XS Seca? Huh?

Seca's were only XJ's, right? This guy doesn't know what he's talking about, right?

http://austin.craigslist.org/mcy/3238947922.html

Friend looking to buy it. I didn't know there were little 400 seca's running around, thought the smallest seca was the 550. An XJ with only two cylinders, eh?

Never paid much attention to the small bikes before, what's all the difference?

 

Well, I counted at least nine other "typos" in that ad, so mixing up xs and xj doesn't surprise me. "Series buyers, milage" etc.

I think there's a thread, maybe chacal's, that lists all the xj's and the differences. I know there's some kind of "baby Maxim" as well.

 

The model is correct; than is an XS400 Seca. 1982 or '83.

What it really is, is half an XJ.

Here's the deal: the original XS400 was a SOHC dual-shock twin, little brother to the famous XS650. Around since the mid '70s.

Then in 1982, Yamaha came out with a 400 Seca and Maxim, both based on a DOHC shim-over bucket, YICS motor twin, literally a two-cylinder XJ motor; in a monoshock frame. By all rights, you would think they would have called it an XJ except--- there was already an XJ400 FOUR cylinder, a smaller version of what we got as the 550s, being sold in other parts of the world.

So they used the XS model designator instead. That's what that bike is.

To make things even more confusing, in 1982 Yamaha was still selling the original, twin shock SOHC XS400 twin. For '82 they called it the Special, or Heritage Special, or somesuch. While the '82 Seca and Maxim had the new monoshock frame and "half an XJ" motor. By 1983, the original XS twin was gone, and the only XS400s were the DOHC monoshock bikes like that one.

To make matters worse, the aftermarket appears to have never noticed the later bikes; everything you find will be for the original twin shock XS400.

 

That ad is absolutely correct, other than a few spelling typos.

This IS an XS 400 Seca. I have one, in medium rough condition; a guy Iwork with has one, that is in mint condition, nicer than the one in the picture in my opinion; there is another list member who just purchased a near mint one; and there are other list member who either still have one, or had one in the past.

Fitz is correct........Yamaha did a bunch of stuff with the 400's........in another nutshell, they mixed up all of the Maxim, Seca, XS, XJ, 2-cyl, and 4-cyl combinations and made a bunch of different models, some of which were Japan-only.....like the XJ400 Maxim, for example.

Dave Fox

 

t the local shop, in for some work, 1 as a parts bike (no papers, really rough)
and 1 on the road as we were gassing up this summer on a group ride
tons of baby Maxims, ver few baby Secas

 

yup, theres also baby max's, and even one for sale round these parts right now:

http://wausau.craigslist.org/mcy/3285862023.html

and remember this member who bought a 400 seca? sharp looking bike:

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=3 ... rt=15.html

 

from that thread, some more info on the 400's

 

Found out last night one of my football parents has an XS400 Seca. He needs a tank for it, so what did I do? Steered him to XJbikes of course!

Of course, I might regret that, because then he might not sell it.

 

Kaz...........if he still can't find a tank after a period of time, get in touch with me....I have two of them.....both of them need some work--got the typical rust holes in the lower water traps, but if I can get one repaired for myself, I may have a second one available by then.

Dave F

 

Yamaha made a Seca 400 for 1982 and 1983 and were designated XS400RJ and XS400RK respectively. I happen to have an all original 1982 red Seca 400.

 

That is one that I mentioned!

Dave F

 

Yep, there are a few of us here that have either the Seca or Maxim...

Here's an ad for one only a few miles from my place.....

It's only got 6000Km's on it....
Cosmeticly it's better looking than mine...
If i had the money i would buy it...

http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles ... Z407271454

 

I want one for a cafe racer.

 

I'll sell you mine.

 

How much? Speedo in Km?

 

Speedo is in KMS and the bike has 19,001 kms on the dial as it sits today. $1925 OBO