Never Say Never Again Gadgets
Yamaha XJ 650 Turbo Motorbike
Q Branch did have a budget after all. Not enough for a car, admittedly, but the Yamaha motorbike that Bond gets to chase Fatima Blush around the French Riviera on, was a very good machine.
At around this period the big Japanese bike manufacturers were souping up middleweight bikes with the power of superbikes. Motorcycle website Real Classic, describes the Yamaha thus, “The Turbo was Yamaha's effort in the short-lived turbo middleweight sport-bike class that started with the introduction of the 1982 CX500T Honda. The CX was a technological tour de force, with computerised engine management, fuel injection, and 20psi of boost force-fed into a CX500. It was a frenetic beast, with lots of gear-shifting required to keep it on the boil.”
Bond’s bike did have some handy gadgets as well. There were tire guards to protect it from a car bumper. A rocket launched turbo power boost. Plus another unspecified colour coded button which would have presumably housed more weaponry.
At around this period the big Japanese bike manufacturers were souping up middleweight bikes with the power of superbikes. Motorcycle website Real Classic, describes the Yamaha thus, “The Turbo was Yamaha's effort in the short-lived turbo middleweight sport-bike class that started with the introduction of the 1982 CX500T Honda. The CX was a technological tour de force, with computerised engine management, fuel injection, and 20psi of boost force-fed into a CX500. It was a frenetic beast, with lots of gear-shifting required to keep it on the boil.”
Bond’s bike did have some handy gadgets as well. There were tire guards to protect it from a car bumper. A rocket launched turbo power boost. Plus another unspecified colour coded button which would have presumably housed more weaponry.
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Bridge Moto in Reading had a vintage YamahaXJ650 for sale in March 2013 for £4195.
This was their write up... Nearly stock (front brake master cylinder replaced, still available) Yamaha XJ650 Turbo from 1986. Very good condition, very low mileage with mileage declarations on the Japanese paperwork in our possession. We are happy to MOT and UK register if required in our price. This is a rare piece of motorcycling history that will never be manufactured again. |
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