Yamaha Seca Ii
YAMAHA SECA II
NEW FOR '93
IF THIS IS MOTORCYCLING ON A BUDGET, SIGN US UP
MOTORCYCLING IN THE 1990S can be expensive, no getting around it. Today’s sportbikes, with their high levels of technology and refinement, are especially prone to stratospheric pricing, a fact that leaves many potential customers-most of them between 18 and 25 years of age-out in the cold.
These folks have a couple choices: They can buy used, or they can opt for the next best thing, a mid-displacement sportbike positioned and priced a step or two below the latest high-tech 600s.
Many seem to be doing just that. Kawasaki’s EX500 and Suzuki’s GS500E are hot sellers; in fact, the EX has been Kawasaki’s best-selling on-road model three years running. And in these days of sluggish economic growth, the words “best seller” are magic to any manufacturer.
Yamaha is clearly after some of that entry-level sportbike action, and the Seca II is the machine it hopes can do the trick. Yet, rather than play the game according to current rules, Yamaha opted to give the Seca what it feels will be a distinct advantage over its 500cc twin-cylinder rivals in the bigger-is-better U.S. market: a 600cc inline-Four engine.
Designed to be simple, durable, easy to maintain and aesthetically attractive, the 598cc Seca II engine was basically new-from-the-ground-up when the bike debuted last year, borrowing only minor bits and pieces from the Seca 550/FJ600 engine family. Utilizing double-overhead camshafts, two valves per cylinder and direct, shim-and-bucket valve actuation, the air-cooled motor makes usable power right to its 9500-rpm redline, and does so without unnecessary peakiness.
Our test machine delivered respectable-if not outstanding-speed, sprinting the quarter-mile in 13.19 seconds at 98.57 mph and posting a top speed of 113 mph. That’s down a few notches from current 600 sportbike standards, yet equal to the motivational abilities of the EX, the GS and the Suzuki Bandit 400, another of the Seca’s showroom combatants.
Other than its irksome cold-blooded nature-our testbike needed plenty of choke during cold start-ups-vibration was the only real complaint we had with the Seca II engine, this despite its pair of rubber-isolated engine mounts. The high-frequency buzziness creeps into the solid-mounted handlebar, the seat and the footpegs at both high and low rpm, and only settles down at freeway speeds in top gear. More bothersome than painful, the buzziness doesn’t impinge too much on longer rides.
Otherwise, the Seca II offers a relatively high level of comfort. Its ergonomic layout is semi-sporty yet quite roomy, with a low but well-shaped handlebar, slightly rearset rubber-covered footpegs and a comfortable Yamahaby-Corbin saddle-one of four Yamaha accessories fitted to our testbike.
The Seca U’s Italianesque half-fairing, with a small but effective slotted windscreen, does its job well, offering wind and weather protection without an abundance of tiresome noise and turbulence. Ride quality is also very good, thanks to a softly sprung fork and shock, though this softness creates problems two-up and during spirited riding. Seat-to-peg distance could be a bit roomier, especially for those who are long of inseam, though you’ll have to put in an extended day before pain begins to intrude on the experience.
The Seca II handles surprisingly well, though it’s clearly not-and wasn’t designed to be-on par with sportier middleweights. Steering is wonderfully light, thanks to a relatively wide handlebar, and the bike transitions from side to side and flicks into and out of corners with precision and ease. Even at a semi-brisk pace, the Seca’s light overall weight, quick and linear steering, competent brakes and willing motor make it plenty enjoyable in a curvy environment.
It’s at elevated speeds and aggression levels that the Seca U’s usually composed demeanor begins to unravel. A really fast run down a twisty piece of tarmac quickly overwhelms the undersprung, underdamped suspension componentry. This is especially evident on rougher, undulating roads, where the 38mm non-adjustable fork and preload-only-adjustable rear shock allow the chassis to pitch forward and move around too much, upsetting overall stability, as well as the rider’s confidence.
The rear shock is especially problematic. Its woefully soft spring allows the bike to bottom easily over even medium-sized bumps, and during aggressive cornering and directional changes. Two-up riding tends to overtax the spring, and forces the rider to dial in maximum preload to keep the rear end from bottoming. The downside to this fix is that it gives the shock a decidedly pogostick character, since what little rebound damping the shock had to begin with gets overpowered by the stiffer preload setting.
Of course, Yamaha never intended the Seca II to shine at ten-tenths. It is, after all, an all-around sport machine with an eye toward value. Perhaps it’s a testimony to the bike’s generally excellent overall competence that some owners will be tempted-just as we were-to push the bike to limits that lie above and beyond its abilities.
In any case, the Seca II performs its intended mission with aplomb. Vibration and suspension glitches aside, the Seca II is a nicely styled, competent middleweight, one capable of fulfilling a wide variety of motorcycling
tasks, from sport riding to sport-touring to commuting.
And how is it selling? Yamaha will divulge no sales numbers for the 1992 model, saying only that despite a somewhat slow start, it is quite happy with the bike’s sales progress over the past year. Marketing types at Yamaha feel that, like Honda’s Nighthawk 750 standard, the Seca is a “word-of-mouth” product, with sales likely to build steadily as more Seca Ils are sold.
Yamaha dealers we spoke to had mixed opinions, some reporting success, others having significantly less. Some dealers wanted a bit more bodywork and a larger-displacement engine, a 750 perhaps. A few thought the Nighthawk 750 would have its hands full if Yamaha offered a Seca 750 styled along the lines of the semisporty Seca II.
As much as we and a good number of Yamaha dealers would like to see it, there probably will be no big Seca for 1993. But the Seca II is available, here
and now, in bright red and the new dark-green color shown, for a reasonable suggested base price of $3999. Careful shopping might even unearth a ’92 model for a few hundred bucks less-and that’s a heck of a deal considering how well the package works.
Yes, motorcycling in the ’90s can be pricey. But if you’re looking for the most bike for the buck, Yamaha’s Seca II wouldn’t be a bad place to start the search. □
YAMAHA
SECA II
$4456
HORSEPOWER/ TORQUE
