Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap finds

Thought this may be a fun topic about xjs that have been resurrected or rebuilt and that have been cheap steals maybe even free throw something up to let us now how well you made out or what it took to bring the xj back to life.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

Went to my favorite salvage yard last fall, he had a rough looking Seca 900: cracked front fender and fairing, ripped seat, sorr paint job and the worse part, one bent muffler and one foot peg ripped from the frame. After parting with 200.00 I had the bike complete with title in my truck headed home. I put a battery on it and it fired right up. Perfect candidate for the frame I got from Rickomatic several years ago.

 

What an awesome deal.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

My supervisor knew I was looking for a bike last fall and she told me she had one for just $300 bucks, not running for quite a while though. Due to unforeseeable problems I wasn't actually able to pay until last week. She came into work with the title and handed it to me and when I opened it up out came 3 one-hundred dollar bills. She and her husband had talked and decided to just give it to me, just "pay it forward".
This spring is gonna be fun

 

Someone on here has a signature: "There's no such thing as a free motorcycle". I happen to believe this statement, but....

I saw my XJ 750 Seca in a co-worker's garage in pieces. I asked how much? He said $300.00 so I bought it and we put it back together. I'm into it for another $200.00 worth of parts, like a battery and some eBay bits, like a fully functional rack of carbs for $25.00. So I have about $500 into the bike total and I'm riding it all over the place. I even recently checked the valves and found them to be in spec- barely.

 

Around my area i also believe that statement no such thing as a free bike Very disappointing. I have put 500 into my bike just to have it sit in buckets and i give parts away like nothing. hope one day i see one outside or something.

 

I don't know about everywhere else, but around here, there's no such thing as a sub $1000 bike that's in ready-to-ride all-season condition. I got a crazy deal on mine, $200 delivered to my garage. A week and ~$25 later it was running. Now i'm getting around to doing all the other stuff i want to do, and its costing a lot more than that.

 

I got mine for $350 and rode it home. Spent all spring and summer last year undoing things the PO had done to it and doing things he hadnt. But I also got quite a bit of riding in. Enough to know that while maybe not quite as quick off the line as my brother inlaw's Gixxer, it will keep up with it while cruising..no problem.

Twisties, not so sure..

 

My #3 750 Maxim was sitting in a barn north of here. I found out about it and went and looked and the guy sold it to me for 300.00. Its getting there but it only has 7K on the odometer. It will be a nice restored bike someday. The only hangup I have with it is the battery exploded from freezing and the frame below the battery box is rusty. I really want to clean this up but it looks like I should somehow strip the rust off and start over in that spot with primer and black paint. Otherwise she runs and drives.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

I got my '81 xj500 Maxim from a co worker. Hurricane Katrina dropped 8 trees on his house and two on his shop where he kept the bike. House took priority over shop, so the bike sat in his yard for almost 3 years when I bought it from him for $100, fully encased in weeds and wasps. We put a battery charger on it and actually fired it up in his yard before sale. The bike was in pretty rough shape, so when I finally got around to working on it, Hurricane Gustav came and dropped a couple of trees around my yard. Didn't have power for 11 days. I just hardtailed the frame and haven't gotten it back together yet. In total, tank, rear fender, seat, frame tubing, and exhaust pipe( which I "scored" off the side of the road, an old weight bench that I cut up and pieced together), I probably have $450 tied up in the bike, including the price of the bike. The seat and passenger pad cost the most $150, but it's custom and was well worth it, hand tooled Appetite for Destruction album cover art.
I guess it helps to have lots of friends that hang out in the gutters with me. One buddy has a body shop where I am currently working on the bike. Heck of a painter, also! Got another buddy who manages a paint and supply store. So good color comes cheap. There's the machinist, the guy at the metal shop. The list goes on. It's always nice to help people and have them "owe you one". Then you can always collect when the time is right. The bike is really dirty. My detailer buddy is gonna love me when it comes time to polish the shiny stuff. The only guy that's really hurting me is the bar owner. Too many days of working on the bike with a bad head.
So, that's my bike's story.

