XZ550 Lemon?

[simcha]

Hi all,
have you seen the lemons features in this months Classic Motorcycle Mechanics? Not sure if you get this magazine in the States? The feature gives the bike a right slagging. Amongst things that it says goes wrong with the bike are cam failures, cam chain failures, small end bearings, pistons. The list goes on an on. It makes great issue about vibration, liken it to dumper truck? I can honestly say that I think the Vision is very smooth, especially for a V twin. The feature concludes that its one of the worst bikes ever made! The editor of the article ( who is nameless ) even says that most Visions you see for sale are non runners and if you have a running one then to contact them!
My friend had in the same issue a feature published about his little Honda MB5 so he is in contact with the editor. I met the editor briefly when they were taking photographs of the Honda. Nothing was said at the time but he obviously remembers me and the Vision and has asked if I would be interested in a feature later in the year. Before I agree I would like others opinion on the feature, if only to put the record straight. Sure I agree that the Vision was not the best bike ever made, but one of the worst? Surely not. I am not sure where they got the information from on the bike but it does not sound correct to me.

[Lucky]

you should get all the XZ's you can together & take this bastard for a ride! someone tell the .DE site, those guys can get a group together!

[Night Vision]

maybe he got his list mixed up  ??? all those slags are for maladies I've haven't seen on this forum...

I agree... sic the Hessians on him  :o

[h2olawyer]

Sounds like he's just repeating the bad press from the mid 80s.  The bearing & piston troubles turned out to be the starter clutch.  Many Vs were scrapped for the sound & lazy mechanics not thoroughly investigating the sound.  We all know the starter & stator problems & how to fix them -- for the most part, anyway.

H₂O

[kiwibum]

go for it. Do the article from the view of how sorry you are so many people gave up on the bike when they thought it had blown up due to the knocking noise thinking it was cams/big end/piston etc. when it's such a simple thing to fix the starter clutch. I was talking to a friend about mine a while ago and he said "oh yeah, cool bike I had one of those but then the big end went on it and ended up giving it away". When I told him what it was and how easy it would have been to fix he was a little disappointed. The first XZ I got, the guy told me there was a problem with something broken in the cam chain tensioner, I fixed the starter clutch, rewound the stator and have been hooked on them since.

[louthepou]

The Vision didn't sell back in the early 80's not because it was a lemon. It was because Yamaha offered a product that didn't target an existing niche, because the price was too high, and because it was out before it was ready - the press fell on the carburation glitch like a ton of brick.

But non-Vision-loving folks can't understand  ;D

Lou

[Tiger]

 >:( Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...Sadly, this article is not available on line. However, the editor info' is...

Editor: Rod Gibson
Phone # 01507 529442
Fax: 01507 529495
e-mail: rgibson@mortons.co.uk

...I think this guy needs some feedback, (including picture's), from EVERYONE here at the ROV. Lets overflow his "in-box"...  ;).

                 8).......TIGER....... 8)                 

[YellowJacket!]

My response has been sent:

Mr. Rod Gibson
Editor, Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Magazine

Dear Mr. Gibson,
I am an off and on reader of your magazine, Classic Motorcycle Mechanics and had hoped that one day I would see a feature about my bike, the much maligned, Yamaha XZ550rj Vision.  Well, much to my surprise, one of my Riders of Vision club friends pointed out to me that in the latest issue there was an article about the Vision in the Lemons section of the magazine.
I must point out that many of the problems you point out are not true.  Yes, the Vision has some issues and failed as a result of that.  It was, however, way ahead of its time.  And at present, has quite a dedicated worldwide following.
As a magazine that caters to the restoration enthusiast, I am quite surprised that you did not research the following the bike has now and how many of us have restored, quite easily I might add, several hundred, if not more, of these bikes to exceptional running condition.
I could go on and on…and you may be receiving many more responses like mine, about how good a bike the Vision is and how fun it is to restore and ride.  I encourage you to check out some of these sites for yourself and see how much a following the Vision has and what a perfect article you could have about restoring and riding a bike that received so much negative press.
My site with lots of pics about my restoration:   http://xz550vision.spaces.live.com/
Lucky (the carb guru) www.xz550.com
Our Home: www.ridersofvision.net  - lots and lots of stories, projects and info.
The European site: http://www.xz550.de/
Sincerely,
David Arpino
Aka DaveTN â€" Knoxville, TN  USA

[smknjoe1964]

Thats Awesome Dave !  ;D YOU GO BOUY  8)  If it wasnt for the dedication you all have here I probably would have gave up on this bike ! Instead I now enjoy the Hell out of riding it ! And Ive got the old ladys Vision running now also ! I will send my Kind Regards to him also !!!

