Building an 82 with Upgrades

[Re-Vision]

Choosing the upgrades such as dual brake calipers are easy. Having never ridden an 83, I don't know which hand and foot placements are best (I don't plan on putting a stock fairing on this bike). Suggestions or recommendations are appreciated.      BDC

[QBS]

'83 ergos' are sport bike like but not extreme.  A little weight on the handle bars, foot pegs fairly directly under the tail bone, high enough for slighty less than a 90 degree knee bend.  '82 places less weight on the handle bars, foot pegs lower and further forward than an '83, creating about a 90 degree knee bend.  Since a stock fairing won't be fitted, wind protection may be limited, I would go with '83 handle bars.  The wind will help support your upper torso at speed and take some weight off your wrists.  IMHO Yamaha got the ergos' of the two bikes ass backwards.  The naked '82 would have been well served by '83 ergos and the wonderfully faired '83 would have been much more comfortable with '82 ergos.  The '83 fairing doesn't provide much wind support for the wrists.

[fret not]

"Best for whom"?  You well know about humans and their predilection toward disagreement on such things.  What suits YOU? ;)

[Re-Vision]

Thanks Q.   Fret, I likely will never ride a Vision again so I need to set it up for the average person. I have short legs and not many folks would be comfortable with my ergonomical setup.                BDC                                             

[supervision]

re-vision what is for bike of choice(your current ride other than the v/)

[Re-Vision]

Dave, I quit riding my 82 V over a year  ago and I drive my Kia Forte exclusively now. I'm trying to build up an 82 frame with most all of the upgrades. Then I have an 83 that I need to put back on the road. Then I intend to sell at least two of the bikes and spare parts from the other parts bikes. I'm shooting for one bike and an empty garage.    BDC

[fret not]

It's hard to beat a good running bike, no matter what upgrades or none.  I think we (humans) tend to think "stock" is just a starting place, and anything other than stock should be better.  Which is fallacious thinking in my opinion.  It probably is best to stay with stock features if you are looking to sell it.  In the vintage world bone stock is always a premium, and 'custom' is significantly less so unless it is a well crafted cafe racer or a replica of something well known like the Eddie Willbanks dirt tracker.  Stick with stock, it is much easier and probably has wider appeal. 

[The Prophet of Doom]

I don't know what the hippie style US82 bars are like to ride, but they sure look dorky.  The US model 82 is the only market that had the hippie bars, feet forward pegs, unicolour paint, retarded brakes and strangely low gearing.  They wouldn't have sold a single bike in this country with those bars.  Get rid of them

Noone will thank you for keeping it stock unless it's a museum - though avoid anything hotrod if you want to keep the value

[dingleberry]

I think of stock as a blank canvas for a bit of personalization, something to really call your own rather than what Mr Yamaha thinks we all should have. Whatever you do the new owner will likely change it in some way.  :)

[supervision]

  BDC, build the 82 and 83 stock, that way if you don't end up riding, it will be the easiest way to get them together, and running properly.

[Re-Vision]

I agree with what you are saying, my riding 82 is totally stock and that's why I'm building the other 82 with upgrades.     BDC

[supervision]

How many miles are on your original bike, and did you ride it to work, or pleasure.

[Re-Vision]

My original bike was the the very first one that my Yamaha dealer received. I rode it to work for years and then gave it to my oldest son. When I found this site back in 2009 I went and bought myself an 82 with under 7000 miles, it now has 7007 miles on it. I've picked up a total of ten and I consider eight of them parts bikes.     BDC

[The Prophet of Doom]

10 ! Wow
Just stick them in a container and send them to NZ, you would double the number of visions in the whole country

[fret not]

One thing about used vehicles is most folks seem to have more trust in a factory stock one than a modified one.  I know I feel that way, and the bike salesmen I used to work with said much the same, that it is easier to sell a stock bike than it is to sell a customized one.  There will be some exceptions, especially for very well designed and executed "personalized" bikes.  As said previously, a stock bike is a blank canvas, just ready for someone to "make his own".

[Rikugun]

I don't know what the hippie style US82 bars are like to ride, but they sure look dorky.  The US model 82 is the only market that had the hippie bars, feet forward pegs, unicolour paint, retarded brakes and strangely low gearing.  They wouldn't have sold a single bike in this country with those bars.  Get rid of them

Noone will thank you for keeping it stock unless it's a museum - though avoid anything hotrod if you want to keep the value

What the heck, I'll chime in...

I'd agree the US '82 bars do look odd but the riding position is remarkably comfortable. I modified mine with '83 bars/controls and I can't say it made it more comfortable. Sportier yes, more comfortable - not so much. Apparently the US market wants the watered down versions as higher bars and other features seem to make their way here. This isn't new as I've seen this with everything from 70's Kawasaki 2 stroke triples and European models as well. There are many "sporty" models offered outside the US that I'd like to see sold here but the powers that be don't feel sales would warrant the decision to import. The popularity of cruiser style bikes here apparently has not been missed by the marketing and sales types.

As far as stock vs. modified relative to resale value it depends (somewhat) on the model. Models that were or are inherently desirable are generally worth more in bone stock condition. Not many owners can refrain from modifying their bikes making bone stock examples worth even more. That's not to say once that bone stock beauty is purchased the new owner won't modify it though. Go figure! I guess they want to do their own hacking careful, tasteful modifications.  :)

[supervision]

I like 83 bars and stock pegs. I have arms, but to me it is also better because of less flex. I also Think the a good running bike, with sorted electrics, starter clutch, starter, 46mm torque act. is worth talking for salability.

[George R. Young]

On my '82, I retained the '82 bars and replaced the footpeg brackets, gearshift linkage, brake pedal and the rear shock with parts from an '83.

[Rikugun]

That sounds like a good compromise.

[dpequip]

I've got an '82 US Spec Vision and did the 83' foot peg / shift lever / rear brake pedal conversion a long time ago.  I like it much better and it gives additional cornering clearance on curvy roads  ;).  It still has the '82 spec US bars which I like.  I have a set of short '83 bars but have never bolted them up.  I also have installed the euro primary gear set with the lower reving euro gearing.  Best change I've made to the Vision.  Anybody who with a US spec machine who can get one of these gear sets will like this modification.  At this point I think used overseas parts are the only way to get this gear set as new parts are no longer available.  I ordered mine in 1984 when new parts were still available from Yamaha but they came on a slow boat from Japan to the US as they were non-US spec parts.  Other upgrades include an '83 shock which at this point is pretty worn out but better than the non-adjustable '82 unit.