Unhappy Vision owner...

[Brian_Matthewson]

I just received my April issue of "Cycle Canada" in the mail. They have a column every month in which a reader can relate a motorcycle experience, positive or negative. This uninformed guy really sounds off on the Vision.

Here's the article:

JEFF SCOTT, SEVEN PERSONS, ALBERTA

Caveat Emptor

On my way to the counter of an Edmonton motorcycle shop to sign up for a Suzuki demo ride, I was stopped by two people who commented on my AGV helmet. When they said it was vintage I told them it was my new one, and that if I were smart, I'd buy a newer one—but I don't buy new things very often. I purchased my first bike when I was 12, had three by the time I was 14, and have had up to 20 at one time. But the only brand new bike I purchased was a Yamaha XZ550 Vision. The experience taught me important lessons.

My Vision came to me in 1982.1 believed every magazine article I had read about the machine, all of which declared it to be the finest, most technologically advanced motorcycle in the world. Double overhead camshafts,
four valves per cylinder, water cooling, shaft drive, electronic ignition, engine counter-balancer. It didn't even have a kick starter.

Before my Vision, the majority of my bikes were English: Triumphs, Nortons, and BSAs. By 19821 had owned a half dozen of England's finest, replete with oil leaks, numbing vibration, and short engine life. How good they looked, and how good they sounded when they ran. Even today I am amazed at how awful British bikes were. They tormented by running perfectly. Once. Then you spent the rest of your life trying to get them to repeat the experience.

I bought my Vision for $3,700.1 had the choice of black or silver. It was ugly in both colours. Ugly and expensive. I told myself that it was the future of motorcycling. At least it looked better than Honda's CX500. Cycle World
described the Vision as a sports tourer. That's just what I wanted to be: a sporty guy who tours around.

I picked up my new bike and rode home. What a disappointment. Buyer's remorse was instant. The advertising had said it was a torque monster. Compared to my neighbour's RD200, maybe, but otherwise, no.
Then I convinced myself that it would be fine once it was broken in. But it wasn't.

After an extremely careful breaking-in period, the bike was still slow and it was exceptionally thirsty. It took three tanks of gas to go 180 miles. That was at 100 miles-per-hour, but still, fuel consumption was deplorable.

This kind of behaviour was only supposed to happen to English bikes, not to those that came from the country that produced the finest motorcycles in the world. I was horrified and baffled. The Vision didn't have points and it
certainly didn't have Amal carburetors. What was wrong? I returned it to the dealer, where it spent the rest of the riding season. It was broken-in and broken-down, and I was broken-hearted and just plain broke.

All was not lost, however. I still had a couple of English bikes back home. That summer they ran better than any other bike in the neighbourhood. Every week, I would ride to the shop to see how the work on my Vision was
progressing. It was pushed to the back of the shop because no one could fix it.

Then the upgrade notices from Yamaha started to come out. Apparently there were carburetor problems. By the time the dealer repaired the bike and returned it to me, I had lost all interest in it. I spent the rest of the
time I owned the Vision trying to sell it. But no one wanted it. The next year, Yamaha added new colours, a fairing, and dropped the price. I sold it for $1,000 and was lucky to get that.

In time, funny things happen. Now there is an owners' club for the Vision. They call themselves "men of Vision." I was going to send them a list of places where they could have their vision checked, but I didn't think they'd find it
funny. For me, the Yamaha Vision will forever remain the bike that taught me the cold hard facts of life: just because it's new doesn't mean it won't break, and don't believe everything you read. There is no such thing as a perfect
motorcycle. They exist only in your dreams. Clean your glasses and watch your money. «

First Person is dedicated to readers of Cycle Canada. Tell us about a motorcycle trip, tale, or experience that you wont soon forget.

CYCLE CANADA, APRIL 2011

[kev10104]

Kinda like a punch to the stomach.Usually I'll give one back lol.

[Lucky]

I suggest we find an online "wall" where we can each submit a line or two (max) about what we love about this bike & what it means to us, with our names next to it, then the ROV address @ the top & bottom.  select someone to copy & paste this wall & send it to them...

--Or--

lets have a couple of good letter writers post to this thread, we vote on the best one & send it in.  any of us may affix our signature to it as well.  include a link to the ROV..

At least correct the artical:  Men of Vision indeed.. we are RIDERS!!

