1984 Yamaha XJ750RL

[liptoss]

Can anyone identify with this motorcycle? Does anyone have a relative or sibling to this motorcycle? If so, I could really use some assistance with sourcing and obtaining a few parts of it this season.
I've had this motorcycle since I was in early high school; bought it brand new. It's seen leaded fuel in it's infancy years in fact. This model in fact was only produce 1 year, with about 600 brought into Canada and about 200 sent to Australia. I don't know if ever any were produced in subsequent years and shipped to Europe, I've seen pictures online. This bike shared the most chassis parts with the XJ900RK or Seca 900. The big difference was the frame mounted fairing opposed to bikini of the 900 and the anti-dive fork assemblies installed on the 900. The engine bottom end was exact to the 900 with gearing differences possibly ( I can't recall). The heads were different too.
Now, the 750 Seca of the time (the one with the funky instrument cluster) as well as the Maxim 750 (as well as the 650), all shaft drive, had the exact engine of my XJ750RL.

Sorry for the long lead up, but I'm hoping that this info may stimulate your memory of the time and possibly assist me in obtaining much needed parts to keep my ride on the road.

I'm in need of parts including:

- oil & dust seals and upper and lower bushings for the forks.

- a head gasket and cam chain galley gasket and possibly round oil seals for around the head bolts.

Yamaha Canada has listed as all of these items NON-avaiable.

Time to source aftermarket. I believe that I should be able to locate the engine parts I need, but the forks are, as far as I can recall, nothing like other motorcycles of the time. Not even the FJ600 had the exact same fork. Now that doesn't mean that Yamaha didn't share internal components with other same size tubes and sliders.

If anyone has a lead on a source I would greatly appreciate any help.

Thanks guys!

Bought new friction plates for my '06 Gen 1 and will be installing them today.

 

[Tex85]

Can't help you with parts info at all but that is a sharp looking bike from '84! You have taken great care of her.

 

[Rollie]

www.xjbikes.com

 

[Fire-medic]

The baby brother to the FJ1100? I'd think the 1983-era 750 inline four's would have lots of parts which interchange, as you noted, the engine's the same. You may find the Seca 900 is the same for chassis pieces.

 

[one2dmax]

The XJ bikes is the way to go for sure! I still have my first bike which is a 1983 Seca Turbo (also a very rare bike). I have a seca 900 engine here that was going to be used for a partial transplant in that chassis.

I also have an 83 Seca 750 that I picked up and will sell it if interested. it's been sitting for who knows how long but is mostly complete. Shipping doesn't make it too practical though.

 

[great white]

I almost bought one from Triple-E Yamaha (out of business) in 1984. I lusted after the FJ1100, but couldn't swing the price (was in High School). I almost could swing the XJ's price, but alas fell short and it was eventually sold.

My understanding is pretty much what you know: basically an XJ750 engine in a XJ900 chassis.

The XJ900 was much more popular overseas. I'd check out some UK parts suppliers and see what they can do for you.

Ebay.co.uk might turn up some stuff.

You may be able to use a NA XJ750 head gasket. In fact, I would almost bet cash on it.

Yamaha is what most call a "parts bin" builder. Meaning: they design a bike/part and reuse it over and over. When building a new model, they build a frame and then start sticking on parts they already had that would do the job. This was especially true in the 80's and is actually an economically smart way to build a bike.

You're likely to have to get creative and take some chances ordering parts. The guy on the parts counter usually only knows what the screen tells him. If it says obsolete for an XJ750RK, that doesn't mean you can't get it anymore. It just means you can't order it for an XJ750RK, if you follow what I'm trying to say.

Some things you're going to be out of luck for sure. Like bodywork, gauges, etc. But it's like that for lots of bikes. An FJ1100 gas cap goes for good cash used because Yamaha doesn't make them anymore. There's actually a few places considering tooling up to repop them...but there's demand for them, FJ's were/are popular bikes and they sold a lot of them. Unlike parts specifically for an XJ750RK...

But the good thing is, as I mentioned, Yamaha reused parts (especially major parts like engine assemblies) over and over and over. Just because your model is no longer serviced doesn't mean you can't get the part you need anymore. Either OEM or aftermarket.

Good luck on your search.

 

[BorgBiker]

Not an expert on these by any means, but I have a pretty good motorcycle memory. It looks a LOT like the US FJ600, made in the mid 1980's. The engine, the frame, fairing, bodywork, wheels, all of it.

 

[V-Four]

I had a 1980 xj 750..totally different style wise.. (maybe the motors were close)
It was more of a 'jap cruiser' style, including the chrome fenders.

I did get it cheap, and then sold it cheap.

I guess I'm not much help, but thanks for the walk down memory lane.

 

[kevman]

Australian ebay has some parts and if you give me your vin number I can ask at the local yammie dealer and find out what's left in the spare parts.Cheers Kevman.

 

[liptoss]

Thanks everyone. My XJ750RL was exactly like the Seca 900 or XJ900RK of body parts. Frame, tank, tail, shocks, etc. I've found out that the 900 and my 750 shared the same 37mm tubes and it seems sliders (lower). The 900 had that funky anti dive set up, but the axle bolted on the same as mine. Maxim and Seca model forks were 36mm and longer overall.
I could take a chance with the 900 upper an lower bushes and oil and dust seals I bet, since yes Yammie did swap parts year over and over year.
The local stealership has shown me the screen for both 900 and 750 and fork parts are listed as exhausted from Yamaha. Agh.
According to online stats only about 620 of the XJ750RL were brought into Canada and another 200 and change were sent to Australia. Now, from what I understand they took the body with full fairing of the XJ750RL in I believe 85 or 86 and ran it with the 900 engine in Europe for at least a couple of years. This model didn't have the anti dive set up. And looks to match exactly.
I believe I've been narrowing where I might begin to search for parts now. Europe and Australian and in areas of Canada.