The best ever 4-stroke vertical twin?

 

In his usual subtle manner the TOGmeister casually dropped
the following stun grenade [in "Ok, TOG tell us already, willya?"]

 > It [Yamaha] built the XS650, the best four-stroke big vertical
 > twin engine *ever* [1]

 > [1] So good that Triumph used it as a yardstick for the stillborn
 > 900cc Diana twin, and even copied bits of its design wholesale.

There is something iconic about the Brit vertical twin, inspiring
writers to produce idyllic, nostalgic prose such as the following:

 > Thirty-five years ago I had just gotten out of the Army and played
 > bass in a rock / show band. I did not need reading glasses;
 > I did not have a mortgage; a loving wife, grown kids,
 > or responsibilities. But I did take my first ride on a brand new
 > 1972 Triumph Bonneville. Ah, life can be good.

 > The memories of throwing a leg over that narrow bench seat
 > and kicking through 650 cc’s of British vertical twin motorcycle
 > will forever haunt me. This was the feeling of freedom I had
 > yearned for those two long years in combat boots. Gripping
 > the flat handlebars, I could almost smell the adrenaline
 > as the tachometer steadied down to a vertical twin lope.
 > Gazing down at that beautiful sculptured tank brought
 > a warm feeling to my gut you could not get from the utilitarian
 > kegs attached to other bikes. All the dreams I had while riding
 > by bicycle in junior high came back as I lightly flicked
 > the red Bonnie through every curve I could find. Blue River Rd.
 > became the Isle of Man. Brakes, yeah there were some,
 > but the feeling of flying controlled my right wrist. Stopping
 > did not have near the priority that going did. Life can be
 > very good!
http://www.epinions.com/review/2002_Triumph_Bonneville/content_415382670980

Well it seems ironic that some Far Pacific volcanic islanders
with an in-your-face warrior ethic could make better Brit twins
than the British could, let alone the Best One Ever.

Better even than Kawi's W650...? Over the past 4 years of waiting
for a W650 to show up for sale I've seen exactly two (2) and
both for more than I could afford.

So then I finally get myself a modern, big-bore Brit vertical twin...
(er, well, at 850cc it's only medium-sized these days, considering
the Triumph Thunderbird's 1600cc) ...and then somebody goes and sez
it's not as good as some 30-year old metric knock-off. Ain't that
enough to frost yer socks (which, in a Canadian winter, is no mere
figure of speech).

SQ [hrrrumph.]

 


Vertical 4-stroke twins...

I've owned a 78 Kawasaki KZ400, two Yamaha XS650s (77 standard and 81
Special), a 67 Norton Atlas 750, a 81 Honda CM450, a 74 Norton 850
Commando, a 72 Triumph T100R Daytona 500, and a 72 Triumph TR6RV 650.

The Norton 850 Commando was by far the best of the lot - by engine
alone.   The Yamaha XS650 was dull, stodgy, uninspiring, heavy,
whirry, and did I mention uninspiring?

In engine alone, I would rank them:  Commando, TR6RV, Atlas, T100R,
XS650, CM450, KZ400.

As complete motorcycles: Commando, Atlas, XS650, KZ400, T100R, CM450.

I wouldn't have any of them again unless they were given to me.

 



I like the fact that you've chosen 360 degree twins every time, not 180
degree. Nice.


I'd have another XS. And I've had four. Or is it five?


--
BMW K1100LT  Ducati 750SS  Honda CB400F  Triumph Street Triple
Suzuki TS250ER GN250  Damn, back to six bikes!
Try Googling before asking a damn silly question.
chateau dot murray at idnet dot com

 

The Older Gentleman wrote:

Did you guys get the TRX 850's up there? 190ish kg, 80HP, 270 degree
crank......

 


Briefly, in the very short-lived TDM850.