XS 650 Special

1979 Yamaha XS 650 Special Technical Analysis & Specification Breakdown

Positioned in Yamaha's sport touring motorcycle lineup, the 1979 Yamaha XS 650 Special relies on a 654 cc (39.9 cu in) air-cooled twin, four-stroke powerplant. In factory specification, peak output is rated at 48 HP (35 kW) at 7,100 rpm, transferring power to the rear wheel through a 5-speed gearbox and chain final drive. With a specific output of 73.4 HP per liter, the engine character is indicating a tractable, stress-free state of tune focused on everyday usability and broad torque delivery.

On the scales, the XS 650 Special measures 221 kg (487 lbs) wet (curb), translating to a power-to-weight ratio of 0.22 HP/kg (4.6 kg per horsepower). The 12-liter (3.2 US gal) fuel tank supports practical everyday commuting and weekend road stints, while factory top speed is listed at 156 km/h (97 mph).

Within MotoLibrary's Yamaha archive, this model family spans 2 indexed model years from 1979 to 1981, allowing buyers to track year-over-year changes in emissions tuning, weight and equipment.