Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126460
IoLUAha XS850G By Dale Brown Testing the Yamaha XS850G was an experience that ranged from exhileration to depression. Exhileration was when the sun peeked through the clouds and we got to go riding. Depression was when the rain and the southern California hillsides were coming down seven days straight and the torquey triple had to sit, (Abovel Tractor-llke motor makes freeway cruising eesy. (BeIowlln addition to more cII8pIacement. the 1rIpIe got an 01 ~ . 26 just a couple hundred feet from this very typewriter. Yamaha punched its ahaft-drive 750 triple to 8%6cc for 1980, gave it adjustable air/spring forb and highly adjustable rear shocks. What they've created, we feel, is an imprellive touring/commuter machine. You might seek another machine if your intent is Mach 2 on twisty canyon roads. but if you want to hit the Interstata in search'of, say, Daytona, ~ad on. rU'St imprasiolll a~ JlOO(1.; the machine appean well-detailed. Its black/ bronze finish is stately if not terribly colorful. The stepped seat is plush and comfy and the 4.5-gallon fuel tank narrows near the seat. Throw a leg over and you'll discover that the XS850 is tall, but not u~a sonably so. Also, swinging the bike from side to side giva the impression that a lot of the weight (claimed weight is 551 pounds) is carried high on the bike. With the choke full on, it takes IeVeral stabs at the starter befo~ things come to life, if the bike's ~asonably cold. The choIte is a two-stage mechanism which e1iminata much of the balky performance aIIIOciated with last year's models when they were cold. Now you simply let the bike warm up to the point where all the lubricants are moving about, then ride off. After a few minutes the choke should be moved to its halfway point. which allows the bike to warm up without the usual stalling. When the Yamaha is warm and happy - about 7-10 minutes of riding did the trick for us - tum the choke completely off. The first time out on the XS850 we w~ imp~ and then some by the triple's tractor·like torque. The ride was jerky at slow speeds when we first ataned out, but then the throttle hand made the necessary adjustments and the~ w~ no mo~ problema. Around town the bike would burble happily and accelerate evenly from 2,000 rpm and shon shifting became the order of the left toe. Winding up to the 9,000 rpm red· line produces no surges along the way and acceleration is hard but without the breathtaking suddeness of the triple's big brother, the XS11. Unless you've spent the last 10 yean on an cafe racer though, you'll just want to let the bike torque its merry way along and cruise comfortably. If you're used to smaller bikes, that merry cruising business can get you in trouble if you don't watch the speedo needle. One staffer, just keeping an eye on the scenery - mostly lady runners - had a flashing red light pop up in the mirror. The police officer politely noted that he had been running 10-18 mph over the speed limit