From the Archives: Yamaha XS750 DOHC

"The Yamaha XS750 - Racey but still refined!" read the sales brochure for the 3-cylinder 4-stroke from Yamaha Motor NV in 1978. And there was a lot of news.

With the XS750 triple, Yamaha got involved in the battle for customers in the 750 class. It wasn't alone in the 3-cylinder engine, but unlike the 2-stroke triples Suzuki GT750 and Kawasaki H2-750, Yamaha opted for a 4-stroke.

The XS750 was a great bike in a lightweight roadster style, and with that shaft drive on the rear wheel. With 68 hp at 8000 rpm it kicked away nicely.

Whether it was "Racey..." as it said in the brochure is debatable, but refined is probably far more accurate.

The 1978 model had a number of upgrades including electronic ignition, increased engine power, and changed gear ratios.