Why did you buy an XJ?

That starter kit is key. From all my research on it, the Virago's are more of a pain than the xj's. How i view it is xj's are the men and virago's are the women, starting only when they want to. Xj's being grounded, stable and a work horse. Like women Virago's sure are sexy...

 

Started riding on a Honda XL175 in 1980 rode it for about a year then sold it. Fast forward to 2006, gas was getting expensive my wife suggested I get a bike to save money. With no hesitation I bought a Yamaha XT550. Absolute blast to ride but found that I never went off-rode (not to mention my kids always slid forward when I gave them rides so I had no room ) so I started looking for a street bike and found a 82 750 Maxim for $200. It only ran on Two cylinders, paint was flaking off the tank and the seat looked like it was attacked by a mountain lion. Two months later It had a new paint job, new seat cover and ran smooooth. Then bought my wife an 83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim. I have had a couple of Honda CBs (a 450 and 650) but they could not compare to the Maxim. I sold the XJ750 for two XS1100s but have recently (5 years ago ) move toward the XJ1100 (I have three now) as I like the style a little better.

The only bike that I have like as much as the XJ's in the Yamaha Venture (I had an 83) Very smooth V4 engine that had plenty of power and a very comfortable ride.

 

When I was at school in the early 80s our library stocked 'Motorcycle Mechanics' magazine which came out every fortnight I think and I read it cover to cover aged 16/17. The XJ550 (seca) launch was covered one week and I thought it looked fantastic - like a muscular RD250LC - I vowed to have one.. When at University aged 19 I got some insurance payout and found a 550 nearby in Yorkshire. It was about 2-3 years old with maybe 12000 mile on (can't quite remember) and came with a fancy set of panniers and cost me 800 quid! Already though the exhaust was shot through and so I fitted an Alfa (by Micron) which was beautiful and sounded great - my Dad loved it too. I knew nothing about servicing so just rode it hard and changed the oil and I think I once paid for the valves to be checked but I'm not certain they ever did because it became a pig to start! After about 18 months it was sold when I needed a car.. I subsequently bought a XJ600 (FJ in US) which was quick but ugly as a stick in comparison and then in 2000 an FZS600 (Fazer) (very quick). By 2010 I was more into spannering than riding and bought the odd car and then in about 2014 found a basket case XJ550 so back full circle. That 'new' 550 now feature a Radian 600 (598) motor..

.. and an Alfa exhaust that I found on ebay!

 

Simmy, Do you run a bike garage and service bikes are just for personal bikes ? If you're an "XpertJ for hire, I may look you up for a seasonal tuneup, etc. I'm in West Toronto.

 

This so nice to hear the stories of why you bought these great bikes, keep the stories rolling

 

I had been thinking about learning to ride for a while, and had a couple lined up over the years, but they always fell through for one reason or other. At one of my kids' birthday party my grandfather said he was getting out of motorcycling and selling his. He and his brothers and sisters (8 of them) all rode , but my mother was deathly afraid of motorcycles, so I didn't have much chance to get into them. I figured I was almost 30, so F it, and bought it. No regrets.

 

Went looking for a good first bike on Craigslist, already really interested in an older Japanese bike because I love the style and reliability. Saw an XJ650 Maxim already running and driving for a nice price and snapped it up!

 

I tripped into my 650 Seca.

I had been riding a borrowed 1980 CX 500 Deluxe to ease into riding. I'd periodically skim CList and one evening the styling of the 650 Seca caught my attention. Took it for a test ride and was really impressed. The upright position, the look of the tank and headlight, plenty of power, and in my price range. Less than a week after getting it, I went for a group ride. Everyone else was on a Harley or Indian, at least a 1100. I had no problem keeping up with the group and after 240 miles, I had no aches or pains and barely needed gas.

This spring, it's primarily been teaching me how to be a motorcycle mechanic, but that work's winding down in the next 2 weeks and I look forward to just riding it again.

 

Mine sat in the PO's yard under a tree for years. Was there to help him move some stuff, saw the bike and fell in love with the looks, especially the double cradle frame. Put in a fresh battery, compression test okay, took a day to get the carbs functional, and it started. Brought it to my mom's house and began Rebuild Pt 1.

