Yamaha Vision--what design feature/flaw frustrates you the most?

[pullshocks]

In 6 years of Vision ownership, I have had many "what on earth were they thinking?" moments but I would have to vote for the impossible- to-seal connection between the rear y-pipe and the 2 exhaust stubbies.

Let's hear your "favorites."

[Rikugun]

I only had to remove the exhaust once for a weld repair and it was challenging to reassemble but my biggest gripe is fueling. Even at their best, these carbs leave much to be desired relative to other Japanese bikes. I suppose it's part of the Vision "charm" so I've begrudgingly come to accept it.

Second is excessive stator heat.

Third is lack of bushings on the fork stanchions.

Fourth is I really, really wish they'd offered a 750cc.  With triple disks. And a fuel gage.  :)

[George R. Young]

Stator heat has already been mentioned, so how about the seal between the motor and the starter that allows engine oil to flood and lubricate said starter, greatly slowing down said starter, until you disassemble said starter.

At which time you find a 10 cent oil seal, and replace it with a 15 cent oil seal with a spring, and roundly curse Yamaha's approach to saving money and weight.

Outside of these flaws, it was a pretty good bike, shaft drive, comfortable, roomy with smooth power. I would have liked a sixth gear, cars are ok with 5 speeds but bikes need 6.

[QBS]

I don't think the starter motor oil issue is the result of a cost saving attempt.  I think human error specified a standard starter and either didn't know it operated under oil or didn't have enough snap think that it would leak under oil.  In all fairness, probably very few Japanese bikes are designed in such a way that their starters operate under oil.  That said, I don't feel that the operating under oil design is a design fault.  Obviously it can be accommodated, we all know how to do that.

The stator issue is another story altogether.  The dissimilar metals used in the R/R to stator plug connector is completely unacceptable and just plain stupid.  An over driven 5th gear or a 6th gear is needed.  The carbs absolutely should have been fully sorted before the bike hit the market.  No fuel filter is unacceptable.  Definitely cost cutting.  I don't care if nobody else provides one either.  No excuse.  Same for quality of rear '82 shock.  No excuse.

[Rick G]

The 6th gear everyone thinks they need  is really not adviseable , at least on the  European /Asian models , which have a higher geared  primary . By the time you hit  a grade in to ahead wind  the standard gearing is fine. Mine has the "euro gears " and would not pull anything higher , under adverse conditions.
What they should have done is install the Sr500 primary drive in all models . (euro gears)
My VX  has the same sensation . at times it  feels like it needs higher gearing . I installed a 130 90 17 rear tyre , which did gear it up. but affected handling adversely. (stock is a 150 70 176)  I ended up installing  a 130 70 17 . The bike actually goes faster  with that and handles much better.  A torquey twin doesn't need a 6 speed , but a buzzy four will.
The shock and the seal are shit,  But these bikes were built to a price.

[skaalster]

Have to agree with Pullshocks take on the exhaust....I have tried and tried and tried to get this very tedious job done using every conceivable combination of NOS and aftermarket parts....she always sounds fine for the first couple rides and then that annoying "pinging" sounds starts...such a shame because when she is all sealed up she sounds sooo sweet...just love that exhaust note..probably my favourite thing about these bikes!! all the other gripes are deserved but none are as frustrating as the exhaust and the time it takes to disassemble/reconnect.
I'm thinking next time I will use an over abundance of muffler cement and just heat/cure it in place using a propane torch..I think the exhaust forces blow out all the sealant before it can set...

[Rick G]

I never had that much trouble sealing a stock exhaust . But i dislike the weight   and the cheesy sound . MAC's are much easier to install and you can tell that the engine is running!!

[don_vanecek]

hummm.....gas tank rust, the carb problems, don't forget that stupid vacuum fuel pet cock and being an original owner, a really short warranty time AND basically no factory support to solve the bikes problems, we've had to figure em out ourself's!  Hey, tell me if you have ever seen in the original paper ROV or on the new forum where a Yamaha factory person ever offered a solution.     

Yes, I also keep finding myself searching for another gear, I am not so sure a person would want to run these bikes at 7000rpm plus for miles on end but I've gone many miles 6500-6800, these motors seem to be in  sweet spot at those RPM's. 

[Rick G]

Gas tank rust is common to all bikes that have been allowed to sit around (old cars too!  My VX is a 90  , and has a manual petcock . The 91 through 92 models have a vacuum petcock , with NO PRI position . if you run it out of gas,you crank until the battery goes dead or it starts , which ever comes first.

