Seca II Anyone have one?

Well it looks like I got drunk and woke up with a Yamaha XJ600S, aka Seca II, aka Diversion. It is red with a red frame, stock except a Yoshi-pipe and in reasonable nick. I plan to hang my extra wingrack on it, attach bags and commute. No modifications are planned. The flat black will stay away.

Does anyone here gave any experience with these little jewels?  Will it be turd-like or OK?  Anything to watch out for?  (I already know the cam chains are rattly).

Thanks, and stop making fun if me, I want to stop killing Ny VFR for a little bit, plus it was only 500 bones.

A guy I know has one.  It's a project of his, which has been sitting in his garage for...  As long as I know him, which is about 10 years now.
Not sure if it's Seca's fault though.

They did come in a turbo variant in the early 80's which from what I understand you could turn the boost up on quite easily. Why any one would want to do that is beyond me. :wheel:

Useless I know, but that exhausts my knowledge of Secas.

I had a Seca II (XJ600S) for a couple years.

Bought used, solid commuter, never gave me any trouble other than oil changes and spark plugs.

Not super sporty, but it could hussle. Nothing earth shattering.

the engine has been around in one form or another since the first XJ550 sooo long ago (Seca, Maxim, etc) although it underwent some major changes (canted cylinders) right around the time yamaha brushed it off and freshened it up for the Seca II. Yamaha has been like that for a long time; they seem to keep recycling thier design into the next generation....

Sold it for about what I paid for it.

Good little runabout IMHO....

You bought a bike that's not a project, NO WAY!

I had a Yamaha Vision, which I chose over the Seca.  the guy that I took my bike to for repairs told me the Secas were very reliable.

All good to hear. I didn't think the motor was related to the old FJ/FZ 600 because the cases are different and the slant is greater. All I have heard is."solid, but not exciting" and that us actually a good thing.  I dint like the red frame, but that is ni- picking. Now to fab up a wngrack mount because there is no figment kit for this model.

Timmy-

A friend of mine had one.  Stone-cold reliable, surprisingly fun to ride.  Enjoy it.  55+ MPG if memory serves...

The Seca II 600 Diversion was pretty much a budget 600cc bike from Yamaha that was much more affordable than their FZR 600s at that time. No real big performance features on the bike as it's all detuned and decontented with the simplest of half farings, pipes and most likely, cheapy suspension pieces. Most of the ended up as commuter hacks, (I've never seen one yet modded up to be anything interesting so far).....then to mostly rat bikes in the cities. I'd prefer the first Suzuki Bandit 400 or Honda's CB1 400 to it as both look and most likely ride a lot better.

Beck
95 VFR

Here's some ideas;

http://www.amazon.co...l/dp/B007856N1K

& leave the frame in red.

http://www.ebay.com/...L-/390399345127

Why not make a little racket?

Might be a fun little commuter.

When I was getting ready to buy my first bike, the Seca II was on my list. They have a reputation as a reliable bike that is tame enough for newbies but powerful enough to be useful. I would not go as far as to say they are bullet-proof like my Nighthawk, but they are definitely low maintenance.

If nothing else, it is a bike that could be a loaner when you have company. But they make great commuters too.

One of my first street bikes was a 1982 Seca 650 (I guess that was the Seca I), that I bought with very low kms in 1985.  It was the old story, the seller's pregnant wife said the bike had to go. It was shaft drive with a Shoei after market quarter fairing.  I remember it being very smooth, low maintenance (that shaft was nice), and it had what I thought at the time was lots of power. It also had a big 9-inch, round headlight.  I ended up on some rural roads at night on the Seca and turning on high beam was like turning on a spotlight--it illuminated the whole road, both shoulders and every pair of eyes in the woods. Funny thing is the guy I bought my VFR from had also owned a Seca in his youth and had recently bought a good used specimen.  As I feared, he said it kind of ruined his memories because it really didn't stack up to modern bikes like our VFRs.  I managed to find some pics of my old Seca recently--which of course I had to scan since there weren't any consumer digital cameras in 1985.  Sorry for the grainy shots:

[image: Posted Image]

[image: Posted Image]

I would rather have one of those old Seca650s than this modern one.  Those 80s 650s were absolutely bombproof.  Every currier I knew either had one, or wanted one back in the day.  so as to not confuse anybody, here is a Seca2: (related in name only to the old Seca)
[image: Posted Image]

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 10 September 2012 - 11:05 PM, said:

I would rather have one of those old Seca650s than this modern one.  Those 80s 650s were absolutely bombproof.  Every currier I knew either had one, or wanted one back in the day.  so as to not confuse anybody, here is a Seca2: (related in name only to the old Seca)
[image: Posted Image]

Time to update your garage... :ph34r:

Good solid bike, nothing fancy, nothing fast, great for a commuter.