 

I originally had a '78 xs750 triple - loved that bike. Then one day some absent-minded 4-wheel motorist u-turned in front of me and it was wrecked ( I was fine). I was so disappointed that I let the insurance company buy it out and send it to salvage. If only I had known then what I know now, I would have saved the bike and restored it. The accident didn't stop me from riding but getting married and having a family preventing me from owning a bike when I wanted to. Twelve years after the accident, I was checking out the local online ads (Kijiji) and was strictly searching vintage Yamaha (plates are cheap and was hoping to find another XS). I stumbled upon this '82 xj750 Seca (red in colour). The mileage was low and price was reasonable so I went for a look. I pulled up to the guys' driveway and was convinced I would buy it at the sight of the bike. The owner told me he was the original owner of 34 years. I took it for a short 2 block ride, paid for the bike, and made the 50 mile ride home. I've always thought Yamaha had a nice looking bike and I was biased towards the XS but these XJs are really nice too.

 

I grew up on a farm and we always had go-carts, Mini-Bikes, and lot Motorcycles to play with on the farm, I grew up riding a old Harley 125 Dirt bike, a Honda 350, and a 1946 Indian Chief. At the young age of 19 I was in the Military Stationed at Sunny Edwards AFB in California where I bought my 1985 Honda Rebel 250 right off the showroom floor, I loved Cruiser style bikes, never liked the crotch rockets, most of my brothers had Harleys back in the late 70's and 80's and I can remember constantly working on them. Fast forward about 30 years and a boatload of bikes later I retired from the Military and wanted another cruiser style bike, was driving through the country side with my wife we saw the 1985 Maxim in a guys yard, I pulled over and was talking to the Original owner and after about an hour of talking about this beauty and $350 later I was driving her home. I have been slowly shining up all the Chrome and keeping her stock. I have kept up on all the Maint. except Valve shims, It runs great but I know someday I am going to have to venture into the Unknown, Kinda scary since I have never done it before.

 

Not hard and very necessary - should be checked every 5k miles.
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/airhead-valve-adjustment-with-pics.14827/

Turn that fear into respect for being meticulous , methodical and proficient. Ask questions here (start a new thread) - you will do fine.

 

My first street bike was a 81 650 maxim. I was 17 and the bike was 14 years old. It was a fantastic ride. I have no idea how many km i put on it the odometer quit working at 65000 k but the engine always ran. I was foolish and sold it. Today I have a 83 1100 maxim. It starts and runs perfect although there is a issue with 2nd gear I plan on keeping this bike

 

"it looks new said how do I keep something so old on the road, not sure if he refered to me or the bike."

How very true Jet!! LOL


Me acquiring my turbo, like a lot of guys have said, was really just by accident. Years ago, I used to buy, cleanup & sell a LOT of bikes...30-40 once even 50 in a year. I used to drive my old Expedition up and down the East coast and as far West as Ohio to pick up bikes. Mostly Honda V4's, Yammy Virago's etc. Buying & selling was a hobby for me as I never really made a lot of money doing it but it was fun for me.

I had a eclectic collection of two and four strokes including several Kaw & Zuk triples, a CB400F, Z1 and only one modern bike, a Vstrom1000 that I had setup for touring since I rode out to AMA Vintage days each year...about a 900 mile round trip weekend and down to SC to see my son when he was in college.

Then as usual while I was perusing the local Craigslist, I saw this Turbo only 2 miles from my house. Wow, I never found a bike so close but I knew nothing about turbo's and nothing about the Xj 4 cylinder engines. I rode over to talk with the seller and after a few minutes, we reached a deal and I plunked down 500 bucks into his hand....that was in Nov. I finally had space for it and picked it up in December and began the restoration. I completed the bike while taking vacation over the Christmas holidays and started it up in early January. Not being content, I ordered the kit and rebuilt the turbo later that month and have enjoyed it ever since.

