Yamaha XS650 History 1970-1983

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Historian

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Hi guys, I have been working on this vid for awhile and I think I have everything except,
1981 XS650-H Special II in Indigo Blue, I have an old AD that shows a grainy pic of this bike but I have searched everywhere and can't come up with a picture. Also a 1982/83 Heritage special with cast wheels, did they make one? And a 1982/83 Heritage in New Ruby Red? Otherwise it's all there, anyone that can help with my missing bikes that would be great. I am building a U-tube site on classic motorcycles called MC MotoHistory so check it out. Thanks,Historian

( Or search MC Motohistory on you tube):thumbsup:

 
Nice video.

If it is any help look for the ID sticky in the Garage. If there is any info you have that is different i would be interested to know.
Here are a few things i think i know.

No 79F in your vid

79SF Black and Gold is an 80SG. Seat on the 80 was a one year/model only.

80SG New Yamaha Black is a 78/79 Special. Tail-light and seat indicate this.

80G Special II is an 81H Special II. 80G Special II was visually the same as the 78SE/79SF. Grab rail on an 81H was a Chrome bar, only year/Model to have this.

83SK Heritage Special 5V5 03****, is a Canadian Model with Mag wheels and the Mag rear wheel has a drum brake. I own one.

Check out The link to my ID album
 
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The US Heritage Special XS650SJ and XS650SK, '82 and '83, came with double laced spoke wheels only. Mine currently wears cast wheels like on the SH. I made the change myself.
 
Very nice work Thanks!

83 heritage special is a bit different than the 82 fewer items are painted black.
Yes, you need a good pic of the 79F (seat is slightly stepped) color is Cobalt Blue.
79F From skull's thread.
full
 
jetmechmarty, What is your Engine/Frame prefix, 5V4 10**** ?

My 83SK 5V5 03****
 

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Historian said:
Hi guys, I have been working on this vid for awhile and I think I have everything except,
1981 XS650-H Special II in Indigo Blue, I have an old AD that shows a grainy pic of this bike but I have searched everywhere and can't come up with a picture. Also a 1982/83 Heritage special with cast wheels, did they make one? And a 1982/83 Heritage in New Ruby Red? Otherwise it's all there, anyone that can help with my missing bikes that would be great. I am building a U-tube site on classic motorcycles called MC MotoHistory so check it out. Thanks,Historian

( Or search MC Motohistory on you tube):thumbsup:

Click to expand...

I think your project is an excellent idea and could prove quite useful but its essential that you thoroughly check the authenticity of the dating of each model in your video.

There is already enough confusion about this model range due to incorrectly annotated information and pictures on the net because people copy paste everything they read without checking first .

Eventually nobody knows what identification resources can be trusted.

I have to say that Skull's images are absolutely first rate . The pictures are taken side on with good lighting and every feature of each the models can be seen clearly so that owners can compare easily for identifying their model and parts.

Each of the bikes in Skull's resource has been carefully and thoroughly researched and is therefore a trustworthy source which unfortunately is more than can be said about yours.

your video could benefit from being shown at about half the current speed as there is insufficient time to register more than two features on each image before it starts fading. There is more time given to the fading that showing the images clearly and some of the images are frankly so poor and pixelated as to be useless.

Sorry if that seems harsh but if the jobs worth doing .....:wink2:
 
650Skull said:
jetmechmarty, What is your Engine/Frame prefix, 5V4 10**** ?

My 83SK 5V5 03****
Click to expand...

650Skull,

Mine is JY5. Although, if I pull it out where I can get a close look at it, it probably says 5V5. Are your lower sidecovers missing? Mine now also wears cast wheels. My brake hub is off an SH, so it's black.
 
jetmechmarty,

I bought mine in NZ and the rego papers there, used to have the previous owners names and the odometer reading from date of the registration, and the name and odometer reading every time a new owner was registered. The bike was a Canadian import brand new with 0 klm's on the bike.

81SH was the last Oceania, Australia/NZ XS650 model and they has points ignition with the Mag wheels and rear mag Drum. Later models imported were from Canada and i assume because they have kph like us instead of mph. Canadian speedo's went to 220kph with no mph reading on them

When i bought my 83 one of the bottom side-covers was already missing and the other went by the roadside some time later.

I'm still trying to verify if there was a US 82SJ and 83SK, The 82J/83K was the spoke models so again trying to clarify and verify the numbers to compare against the chart for my ID thread. Could you post the prefix and the first 3 serial numbers from your bike.
 
650Skull,

My '83 XS650SK-B was manufactured 08/82. The SN begins JYA5V4001DA...... There is no prefix stamped in the neck. Is it on the decal? I purchased the bike new in Florida 10/1983. The dealer also had a leftover '82 XS650SJ in the showroom. It had identical wire wheels, black fenders, signals, fork lowers, etc.
 
Thanks, Looking at the Chart and with the 5V4 001*** the bike is the 82J heritage Special. The dates sometimes do overlap between the start and finish of the year of the model and the 83 5V4 is supposed to start at 5V4-100101 and the 82 starts at 5V4-000101 and going by the numbers your bike would be 82J ?

Forgot you guys got the 17 digit numbers that hide the prefix no

On the Chart the US Have 82J-5V4 ****** 83K-5V4 ****** And the Canadians Have the 82SJ-5V5 and 83SK-5V5. I know the Canadian 83 has mag wheels but i haven t found out if the Canadian 82 had the mags

Just being anal about the J-SJ and K-SK. The earlier spoke wheel models used the single letter and Mag wheeled bike the double.

Thanks again.
 
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Interesting. My bike may be an SJ, but it is titled as an SK. It came dressed as an SK. All the trim is chrome as opposed to black. I purchased it new. I'll have to move the bike to where I have a clear view of the number and double check it.
 
Thanks I appriciate the input. This was a very difficult model to document, its easy until you get to the special 650 models. I really stuggled with them as so many years at first glance look just the same. So here is what I need. Question, Was the 1979F standard model imported to the US? If so I need to include it. I need to correct the 1979SF Black,1980 SG black, I still need a pic of the 1981 Special II in Indigo Blue,1982/83 Heritage Special in New Ruby Red. If anyone has good stock pics of any of these you can send them to my email @ mcmotohistory@gmail.com. Does anyone see any problems with the printed info below the video? As to the issue of the time between the shots, I always figured people would just pause the video for a long look, I try to keep the video length to under 5 min. but do other people think the shots should be longer between fades? I'd love to know. Thanks again for all the imput. Historian
 
It has taken years of research and lots of discussion on this forum and the old 650Rider to learn about the different models and differences between the models. Lots of color charts state that certain colors were imported to different countries but it is hard to confirm if those models colors actually were imported.

There is also the fact that the bikes are so old that to find an original colored bike is very difficult and because so many people have no idea about the different models they usually believe the PO who also has no idea.

Google search has lots of pics for colors but again you need to know the differences between models to be confident the bike colour is for that model stated.

Interested to know what color chart you used to determine what color/model

2m.10s for 3 model/year bike and 4m.12s for the XS/TX, 13 year run with 17 models and around 25 different colors.
 

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