--Lucky

[iain]

Why don't we find him and cut his balls off..
Iain
NZ

[don_vanecek]

I feel sorry for the guy that he had a bad experiance, geez, I'll bet every car or bike ever made has some duds that for some reason just weren't made right. Fuel consumption at 100 miles per hour, yeah, it's not going to be real great at those speeds, it almost sounds like he beat the piss out it.

Well sorry for you buddy, while true, I have had the usual Vision problems, it's still the finist mid size sport touring bike around. Now did you read that, "MID SIZE" it may touch a 100 but I would expect it to blow up trying that kind of speed for any long distance, it still just great mid size, do everything standard bike. Sounds like he also had a worthless dealer.

What a bummer the mag felt they had to publish that, HEY, maybe Vision prices will go down for Tiger and he can get more to fix up!     

[Night Vision]

I really don't know what my mileage is at 100 mph because I never ran out one tank, let alone three at that speed....
but 15 mpg sounds a bit low to me.

he's trolling eh?

[Tiger]

 >:( Grrrrrrrrrr...Dick head!!!!!!!

Me thinks me gonna have to get a copy of this mag' and right this wrong :police:

            8) .......TIGER....... 8)

[Re-Vision]

Anyone know what the Canadian dollar was worth in U.S. bucks back in eighty-two. Mine was twenty-six something American and I was curious if the dealer screwed him and made him mad. Anyone having instant buyers remorse, complaining about gas mileage when running a hundred miles an hour has other problems besides the motorcycle. I typically ran eighty miles an hour on the highway and got thirty-six miles per gallon. I too had problems such as an exhaust leak, stator failure and dealer difficulties but I believe this story is about some kid learning the cold hard facts of the business world and blaming his naivety and ignorance on Yamaha rather than admitting to his own stupidity. Judging from this article I would guess he hasn't bought a new bike since eighty-two and still trying to get back at the folks that took his money.    BDC

[Rikugun]

OK, we're all loyal Riders of Vision and not particularly pleased with the article's very confused and disturbed author, but HOLY SNIKEYS!!!

Why don't we find him and cut his balls off..

A little extreme, eh Ian!? How about a little coffee with your malice?  :o  :laugh:  :laugh:

[Hartless]

well.... people are stupid. what are ya gonna do....

[kev10104]

I kinda liked the idea of cutting his balls off.

[vadasz1]

I kinda liked the idea of cutting his balls off.

And should be hung from the wind screen like fuzzy dice in a car.....  ;)

[YellowJacket!]

meh...I think he's a bit fickle.  May have already had his ball cut off too.  20+ bikes and he still can't find the perfect one?  Maybe he should have given the Vision more of a chance...he might still be riding it.   :D

David

[VFan]

Based on his comments about power and gas mileage, I wonder if the dealer tuned the carburetor properly.

In terms of styling, I think the RJ/RZ design forces a "love it" or "hate it" reaction. For me the unique styling had a strong appeal, but I remember that none of my friends were particularly impressed. And oddly enough, I wasn't particularly impressed by the GPz550.

To each their own, but I have a strong bias toward mono-shocks and you'll never see me at the RJ lubing or adjusting a chain.  

Kent

[Re-Vision]

Think you may be right about riders loving or hating it. I had friends calling mine a "Space Age Watermelon". But what do they know.    BDC

[VFan]

Think you may be right about riders loving or hating it. I had friends calling mine a "Space Age Watermelon". But what do they know.    BDC

LOL  ;D

[The Prophet of Doom]

It took his dealer a year to tune a bike, and he blames the bike !!!

[Brian_Matthewson]

Re-Vision...
I think that's the guy. Seven Persons, Alberta has a population of about 250 so there can't be many Jeff Scott's there.

I'm not encouraging harassment, but his phone number is 403-832-2020 and he's at scottvcy@telusplanet.net

[kev10104]

In all reality he has a right to his opinion it just happens he is wrong and just does not know it.Ignorance is rampant in the world as he has shown us.Pray for him.

[AdvRich]

Think you may be right about riders loving or hating it. I had friends calling mine a "Space Age Watermelon". But what do they know.    BDC

LOL  ;D

+1 Sorry Re-V, but "Space Age Watermelon" is pretty funny.;D  Nothing like a V though, those that it bites and live know what they like... or at least what they can afford. ;)