Australian Specs XJ650 (4K0)

Hi,
can anyone shed light as to what the power specs were for the AU 1980 XJ650. The reason I ask is that this bike is listed as LAMS approved in Q'land but not in WA or NSW. Were there two versions available. Any assistance would be great. Thanks

 

As I read the rules no more than 150kw/ton . Xj has 54 kw for 1/4 ton so it’s 216 kw/t

 

You folks "down under" sure have a process to get a motorcycle license. In South Dakota, in the 80's, I borrowed a motorcycle, went to take the written and driving test, passed both and got my license. Total prior experience on a motorcycle - 20 minutes on the borrowed bike. They have tightened the requirements some since then, but not by much.

 

when I was of licensing age all you had to do is get a drivers license for a car then take a written test and pay to have MC endorsement added and if you wanted a tractor trailer license take written test and pay a fee for the endorsment. things have changed a lot

 

The UK bike licence.....even in the 90's was a process.....a day of classroom, a few hours? of road craft, followed by a motorcycle riding instructor....my ex G/f was overjoyed but completely 'knackered' after she passed hers.......the only fun part, once all the new rider 'ducklings' had passed, their instructor took them out, through heavy (Bristol) city traffic, and had them filtering ( lane splitting, perfectly legal in most of the Rest of the (Free) World, lol, ) thought heavy traffic.... she was so excited to finally be doing what I'd done, as a bike courier, for years, safely and legally

Over here.....I don't think I spent even 20 minutes riding the bike!!....But, thank the gods NY state inspections don't even meet UK 1980's MOT, requirements....well, certainly not at MY testing station...although that MUST mean there are some death traps on the roads !!

 

my inspection process is hand over reg and money guy comes out slaps sticker on bike as he walks around it

 

Yes there was a bit of work to get through the test in the UK in the 90's I passed mine in 1980 on my Suzuki GT 250, my car licence covering the provisional licence for the bike. Then later they reduced the CC for learners from 250cc to 125cc with the theory tests and road test.

 

I'm just a bit ahead of you, got mine done in '77...on a Yamaha RD400....even though by law it SHOULD have been my RD250 !! ( examiner never really checked!!)

 

Mine similar, lol.....first one I ever had in the US I was bottling it.....aftermarket exhaust, no baffle on my RS955i Triumph....bloke didn't even start the bike, checked the brakes, indicators, lights and slapped the sticker on......then I realized he was riding an unbaffled, Kerker'd Zx14, turbo!!......talk about ears bleeding.....that wouldn't have passed the noise regs in the 80's in the UK, let alone now !!!

 

Did you change the sidepanels for Rd 250 ones lol just kidding. In 1977 I got my first bike an MZ TS 150 it was no eyecatcher but it was cheap transport with lethal Barum tyres in the wet. Not good on Scottish roads especially in winter.

 

Yup, that was all I bloody did, he never checked, just read the reg plate, then tried to keep sight of me, as I rode around the cobbled streets of Salford.....yes, my bloody emergency brake test was on wet, cobbled streets !!!....< maybe thats why, when I was couriering, I was always FASTER and smoother in the wet than the dry...well, that and being from Manchester, lol !!

I started off road, dirt and woods....then got my first official road bike in 75, a Fizzy !!

 

In the UK the Fire Service run day courses called Biker Down which I have done and gives the basics on accident management etc.

 

The Fizzy a few of my mates had them. Forty odd years ago how time flies. I was a bit more frugal with the MZ lol. I had that then a GT250 Suzuki and after they my CB750K2 Honda. Should have kept that one. Never been to Manchester I used to work in Keighley but that was a long time ago.

 

I've been to Keighley lol, quite a few times!!

I did my Police Roadcraft course in the mid 90's.......beacuse back then, it garnered you a little more respect from Traffic, esp the bikes, and it also gave you a decent insurance discount, also did RoSPA but that was back in the 80's.....mind you, that didn't stop me rattling up 12 points and an automatic suspension.....twice......my mate, ex Armed Forces got off easy....24 points, still kept his licence!! because of his exemplary service record ( as he should , he was in Desert Storm, for chrissakes...the First one!!)

