Was There Ever an OEM Brown Color?

[jetmechmarty]

This information was extracted from the official Yamaha microfiche:

"1962-1986 Motorcycle Model Identification."

The data is for US and Canada only.

1978 E - Macho Maroon

1979 F - Magenta Red, Indigo Blue

1979 SF - Black Gold, Carmine Red

1980 G - Diamond Silver, New Ruby Red

1980 SG - New Ruby Red, Black Red

1980 LG - New Yamaha Black

1981 H - Indigo Blue

1981 SH - Black Blue, Cardinal Red

1981 LH - New Yamaha Black

I can't find a reference to brown anywhere.


Two of my daughters have a lot of seat time. One traveled to XS East when she was 10. She's now 20. Time flies!

[IanDMacDonald]

Weird. I guess the red just looked brown.

[Schming]

Oxidationcan be. . .

. . . rubbed off with some Meguires of your choice:





Not sure exactly what color this is but, as Steve stated the sun brings out the red and gold fine flake on this Pacifico Looks better in person, almost don't want to repaint it

[alabama-al]

I know where there is a brown 79 xs1100. can't say for sure if has been repainted but looks like stock paint job to me.

[Mathh]

My 78E has the macho maroon. 79F’s were offered in brown. I remember back at the first XSEast back in 1998, that one rider, I can’t recall his name, had a brown 79F. The two colors are definitely different.

Definitely correct! I bought a NOS 2H7 seat tail/hump on Ebay years ago that was advertised as Macho Maroon but it turned out to be brown. Definitely new and unused. i'll have a look if there is a partsnumber on it.

[IanDMacDonald]

Yeah, but u guys are Euro. I have no idea how two bikes I know of (Down$hift's and mine) could have had Euro colors. It may have been a mistake on our parts, or bad memory, etc.

[Mathh]

Yeah, but u guys are Euro. I have no idea how two bikes I know of (Down$hift's and mine) could have had Euro colors. It may have been a mistake on our parts, or bad memory, etc.

Nope, 2H7 is for your side of the pond. 2H9 is euro. I bought it through Ebay.com in the States.
I never could use it because we don't have that color. Found pics of that color on the net though. I'll have a look if I can find it again, but I will take aicture of it next saturday.

[fredintoon]

Hi Guys,
FWIW, mid-1970s XS650s came in a nasty ginger colour, I can't remember the exact name, cinnamon something as I remember.
But that was before the XS11 was available; perhaps someone actually liked it on his XS650 and had his XS11 repainted in a "genuine" Yamaha colour.

[jetmechmarty]

Hi Guys,
FWIW, mid-1970s XS650s came in a nasty ginger colour, I can't remember the exact name, cinnamon something as I remember.
But that was before the XS11 was available; perhaps someone actually liked it on his XS650 and had his XS11 repainted in a "genuine" Yamaha colour.

That would be the the 1974 TX650A.

[steve scott]

Brown xs1100

I bought a brown 1979 standard a few years ago from a guy in Atlanta. Never saw the brown before. It is original color. Will post serial number tomorrow night. Not a desirable color but bike in great condition.

[IanDMacDonald]

Jinkees Scooby, I think we're onto something here. Btw, the color on the 650 looks nice.

[fredintoon]

I have seen a couple 80 model years bikes with that Deep Dark Red that looks very brown or DEEP maroon.
Depending where you look, that is Brown, Red Maroon, or even almost black.

Hi DGXSER,
again, on my 1984 XS650 Heritage Special, the original tank was (I thought) black with a dual gold pinstripe, just like on a Matchless.
Hey, the main reason I bought it was because the whole bike looked like a Matchless.
It was only some weeks later that the sunlight caught the tank at an angle that showed the area inside the pinstripe was that very same REAL DEEP maroon.

[Mathh]

Here are pics from the brown NOS seat hump i bought in the States. Definitely not the Macho Maroon I know very well. I do not have red parts the make a comparson but i laid them next to my 74 Kawasaki Z1A parts in brown/red so you have a bit of a comparison. The written part number sadly was no longer readable.

[IanDMacDonald]

Thanks for the pics Mathh. But, I somehow think somebody will call it a shade other than "brown", lol

[fredintoon]

What's in a name?

Thanks for the pics Mathh. But, I somehow think somebody will call it a shade other than "brown", lol

Hi Ian,
Mathh's hump photo shows the XS650 colour as I remember it.
As for the name, it's the reverse of when you register a car at the DMV and they ask you it's colour.
You say:- "Opalescent metallic cinnamon"
And they write down:- "Brown".