Trying to build a bobber out of my Xj550

I about to start my bobber project but want to know how to eliminate the battery unit altogether and don't know if that can be done I want the space where the battery and the air filter are!?

 

If you want the bike to do little things such as start and run, you will need a battery. If that's not important, removing the battery and ditching the airbox should be fine.
All kidding aside, I've never seen a kick start conversion for an xj. Doubtful it's even possible. Finding and relocating a smaller battery, such as lithium, would probably be much easier. And if you enjoy carb tuning, you can replace the airbox with pods filters. That decision won't make you all that popular around here either. There is a decade old argument on that subject... many feel they don't work. A few claim success...

 

See the thing is I going to due it anyway and add a hard tail frame I'm going to talk to my welder and see if he can add a Harley hardtail frame for the fatter Tire

 

Or should I use the Xs650 hardtail frame I trying to get a custom chopper bobber look

 

You should get a different bike. One that has a kickstart, and a wider rear frame.

You can't eliminate the battery, or add a kickstart. Widening the rear of the frame is doable, but you can't have a wider wheel because of the shaft drive.
I see what you want to do, and approve of the style, but this aint' the right bike to do it to. It's like wanting to turn a Camaro into a rock-crawling 4X4; doable, but not worth the effort.

 

Then why ask for advice?

 

I was talking about removing the airbox but do you think that Xs650 frame would fit the Xj550 I just want to extend the frame this is my first bike and just want a bobber that will fit me until I can get me a Harley so I can say that I built it the way I wanted

 

[QUOTE="Delano Hernandez, post: 551275, member: 22481"until I can get me a Harley[/QUOTE]

Anyone can get a Harley. That's why it's expensive to buy a used one. Everyone wants there money back.

 

Anyone can get a Harley. That's why it's expensive to buy a used one. Everyone wants there money back.[/QUOTE]

I ride XJ's........I don't need to get a Harley

 

The 550 isn't shaft drive though.. you'll still run into issues depending how wide you go.

 

I don't think you'll be that lucky to fit the xs hardtail on to the XJ. TC bros makes a universal kit that would be your best option, just gotta get it straight so you're not going down the road sideways.

 

He mentioned a 650 frame.

 

I want a Harley. Preferably something from around 1916-1928. An Indian would be better though.

 

yeah.. the XS650, which is a better choice for a bobber, they have a weld on hard tail section. Cut stock frame, lug and weld and you've got a bobber. XS650 is chain drive, but I'm not sure on the geometry being congruent with the XJ550 frame. You really need to lug the frame if you're going to weld on any additonal pipe and if they dont line up you're going to be doing a lot of custom fitting. Sure looks like a close fit but wouldn't want to pony up the cash to find out you're out of luck.

 

Ahh I missed the XS part. Much better platform for what he wants to do, but starting with a whole bike.

 

Then go right ahead, don't ask anything else. Amazing how many people ask questions, and the only answers they accept are ones that tell them what they want to hear, agree with them, or inflate their ego.... but get stubborn, argumentative, mad, combative, etc... when told anything other that what they just want to hear

 

If this can't be done I'll just keep it the way it is put a new engine,seat,shocks ,new forks,rewire the whole bike, powder coated the frame,add new handlebars with a 16"rise,all white tires,and paint the tank and teal color,and redirect the battery to a ammo box to the side of the bike like a saddle bag

 

I'm talking about the airbox if you would of read it I'm going to put pods on the carb

 

So are we. While pods can be done, getting a good result takes away from riding time.
If you insist, this thread will set you in the most-likey course for success:
Steber's 81 XJ550 Bobber

 

Thank you dose anyone know if there are any other rims besides the stock rims I want some but can't find any

 

and if it NEEEDS to be done than you NEED to put the time and money into it.. Its not a bike to bob, at least not easy.. its best to scrap 90% of the bike and build around the engine. These bikes have triple back bone, so you cant just throw a peanut tank on it and expect it to look nice. Like i stated before, TC bros makes the best kit for doing a bobber, but you're going to need a good welder and you're measurements are going to have to be on point, even a jig would be needed.

