Yamaha XZ550 Vision Reviews

Replaced stator twice.

Rebuilt carburetors last year.

Replaced gas tank in 1992.

Circuit board in 1985.

Had seat recovered in 2006.

The Vision seems to have a mind of its own. When cold, two full twists on gas, and it starts immediately. Three, and it's flooded. Any twist when hot, and again flooded.

The bike is a lot of fun to ride, and I have taken several longer rides in relative comfort. As I get older, I find it is not quite as comfortable as before. I purchased a wrecked Vision in 1988 for parts, and as there are fewer parts available, the parts bike was a wise purchase.

I am completely satisfied, but only use it as a pleasure bike, and use a newer one for everyday.

Stator went twice.

Changed the fork seals.

Replaced the brake lines with stainless steel.

Sealed the gas tank with POR.

Excessive oil in the air box, vented breather to outside.

Changed the exhaust to a MAC.

Sealing O-rings in the left hand case cover.

Engine went at 83,000 km (rear cylinder timing chain must have slipped). Anyway, the engine went out of time and broke a camshaft.

Good:

The engine has a satisfying mix of low end thumping and high end revs (half a Venture/V-Max). Classy appearance in grey with the small Shark fairing. Shaft drive meant no chain to maintain, and with soft bags it made for a nice adventure tourer. Rad, etc well shielded, tipping it over doesn't damage anything. Big steel tank, handy for tank bags. Not too heavy to lug around.

Bad:

Not exactly a Gold Wing on the highway. More stability, a bigger seat, and a better shock would have been good for long distance touring.

Bought this bike cheap second hand for a trip across Canada. It took me from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland and back, and then lasted nearly another 20 years doing various trips across the country.

Came from the factory set way too lean, with a stumble aggravated by soft front forks. Adjusted the mixture correctly with a Color tune, put in heavier fork oil, and other than heated grips, throttle lock, and a heated vest connection, that was it for mods. Basically ran and ran until it broke for good.

See http://www.ridersofvision.net/rovforum/ for support, parts, etc.

Replaced the charging system, including stator and regulator/rectifier.

Replaced the fuse box.

I had to have the carburetors rebuilt.

This Yamaha XZ550 Vision is very exciting to ride. Very quick and nimble in the curves.

The bike is very comfortable for very long rides.

The motorcycle is prone to having the charging system fail every 20,000 miles or so. Cost to repair the charging system is approximately $250 if you do it yourself.

I get 30+ miles per gallon when riding this motorcycle hard. Better gas mileage when I baby it.

It has a slight front wheel wobble due to a trailing front axle design flaw.