The E-mails from XJ owners

• from "Gregg Silagyi", XJ650 LK Turbo owner
• from "Ciaran Carruthers", XJ750D owner
• from "Paul Foster", be to a XJ750D owner
• from "Perry Malhmann", XJ750RH SECA owner
• from "ronford", XJ650 1981 owner
• from "Mike Allen", seca 750 owner
• from xj750/650 page "Ben Thomas"
• from "Tim Driscoll", a 650-seca turbo owner
• from "William Strong", a XJ750-seca owner
• from "Mr. Nosey", a 750seca owner
• XJ750D seen on street (by Tohma)

from "Gregg Silagyi", XJ650 LK Turbo owner

Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 21:10:29 GMT
From: gregs

toshihiko-san:

I own a 1983 XJ650 LK Turbo. It looks just like your 750. Is the XJ750D also
turbo charged?

Gregg

-----

To: gregs
From: et7t-tum@asahi-net.or.jp (Toshihiko Tohma)

Dear Gregg

Thank you for your e-mail.

XJ750D is not a turbo charged model.
On that time it was not approved turbo charged system motorcycle in Japan.
So there are some differences between LK turbo and 750D.

Thank you,
Toshi


from "Ciaran Carruthers", XJ750D owner

From: "Ciaran Carruthers"
Subject: Spare Parts for XJ750D
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 1997 19:13:05 +0800

Dear Tohma
I have a 1986 ( I think) XJ750D. It was imported from Japan to the
Philippines last December. I bought it just a few months ago. It is a
beautiful bike and saves me alot of time traveling through Manila's crazy
traffic. My only problem is that the left wing mirror is missing. It was
broken off by some drunken layabouts outside my office. I can not find a
spare anywhere here as the bike was never sold here. If you are able to
find me the name and contact number of a supplier, and also the approximate
cost (including freight) I would be very grateful.
I found your specs page very useful and informative as no one here knows
too much about this variation of the standard XJ. No one wants to touch it
because of the fuel injection and the computer scares the hell out of them!

Having a rare bike has it's draw backs but it is better than being just
another Honda rider! 
Also do you know if Haynes have a workbook for the XJ750D? I know they have
one for the 650/750 seca but i don't know if they have one for our bike.
Thank you in advance for any help you can give me. I hope that I am not
asking too much of you.
Regards

Ciaran



------
To: "Ciaran Carruthers" 
From: tohma@t.email.ne.jp (Toshihiko Tohma)
Subject: Re: Spare Parts for XJ750D

Daer Ciaran,

Though I asked a motorcycle dealer in Yokohama, he didn't know
any parts supplyer who could export foreign.
Do you have any accounts method?
The dealer say, if you have any credit card, he will send you a mirror and 
clear your accounts on the card.
As far as I know, price of the mirror is about 7500japanese-Yen, US$60.
I don't know fright cost well.
Total cost may be more than US$100.
If you have more question, I'll translate it into Japanese and ask it to the
dealer.

> Also do you know if Haynes have a workbook for the XJ750D? I know they have
> one for the 650/750 seca but i don't know if they have one for our bike.

I don't know about Haynes.
Is it a workbook publisher?
I have a survice manual, but unfortunately it is written in Japanese.
If you want to decode Japanese manual, I'll e-mail it to you in JPEG
files.

Thanks




from "Perry Malhmann", XJ750RH SECA owner

Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 15:28:11 GMT
From: Paul Foster

Hi Tohma
I am about to get an xj750d from Japan,
They are rare in my country.
Do you know if they use leaded or unleaded fuel ?
Do you know the tyre pressures ?
Thanks



from "Perry Malhmann", XJ750RH SECA owner

From: Perry Malhmann
Title: XJ750RH
Date: Tue Oct 22 13:16:07 1996

i HAVE AN XJ750RH SECA FROM 1981

i BOUGHT IT IN 1993 FOR ONLY 1200.00
IS HAD 24K AND NOW HAS ONLY 35K ON IT
IT HAS A WOLF 4 INTO 1 PIPE ON IT WHICH GIVES IT A LOT OF POWER.
I'HAVE HAD IT DYNO TESTED AND GOT 63 HORSEPOWER AT THE WHEEL.
i HAVE INCLUDED A PICTURE OF IT. IF YOU'D LIKE TO POST IT FOR ME.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON IT PLEASE EMAIL ME.
PERRY MAHLMANN
265 REYNOLDS STREET
OAKVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA
905-844-9312

i HAVE ANOTHER PICTURE OF IT ON MY HOMEPAGE
HTTP://WWW.INTERLOG.COM/~mahlmann






from "ronford", XJ650 1981 owner

From: ronford
To: turbos
Date: Mon Oct 21 16:35:31 1996

XJ650 1981 proto type in wisconson am looking for a turbo for this bike
or a place where it can be rebuildt please advise if you can
                           thanks you
                                 ronford

-----
From: RWJ66829      TOHMA-toshi.
To: ronford
Title: Re turbos

Thank you for your mail.
I don't know where you can get a turbo.
In Japan I can hardly see Xj-turbo.
If I get some information, I'll send you a mail.