You can further convert the bike to a single back bone, if you're changing out the tank... That only leaves you with a dozen other problems like all the wiring, mounting tabs, chain lengths, alignments, seats, springs, ect..

Again, it can be done, I'm working a project on one because, well i just want to. Its not easy, its not practical, its not cheap, but I'm enjoying myself while i'm building it, testing out new things along the way. If you wanna travel down that road than all the luck to you, but dont expect a quick bob on an xj, atleast dont expect a quick bob on an xj looking good. Too many people just slap a bobber seat and pay no attention to detail. Thats not a bobber, thats just a lack of effort. Either pony up to get down and dirty, or find a better candidate like the XS.

 

The money is not the problem I've came to a figure of 7500 but how dose taking the airbox off effect the ride time I'm planning a trip in state of Colorado

 

These bikes have cv carbs.. thats the problem with the pods. No offense, but if you don't know why that's an issue then you need to do a lot of research before you go down that rabbit hole. Also have you ever ridden a hard tail? I would think that's going to limit your ride time over anything else, that and if you're going to use a different tank. The XJ550 tank looks fugly without the proper seat on it. Wide and bulky.. and you're not going to find that size tank in a slimmer look. I'm all for a nicely done bike, but im not sure with this many questions early on if you're capable of pulling it off. I'm not sure what condition your XJ's in, but maybe leaving it stock is best for you. Again, I don't want to scare you off here, its a wealth of knowledge and these guys know their stuff. If you're coming across this many questions this early on in your 'build' its going to be a long rode for you, my friend. We all hate to see someone chop into an xj and never finish and toss it off to a junk yard, so dont expect to hear the answers you're looking for here.

 

Keep in mind that several of us have (or have had) other bikes, and modified them. This isn't about brand loyalty, or being against modifying an XJ. There really are much better choices of motorcycle to use to build what you want.

 

OK I'm asking these questions before I start throwing money Into it I also had a thought about changing the carb out to racing carbs I've researched the parts that it

 

I just want to do this to make it a custom hit for me so I don't look like everyone else where I'm at its more of a bike for the retired foke nothing against that I hope to be well riding after I've enlisted and finish with the Army

 

This is the way I want my bike just different colors

 

You say you want to be different and not like everyone else, but you want to do the most basic 'poor mans bob' that nearly everyone ends up with on the XJ. To each their own, I tend to dream bigger and tip my hat to the XJ's from the likes of people like Saftie and Gazz, and the gent up in Canada who's going all in with the custom frame'd hardtail. Sorry, I don't mean to rain on your parade.

 

The bike deserves better, and I think that with enough time and planning you can do better.

Retired persons bike? I've got a friend who is retired. He rides a bobbed Harley (flathead). So I think it's a matter of perspective.

Here's what I would do. Get it in perfect running order, and ride it while you look at the bobber threads on here. Learn from the sucesses and mistakes of others before you spend your money. At the same time look on Craigslist, Ebay, etc. and you'll probably find an unfinished project bike that has a fair amount of the work already done to it. Project bikes sell for cheap, particularly if they have been altered from stock. You could very easily snag an almost finished bike of your liking for a few hundred dollars, and be all-done for wayless than what you have budgeted. That orange and cream XJ650 might have $1200 into it over the cost of the bike.

For the $7500 you mentioned you can pick up a year-old Yamaha Bolt and have money left over.

 

It all right with time and money it wouldn't be done with in the next 5 months or less the poor man's bobber is about the coolest thing with out getting a whole new bike when I get a second bike it will be a chopper that's already done so that way I don't put money into it there are bike in El Paso Texas

 

The poor mans bobber is nothing but a poor mans bobber, here's some of the nicer XJ projects I've seen, just a few. A lot of time and dedication is put into these to get them to where they are. So is it possible? Yes, for sure it is. Again its just not entirely practical, you have to have abit of crazy in you to get them to this level.