Amazingly, I have 11 bikes in my collection now and other than my '07 Vstrom....my Turbo is my only four stroke! I sold the rest and have 2 H2's, 3-H1's of various years, 2-GT550's, a '74 GT750 and I finally got a "baby triple", a '75 S1 250 which I promptly restored using 350 cylinders and flat slide carbs! Here's what my S1 looked like when I got it....and how it turned out. The bike was rough but it came with a NOS tank & sidecovers so I jumped on it!

http://s808.photobucket.com/user/jeffkushner1/library/1975 S1?sort=3&page=1


Every time I ever even think of selling my turbo(there is zero demand for it anyway), I take it for a ride and that quickly changes my mind!
This is my turbo the day I completed it:



and I took this pic by the Chesapeake Bay last Saturday or Sunday:




I once read that the Turbo coming on boost is very much like a two stroke coming on the pipe....and it is! When that needle on the installed Sun boost gauge swings past 15PSI, it's VERY much like one of my 2 stokes! Sweet!

Jeff

 

My XJ was written off two days ago, I was lucky not to be injured but bike is ruined.

 

What happened? What's damaged on the bike?

Glad to hear you're ok!

 

Wanted a 500cc to 750cc sporty UJM with a chain. Didn't want one as big and heavy as my old CB750. After a bit of research, the 550 Seca fit the bill perfectly. Found one around 7 hours from me, drove up, paid too much, and I love it!

 

That sucks hope you can find another xj good to hear you are alright. Keep us up to date if you buy another bike.

 

I grew up wanting a bike and never followed through with actually pulling the trigger on a purchase. A few years back, my brother was “gifted” a non-running xs650. He spent about 2 years playing around with it, managing to get it to fire once or twice which was about 1/10th the number of times he sat on it making vroom – vroom noises dreaming it would run. He and his wife were sick of walking around it so his gift was gifted to me. A compression check confirmed my guess that the rings were toast and I went about pulling it apart. Happy that I did so, as I found the common problem with the dogs on 5th gear cracking. A bit of internet shopping and I found that this gift was going to run a bit of cash to make road worthy. I don’t want to say that I am cheap, more frugal, and I really love it when my hobbies can pay for themselves, so I hit up craigslist and facebook in search of a running project bike that I could get running and flip to fund an xs650 rephase and pma swap. Within a few days craigslist hit on “1982 Yamaha 650 Seca -$400”. No pictures, no description, just a phone number and the ad. I had a feeling I could get it running if it wasn’t and polish it up a bit and maybe double my investment. I drove about 40 miles to take a look at it and wasn’t overly impressed. Dented tank, crushed tach, cheap foam grips, no battery, road rash on the side covers, but it looked like something I could work with. The PO let me take it for a trip around the block, my first ride on a non leg powered bike in almost 20 years. I’m happy I was riding away because I had the biggest smile in years as I killed it creeping around the 3rd corner. We couldn’t finish the deal fast enough.

I spent last summer playing around, making small changes and bringing it up to decent running condition. Apparently a $600 shop bill paid for by the PO consisted of running 2 different sized drill bits through 3 of the 4 main air jets, air mix screws all over the place and valves tighter than a torqued bolt. The wife smiles more than I do when riding on back and the kids have their favorite roads in and around town that I am asked to take them down. At some point last summer I checked the vin number, did some research and found that it was built the later part of July in 1981, within days of my birth…. this is my bike. The amount we enjoy it, the fact the Seca and I are nearly the exact same age and since it is such an easy bike when everything is working well I can’t put a price tag on it. The xs650 will get some love as my daughter is really wanting to build a brat out of it, 3 years on the clock for that project.

Through the winter I planned to strip it down and have it powder coated. So happy that I pulled the engine to find that the lower frame was rusted through and needed repair before I learned this at highway speeds. Other projects came up that slowed getting it to a decent welding shop and I am hoping to hear back today that it is done so I can move on to the next part and have it back on the road before we both turn 36.

The TL;DR of this all. Bought an xj650rj to flip for quick cash and found an addition to the family that is tough to throw a price tag on.

 

Thanks JetFixer it was a low speed collision a motorists ran into the back of my bike so I have to get things sorted out and get another bike.