Thanks a lot
  Toshihiko Tohma  RWJ66829@pcvan.or.jp




from "Mike Allen", seca 750 owner

From:"Mike Allen"
Title:red plastic sidecover(battery side) 81 seca750
Date: Fri Aug  2 21:22:43 1996

toshi..... for anyone perusing your page who might be able 
         to use a sidecover, i bought but never used the
         plastic sidecover for the battery side of my 1981
         seca 750.  i had tried pulling the cover off in the
         extreme cold of winter & broke the plastic ball-end
         which popped into the rubber receiving piece.  i 
         immediately ordered the part and then later found
         out that the epoxy cement i used repairing the
         problem worked fine.  so i was left with the new
         piece.  if someone has a need, this will probably
         fit in a large envelope.    
          
         it was nice running into your page as i have 
         missed the bike since selling it in 83.

                            Mike Allen  

------
I'll forward your mail to Mike.


from xj750/650 page "Ben Thomas"

From:"Ben Thomas"
Date: Thu Jul 25 20:29:30 1996

HI!!!
Nice page(too bad I can't read most it!).  I'm assuming you can read
english because you have english messages from people posted on your page.
 Anyway, I have set up an xj750/650 page if you want to check it out.
See Ya! 
-- 
Ben Thomas
http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~t56blt/xj750.html
Memorial University




from "Tim Driscoll", a a 650-seca turbo owner

From: Tim Driscoll
Date: Mon, 27 May 96 18:55:25 -0700

Hi,

Is your XJ750D Turbocharged?

Tim Driscoll

-------------

From: "Tim Driscoll"
Date:          Thu, 30 May 1996 21:38:09 +0000

Hi Toshihiko !

First let me say that you have a very cool name.  I like it.

 So, you don't have a turbo. I thought you did because of the body, it
looks just like a turbo from the picture.  I don't own one right now,
but I have owned two of them in the past.  The first one, I bought
for $3000 in 1983.  I bought it from the first owner, the bike only
had 2500 miles on it.  He had a custom seat stitched exactly as the
original had looked, except it was done in real leather.  The seat
looked and smelled :) great, but in reality it was too slippery.  As
you know the seat kind of slants forward.  He had done something else
that made the bike look very nice.  He replaced the red stripes on
the sides of the bike, which are only decals,  with professionally
painted black stripes.  The black stripes were the exact same dimensions as
the original red ones.  Another thing he did was to replace the
rectangular yellow reflectors on the upper fairing sides with
rectangular finned black plastic, a lot like a heat sink on an
electronic part.  These simple changes kept the bike looking stock,
except it now was just a cut above the rest.  Very, very nice.

Before I tell you the riding impression of the bike, and make you
want to throw yours away, I have to tell you a little story.  I have
a very good friend, his name is Dave Dewlaney.  We worked at the same
place, but we never got a chance to talk to each other.  We knew each
other quite casually because we both rode motorcycles to work.  We
parked in the same motorcycle designated parking area.  I was nice to
Dave, I said things like, "Hi, how's it going" and stuff like that.
He liked my bike, I was riding a 1977 Suzuki GS750.  I had a Yoshimura
4 into 1, clip on bars, bikini fairing, cafe seat,  rear sets, and a huge rear
sprocket, (good for wheelies and pulling everything in sight).  Well,
I didn't think too much of Dave's bike.  It was an old ratty Honda
750.  Peeling paint, oil oozing out the head gasket.  It was
basically crap.  I'd say, "Dave, you gotta get yourself a real bike."

About a week later, Dave came riding up on a Honda CX500 Turbo !!  I
couldn't believe it Toshihiko !  He had paid $5000 for it !!  I just
couldn't believe it.  It was the prettiest motorcycle I had ever seen.
 It was beautiful.  I had read about the bike in magazines, (by the
way, they didn't speak too highly of the bike), but nothing had
prepared me for the real thing.  Since we had just arrived at work,
(10:30 at night) Dave gave me his phone extension.  We talked from
10:30 at night  to 6:30 in the morning.  When we got off work we rode
out together.  We were on the highway going about 50mph.  I looked at
Dave, clicked my bike down a few gears and gunned the throttle for all
she had.  My head and elbows were clutched against the tank, down low
behind the fairing.  My exhaust was bellowing and my drilled out mikunis were
gulping air.  Then, in a split second, Dave passed me as if I were
standing still...