 

The silver one and the black one are the they way I picture it but can't figure out how to get it this way that's why I am here looking for suggestions that why I want to extend the frame but don't want to just in case the welder gose wrong I don't want to be stuck with parts

 

I'm just confused about the ass end of it is it still the original frame or has something been done to it because my bike is a '81 I kinda figured that those are the Xj650 or Xj750

 

Both of those are shaft-driven bikes. I think we've narrowed it down. You need an XJ650 or XJ750 do do what you want to do.
Both of them have had the rear chopped and hardtailed, but retain the stock swingarm.
Both are Maxims.
Both have the factory wheels.

 

I appreciate that I'm going for the poor man's bobber breeze out the middle section if I swap the carb to a performance one and add the battery to a ammunition if I can find a video I'll post a link

 

Look how he has his but his is a Xj650 I'm starting to see the difference

 

I did read that. You already got answers regarding that. You didn't get the answers you liked or wanted to hear..... hmmmm

Did you read all of this, too?

BTW..... after you throw your $7500 bucks at $750 bike to make it look just like everyone else who is trying to make their bike look like nobody else, you'll end up being able to sell it and lose only about $6000 on the sale. I guess that's ok, though....... it's your bike. Whatever.

Good luck with your project, I hope you are able to get all the answers you WANT to hear.

Peace out

D

 

Your statements show you have no clue what you're talking about when it comes to an XJ and possibly when it comes to building a bike.

I'm sorry I can't give you the answers you want to hear. I tried, but it seems your mind is set. I'll say a prayer for your XJ.

 

It already has performance carbs (changing carbs won't make the engine have more power).
And the bikes you keep liking and linking are all shaft-drive XJs.

 

how wide you go does not matter the problem you will run into is the chain it is where it is on the motor and will keep you from putting a wide tire on the back,
which is why I assume you want to make the rear wider
if you go up 1 width size in the tire you will run a few mm away from the tire on the stock frame

 

I done with the thought of putting the wider frame on just going to keep the frame I'm just going to put a new motor in I have a crack where you put the oil in add different shocks put a different seat and put new forks on and repaint the frame and tank and put all white tires on it and call a build see the thing is I'm 22 there will be more bikes out there I got the answers I needed a praying for the bike ain't going to do anything pray for the one building it I have built classic cars the mechanic part wasn't what I was wondering about I was wondering if you could extend the frame and by what everyone is saying that I will run into problems that's what I didn't want , so therefore I will not do anything but rebuild the way I described it in this text

 

I don't want a faster bike I want my carb to be strong enough to last awhile so I'm not burning out any parts

 

If you think that's going to happen, then you don't have a clue what you are doing. I'm being honest. That isn't how carbs work. Rebuild/ maintain what you have and it will outlast your grandchildren.

 

seriously, we're not trying to be mean about it, we're just being perfectly blunt to you. You have a lot of work just to getting the bike running proper. You're talking about carbs to make the bike run longer or 'strong enough to last awhile'.. We didnt even lay the hammer down yet on proper bike maintenance. You need to check the compression, and if you want to make sure its going to 'last awhile' you better peak at those valve clearances they're known to get tighter over the years and thats for sure a good way to grenade your motor.

 

The Information Overload Hour

 

I didn't take it as being rude just getting insight on how I should properly be handled I know that there are tools to regulate the compression of the carb they are tachometers to do so

 

I have to find a place around my house so I can start taking the bike apart right now it's sitting around waiting it runs fine with the engine that it has I just don't like the crack that it has

 

Um....no. That's not how that works either.

Carburetors don't compress anything; they atomize fuel, and adjust the delivery of fuel to suit the needs of the engine under various working conditions.
Tachometers don't regulate anything; they tell you how fast the crankshaft is rotating.

 

Slow down and take the time to learn how things work before you take it apart. If there is a cracking noise, then the engine is not running fine; it probably has a lean fuel mixture or an exhaust/ vacuum leak.

 

No there is a crack on the motor by the oil cover were you put the screw