What is Indigo Blue really

M

Mhkmark

XS650 Member
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Monroe, Maine
It's been bugging me for some time so while it may be a stupid question here goes nothin... I just bought a 1981 Special II that is Maroon in color. Most of the specs I find show the original choices were Indigo Blue or New Ruby Red. I've seen others this color and not questioned it until now. I am interested in doing a full restore, this bike is in really good shape and is a great candidate, so what do I do about the paint? It's not a Heritage and I'm leaning towards the red, that might be a challenge to match however. So is Indigo actually a purplish?
 
Mhkmark said:
It's been bugging me for some time so while it may be a stupid question here goes nothin... I just bought a 1981 Special II that is Maroon in color. Most of the specs I find show the original choices were Indigo Blue or New Ruby Red. I've seen others this color and not questioned it until now. I am interested in doing a full restore, this bike is in really good shape and is a great candidate, so what do I do about the paint? It's not a Heritage and I'm leaning towards the red, that might be a challenge to match however. So is Indigo actually a purplish?
Click to expand...

Indigo is the color in that sits between blue and violet in the rainbow.
Unwashed blue jeans are actually indigo, or at least they used to be.
Surely a much cooler color than maroon, in my opinion!
 
Last edited:
Cant guarantee this is an original indigo blue but has to be close.
 

Attachments

  • IMG1443-S.jpg
    IMG1443-S.jpg
    39.6 KB · Views: 615
In case you opt for the red, unless your painter can get the color code off a car warn him that you don't want it a lipstick color. That might sound funny, but I saw a picture of a bike that was in the NRR range of colors but for some reason looked like a lipstick color. Not good...
 
Mhkmark said:
It's been bugging me for some time so while it may be a stupid question here goes nothin... I just bought a 1981 Special II that is Maroon in color. Most of the specs I find show the original choices were Indigo Blue or New Ruby Red. I've seen others this color and not questioned it until now. I am interested in doing a full restore, this bike is in really good shape and is a great candidate, so what do I do about the paint? It's not a Heritage and I'm leaning towards the red, that might be a challenge to match however. So is Indigo actually a purplish?
Click to expand...


Thanks everybody, getting clearer, bear with me a bit more...

So is there a name or was there a name for the maroon color that shows up on many of the 79-81 650's? Thanks for the clarification on the Indigo from everyone, I have seen that and have a grasp of what it is. Going back to some of the original paint charts;

http://davesbikes.weebly.com/uploads/4/8/4/5/4845046/yamaha_model_codes.pdf

For a XS650G by my serial number it was either an Indigo Blue or New Ruby Red, thinking about saying to hell with it and flipping a coin and spending a long Maine winter creating a Midnight Special or an off the wall Candy Apply Red creation like my dad's circa '66 Norton.... Still the question is on the table what did Yamaha call this particular 79-81 maroon seen on quite a few XS's, curiosity killed the cat and I'm late for work?:eek:
 
Mhkmark said:
For a XS650G by my serial number it was either an Indigo Blue or New Ruby Red, thinking about saying to hell with it and flipping a coin and spending a long Maine winter creating a Midnight Special or an off the wall Candy Apply Red
Click to expand...

Your '81 is an H, not a G, if that's factoring in. Actually an SH.

Your candy apple red, I don't think it works on this bike at all. Don't know why but it just doesn't get it on a Special, from pictures I've seen. I'm going with NRR again or possibly silver or black.

Just noticed you called it an '81 Special II. Not sure there is such a thing! If it is then its H, not SH. There is an '80 Special II which would be G.
 
Mhkmark said:
Bingo, I saw that YouTube flic before, should have referenced it, about the only thing I notice was the optional crash bars. But yes identical 1981 XS650 Special II SAME color! what would you call it?
Click to expand...
Looking closer at that thumbnail kind of puts this to rest "New Ruby Red" is just much darker than my imagination would have led me to believe. Funny way to say "MAROON" if you ask me, thanks for everyones help.
 
Last edited:
xjwmx said:
Your '81 is an H, not a G, if that's factoring in. Actually an SH.

Your candy apple red, I don't think it works on this bike at all. Don't know why but it just doesn't get it on a Special, from pictures I've seen. I'm going with NRR again or possibly silver or black.

Just noticed you called it an '81 Special II. Not sure there is such a thing! If it is then its H, not SH. There is an '80 Special II which would be G.
Click to expand...
Typo meant H, thanks, the candy apple red was from staying up to late....but I did confirm by s/n it is an "H",1981, and indeed a SpecialII, thanks for keeping me Honest

By the way 650SKULL attached a YouTube video of the exact bike on another link if you're interested, thanks.
 
Maybe this will help.

The first pic is in sunlight the second in the shade of a tree

The 77DE Cover, with 650 on it is Maxi Maroon.

The other one, A 78SE, is Vintage Burgundy.

I would have to say the 81H in the vid is New Ruby red. The grab rail on the 81H is for that model and year only.

The SG/SH Specials and Heritage Specials had an alloy grab rail and the 80G had the same grab-rail as the 78SE/79SF/79 Special ll
 

Attachments

  • Photo084.jpg
    Photo084.jpg
    321.6 KB · Views: 242
  • Photo086.jpg
    Photo086.jpg
    311.9 KB · Views: 237
The early specials "carmine red" is a bright metallic red, the tops of those plastic side covers are nearly always faded to silver, I have a pretty good tank with that color still on it. There was a thread back in the 650rider forum that talked about New Ruby Red, I was hoping it was brighter but as mentioned here it's dark. The heritage came in new ruby but it's rare to see one.
 
^ I belive threre's abundant confusion over NRR and Indigo, both here and on 650 rider. My bike is NRR and is the color of the three links I posted. It is original paint, which you can tell from the overspray inside the covers.

There are only two shades of red listed for '80s Specials. NRR, and Cardinal which is bright cherry like xsjohn's bike. My bike is subdued dark red, NRR.

By deduction what some people are calling NRR is really something else - probably Indigo.

Cardinal Red, and Indigo misidentified as NRR here.
http://650rider.com/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=6123
 
Going by the charts, there was never an indigo red. Only Indigo Blue.

Pete's from 650 Rider looks exactly the same as the one in the U tube vid, and is an 81H. Seems to me according to the ID chart that color is New ruby red.

XSJohns is Cardinal red for an 80SG and is consistent with the Color chart

Can you guarantee you bike hasn't had the tank and covers swapped from an 81 to your 80
 
Well, Gary you're welcome to believe a falsehood if it gives you comfort ;)

I don't know that my covers haven't been swapped. That's why I said there are only two reds on '80s Specials. They are my red and xsjohn's Cardinal red. My red has to be NRR. My bike is certainly "red". It's not Cardinal, so it has to be NRR. Pete's NRR example in that thread is really Indigo.
 

Similar threads

RobXS650
What to do, what to do? (CDI dilemma)
Replies
8
Views
2K
jaybar6
jaybar6
motormike
WHAT ? ! !
Replies
16
Views
4K
toglhot
T
1
1981 XS650 Cafe Project tips
2
Replies
24
Views
9K
atlasisadog
A
MaxPete
The Big Sue resto-mod thread
4 5 6
Replies
100
Views
21K
Grimly
Grimly
nodwick
Need second opinion on pesky gremlins
2
Replies
26
Views
6K
nodwick
nodwick
Back
Top