 

My '81 was sitting next to the road covered in snow the first time I saw it. The poor thing had a completely rusted Kerker 4-1 on it, a ripped up seat, was horribly corroded and looked like it had been kept outside for 4 years, which it had. But it had new tires and a new battery and fired right up. I gave the sincere but hopeless PO his $800, no haggling. I have another $600-$800 into it, between the complete stock exhaust system and going through it from front to back and top to bottom, the new seat, etc. For my $1600 I have a nearly new 28 year old bike that starts, runs and looks like new. (And hauls butt too.)

I love it so much that I bought another, 7100-mile bike off eBay. (Not sorry but I won't do that again.) I'm "resto-fying" that one, and we're not gonna talk about how much I've got into it. I consider it a one-time investment, as I plan to ride this puppy for a while.

When BOTH bikes are finished, I'm still only about halfway to the cost of a new, uncomfortable but stylish tupperware rocket. I think I win.

 

Maxim parts bike off E-bay $9.99 I picked up
Seca 750 from a junk yard, $200
Turbo 650 being pushed down the street, $120 on the spot. No questions.
Seca 900 off E-Bay- - $900 for a fine running bike, not perfect.
Seca 750 from Craigslist- - $700, a runner with "issues"
Maxim 750 from Craigslist- - $400, non-runner, clean title.

I'm having lots of fun by the way !!
Working on a 750 Maxim for a .22 rifle straight swap.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

Most recent and 82 XJ550, 7505mi for $300(top end rebuild in progress)
79 XS1100 Special 54kmi, for $200, sat 3 years, cleaned carbs fired right up, checking valve clearances this week.
82 CB900F supersport 39kmi, with an 1100f engine for $500, cleaned carbs(My Daily rider).
80 XJ650 with 22kmi for $200, cleaned carbs, My daily rider until the CB900F and sold it for $1350
82 XJ650 Turbo, $300, New carb boots and cleaned carbs to run, some paint and other parts sold it for $1600.
77 XS750 2D with 5433mi, $150, rebuilt top end, Has 6500mi on it now(My Backup ride).
85 XV700 $650, 39k mi(I know, paid too much) But it was CLEAN! Run great when I sold it for $1260
79 XS750 Special with 29kmi, Traded an old pressure washer for it, put a fuse box on it a set of carbs and sold it for $900.
82 GS300L with for $400, cleaned carbs, starter, replaced triple tree, sold it a week later for $850
80 XJ650 with 11k on it for $500 was clean but with hidden cylinder problems, replaced cylinders and sold it for $1450.
2 Honda Rebel 250's for $900 one had 542mi other with 2850mi, sold them a week later for $1900
Various 2 stroke Yamaha dirt bikes, Polaris & Honda 4 wheelers while my son was still interested in them...

I definetely need a Bigger Garage!
Great Hobby though!

 

81 Max was listed as "$120 Parts only" in the S.D. paper. I picked it up and found the pinched kill switch wire the P.O. and his overpaid mechanic missed.
81 Seca was sitting under a rotted out blue tarp after having been bashed by some idiot with a baseball bat (probably out of frustration). I traded a car stereo system installed including speakers for it. Might have run me $100 at most for the stereo equipment and my time was free back then.
82 Seca was sold to me by a member of the forum who was down on his luck. Didn't run and was pretty beat. $800 later (had to replace the entire front end and other essentials), she is my daily rider.
There are lots of others but these are my crown jewels.

