hi

[cooltouch]

I dunno exactly when Yamaha went to the 85mph speedo. Both my 80 and 81 have it. Part of the whole 55mph bs thing. The most useful speedo they made, I feel, is the one that came on the late 70s bikes that read to 120mph.

XSLeo, why do you think the fenders aren't stock? The Special IIs had painted fenders, and the shapes look about right to me.

 

[Zach]

I bought an 83 Heritage Special in March for $600 with 17k miles in Illinois. The bike is in very good condition and ran well. I had to put a new battery in and new clutch friction plates, but other than that it was running with no problems, no smoking when started. The bike wasn't missing anything when i purchased it, the po kept everything stock. I would say the $1500 is pricey for something that isn't even running.

 

[XSLeo]

My 82 has chrome fenders, Maybe mine was wrecked. It also has the mag wheels, Maybe some one swapped the parts around on mine.
I think they went to the 85 mph speedo in late 78 or 79. I have a gauge cluster from a 79, it has the 85 mph speedo. I say maybe 78 because they made changes in mid 78. This may have been one.

 

[Sundie]

I would say the $1500 is pricey for something that isn't even running.

+1. You're essentially guaranteed the title, and that's it. Tell him to get it running, and you'll pay the $1500. Otherwise, $500, which is reasonable for a clean title complete but not running bike.

 

[cooltouch]

My 82 has chrome fenders, Maybe mine was wrecked. It also has the mag wheels, Maybe some one swapped the parts around on mine.
I think they went to the 85 mph speedo in late 78 or 79. I have a gauge cluster from a 79, it has the 85 mph speedo. I say maybe 78 because they made changes in mid 78. This may have been one.

My '81 SH has cast wheels and chrome fenders too. Chrome headlight bucket and instrument pods as well. From what I understand, the Special IIs didn't have this same chrome treatment, and also had the spoked wheels.

I have one of the 120mph speedos that supposedly came off a '78. Bought it off eBay, so . . .

I've been wondering if maybe the standards had the higher readout speedos in 78 and 79, and the Specials got the 85mph ones. I reckon that by 1980, since they were all Specials then, they all had the 85mph ones.

 

[dpawl31]

My 81 cost me $180, and the guy had it running (had to jump it) at his house.

Granted, I did just find out my cam chain guide is toast, but, $29 part and a weekend out of my life.

That bike seems like it's had some work done, I'd say if he gets it running slap $750 on him, non running check compression and pull the side oil filter out (to look for plastic that I found in mine! hah) and if the compressions good and the filter looks decent, probably $500 would be good. Also check the wiring! If it looks hacked ANYWHERE, drop another $200! lol. I have dealt with some seriously hacked wiring, like hardwired instead of fused, ugh. Not fun.

 

[gggGary]

Yep by 81 they all read 85, Guys pay big bucks for the early KZ1300 speedos that go to 140MPH On what changed when; it seems typical that Yamaha emptied the parts bin before changing over so frame number of change over of an individual component may be hard to figure out. I would guess the 80 81 82? SpecialIIs were especially prone to "what ever we got" parts use.

 

[Sundie]

Yep by 81 they all read 85

Not up here in the great white north. We kept our 220kph/140mph all the way through.

 

[cooltouch]

That's cuz you guys didn't have the looney double nickel speed limit mandate.

 

[Sundie]

Yeah, we stuck with a nice round "100". You guys shoulda done the same.

edit: (not entirely true, actually. it's 120/140 in places out in the prairies)

 

[gggGary]

OK it was just us "in the land of the free" But AFAIK the Canucklian speedos have the KPH on the outer band with the MPH on the inner band. Are those imperial miles?

 

[markw]

What's up with the black engine cases? That's a red flag to me.

 

[gggGary]

What's up with the black engine cases? That's a red flag to me.

Standard (correct) on the heritage specials.

 

[Sundie]

OK it was just us "in the land of the free" But AFAIK the Canucklian speedos have the KPH on the outer band with the MPH on the inner band. Are those imperial miles?

Miles are miles are miles, as far as i know. They're for sure "US" miles.

 

[cooltouch]

Imperial mile = US mile, at least nowadays. Wikipedia actually has an interesting article on the subject:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mile

Now, Imperial gallons and US gallons -- that's a whole different ball game and can be the cause of confusion when quoting figures such as "miles per gallon," depending upon where the quoting comes from.

Fortunately our speedos aren't calibrated in gallons.