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Does the Vision have a future?

Started by Re-Vision, November 22, 2014, 06:43:08 PM

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Cdnlouie

#60
This post caught my eye and since my Vision is still around I might as well be better late than never....

I bought my "new-to-me" Vision at the turn of the last century (2000) with only 10,000 km.  It had been victimized by a rusty tank that took out the carburetors.  It had suffered some butchering on the carbs also as a result.  I replaced the tank, rebuilt the carbs, replaced the stator and have ridden the bike for the past 16 years (hard to believe) and have only replaced 3 stators, the RR with a mosfet (which has resulted in the longest running stator in the bikes history and then again it may be the OEM Suzuki stator too...who knows?).  I was first introduced to this Vision in 1982 while I was working at a Yamaha dealership.  I took it for a test ride and was quite impressed with the nimble feel and perky engine response.  My first impression was that this was best performing twin engine I had ever ridden.  I was not impressed with the difficulty of adjusting valves, but that turned out to be no big deal because they hardly ever need to be done. I loved the shaft drive because I hate oiling and adjusting a chain.  I appreciate water cooling because it manages engine heat so well and extends longevity.  This bike was built to be a reliable, long distance runner.  It was a comfortable standard which most people have never ridden and don't know what they are missing.  It has a bench seat which makes moving around a real treat, which again most people have never know the pleasure.  All of these components have kept me riding my Vision because I have been spoiled by a great bike and I'm just unwilling to hazard giving up the things I have learned to really like.  I have simple taste, I just want to get out and feel the wind in my face and enjoy a ride through the countryside.  The Vision still does all these things that I love so it has a future in my life.  Where the old girl ends up some day, who can know, but I am going to try and introduce it to my grandson (in a couple of years) and that may ensure it passes on to another generation.

The Vision works for me and that means it will probably be around for a while yet in my garage.  I recently went to Friday 13th (2016) in Port Dover Ontario where around 2000 bikes gather just for the sake of Friday 13th.  I was quite confident that I had the only Vision present that day.  I smile to myself knowing the most people have no idea of what I am riding, but I can assure you it is not just an everyday Harley.  The Vision is much more than a cookie-cutter bike that everyone else rides, it is unique and one-of-a-kind and it appeals to me and that's all that matters today and for tomorrow.  It will never be a collectible, it will never have a book written about it's contribution to motorcycle history, but it will be meaningful to a handful of people who have preserved this bike and regard it as special to them...that means it has a future!

Cheers fellows!

(I've been off the grid for a while but still riding!  ;))

fret not

Louie, thank you for that heartfelt statement.  You clearly know the virtues and vices of the XZ, and your obvious appreciation of the bike is testament enough to tell everyone that there IS a future for this model.  :)
Retired, on the downhill slide. . . . . . . . still feels like going uphill!

QBS

That about says it.  Thanks Louie.

artbone

What CDNLouie said. I go to a lot of motorcycle event and almost never see a Vision. I raced the WERA Endurance series in 1983, riding an 83 Suzuki GS550ES, supposedly the fastest 550 production bike that year. Unfortunately no one told Team Good Times from College Station Tx that and they beat us like step-children every time we showed up at the same track. I bought my 83 Vision in 1992 from an engineer at the factory I was working at with only 6000 miles on it. It has been an extremely reliable bike. My other, 82, I bought for $200 and it has been had a host of problems, all of them covered many times on ROV.
I have several bikes and, every time I loan the Vision to someone, they come back and say, "Wow, what a cool bike. I really enjoyed riding it."
Does the Vision have a future? Probably not if you're thinking of selling it for Brough Superior money in the future, but it's got a present if what you're looking for is a unique ride.
Art Bone

'83 Yamaha Vision in the Classic Black and Gold  Running
'82 Yamaha Vision Running
'74 Norton Fastback - Colorado Norton Works #26  Running
'73 Norton Interstate  Running
'75 Triumph T 160  Running
'62 Harley Davidson Vintage Racer
'61 Sears Puch  Running
'15 Triumph Scrambler
'17 Honda Africa Twin
94 Kawasaki KLR 650

gmac

#64
My Vision has a future. Here us a picture of my son and his cousin in their bikes.

Bought her new in 1985, been down a few roads since then.

Cool bike when it was new, fell in love the first time I saw her on the showroom floor, I told my dad it was my vision, he told me it was my dream. Busted my tail to find the money, took her home on 4/27/1985.

Way to advanced for people a the time, liquid cooled, shaft drive, advanced style, self canceling signals, kick stand kill switch.

Love her to this day but now she belongs to my son.

So, yes the Vision has a future, or at least mine does.

QBS

Your sons' Vision is looking good.  I certainly understand the emotions of your story.  How many miles on the V?

gmac

#66
6,985 as of tonight. Another interesting thing, was looking at the original 21 day (temporary) license permit last night, here is a picture, check out the number in red.

So again based on the number of views in a lot of subjects, the Vision does have a future, I guess it is what you make of it.

fiat-doctor

Wow!!  No wonder it looks like new... it IS NEW!

By my calculations, that's 218.2 miles per year!

Nice bike,
               Steve

QBS

#68
If you haven't already dealt with the standard V engine upgrades, I think it would be far better to be proactive and start fixin what you know will fail and do it on your schedule, not the bikes'.  If not already done, install an inline fuel filter at your earliest convenience.

gmac

QBS, already have the inline filter (for the last 5 years), although that one confuses me a little as the fuel valve has a fine screen in it. What engine upgrades are you suggesting, going to pull the cover in the next few days when we change the oil, check the starter clutch and balance shaft nuts. Anything I am missing?

fiat-doctor, yeah, didn't put a lot of miles on the bike although for the life of me I can't remember the first 6,000, guess that is what happens when you reach 50 years. Another interesting note at this point is my car in high school was a Fiat X1/9, black and gold like the Vision, still have it, need to get that running too.

QBS

gmac, starter clutch attachment needs to be upgraded ( Loc- Tightened, well peened attachment screws).  It's a one time, life time fix.  Replace the starter motor oil seal with a spring lip design seal.  A one time, life time fix.  Otherwise, you will get to basically rebuild your starter motor at 10k miles.  Hard wire the R/R-stator coil connection and move the R/R to a much cooler position.  The left side foot peg mounting plate is a good spot.  Doing these charging system modifications will prob extend the life of your factory stator, even so, it will probably need to be replaced and upgraded down the road.  These items are factory defects that every V has.  No one dodges these bullits.

You will probably want to install tapered roller bearings in the steering head around 20k miles.  POR15 treat your fuel tank asap to ensure a life time of non rusty fuel stored in a tank that will never have rusty leaky pin holes (or worse!) along its' bottom edges. Treating a pristine tank is cheap, easy, and it insures a life of peace and joy.

Use a long Allen wrench to tighten your 2 clamps that attach the Y-Pipe to the two rear head exhaust ports.  They will probably tighten with series of snaps that may sound like the bolt has broken off.  Fear not.  Doing this procedure will greatly extend the life of your the copper rings and silver discs that are the primary components of this connection, for which replacement parts may be hard to find.

All of these upgrades can be done for not much $ and will greatly decrease future headaches and associated repairs.  Since the oil seal and starter clutch reattachment upgrades require draining the engine oil, they should be done simultaneously at your next oil change.