Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hey-

So when it comes to getting a beater bike...

No really. I've been wanting to get on a real bike for a long time. I've been using dirt bikes to get around the farm (some places you have to, atv won't cut it) and want to branch out.

I have a free 1982 Yamaha vision at my disposal that ran as of last year. It sat with a drained tank for a year which probably means new battery/ cleaned carb and it's set to go right?

Anyway- would this be an alright bike to relearn on? Other than faded paint and surprisingly few rust spots she's almost mint. I even have new tires, brake pads/shoes and fuel lines for her.

The main question, is this an ok bike, and is it worth the time getting her running, registered, inspected etc

Sorry- I always make things longer than they have to be. I hope to extend that to rides.

The Vision was a bike before its time. Yamaha had trouble selling a mid-size water cooled twin to the UJM crowd back in '82. Nowadays Suzuki's SV650 sells like hot cakes. Go figure.

If the Vision is really in good shape and has been properly stored, I'd definitely go for it. You can't beat the price. If you wanted to buy a good one in running condition, you'd be looking at $800 - $1000. Overall, it should make a good beater bike. A friend of mine rode one for 10 yrs. and loved it. It's no speed demon, but it's got more than enough power to get you around town and on the freeway with the nice, wide power band that's typical of most twins. About the only thing I'd worry about is the scarcity of engine parts. I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure that the Vision's unique engine configuration didn't share many parts with other more popular models. But hey, if the engine's in good shape, just rider 'er till she stops.