Thoughts on a 1977 Yamaha XS 750 with 1100 miles?

[GS1150Pilot]

My dad had a Trident for a very short while. He preferred his TR6.

I love the sound of these triples with the right pipe, and that three into three, weight be damned, sounds fabulous.

 

[850 Combat]

I could see why someone might prefer a TR6 or a Bonneville. I've never owned one, but I've ridden them. They steer really well, and have quite a bit of lock. You feel like you are on a Stingray Bike after getting off a far tired beach cruiser. They had good geometry for TT and offf roading too. A Trident had the legs to ride all day and go fast enough without ever straining it, and they were smoother by far. I have had 3 of them, and would have another. They were all sold when my back was broken and my ex wife was pregnant, in '91 or '92. I've owned a couple Commandos, and still do. I want to sell them. I owned a BSA 650 Lightning, and just don't have anything good to say about riding it. It was very pretty the way I had it painted, but it had no real positive attributes really when you were in the saddle. Commandos are my favorite, but they don't have that much steering lock, and that can be a hassle in parking lots and garages. There was also a '68 Royal Enfield 750 Interceptor. It wasn't fast, it had crummy brakes, but it was really fun to ride. It was by the smoothest non counterbalanced solidly mounted vertical twin I was ever on. The Albion transmission was the worst I ever used. The bragged that it had a neutral finder. Well, it needed it. Built a cool cafe racer from a Norton Atlas in the late 70s too. It handled really well. Horrible vibration.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

I truly envy you your Commandos. Those are my favorite British bikes of all time.

 

[exdirtbiker]

Update on the 750...
Jim, the old blind guy that owns it, tinkered and got it running. He is amazing!
He has a gift... he fiddled with the brakes, cleaned the tank out ( not good enough), cleaned the carbs... ( need a real rebuild)
And it fires up instantly and idles OK.
I agreed to take it for a slow-speed test drive tomorrow.
Everything works ! And he spent -no- money on it, but a battery.

 

[hillsy]

Update on the 750...
Jim, the old blind guy that owns it, tinkered and got it running. He is amazing!
He has a gift... he fiddled with the brakes, cleaned the tank out ( not good enough), cleaned the carbs... ( need a real rebuild)
And it fires up instantly and idles OK.
I agreed to take it for a slow-speed test drive tomorrow.
Everything works ! And he spent -no- money on it, but a battery.

That's great!

From what I've gathered you can swap out the carbs with ones from the early Hinkley Triumph triples and they are a massive improvement over the old XS carbs.

 

[wymple]

They cannot be a "massive" improvement. BS38's are good stuff to begin with. I've had them on all but one of my XS650's. One kick starting, great idle, run fine.

 

[hillsy]

They cannot be a "massive" improvement. BS38's are good stuff to begin with. I've had them on all but one of my XS650's. One kick starting, great idle, run fine.

I have no first hand experience but everyone I have heard of swapping these in have been blown away by the difference. Could just be the simple fact that they are nearly 20 years newer and not as worn out as the originals, but whatever it is the improvements have be written about all over the net.

 

[exdirtbiker]

So I finally got to be the Test Pilot today!
The shaft jacking is... interesting. Pretty good torque.
It rides like a new bike, from 1977. I am not impressed. The whole thing feels kinda " cheap and plastic-y " at low speed.
I dare not go over 40 with 40 yr old tires, so I can't comment on highway speeds.


He's into the bike for just a battery and a spark plug so far... yes, just one. But it really needs a sync / tune.
I think he could get $1500 or more.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

Such a cool story!

 

[exdirtbiker]

He gave me something for helping him out...

 

[GS1150Pilot]

At first I thought it was a gas tank, LOL.

It'd be an interesting paint scheme.

 

[kaufen]

Lose the hideous fairing and sissy bar and it would be a lot cooler. Just don't sink too much money into it.

 

[exdirtbiker]

I just realized I never posted a pic of the final product... because i don't have one.
The bike rots in his garage, and after the father did all the work, the son wants to ride it / take all the money from it. ( he never rode a bike before)
Not such a happy ending... but I did get his tank cleaned up for him.

 

[exdirtbiker]

And... as predicted, this bike is now for sale.

It really did clean up, it looks very nice, but needs our kind of love to run "perfect". I know someone else has already told him "it runs like new!".

Anyone interested? Still only has 1100 miles.

he's out there now, using a table saw to make garden stakes from 2x4s. Yes, the blind guy is using a table saw. And he still has all 10...

 

[exdirtbiker]

I put it on C-list for him. Every time he talks, his price goes up !
I just drove it down his driveway... it really is "like new".

https://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/mcy/d/1977-yamaha-xs750-triple-only/6612322503.html

 

[exdirtbiker]

And it's still for sale. I think he would take $1500... but you didn't hear that from me.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

Ditch that godawful fairing and those bags and it's a cool old standard!

 

[limeex2]

Its a $1000 bike at most. Its got the Bike saver touring package on it that saved another bike. Craig Vetter should be in the motorcycle hall of fame for preserving so many classic old bikes with his Vetter motorcycle savers. There are lots of REALLY nice bikes out there with Vetter stuff on it. The 78 GS1000 I picked up had the Vetter bike saver system on it. My sanitation service takes anything that is put at the curb...

 

[exdirtbiker]

Craig Vetter should be in the motorcycle hall of fame for preserving so many classic old bikes with his Vetter motorcycle savers.

Agreed. I do think the mileage makes it worth more than $1000, but there is a complete lack of effort in making it shiny / sparkly to attract buyers. I'm trying to distance myself from it... but he is great neighbor, good friend, and 100% blind. So I will probably help him more.

 

[limeex2]

I stand corrected. Please help me remove the 3 into 1 exhaust from my mouth. https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/mcy/d/977-yamaha-xs-75/6745073031.html