1. Yamaha Seca Ii

1. YAMAHA SECA II

A WINNER IN RED

THAT THE YAMAHA SECA II FINished first in this comparison should come as no surprise. After all, it's the only brand-new model here, and Yamaha obviously looked at its competition before designing this motorcycle. As such, the Seca II combines some of the best features of its rivals: a halffairing like the Kawasaki EX500's, styling resembling the Suzuki Bandit's, and an air-cooled, two-valve-per-cylinder motor that is easy to work on like the Suzuki GS500E's.

But Yamaha went one step better. Where its competition uses 400cc inline-Four or 500cc parallel-Twin engines, the Seca boasts a 600cc inline-Four. That displacement advantage becomes apparent the moment you thumb the starter button. At low rpm, its twin mufflers emit a throaty growl that sounds like that of a literbike or a small sportscar. Our production test bike liked a lot of choke in the morning, but once it was warm it ran fine; there was not a hint of the carburetion glitches that marred the pre-production model we sampled in our November issue.

Power delivery is linear all the way to its 9500-rpm redline, with the strongest midrange and top end of thèse four. The engine is a tad buzzy at low and high rpm, but calms down at highway cruising speeds—65 mph translates to 5000 rpm in sixth gear. That vibration may have contributed to the one minor problem we had with our Seca: The ignition switch came adrift. Buyers would do well to make sure the two bolts securing it are tight.

Cruising is made comfortable by the riding position, roomy even for six-footers, with a broad, softly padded seat and a wide tubular handlebar. The stylish half-fairing with slotted windscreen deflects wind off the rider’s torso, with little buffeting at helmet level. Footpegs are low and a tad rearset, offering plenty of legroom yet only slightly compromising cornering clearance. When ridden

briskly, the Seca’s pegs touched down first, and did so before any of the other bikes began dragging theirs. Suspension at both ends is compliant, but the rear shock spring could be stiffer; even our lightest tester liked the spring-preload cranked all the way up. Heavier riders or those who carry a passenger—something you’ll be tempted to do with the Seca's expansive passenger perch and padded grabrails—may desire a stiffer shock spring. Our test bike's shock rebound damping was also improved over that of the pre-production model we rode earlier.

Single disc brakes at both ends offer plenty of stopping power, provided you give the span-adjustable front brake lever a healthy tug. The 1 10/80-17 front and 130/70-18 rear Yokohama bias-ply tires provide good traction, though we felt the front tire’s profile contributed toward making the Seca the heavieststeering bike of the bunch. Still, its Superbike-style handlebar gives the rider lots of leverage, and at 422 pounds dry, the Seca is easily flicked from side to side.

The Yamaha didn’t finish first by doing any one thing better than the rest; it won by doing everything well. It is the best all-around performer in

this category, the most forgiving of rider error, and the one which feels the least like a small bike, the most like a full-size motorcycle. Owners won’t outgrow it in a year. It’s also arguably the best-looking, combining modern bodywork with an elemental tubular chassis and an attractive, exposed engine. Yet, at $3799, it is not the most expensive. We’d call that good value. And we call the Seca II a winner.

Yamaha

Seca II

$3799