XZ550 Australian review, 2015

[pinholenz]

Thought this may interest some folk

http://www.mcnews.com.au/yamaha-xz550/

The fairing on the black bike featured is quite unlike any I have seen. Any clues as to what its heritage is?

[QBS]

Factory, '83 fairing.  An outstanding sport touring fairing. Fairly sympathetic article.  No mention made of the highly desirable shaft drive which , for me, offsets the higher price.  Think of the '82 as a naked sport touring bike, and the '83 as a factory sport touring bike very much in the same vein as the BMW R100rs.

[Single Carb Vision]

I agree, looks pretty stock to me except the two tone Black and Grey and the red stripe. That wasn't stock for USA 83 but the shape/design looks right. The shaft drive and the possibility of warm air on your legs through the ducting on the lower faring, when it was cold out were the reason I purchased one. Midnight commutes to S.F. in the fog could be pretty cool but legs always stayed warm and dry with just Levis.

[pinholenz]

Interesting, from the lighting and angle of the photograph it looked to me as if the lower fairing hugged around the motor and that the riders legs were on the outside of the fairing when riding.

Also, I notice that the seat has a grab strap. Was this fitted to all the 83 models? I had only associated the grab strap with the XZ400's

[Single Carb Vision]

I also had trouble trying to figure out the prospective angle that the picture was taken from. You are correct that USA 83 three models did not have a grab strap. I had one put on my bike when I had the seat re upholstered.

[Single Carb Vision]

I just noticed that the ROV home page shows a Vision with a seat strap.

[Single Carb Vision]

Re upholstered seat with strap.

[Single Carb Vision]

Seat, Grab Strap