A week later, I pulled up to work on a nice Honda CB900F.  It was a black
bike with a red stripe on the tank.  The instrument panel came right
off of a F14 Fighter Jet.  I was back, and I meant business!!  We
pulled our bikes out on the highway, I looked at Dave, he saw me go
for the gear change and he gunned his throttle.  I gave the 900 all
it had but it was too late.  Dave had got the jump on me.  A few
miles down the road I motioned for Dave to pull over.  I started
whining and complaining that he had got the jump on me.  I wanted
another chance, Dave said ok.  This time Dave let me get the jump.  I
clicked down a couple of gears, clutched the tank, and gunned the
throttle!  I kept one eye on Dave, he was watching me too.  I was
shocked at what I was about to see.  Dave was sitting straight up, he
didn't click down a gear, or do anything at all, he just turned his
throttle.  That damn Turbo bike passed me like I was standing still !
 It was as if I had an anchor attached to my 900F.  We tried the
whole thing one more time but it didn't make a difference.  I was
dejected, demoralized, depressed, and... impressed.

Old Dave harassed me for two weeks over that.  I had it coming.  I
had had enough though, I bought the Yamaha 650 Turbo to fight back.  Dave wasn'
t
even worried.  We pulled onto the highway again, (now I was worried)
I had the rpm just perfect and the gear.  We looked at each other and
gunned our bikes.  I PULLED HIM !  Not by much though.  Our bikes
were side by side screaming well past 100 miles per hour!  What a
rush !  We race a couple more times and each time I pulled him just a
little bit, not much.  I was vindicated, but in a very small way.

The next weekend I started working on my secret weapon ;-))  I
disconected the waste gate!  I fabricated an aluminium plate to cover
the hole, then I threw the whole useless right side muffler assembly
in the garbage can.  I fashioned a flat dashboard inside the fairing,
and mounted a real boost pressure gauge.  The bike went from 3 pounds
of boost pressure to 12 !  I took the bike out for a shakedown
cruise.  When I turned the throttle the front wheel came off the
ground !  I shifted to third and the front wheel was climbing again !
The bike accelerated through the gears as fast as I could humanly
shift it !  I had created a monster...

END OF PART ONE MY FRIEND,  STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO :)

Bye for now Toshihiko,

Tim Driscoll
---------
From: "Tim Driscoll"
Date:          Sun, 9 Jun 1996 19:26:13 +0000

Hi,

Guess what?  I bought a new bike.  It's coming all the way from the
state of Iowa. (I live in Oregon)  It's a 1982 CX500 Turbo, 8130
miles.  It is in excellent condition.  I had to pay $2,500 for it.  I
can hardly wait.  I always wanted one but couldn't afford it.  Now
after all of these years it looks like my dream is coming true.  It
is supposed to show up by June 21st.


Take care,

Tim Driscoll
Take a look at,      http://www.vni.net/~mcl/tbo/tmioa.htm

http://www.hookup.net/~antonsop/


----------------------------
From: "Tim Driscoll"
Date:          Sat, 15 Jun 1996 22:08:25 +0000

Hi again,

Let's see now where were we...oh yes, I had just created a monster by
disabling the waste gate.  Well, we had a damn good time on our
bikes.  We rode all over the place.  Living on the Central Coast of
California was great too.  San Luis Obispo had great weather, the
mountains, the coast, you name it, and we did it.  As a matter of
fact, on one Sunday afternoon, Dave and I were just returning from a
wine tasting adventure.  We had been vinyard hopping all day long.
The day had been sunny, about 85 degrees.  We would take the tiniest
taste of whatever the vintner had to offer.  Then we would pick a
favourite bottle, walk out into the vinyard and sit on a bench sipping
a very small amount of wine.  Afterwards, we would cork our almost
full bottles, strap them in our seat bags and move on to the next
winery.  It was one of the most relaxing, enjoyable days I had ever
had.