[Tiger]

 8) Superb Dave...Just what this guy needs. Keep sending them guy's... 8)

            8).......TIGER........ 8)

[kiwibum]

Another good reason for restoring them is the huge amount of variations possible and since they are so cheap you can have a bunch of them in different configurations. I just might build one like this to add to my stable after looking at the zx550.de gallery, after my adventure tourer build that is (which is 4th in line of projects/ideas for the XZ).

[Lucky]

Dear Mr. Gibson,



As i'm now your probably aware, your recent article in the "Lemons" section of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Magazine, concerning the Yamaha XZ550 was grossly inaccurate.  The bike simply never had issues with cam failures, cam chain failures, small end bearings, or pistons. They did have issues with carburetion, starter clutches, & charging. These issues have been easily resolved by current & former enthusiasts, & thanks to the internet, we have an informal 'international team' working on the charging issues.  I'd like to mention the charging issues are no different than those experienced by other model bikes, and certainly do not diminish the bikes over all appeal.



As far as the bike being "buzzy", well, to paraphrase Ford Motor co's slogan, "Have you riden a shaft drive lately?". Yamaha's engineers designed the engine as a 70 degree V-Twin, but thoughtfully included a balance shaft. Vibration with this bike is never brought up as a topic of discussion. It would get a 'huh? what? really?" response.



In addition, this bike while not rare, is unusual, & garners a lot of positive reaction anywhere we park. The bike was billed a a sport/tourer and is definitely sport oriented. I live in Tennessee, not far from the famed route 129 'Tail of the Dragon', & in close proximity to the Smokie mountains where twists & turns abound. I can tell you from personal experience, this bike is a blast to put thru her paces.



Lastly, this bike has one more thing that many other bikes have, which is a web presence. sure there are a lot of user groups out there for all sorts of bikes, but i challenge you to find a more friendly, informative or resourceful group than Ron Ghetti's Riders of Vision: www.ridersofvision.net.  The term 'flame war' is not in our vocabulary, in fact, most often we trade, rather than sell parts to each other for no more than actual shipping costs.



I could go on, but i believe i've made my point.  I do, however, challenge you do come to our Forum and get a factual representation of the bike. I can almost guarantee there will be a member in your area who would be glad to put a 'Vision' thru her paces for you, or, if your ever out my way, stop by, we can 'slay the dragon' together (I have two Visions, i can let you ride one)



Peter "Lucky" Byer

East Tennesee, USA

[simcha]

Have any of you seen the article? I cannot scan the article as its copyright and I do want the XZ to feature in the magazine!

[YellowJacket!]

If yo transcribe it ie, type it out, and give it proper credit, it should be ok.

David

[Paul@Sheffield]

I have read this article and nowhere does it say he actually owned one or even ridden one.
The last paragraph, on reading a second time, does come over as being overly negative towards the marque.
I didn't realize at first how strong it is. But then again I also own and run an MZTS250/1 and have got used to
negative comments.

[kiwibum]

I have read this article and nowhere does it say he actually owned one or even ridden one.

This reminds me of an article I heard on the radio the other day regarding plagiarism in the media and how rife it is, reporters directly copying whole stories and not attributing them to original writers etc. It would be worth mentioning to the editor the importance of his writers having direct experience and or attributing where they get their information form. Anyone can do a google and write a review on a bike from what everyone else slags them off about with out seeing or have owned one. And if this is the case for this particular article the copy right on the content is contentious to say the least.

[arfa vmax]

i have seen a sight on the wed where some guy did a write up on an xz he had owned and he said the cams were badly pitted,camchains were no good etc,maybe the editor just googled xz 550 and read the first thing he found.    simcha will get in touch and come see your v one day

[Tiger]

  >:( Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, i have just read this wee dicks article..."A serious flat spot allied to an agricultural transmission"..."Rusting steel and fur riddled alloy were the order of the day"..."Camshafts quickly pitted, valves burnt out PDQ, cam chains thrashed themselves into oblivion", etc, etc.....

I have a copy of this article, at the bottom of which, in sarcastic terms the editor wants people with RUNNINIG Visions to contact him... :o ;D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D So lets oblige him some more, eh!!!

Send me an E_MAIL if you would like a copy, you'll find my email address under my profile...

               8).......TIGER....... 8)

[tben]

While this is certainly a "high maintenance" bike I find from what I have read here and my own experience that most of what this article states is untrue.
Also, while this was written on the other side of the pond aren't words like "militate" more suitable for literary journals than classic bike magazines. And can anyone enlighten me to the meaning of this sentence

"...anything other than OEM pipes and mufflers was virtually guaranteed to completely banjax any form of motive power vaguely approaching normal running."

This editor sounds like someone who prefers bolt on bike mods to actual work and craftsmanship. By this article is seems he would rather complain about old bikes using a lot of fancy words and run-on sentences than actually work on them and enjoy them for what they are; a labor of love.

well, thats my .02

[Tiger]

 :) Remember..."The pen is mightier than the sword" ... and I bet the editor can pass a pen from one ear right through to the other ear... ::) ;D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D