1982 Yamaha reviews

I first tested this bike in 1982 and remembered it to be the most powerful middleweight twin I had ever ridden. The roll-on torque was superb. No problem to pass with two up on the highway and no downshifting. The only flaw I noted was the serious need of a fork brace to correct handling issues. Keep the fuel system clean and everything works just fine; if not, you will need a better than average mechanic to clean the very intricate downdraft carbs. The bench seat is very comfortable for rides of 8 hours or more at a time. The bars and footpegs are good old standard bike height for upright riding, something that is so rare in the 21st century. The rear shock was better in 83 as the 82 was too stiff so that was a nice change. The fairing model is pretty neat with vents to keep you warm in cold weather riding. The only thing you need to keep this bike going is fuel, tires and brakes. It runs forever, what a great engine! I picked up my first owned Vision when it was 18 years old and have driven it for 7 years and 40,000km, needless to say I am a satisfied customer. I commute to work every day, tour periodically, tear up gravel roads on occasion, this bike does everything well. Show less

Best bike on earth! Very reliable, easy to work on, maintain, and love. Was blessed to have this bike given to me by a relative. Only has 4700 miles on her and is showroom new! The only problem is trying to find accessories that will fit a 24 year old bike! No one ever has information going back that far. Show less

I have owned several bikes over the past 25 years but I bought my maxim in '84 and it has been the best ride I have ever had. She handles fantastic on both the turns and straights and has more HP than any crotch rocket I have driven. No Harley could ever match the fun of this bike. I can't imagine ever giving it up. Show less

I have recently bought a 1982 yamaha xj-750. I have ridden many bikes before, and let me tell you - this is the smoothest riding and one of the best cruisers out there. All you gotta do is roll back the throttle, and you are GONE! I would recommend to anybody. Show less

I bought this bike and it was in good mechanical shape. The chrome was spotless. But it need a paint job. Once I got it repainted and seat recovered, it looks great. These Maxims are very sexy, curvy bikes. They are super quick for a cruiser. Much quicker than the large cruisers of today. This 750 is a little small for long road trips, not for power, it has oodles and gobs of power, but for ride comfort. Show less

I bought my '82 XJ650 Maxim this last spring from an individual - and bought it for just a little more than a song! All I can say is WOW - Lots of power in that 4-cylinder engine! Great starter cruiser! Show less

I have a 1984 IT 175, I bought it last year and it has proved a great buy. It is a little bit rough around the edges and the exhaust system isn't what it used to be but it still provides great thrills. It is perfect for a tall or older aged learner, because it has a frame similar in size to a WR 450, but a much smaller engine capacity, not that 175cc isn't enough for casual trail riding. It is also very loud, which I think makes it cool. The suspension, well to tell the truth, is crap. It is very soft, and bounces around all over the place. Donuts are hard to do because of this. If you are not doing professional vintage enduro racing or anything then it shouldn't matter about the suspension, it is more relaxing to ride than a new age motocross bike, but still good for people who want heart racing rides. I am 16 and it is plenty fast enough, when I said relaxing you maybe thought I was an old man? It does have one drawback for taller riders, I am 6'3" and the bike is quite large compared to others, the foot pegs are too far forward, I find my legs very bent, and my knees are far forward, my feet are on a 45 degree angle to the foot pegs, making it impossible to use the footbrake without taking my foot off the foot peg and stomping on the brake pedal, which makes it very hard to keep the wheel from locking in bumpy areas. The gearshift had to be adjusted as well for the angle that my feet were on, if the foot pegs were a little further back it would be great for tall people, but how it is perfect for people under or around 6'. But overall this is a good bike considering its age, and it is very good value for the money. Show less

I bought this bike in Nov 2002 just to see if I could still ride as I have serious back problems. Paid a grand for it. Was fully accessorized, one owner with 22,000 miles on it. Came with SLIDING back rest, 2 hard bags and a hard trunk. I love this motorcycle. I put over 10,000 miles on it in about 8 months, I ride it everywhere. I have ridden a 97 Kaw. Vulcan, a 1995 BMW R1100 and while they were nice, my bike rides just as nice. I have been on road trips with the big boys and had no problem staying up and do better on curvy roads as mine handles like a sport bike. If I do get another bike, it will be a big tourer for the long trips (over 400 miles), but I will always keep this bike. No mechanical problems at all. Being older, can be tough to find parts for. So far have had to replace a starter and the petcock. If you find one, buy it. You will never regret it. Show less

Bought this last summer (2002) and have put almost 3,000 enjoyable miles on it to date. Very inexpensive to ride. Upgrade the fuel recommendation to top-grade Sunoco with an occasional Slick-50 additive and switch to a top synthetic oil. I got this for next to nothing in mint condition and it had just over 5k tenderly-ridden miles on it. Needed fork seals and a tire, but so what? Minor detailing, and it looks like showroom condition, and is a real sharp looker. haven't owned a bike in 35 years, and am really enjoying this immensely. If you didn't know, this was the fastest production bike manufactured in its day, and is still an excellent high-speed performer either on the straights or in the twisties. Pick up this low-mileage classic and have yourself a real ball. Show less

I bought my XJ750 used from a co-worker that had it sitting for 4 years and could'nt figure out why he had such a hard time getting it started and keep it running until it warmed up. After purchasing it from for a song, I put it in the shop and tore off the carbs and discovered that he had left gas in them and of course they were tarnished beyond repair, so I got on the internet to look for replacements from a salvage yard. I bought a set that were in perfect shape for $250 and installed them as soon as I got home and was riding it by late that afternoon. It is really a fun bike and I run it to work every day and scoot around on the weekends. I plan to put some bags on it so I can carry the goodies when I ride. I have more than one bike so I don't use it all the time but it does get it' s fare share of miles every year. I wouldn't take it on many of my long trips but I do take it out for all day runs from time to time. Be careful and see you on the road. I'll be the one waving to ya! Show less