• Unlike Yamaha's recreational vehicles, the 650 twin was a street-legal motorcycle.Allan Baxter/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Completing its first bikes in 1954, Yamaha was still producing motorcycles well into the new millennium. Along the way, Yamaha released its 1980 XS 650 twin, which featured many engineering improvements over original makes. This bike seems a source of pride for enthusiasts; a used model in 2010 costs between $1,500 and $2,000, which is more than its original retail price of $1,245 in 1980.
  
  

Engineering

• The XS 650 of 1980 came with a vertical twin engine with a displacement of 650 cc (as per the name), a bore and stroke of 75 mm by 74 mm, and a compression ratio of 8.7-to-1. It featured a 2-mm by 30-mm Mikunis carburetor and a battery and coil ignition system.
  
  

Transmission and Performance

• The '80 XS 650 Twin also came equipped with a five-speed transmission standard. It had a 12-volt battery and a power of up to 53 brake horsepower, with a top speed of 105 miles per hour.
  
  

Chassis, Suspension, Brakes

• Built on a tubular steel cradle frame, the 1980 650 featured a telescopic fork suspension in the front and a swinging arm suspension in the rear. It also had 7.8-inch drum brakes in the front and 7.1-inch drum brakes in the back.
  
  

Measurements

• Weighing in at 428 pounds wet, the bike had a wheelbase of 56.1 inches and a seat height of 31.8 inches. It took 90/90 by 19-inch tires in the front, 110/90 by 18-inch tires in the rear and had a gas tank capacity of 3.3 gallons.