On this particular day, it was about five o'clock in the evening, we
were flying down the coast highway past Morro Bay, side by side at
almost 100mph.  Soon we were just a few miles outside of San Luis
Obispo.  As we crested a rise at our elevated speeds, a CHP passed by
us in the opposite direction!  I thought to myself, what the hell, if
I turn up the throttle just a little bit I'll do this last mile into
town at 140mph.  By the time the Chippie gets his unit turned around,
I'll be history.  Dave and I turned up the throttle!  I was down on
my tank again, feathering my throttle trying to get every last ounce
of speed out of my bike.  Dave was right on my tail.  I was keeping
my focus on the road ahead, and was completely confident in my
abilities to ride at speed.  I had just finished a three year stint
in the U.S. Army in Europe, on a Suzuki 750.  As I scanned ahead I
couldn't believe it, there, on the right side of the road just ahead,
was a Chippie standing along side of a car giving some poor bastard a
ticket.  Dave and I didn't let up, we couldn't, we had a Chippie
wanting us real bad right behind us! Vvvvvvrrrrrruuuuuuuuupppppp,
Vvvvvvrrrrrruuuuuuuupppppp!!! The Chipies ticket book went flying in
the air, the pages were reeling and he was on the run.  I started to
get the feeling that we were in for some real trouble, and I had
those damn open wine bottles!  We came to the first red light in
town, ran it.  Turned right, drag raced through the housing tracks,
came to the first stop sign, ran it. Second stop sign, ran it.  Turned
left, drag raced to the second red stop light it town, ran it.  Turned
right and headed out of town on a small two lane road during rush
hour traffic at 145mph.  Traffic was moving at about 35mph, so we had
to zip down the solid yellow line.  About three miles later I
realized this road was going to take us back out to the freeway where
we would be easily apprehended, so I did the only thing I could do.
The first street I saw I locked up the brakes and skidded to the
apex. I had down shifted into second and had the throttle pegged but I
wasn't going anywhere, the only thing I could see was blue smoke from
my back tire.  I quickly grabbed third, the bike launched and again I
was at 140mph.  It was a desolate road, I had never been on it
before.  I was tucked very carefully behind the fairing, hugging my
dash board.  Then very suddenly, and without warning, the damn RED
FLASHING LIGHT came on my dash board which meant " Low Fuel" !! I
thought, "Oh my god, not now !"  Off in the distance, I saw some old
abandoned Army barracks.  I headed straight for them, slowed my bike
down just enough to run it right up a ramp and straight through the
front door! I killed the engine instantly and laid the bike down.  I
hit the floor and crawled to the door and swung it shut.  I peered
out through the slats of wood in the siding. The engine on my bike
was crackling.  The engine must have been 1000 derees and the poor
turbocharger, I didn't even want to think about that.  I didn't see
anyone.  No one was around.  Dave wasn't around either! I began to
hear helicopters, one came my way and started circling the area. Then
a campus security car started patrolling around.  Finally, a CHP unit
showed up.  I was scared stiff.  I figured if they found me, they
were going to beat the shit out of me.  The Chippie started walking
over to the rows of barracks.  I saw a green Army blanket nearby so I
threw it over my bike, then I hid in a corner of the room, real
quiet.  I could hear the Chipie getting closer to the barrack that I
was in. His feet were rustling in the brush about 15 feet from the
entrance. I decided to say a prayer.  Mind you, I'm not really the
praying type.  I don't like to bother the big guy with trivial
requests, but this didn't seem all that trivial to me at the time.  I
guess it worked because the Chipie turned around, talked some more
with the security guy, and he left.  The security guy hung around for
a few hours patrolling in circles, but I stayed put.  I was mentally
prepared to stay for a week if that's what it took.  Indeed, it
seemed as if I would be there for awhile because the security patrol
car wasn't giving up. The guy kept circling around in his car.

Soon, nightfall came.  I decided it would be too risky to start up my
bike and blaze a path through the dark with one lone headlight.  I
got down on my stomach and crawled out the door into the tall weeds.
I kept crawling for about seventy-five yards until I came to a small
ravine.  Once there, I was able to hike out on foot being very careful to
stay low when a stray car would come by.  I hiked about five miles,
finally coming upon a pay phone.  I was wondering what had happened to
Dave, so I called the apartment not knowing who might be there, maybe
the police.
 "Ring, ring, ring...Hello?"  Dave had answered the phone!  I said to Dave in a
 very low and quiet voice, "Dave, are the police there?"
 "Tim!  Where the hell are you?"
"Dave, are the police there!"
"No, hell no!  I pulled over right away and they went after you!  I
just turned around and went to your place."
"Dammit Dave! I'm so glad to hear your voice.  I'm at a phone booth
at..."

The next morning I returned for my bike with my friend's van.  First I
made sure that no one was around, then I backed the van up to the
doorway of the building and loaded my bike inside.  I didn't ride
that bike for two months!  Coincidentally, about a month later,
another turbo rider showed up in town.  His jacket and helmet were
very similar to my own!  I wonder if he ever got pulled over?

