Turbo Seca

[videoarizona]

Found this article this morning. Lot of similarities to our Venture Royales!

From exhaust handling to air shocks, this little 650 really looks like a small cousin and test bike for our 1st gens released the very next year!

 

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/yamaha/yamaha_xj650_turbo.htm

 

Enjoy the read...

david

[slowrollwv]

Yes it does and I would like to get my hands on one.

[DarkLeftArm]

man that looks FUN.

[cowpuc]

And enjoy the read I did brother - GOOD FIND - thanks for passing it on!! :clap2::dancefool: THAT was very informative including things like why ya gotta lose valve overlap when turboing, anti spark knock technology, dropping compression ratio and how they manage ignition timing.. TONS of really cool stuff in there for sure.. What neat machine that scoot is - I dont think I have ever even seen one on the road but would love to own one to play on!!

[Oldodge]

Local dealer had a leftover at a great price for a few years back in the day. Would have been cool to test ride at least. It was a pretty bike but out of my league at the time.

[VanRiver]

I had a chance to buy one of these Seca Turbos last year up in Calgary AB Canada for $350, but passed on it since parts were so hard to find and the seller said the Turbo was inoperable and needed to be replaced. I thought I would be getting in over my head with the mechanics and cost to restore it, but as usual I still kinda regret not taking the chance since it is such a unique bike.

 

Thanks @videoarizona for sharing!

[Yammer Dan]

I got a Turbo...... Intercooler would be a problem. Maybe not...... Humm.

[Wizard765]

My brother in law owned one of these in the day.. I remember getting to take it out for a day.. At the time I was riding a Honda 750 super sport.. Anyhow the Seca was the scariest bike I ever rode.. it looked and felt like any 650 up to 5000 rpm. Nice handling like todays crotch rockets. I believe it was the predecessor of the crotch rocket and in Canada at the time it didn't take off like they thought it would.. I believe it was about 3 to 4 years ahead of it's time (at least here)

The scary part is that once the turbo kicked in at 5000 it felt like it INSTANTLY went to 10,000. You had to be hanging on with everything you had. I took it out on a local flat straight road that had fairly new pavement. Rode a few miles along looking for stones and sticks etc.. Decided it was clear and there was no traffic so I turned around and psyched myself up. Let her go.. Once she wound up I have no idea how fast I was going because I was to scared to look down at the speedo.. I know the telephone poles looked like a picket fence and the dotted line was solid. everything looked like I was seeing through a fish eye lens..

I am so glad that I never owned it.. I doubt I'd be here today.. BUT man it was fun that day.. I later also had a V-Max for a day from MY brother.. The V-Max had more all over power but not the kick of the turbo.. If I had to guess I'd say the 650 turbo would eventually pass the V-Max like maybe across the intersection..

[BratmanXj]

Never had seat time in the Seca but have done time on a Turbo as well as Supercharged bikes. Like Wizard said once the turbo hits it takes everything you have to keep control; they were not "street-able" bikes with the way the power curve hit. If you were mid-corner and accidentally gave even a slight twitch of the throttle the bike would walk out from underneath you. Turbo Lag is awesome in a car where you have the seat to contain your butt but not so cool when there's nothing holding you down.

[DragonRider]

I had an 81 Seca 750 Tour, it had the factory tour pack on it, havent seen many like it, when I bought it the mufflers were rusted out so I found a set of 900 mufflers and bought them, like them better. Wish I could have kept it along with the Venture, but it had to go to pay for the Venture. I think the lines on it are more like the Venture. Loved it, ran flawlessy for the 2 years I had it.

[BlueSky]

My air cooled ZN700 heats up quickly when I use the power. I can only imagine how hot a turbo air cooled engine could get if you used the power?