Closest I got was the Terriers, lol, never called up!!

I should have kept my 900R Kawasaki, lol, but.........I killed it, good n proper!!

Became somewhat of a 'legend' amongst the Manc couriers, but also a 'marked man', with plod after a certain Police Range Rover blew up...whilst chasing me..... 900R's go MUCH faster, for much longer, lol !!.....my courier mate, who then became a Traffic plod, told me my fizzog was posted at ALL the Police motorway services......and I was getting stopped, for no good reason at least once a day.....not that I didn't somewhat deserve it, I suppose... not long after that, gave it up as a 'bad joke' and moved to 'Merica.....not that that was the main reason ( divorce, 2nd, lol!)

It's ok here, I'm really liking it, and the Yank bikers are in the main, crackin' lads n lasses...worst part is the 'no filtering' laws...except for a couple of States.....it doesn't stop me, I mean, I was taught to filter by Plod, lol...its in my blood......the Yanks weren't that good at it, when I got here......( no offense, lads n lasses) but they've gotten noticeably better...although the kids on the back wheel....ahem, filtering at 80+, leave a bit to be desired....especially when they turn around and see an old geezer, on an ancient 'touring Yamaha' right up their jacksy, lol......that always makes 'em do a double take !! ( You can take the courier out of the UK..etc, etc!!)

 

Good you like life in the USA. Someday I think I will be going for a biking holiday.

 

And I'll probably be back inScotland, for my biking holiday, maybe next year.....been about 6 years now!!

 

Great just watch for Nessy people think its a myth but l think its real lol.

 

bigfoot and sasquatch run around our woodlands

 

I am lucky only got Nessy to watch out for lol.

 

When I lived in Dundee, I used to commute 'around' part of Loch Ness, for work.....yes, out of my way, but what the heck, I had my T140V Triumph, and then my Guzzi Le Mans 2, in ....5 years, evening, late, early AM, I never once saw so much as a ripple, around Loch Ness!!

But yes.....Nessy IS real !!

 

David,
I have the original 4K0 sales brochure and it quotes:
Max. power output: 73 PS / 9,000 r.p.m. (DIN)
Maximum torque 6kg-m (59.2 Nm).

I saw your comment that we didn't get the YICS version in Oz, we did. It arrived in 1981 in Blue, then we had black with red i think in 1982. It probably had a higher power output.

I could be wrong but I don't think we had the silver paint here. That was in US and maybe elsewhere. We had the silver 550.

 

I stand corrected

 

Any chance I could get a copy of that brochure, would really appreciate it.

 

Does Aus still have licencing restrictions (HP> engine size) much like they've had in the UK....for eons??
is it State by State territory governed ( much like the US)?

Just curious..I stand to be corrected, but I THINK over here in the US, once you reach 17? you can buy and take your test on a full power machine ( Huyabusa springs to mind, lol!! )

 

that is certainly the case here in Ontario, however a 17 year old could never afford the insurance in this instance.

 

Yep, you sure can. Send me an email at SunshineCoast@vjmc.org.au and I'll return with a scanned copy. Maybe you could ask Len (chacal) if he has one. I see the brochures come up for sale online 2 or 3 times a year.

It might be worth you catching up with the VJMC too. I think i saw that you were in WA. We have a fast growing group in Perth. Two essentials for owning an XJ in Australia, xjbikes.com and the VJMC (www.vjmc.org.au - you'll see 2 XJs in about the 4th slide on the rolling banner and mine again on about the 10th).

 

We do have restrictions on novice riders. After reaching the legal driving age, it relates to power to weight ratio and experience. Drivers/riders licences are regulated state by state but I can't tell you the rules. You could do a web search on "NSW RMS motorcycle licence". I can tell you that novice riders can still get their hands on some pretty quick bikes.

 

Cheers mate, was just curious!!

 

I’m sure it’s changed, but not all that long ago you could get a motorcycle license at 14 in some states. Oklahoma comes to mind.

Not sure that there were any HP/displacement restrictions.

 

US motorcycle license gets you any bike you want no restrictions
in NH you have to have a car license first and know how to ride a bicycle to get motorcycle endorsment