Tanshanomi's Snap Judgments

Yamaha XJ750D

Fri, May 20th, 2011


Note: The XJ750D was only sold on the domestic Japanese market.


1983 Yamaha XJ750D
Performancewww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The XJ750D was a parts-bin special, slotting the same basic motor as the US market Seca 750 into the 650 Turbo chassis and adding Yamaha's first use of fuel injection. It didn't provide quite as much peak horsepower as the Turbo, but was slightly stronger than the carb'd 750 and offered superior drivability to either of the other two bikes.
Handlingwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
Given the two bikes combined to create it, the XJ750D could be expected to provide okay but unexceptional handling with noticable shaft effect. Ground clearance is too limited for really aggressive cornering and brakes are vague and mushy.
Lookswww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The upper fairing has an attractive shape, but the rest of the bike's interpretation of 1980s futurism (including the same funky LCD dash as the Seca 750) is now terribly dated and homely. The more rounded lower engine cowl looks bulbous compared to the 650 Turbo's sleeker, sharper shape.
Reliabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The overall XJ750 package was robust, and more cylinder displacement is usually more durable than turbo plumbing, but the limited-edition FI circuitry would scare me.
Practicalitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The XJ750D would be a better choice for everyday riding than the XJ650 Turbo, if not for it's JDM-only status and small production volume.
Desirabilitywww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
I like this bike, but what it really makes me want to do is mount a 650 Turbo upper fairing on the less absurdly styled US-market Seca 750.
Overallwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.comwww.dyerware.com
The XJ750D is not a remarkably great bike on its own merits, but it's cool because it's an extremely rare, much more straightforward alternative to the Seca 650 Turbo.