People love to throw rocks at the vision , but its problems are no worse than many other bikes . There all built to a price ! One that pisses me off is  BMW  (HD too) there not built to a price  and still have loads of problems as well as expensive parts .

[Rikugun]

People love to throw rocks at the vision

Sometimes rock throwing is called for. Just sayin'.  ;)

[pullshocks]

On the other hand.......
When you have persevered through the frustrations, riding sure is sweet.  I took a  130 mile ride today.  Good times.

[QBS]

Skaalster,  if your silver discs have even the slightest signs of flame cutting they are toast and will inevitably leak.  They must be perfectly smooth.  They can be used, tarnished, or discolored and still function as new, if they are not flame cut.  The slightest sign of flame cutting kills them.

[skaalster]

QBS..Thanks for the advice...I'm using NOS parts with exception of the stubby connectors to the block...those rings are dis-coloured somewhat but no flame cutting. I've read before about that problem and still have the slight exhaust leak....no a bad one just enough to be annoying. More than likely it's my fault in how I'm connecting/sealing it.

@ Rick G....Cheesy exhaust sound?! Oh my..cant say I've heard that way of describing a Vision exhaust..if anything everyone loves loves loves the stock sound,  V-TWIN, 4 valves into dual pipes can't be anything else but Fab :-) Maybe the MAC exhaust sounds better...but it sure does not look better. (in my humble opinion)

Gripes and all, totally love this motorcycle, (thats why I have 3?!) warts and all...just look at all the fans of this great pioneering bike, can't say I know of an older bike with such a huge loyal following. ROV rocks!!

[Rick G]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!  The stock Vision exhaust is no beauty . You should see the SS preditor from England !  Still it was/ is over 600.00 and the MAC's are 250.00. Do I wish the MAC's were chrome ? sure. , but even in black there a  step up from stock!

[Rikugun]

I'm using NOS parts with exception of the stubby connectors to the block...those rings are dis-coloured somewhat but no flame cutting. I've read before about that problem and still have the slight exhaust leak....no a bad one just enough to be annoying. More than likely it's my fault in how I'm connecting/sealing it.

I'd suggest looking to the fit of the copper Y pipe gaskets. The Y pipe can't just rest against them, they have to fit onto the ends few mm and be a light press fit rather than slip or loose fit. If it is leaking here and allowed to continue, the ring stoppers may eventually be eroded by exhaust gases.

[motoracer8]

Rikugun, I wanted to reply earlier. You can replace the upper fork bushings in Vision forks.

If you look closely you'll see a thin circular bushing that looks like a one piece rod bearing. They can be a pain to remove but are replaceable. Yamaha doesn't offer them but are available from some bearing supplies.

Most of the wear I've seen on Japanese damper rod forks is to the lower inner fork tube, the chrome is thin and people don't change the fork oil often.

[Rikugun]

Rikugun, I wanted to reply earlier. You can replace the upper fork bushings in Vision forks.

If you look closely you'll see a thin circular bushing that looks like a one piece rod bearing. They can be a pain to remove but are replaceable. Yamaha doesn't offer them but are available from some bearing supplies.

Most of the wear I've seen on Japanese damper rod forks is to the lower inner fork tube, the chrome is thin and people don't change the fork oil often.

Thanks for the reply but I mentioned no bushing on the stanchion - I'm aware of the lower leg bushing.  ;)

Many Japanese street bikes by this time had 2 (not 1 like in the Vision) bushings. The second keeps the lower end of the stanchion from wobbling in the leg and accelerating the wear you noted. The "clacking" noise associated with V front ends under certain riding conditions is often attributed to a lack of the second bushing.  :(

[The Prophet of Doom]

If you look closely you'll see a thin circular bushing that looks like a one piece rod bearing. They can be a pain to remove but are replaceable. Yamaha doesn't offer them but are available from some bearing supplies.

Really?
How the hell do you do that?

[Rikugun]

How the hell do you do that?

I'm fairly certain it would get destroyed in the process. I'm not sure it's really meant to be replaced or there would be a part number for it. Personally I wouldn't tackle the job unless I had a new one in my hand that was guaranteed to fit. The ones that are meant to be replaced are split and can be easily removed from the stanchion and leg. Just my 2 cents.

My gripe still stands - Yamaha cut some costs with the forks on this bike.  :(

[fret not]

I think the "clacking" in front forks is often the fork spring slapping against the inner wall of the fork stanchion (fork tube).  Even with wear there is precious little space to allow the slider and stanchion to impact sufficiently to make a clack.