The different XZ models
There have been many
different versions of XZ’s In
the first place there is the XZ 550 and the XZ 400, with widely interchangeable
parts. There is a separate topic on this website that discusses the XZ400.
This topic is limited to the
XZ550: there is a 1982 US
version and a 1982 version for the European market. There is a 1983 version for
the US
market, and probably also for the European market.
Also, there is an XZ550
version for the Japanese market, the XZ550D.
More detailed there are
specific versions for specific countries: for instance, in Germany there was a 50 horsepower
version with lower camshafts (35,399 mm height for all cams; 64 hp: 36,8 mm In
and 36,3 mm Exh) and with rings in the exhaust system
for beginning riders. US versions had a pre-set idle adjustment of the
carburetors by a cover on the pilot screws, while the Euro versions had the
possibility to adjust this screw (see pilot screw topic on this website). Also,
the later 82 US models had an air box with a vacuum operated flapper, and this
seems not to have been available in Europe.
I want to address this more
systematic. I have an XZ550 that was sold new in Canada
in 1982 (a US
version) and I have Euro XZ550’s of 1982. In Yamaha’s codes the Euro version is
the 11U, the Canadian version the 11J, and the respective frame-numbers begin
with 11U and 11J: 11U-000101 and 11J-000101.
Engine number of our XZ 550 RJ bike that was sold new
in Canada. We thought
that all RJ
models had the model code 11J. But the USA RJ’s
have 11H.
However, this numbering and
these model codes are more complicated than I anticipated.
I recently obtained a Yamaha
Service Manual on the XZ 550 RJ and RK models, published by Yamaha Motor
Corporation in California.
This publication states that
the frame- and engine numbers of the RJ start with 11H-000101 and that the RK
numbers start with 11H-100101. So my Canadian RJ has a frame number 11J- and
the USA RJ specimens have 11J! This book does not state that the non-USA RJ
bikes have a different model code. But in both countries were imported RJ
models in 1982, the USA
bikes having codes 11H and the other non-USA RJ bikes obviously 11J. For Europe there was a different version that was sold as XZ
550 and XZ 550 S. All the countries received bikes with the 11U code.
The US version was not only named
XZ550, but also Vision, and that name was used on the side of the bike. See
photo below. So the Euro version was only labeled XZ550, but that applied to
the naked bike. The bike with the factory fairing was sold as XZ550s. Both
versions, however, had the same side cover mentioning XZ550.
Battery cover of
US and Euro version
Let’s start with these two
versions.
The 1982 US bikes have a front brake with
only one disc and all Euro bikes have twin disc brakes. That means they have
different master cylinders, different calipers and different discs (the single
disc is larger). The front cover of the widely used Haynes handbook shows a
1982 US
version.
Striking are also the
reflectors at both sides of the radiator cowling: the Euro versions don’t have
reflectors.
The 1982 US bikes are more touring bikes
than the Euro versions because of three components:
the risers between the
handlebars and the upper triple clamp are higher for a 1982 US version than for an Euro version (the 1983 US
version also has the low risers).
US 1982 risers on the bike, a Euro 1982 fitted next
to it with tie-ribs
Combined with the low risers
are the rear set footrests of the Euro version. The US 1982 version has footrests, and
of course a brake pedal and a gear change lever fitted more up-front.
Differences between brake pedals, gear change mechanism
and foot-rests of
the US and Euro versions for 1982
Certainly these cycle part
differences result in differences in the posture of the rider on the bike. The
Euro set facilitates a sportier riding position: one leans slightly against the
wind. The US
version results in a more upright, touring, posture of the rider.
The third difference is that
in gearing.
Gear wheels of the Euro version of the XZ has 34/72
teeth. The US
version
has 33/73 teeth, resulting in lower speeds at the
same revs in the gears.
The difference is ca 4,5%.
This small change in gearing
makes the US
and Japan version of the XZ550 a better bike for touring, for riding with a
passenger, easier mountain riding, easier town riding. The Euro gearing gives
quieter high-way cruising with relatively low revs. Fourth gear is for
acceleration/overtaking and fifth for cruising, riding at the same speed.
The Euro version was
marketed in Europe in 1982 indeed as a
super-sports bike – a total failure according to a German long-distance test of
1983 to be found elsewhere on this website.
The US bike has a riding position and a
gearing that is more suggestive of a touring bike or an all-round bike, a
better claim for the XZ.
In one respect the US version seems to be a sportier bike: the US
version has a shorter rear fender than the Euro bike. The fender of the Euro
bike is long and touring-like.
The Euro
rear fender of the XZ550 is relatively long.
However, the rear fender of the Euro 1982 XZ550s,
that is the model with the factory fairing, had a short rear fender (see
picture below). In all respects it is a Euro bike (low risers, rear set foot
rests, Euro gearing, no side reflectors, 11U model numbering) but the rear
fender was the same as the US
1982 11J model. To make things even more complicated: not all 1982 Euro bikes
with a factory fairing had the short rear fender such as shown in this 1982
brochure for the Euro models. Some were naked bikes fitted with a fairing:
those bikes had the long fender.
The 1983 bikes have a
different tank and a fuel gauge, different carburetors (BD36), air-supported
front forks, a different rear mono-shock-absorber with adjustable damping. They
also had small slots in the front brake disks. The fairing became available in
83 in the US (the 11K-model),
it was already for sale in Europe in 1982. The
fairing can only be combined with low risers.
Finally, thanks to Lucky’s remarks I noticed another difference between the
Euro and the US XZ: the Euro version has standard spark plugs with an internal
resistor (the DR8ES-L; the R stands for Resistor); the US models have
standard a D8EA plug, that is a plug without resistor. See topic Spark Plugs on
this website for more details.
Up to now I have no
information if there was a Euro 1983 model with a different code. If real 1983
models (with fuel gauge etc, see above) ever were sold in Europe, what code did
they have: were they 11K “US” models or did they differ from the US models? Did
they have a code that differed from Euro 82 (11U) and US 83 (11K)? I hope to
find out when I see a 83 model here or if I find information in late 1982
European motorcycle periodicals discussing Yamaha 1983 models.
The XZ550 for Australia and
New Zealand has a code 16R.
In Japan a different version of the XZ550
was sold, the XZ550D. It had a model code 30R. This bike was sold in one color
only, grey, with or without fairing (see photo). It shares the primary gearing
with the US model: 33/73 teeth and it had low risers for the handlebars and
rear set footrests, air supported front fork and the rear shock with adjustable
damping. It shared a number of cycle parts with the XZ400, for instance the
seat strap and the small slots in the front brake disks. I owe the
illustrations and the information to Ryuni, who has
an XZ-ranch in Japan with two
beautiful XZ400 and one XZ550. The grey bike with fairing is his XZ550D.
The XZ550D was
sold in 1984-85 in Japan.
It had a model code 30R, and it differs from US en Euro 550 versions by
having a seat strap and small slots in the brake disks. Photo
and (left) bike of Ryuni in Japan. Note also the
brake disk and caliper of the naked bike
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