Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.

J

J.A.W.

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Jun 6, 2012
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Funny that Yamaha`s 1st big 4T was their version of a 650 BSA [same bore x stroke], then they went to a mechanical monstrosity, the TX 750 to create a Commando imposter, a TX 500 would be Triumph Daytona [also unreliable], A BSA B50 copy [oil in frame, even] XT/TT/SR 500 single, a Trident copy, the fat [also unreliable] XS 750 triple, & even a wannabe Vincent, the XV 1000...was the XS1100 inspired by the Quadrant?
 
Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


They should have stuck to pianos .

Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.
 
Yamahahahaha sure sold a lot of those XS1's and XS2's.
And the XT500/SR500's, AND the XS11, AND the FJ1100 AND the FZRs. Etc Etc.
And that thing of Lorenzos sure is quick......

I can recall a (former) Norton enthusiast with one of those orange XS2's, decades ago - said "come and look at this" and started it on the button, standing beside it, without touching anything. That was the way of the future back then, and the future is now....

Imagine where the brit bike industry would be if they'd seriously attacked the same market. Making electric start Triumphs, probably. ?
Come to think of it, you can buy electric start Triumphs today.
Hmmmmmm !!! = Brits imitating the eastern bikes ?!!?
 
Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


Indian produced very advanced motorcycles in the early days, with rear suspension and full electric lighting, including an electric starter .


1914 . 7 hp Twin, 3speed tank shift, twin 6 volt batteries $325 new. First electric start motorcycle

Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.
 
Yes, and if you'd read your Indian history, you'll know that the 1914 "Hendee Special" (electric start only ) was a dismal failure - the batteries of the era just weren't up to it, and quickly gave up the ghost. These days, those tric start models are rare as hens teeth (almost). To fit the kick start, the electric bit had to be taken off, and the kickstart bits (pedals, sorta) substituted.

What is odd about the bike in Matts pic, apart from its blue !! when Indians were mostly red, is that the tank says Toronto Canada (which had a full Indian assembly plant). Everyone knows that Nortons were made in Brum, and Indians were made in Springfield....
 
P.S. In 1914, Indian produced over 30,000 motorcycles - more than the entire british industry ? Even allowing for the war at the end of 1914.
So they could afford to experiment with electric starters....
 
Yamaha has had a VERY successful history, with many really nice bikes. I've never owned a Yamaha I didn't like, although I've only owned a dozen or so over the years. Perhaps my favorite was the 82 Seca 650 shaftie - smooth as silk, and every bit as refined; one heck of an out-of-the-box cafe racer (M bars, rear-ish-set pegs, from the factory)
 
Interesting you mention those stylish early `80s sports Yamahas, Bob Trigg & the NVT mob had a fair bit to do with them , including that riding position, my point was, why all the duds along the way?
 
I'm with Grandpaul.
Imitation is the greatest form of praise.
My SR500, after I dumped the wagon wheels, was one of the best handling motorcycles I ever rode.
Then, I used up several RD350s, in its day a great machine.
 
I am a fan of their 2Ts, still have an RZ 350 as my commuter hack, one of many 350 twins over the years, & their racing heritage is good too.
 
ELICTIC STARTERS ! :shock: Whatever Next . The thing with these new automobiles is theres nowhere to put the crank handle .
In Fact , they dont even supply a starter crank .
I think this is pushing cost cutting , A bit to far .
 
I`ve never owned a bike that had [or needed] an electric leg, now if you can start work on that Commando Coffman starter Matt, that should be a spectacle..
 
Ah yes, the omni-phased crankshaft destroyer. Smooth as glass until you used the upper rpm range too often. Don't want to bad mouth anybody's pride and joy here - it's just that I put some hard earned money into buying one for tidy up/resale and ......
 
J.A.W. said:
Funny that Yamaha`s 1st big 4T was their version of a 650 BSA [same bore x stroke], then they went to a mechanical monstrosity, the TX 750 to create a Commando imposter, a TX 500 would be Triumph Daytona [also unreliable], A BSA B50 copy [oil in frame, even] XT/TT/SR 500 single, a Trident copy, the fat [also unreliable] XS 750 triple, & even a wannabe Vincent, the XV 1000...was the XS1100 inspired by the Quadrant?
Click to expand...
Actually, Yamaha's 650 twin was originally patterned after a 50s era German design. The 500 cc Horex ohc twin was copied by a Japanese firm named Hosk which was later aquired by the Showa company. Showa later became part of Yamaha, the engine design was part of the assets they aquired when they bought the company. I've owned three 650 Yamahas and one 650 BSA, I hate say this, but all three Yamahas were superior to the BSA in nearly every way.
 
The Yamaha XS 650 has the same bore x stroke dimensions as the A65 unit BSA, & true, the BSA did have some bottom end issues but chassis-wise was far superior to the Yam.
Yamaha even employed Triumph development test-rider/racer Percy Tait to try & improve their 650, but it was a bit of a band-aid/lash-up & didn`t do much good.
Like-wise for flattrack racing, Kenny Roberts had to resort to racing a TZ 750 miler as the 4T twin was a bit of a slug.
 
Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


Don Castro, on the #11 Team Yamaha XS650-based flat tracker at Terre Haute August of '74

Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


Roberts , Yam 750 .

Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


Yamaha`s Strange Brit-bike fetish.


1973 , After Bert Munroe sawed all the knobs of the knoblies .
 
Good pix Matt, the TZ 750 appears to be racing on the dirt with roadracing wet-weather tyres.
 
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