XJ 700 performance question

I understand why the 700 was made (import/tariff issues). I understand that there was an air-cooled version and a water-cooled version.

Was there a performance difference between the two? Did the water-head perform better? I hear a lot these days from modern sport-bikers that water cooled beats air cooled hands-down every time.

Is this a modern phenomena or is that why a water-cooled 700 was made?

 

I'm uncertian of the run down on the performance specs but, I do know that insurance companies put a higher price on coverage for the X model. Their stats somewhere must have told them that the XJ700X rips up the road at a much higher liability cost.

 

The watercooled "X" was a direct derivitave of Yamaha's abortive F1 engine program, the "X" motor has FIVE valves per cylinder and I believe you have to pull the cams to do the valve adjustment. The 20V motor was a "technological statement" as much as Honda's turbocharging of the CX series transverse V-twin. Both bikes were built to prove it could be done.

 

Whoa. Very interesting, thanks Fitz. You say abortive F1 program. The extra valve was an intake valve?

There are an F series of bikes now. Developed under another program?

 

Yup 3 intakes two Ext. While I don't remember the exact specs the 700 X models were rated in the high 80's for HP and the 750 X's at 91 or so HP. mine scoots pretty well but I also don't have a good comparison as my usuall riding buddy has a big overgrown harley that is not meant for speed at all. I do know that with Snowmobiles your friends statement holds true. Liquid cooled sleds have around 35-40% more HP over air/fan cooled sleds as they can handle high compression and more heat in the combustion chamber than the air/fan setups.

 

The two are different animals. As Fitz mentioned, you have the 5 valve configuration on the X. Also, no YICS on the X.

From what I have read, the X edges out the air cooled version in torque. And, if you crank open the throttle, you better hold on to your seat.

From my understanding, the X did not sell as well as the others because of the price premium at the time. So they killed it after 1986.

If you read the articles, they were giving the liter bikes of the day a run for their money when they left the showroom. That packed in a cruiser style frame surprised quite a few folks at the time.

 

hehe.. Joe pull up to a young punk on a crouch rocket today and you will still give the new bikes fits!! If I get into my X too much she'l pull the front wheel 1st to 2nd and almost from 2nd to 3rd. They def scoot.

 

Wow. Good stories guys. Thanks.

 

Look at maxim-x.com for details of the 20 valve watercooled Genesis engine used in the Maxim X -totally different from the aircooled XJs

 

I tromped mine and hit right around 55 in first gear by the time I got to the redline. It definitely gets your attention.

'85... I need to get my 2nd gear fixed before I go stirring up trouble.
;-) I was riding today and had some harley guys pull in with me in stop and go traffic. I couldn't believe the vibration in that guy's bike. It looked like the engine was going to jump out of the frame.

 

LOL I know what you mean abou thte harleys my buds do the same thing. I have rode his on a few occasion and while it rides like a lazy boy you don't feel the connection with the road that you do with our bikes. You just don't feel like you can push it hard threw the corners(and it isn't meant for that) But you get our X's on some winding roads and by the second or third one you have the bike felt out and can just rip through them.

Don't let off the gas entirely when getting on it from First to second mine likes just a tad of RR's to change when getting into it. If I let too much throttle off it is harder to hit second do some low R experiments you may just find the nak to get the silky smooth second gear even under hard accel.

 

Mine is aircooled, Havent really tried a X to compare, but 2 days back i took 2 sport bikers by surprise on a leaning curve..its just incredible. A question some guys claim that you can upshift without holding the clutch, i never did as i thought its not the nicest thing for the motor..am i right !!

 

isnt it funny how mosy xj'ers are no guts no glory me and a buddy of mine were just talking about how i push my XJ harder then he does his 929 in the corners.... get as low as you can, try not to run out of tread and rip into the throttle

 

I wanna know what littleGIANT wants to know. I've heard it a hundred times. You can upshift without the clutch. It scares me, havent tried it, but is it true?? I mean, i prob wont do it ever, but I just wanna know. I've been worried that I've let it slip once or twice by not pulling the clutch all the way in. But honestly. Can you upshift without a clutch without causing damage to your engine??
-StreetLegalKid

 

SLK, yes you can and quite smoothly if you get the rpms right. while it won't hurt the motor it can and most likely will have ill effects on the trans components if done repeatedly.

 

yes its true. you have to have good timing and have a good feel for your bike. synchromesh gears line up the shift, you just need to time the shift with the slight let up on the gas.
i have done this with many rides from my 69 honda 90 to my xj1100.
but it is all in the timing.

 

yes you can up shift without the clutch ... without doing damage hmmmm... thats a trick question how about we rephrase that to doing more damage then avarage

any time you drive your bike you are damaging / wearing somthing out - its all mechanical. wether it be the oil, clutch, brakes, gears, tires etc

by driving slow or "granny driving" you do one type of damage vs running it hard and damaging it another way.

shifting with a clutch is preferred as it wears the cluch and reduces the "shock load" to the engine and drivetrain. shifing with no clutch directly transfers power to the next gear - this can be bad for the gears if you grind them since your essentially shaving metal off them and dropping it into the engine oil and placing all that pressure on the seals etc.

When racing you want as close to 0.00 shift time as possible

Can the bike handle it? short answere yes

 

There's a many page thread on just this subject.
It is quite informative.

 

It looks like the water-cooled is a little faster, here are the specs: http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/motorcyc ... XMaxim.htm

http://www.totalmotorcycle.com/motorcyc ... SMaxim.htm

 

I was getting on the highway the other day and was tromping it to get up to speed. I hit a bump coming onto the freeway, and it sounded like all h$#@ broke loose. RPMs jumped up and it really started screaming. That is when I realized the tire broke loose from the pavement. 8O

Just glad I was straight up since it was the first time I had experienced that. I respect the X more and more each day.