[image: View Post]Belfry, on 10 September 2012 - 10:38 PM, said:

One of my first street bikes was a 1982 Seca 650 (I guess that was the Seca I), that I bought with very low kms in 1985.  It was the old story, the seller's pregnant wife said the bike had to go. It was shaft drive with a Shoei after market quarter fairing.  I remember it being very smooth, low maintenance (that shaft was nice), and it had what I thought at the time was lots of power. It also had a big 9-inch, round headlight.  I ended up on some rural roads at night on the Seca and turning on high beam was like turning on a spotlight--it illuminated the whole road, both shoulders and every pair of eyes in the woods. Funny thing is the guy I bought my VFR from had also owned a Seca in his youth and had recently bought a good used specimen.  As I feared, he said it kind of ruined his memories because it really didn't stack up to modern bikes like our VFRs.  I managed to find some pics of my old Seca recently--which of course I had to scan since there weren't any consumer digital cameras in 1985.  Sorry for the grainy shots:

[image: Posted Image]

[image: Posted Image]

I had one just like that right down to the color (but no 1/4 fairing).

I remember it as a great solid bike.

i chucked a clear windscreen on it and it was great for everything from bombing around town to heading a couple counties over.

I'd probably buy another one if I could find a mint specimen...great memories on one also.

Same reason I bought a vf interceptor.....great memories.....

I didnt even walk anywhere near a flat black rattle can
[image: Posted Image]

Hey mister, will it do a wheelie?

Um.....no.

I got a free replacement from Yamaha for my original. Seems when there was frost on the bike, it would start and run fine for about 5 miles then would start skipping and drop 1 or 2 cylinders. They gave me a new one which promptly displayed the same behavior. I think the cold air with enough moisture for frost was freezing in the venturi. Would clear up in a few minutes. Rode it down to 11 degrees. Never did it unless there was frost. Otherwise a perfect UJM. Have about 30,000 miles in the two bikes.

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 16 September 2012 - 03:01 PM, said:

Um.....no.

Even with the sizable rear frame sliders you adapted?

Me bur wit slit if lead ballast.

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 16 September 2012 - 05:40 PM, said:

Me bur wit slit if lead ballast.

Set the iPhone down and step away from the sangria Timmy...

When I was looking for cheap-ish starter bikes SECA II's were on my short list.
Top o' the list was an NT650 Hawk, but they are pretty pricey in the bay area now.
Ended up with my VFR.... <3

stock bars were a tiny bit tweaked so since I have been dying to install these, they are on.  Same riding position but a tad wider. and yes, they are green.
[image: Posted Image]

what limited seat time I had on one of those was that it was wholly uninspiring.  But I think that was the point.

It may be uninspiring, but insurance for an entire year is 31 dollars.

For the very few who are interested:

I rode the B.A.V. (I named it the Beltway Assault Vehicle) to work tonight.  No problems, no hiccups.  The bike is light and handles wilingly with the really wide MX bars I put on.  It revs quickly and definately likes the upper end of the rev-range.  There are no vibrations to speak of.  I love the hand position, but I will have to get used to the pegs.  The are nice and high, but a little to far forrward for my liking. (I do have some R1 rearsets, I wonder if they will bolt on?)

I can see why this bike has a following. No nonsense, just gets on with the job.  Nothing to write home about, but the intended use is the most boring motorcyling I do-commute.  I wonder if the Maryland personalized plate of UJM  is taken.........

I predict the red will succumb to the flat black within weeks or at the outside a few months...

But it does look kind of "Christmas-y" with the red and green...

Hey, why not put longer travel forks on that and a duckbill fender under the half fairing and then figure out how to raise up the rear too and come up with a unique, inline four urban adventure bike!. If you do that, you will definitely have to paint it flat black then!......Sort of like a mini TDM with a more interesting engine!

Beck
95 VFR