From the Estate of Tom Ferrara, 1980 Yamaha XS850 G...

From the Estate of Tom Ferrara
1980 Yamaha XS850 G
Engine no. 3J3-002192
826cc DOHC Vertical Triple
Triple Hitachi Carburetors
79bhp at 8,900rpm
5-Speed Manual Transmission
Air-Assisted Telescopic Front Fork and Swing Arm Rear Suspension
2-Wheel Disc Brakes

*Yamaha's answer to the Triumph Triple
*A smooth and powerful cruising machine
*Highly regarded in period and today
*Well preserved example

THE MOTORCYCLE OFFERED

The late 1970s/early 1980s witnessed the birth of what are termed 'factory customs': models with laid-back 'cruiser' styling inspired by what Harley-Davidson owners had been doing to their machines for decades. Soon no motorcycle was safe from such treatment, which has even descended as far as single-cylinder 125cc 'learner' bikes. One of the very first 'factory custom', limited edition (LTD) models announced was Kawasaki's Z1-based Z900LTD of 1976, which effectively established the style of this new kind of motorcycle and was later copied by all the other Japanese manufacturers.

Yamaha applied this new look to its existing XS850 sports-tourer in the form of the Midnight Star. The XS850 was a development of the XS750 that had first appeared in 1976 as Yamaha's flagship sports bike. An all-new design, the XS750 triple was Yamaha's first large-capacity multi-cylinder motorcycle and broke further new ground for the Hammamatsu firm by employing shaft final drive, a feature that was carried over to its XS850 successor. "The XS850 stands in its own right as a completely new motorcycle, despite its heritage," reckoned Bike magazine. "It's undergone not a simple change but a radical metamorphosis from a cumbersome caterpillar into a beautiful black butterfly. It's not just the styling that has been changed, but the entire nature of the beast, its heart and soul."

Britain's No. 1 motorcycle journal found that Yamaha had indeed addressed the XS750's shortcomings, producing a machine capable of seeing off anything in its own class and many above it. "For specifications, performance and all-round ability, it has to be one of the best big bikes currently available. At 520lbs it weighs in no heavier than some 750s and with nearly 80bhp on tap, it is low, lithe and very rapid. Up to about 5,000rpm, it'll rumble along with only a hint of latent aggression. Let it loose beyond that and it will pick up like a rocket ship dialed into warp."

This XS850G is finished in gloss black with gunmetal inserts on the tank. Nicely presented, it appears to be a well-preserved machine showing 19,072 miles on the odometer—likely from new. One of a selection of bikes in Tom Ferrara's collection, it has been infrequently ridden in recent years but regularly inspected with a stack of New York inspection stickers on the front fork speak to the regular attention the bike has received. Included with the machine are two large boxes of parts including a spare engine block, cases, and more.

Offered with key