Tanshanomi's Snap Judgments

Yamaha Vision

Thu, February 18th, 2010


This photo is of the European model. The U.S. version had a shorter rear fender and taller handlebars.


1982–83 Yamaha XZ550 Vision
Performancewww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The Vision was a strong and innovative V-twin that could keep up with the midsize fours of its day, but it was dogged by horrible carburetion issues, despite a series of recalls and fixes.
Handlingwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The frame is acceptably stiff and shaft effect is fairly well controlled, but the strange trailing-axle forks are deficient in rigidity, geometry and suspension action.
Lookswww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
By itself, a bare Vision engine is surprisingly attractive; that's the only reason this bike does not get a big fat zero. The horrid bodywork and chassis parts they chose to wrap around it is a truly clumsy collection of odd angles, none of which contribute to an illusion of forward motion. The bizarre, downward-pointing triangle on the side of the tank, which seems to be bending the curving lower edge under tension, is the most obvious and objectionable styling cue, but the diamond-shaped sidecover, the awkward, swastika-looking wheels, the I-beam handlebars and club-footed forks all add to the ugliness. The whole bike is covered with seemingly random, oddly misaligned edges, like a badly folded piece of origami. (The fairing added in '83 was not bad in and of itself, but the basic package was beyond help.)
Reliabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The internal engine parts are robust and well designed. But the carb needs constant fiddling to run even semi-correctly, and the poorly designed charging system is prone to repeated, catastrophic failures. Most of the chassis parts are cheaply made and break or corrode easily.
Practicalitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
Nice seat, comfortable ergonomics, fairly narrow and compact: this should have been a great around-town bike and short-haul sport tourer.
Desirabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
It gets a couple of points only because I dream of someday ripping the engine of one and building a hardtail bobber around it in an effort to redeem its ruined potential.
Overallwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
I hate this bike.