Of course I realize today what a truly stupid move that was.  Talk
about almost ruining my life and possible accident I might have
caused.  It does make one wonder though, why is it ok to run 150mph
in Europe and not in the US?  I guess Uncle Sam would just want me to
believe that Europeans are stupid I guess.  (I know better than that.
;-)

END OF PART TWO MY FRIEND, STAY TUNED FOR PART THREE :)

Bye for now,

Tim Driscoll
CX500T  #491







from "William Strong", a XJ750-seca owner

From: William Strong
Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 11:10:41 -0400

Comments :Came across your homepage in a random search for my XJ-750 
Yamaha Seca (1983).  Was very surprised when i saw a photo of your 
motorcycle in Japan to see that appears to be what was marketed in 
North America as the 82 Yamaha Seca Turbo XJ-650!  If this is the case
(your machine being a turbo - 750) then Yamaha made a bad marketing 
ploy in not offering it to North America instead of the relative failure
that the 650 was at the time.

Anyway, i thought i'd jot a line.. I don't know how popular the 
"street-fighter" biking (owner modifications regardless of mechanical 
originality in quest of performance) scene is in Japan, but it 
is alive and well here.  My already heavily modified '83 Seca is going 
to receive an engine swap for a '85-86 Yamaha Maxim-X 750 Genesis Motor
- 33% BHP incre! ase.  

ttysoon


---------
From: William Strong
Date: Thu, 30 May 1996 21:17:52 -0400

TOHMA-toshi. wrote:
>
> Dear William
>
> Thank you for your visit to my yamaha XJ750D page.
> The XJ page is now under construction, and someday my impression
> may be added.
>
> My XJ750D is NON-turbo 750 with fuel injection system.
> In Japan turbo-motorcycles were not approved by the ministry of transport.
> So turbo models were retro-imported from US and Europe.
> Some XJ650Seca were imported to Japan also.
>
> In Japan it is popular to modify motorcycles, "street-fighter"type or
> Drag-Harley type, and so on. Yamaha Maxim-X 750 Genesis Motor have
> 5valves system, doesn't it? I want to see your Seca photo. Could you
> send me a graphical file of your Seca, in JPEG or GIF format? And may
> I quote your mail in May 22 to my XJ page? Hope to hear from you!

 .... So then your XJ750D was a homogulation of Yamaha parts... XJ650 Turbo
 fairing, XJ750 motor, etc.  Your motorcycle has Fuel injection..?  I'd
 be interested in finding out a parts source for that.

 Yes the Maxim-X used a 5 valve motor, actually it was the "pre-Genesis"
 motor that was used by Yamaha in a Cruiser frame before the FZ series
 sport bike came out.  I am currently buying the components a piece at a
 time for the conversion, and anticipate a spring 97' completion of the
 project.

 You may use my email as a quotable source.  I have also inclosed a JPG
 enclosure (XJ750RJ.JPG) of my bike.   As originally marketed, it was a
 standard motorcycle without a fairing.

 My Mods:  Hannigan SS Fairing and Lowers.
           XJ650 Turbo oil cooling system, Lockhart Oil cooler.
           Supertrapp Superlight Exhaust.
           XJ650 Front Fender.
           Balanced motor.

 look forward to your reply

Bill
----
Bill's XJ750RJ 





from "Mr. Nosey", a 750seca owner

From: "Mr. Nosey"
Date: Sun, 14 Apr 1996 23:54:43 +0000
Organization: charm.net

Name:
George Milbert

I think the Xj750 was sold in the U.S. as the 750 Seca. 
I have had mine since 1984. I need a windscreen for 
the original fairing. The prices in the U.S are high. 
Is this model still sold in Japan?
I also have a Honda GB 500. 
This bike was only sold in the U.S to my knowledge.
but it might still be marketed in Japan. 
It looks like a 500 Norton Manx Single cylinder
and is my favorite. Hope to hear from you! 



XJ750D, I saw on street 
It was 4years ago that I bought XJ750D, but after 
that I saw other XJ only a few times. 
One saw in Ofuna,Yokohama. The rider was more than 
40 years old. We only crossed the corner, but he 
smiled to me and waved his hands.
One was in YAMAHA meeting in 1994. Mr.Suzuki from 
Chiba rode XJ just same as mine. We met in a parking 
area on Tomei-highway unexpectedly, and called each 
other. And we knew that we were going to attend the 
same meeting. During the meeting we talked about XJ. 
The two XJ-D run together and they attracted others.