Midnight specials

[rustybones49801]

Does anyone have an idea of the total number of midnight specials made for 1981?

[dewibp]

I sure would too but I don't believe any records for any of these bikes were kept.

[rustybones49801]

I think I heard that someone said one per dealership, or something like that????? Any way to verify that?

[Do Lee]

Each dealer was given 1 MNS per bike style XS1100LH, XS850LH, XJ650LH (Midnight Maxim) With the opportunity for additional MNS via sales. Yamaha used these "Special Bikes" as incentives to boost sales. If you were in the top sales in your region you would get an additional MNS later in the year to sale. Back when I work for Yamaha we heard numbers like 500, 1000, 1500 but don't really know.

[rustybones49801]

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh, I'm on the phone to Yamaha right now........ OK, according to the product specialist I spoke with, production numbers BY MODEL were not kept. They are in a file cabinet SOMEWHERE in Japan, and in a basement/bunker or something, sooooooo................... He said the best place to obtain the NEAREST estimate of Midnight Specials or Specials or whatever would be an industry trade magazine that was published during that era. Now its time to call cycleworld or who ever was alive during that time.......

[dewibp]

Go get um tiger!

[rustybones49801]

Update: Second and third phone conversation produced no results and have not had time to call trade mags yet. GGGrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr