylike 60 horses don't sound like a stud like you. Wake up dude, it's 2003, not 1999! Drop by any time sweetheart, we always will find you a source of amusement and mechanical brilliance. Hugs and kisses.......

[Bernard Lajoie]

 Well,well,well,it's nice to see I still have a cheering section(bronx cheer that is!)as for pistons you need to get your hand on a gs-1150 piston and compair to your V and your getting close,so close that it would just smolder your little minds why you didn'tTHINK about it yourself's(Ifigured this out back in 85',working ina drag-bike made it EZ.)Yes the little zipper-heads were very impressed with the carb set-up & asked many questions about them.Back to the pistons,J&E will make you some min. of 4=$500-$600,Now if enough of you could get together on this the cost would drop(I know this won't happen cus I tryed to get a vision group @ mid-ohio two yrs ago but that was a waste of time & energy)As for the SV bashing they make two styles,std.&"S".the std. is way more comfortable& is easier to play super-motard with out here in the tight & twistes.Yes the V has a special place in my heart,but it's a faint memory.As for the V being the"begining of modern motorcycle tech."you know nothing about Yamaha.they started a little bit earlier,Ithink about 74' with this pile which was a 750 twin w/DOHC & 4-valves per cyl.total failure,followed a 500 twin w/DOHC &4-valves per cyl.that bike sold,they made it a few years & re-fined it to a point then dropped it.Of corse there was the beloved virago which was before and after the vision(my fav.was the chain drive 920 which really worked well with the 1100 top end&late model carbs.40mm)Besides I have other bikes to play with other that theSV.You know over the years of reading this forum I have offered proven info and it seems to go on deaf ears but you all seem to know it all which I know you don't,or as I would say to a mech.that knows nothing but hondas"if all you know is hondas,then you really don't know much!"So i'm this will fire up the key boards shortly,cheers FTW

[Rick G]

Yes the first 750 was a toad , I liked the 500 a lot But I heard from others that it had some leaks and other problems , still Ithought it wa neat. I rode the  the  standard SV but its too far off of what I want. John Clemments  in Wa. said that he was using K B pistons in his. but I don't know  if he bored the liners out and replaced them with over size one or not. I spoke to a fellow (by phone ) that Jeff swann refered me to , who said that you could get close to 600 cc with the stock liner . to go larger is a lot of work, the cases would have to be bored. he had 3 stroker cranks forged locally (many years ago) and together they produced 750cc and 93 HP . the only practical thig to do this late in the game  is to bore  the stock cyl . there may be a useable piston  from a 400 or 500 cc single  or as bernie suggests the  gs 1150.