 

I bought my XJ from a guy that bought a new HD at my work (i worked at a HD dealership) and he said whoever went over the the yamaha dlr and paid his bill could have his bike. Turns out he has an 81 seca 750, perfect paint, aluminum is still shiny, no rust and no oxidation anywhere, mint. paid his 63$ bill and it was mine. Beat that, haha

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

Last Jan. I finally got a hold of this guy that had a 83' 650 Maxim for sale, I went down there and it was rough, 8O but was workable. It had been sitting in his carport for about 2 years. I ended up giving him $150 for it. It had a new tank on it, the wiring was redone and the good thing was that he drained the tank and carbs before he parked it. I changed the oil ,put new plugs in it, removed the carbs, cleaned them inside and out, put a MAC header on it, etc,....... After a couple of cranks of the starter, it came back to life, I still have much to do but I know it runs well now. Here are some pics of the day I bought it (Jan 8/09) and most recent (Feb 6/09) I've spent many hours polishing. What do you think? Getting there.





Cheers,
Boomer 8)

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

The original owner of my bike was cut off in traffic and laid the bike down.
There was a small piece of the right engine case (dry underneath) broken and a small dent in the frame where the passenger peg bracket got bent into it. Insurance wrote it off due to the cost of a new frame and replacing the cases. I bought it from insurance for $1,000.00, put $1,000.00 worth of parts on it (fairing, signal lights mirrors etc) and have owned it for about 27 1/2 years now. It had 3,400 kms on it when I got it and now has 59,000 kms. JB Weld holds the piece of the case where it belongs and if I didn't show you where the frame was dented you probably would never find it. Bike retailed for about $3,400.00 CDN, new in '81.


I took the bike to California in Sept. of 1981.

 

Please Help! Carbs came in a shoe box!!

Im not smart--i really wanted a xj750j but didnt have much cash so I bought a "fix-it" 750 that I have NO idea how to fix. The carbs are in a shoe box, I tried to put them together but have no idea if its right. Also, the entire head light kit is missing. I bought the xj750 manual and am trying to work threw it to figure out what I am suppose to do. I live in MI, does anyone know a good repair shop in the Detroit area?

Please Help!
Thanks,
April

 

Oh, do I have to put the original square headlight on the bike? There are all these wires (thankfully in good shape) where the old headlight was removed and I was hoping I wouldn't have to buy the entire kit.

Also, there is a dent in the side of the gas tank--can that be taken out without much damage?

 

April, try memberl "MiCarl", he's in your area, has a shop, knows these bikes, and he's as good as it gets.

 

I was gonna suggest MiCarl too; he's the proprietor of Thunder Valley Powersports in Plymouth and he is good people and an XJ guy too (or was till he sold his Max.) He won't rip you off or steer you wrong.

 

bought one of my 400's for $150 and put in about $575 (stupid diaphragms are expensive). My 2nd 400 is a donation from a cool dude on thechopperunderground.com and is gonna be even less $$$ than the first.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

I got my 84 XJ750 Seca for "free". A friend was moving to New Zealand and he couldn't fit it into the shipping container so he gave it to me. Can you believe he took a stereo cabinet and not the bike? It's all original with two brand new tyres and only 18,000 miles on the clock. Carbs were a real mess and there's bound to be other issues but it's a labour of love and I'm in no hurry.

As someone else on this forum pointed out though, there's no such thing as a free bike! I'm doing the carbs now and they are turning out real nice with big *snaps* for Chacal !!! I love Yamahas and I'm a real Bob Pirsig fan (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance). Working on mechanical stuff brings its own rewards provided you go at it with the right attitude, good tools and plenty of gumption. Practice what Pirsig preaches and your bike cannot help but turn out right.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

bought my '82 XJ750 Max from a guy, sight unseen, for $300.
Non-running.
Rebuilt carbs and front brake mastercylinder.
Invested about $150, including a new front tire.

Have a beautiful $450 bike that runs like a top. I posted pix in another thread of before and afters.

 

I may have a story to add. I was on craigslist last night and emailed a guy telling him i was in electrical in highschool and i told him i want to fix that bike to ride it. i also said it means alot to me and that i wouldnt sell it he said pretty much yes. I think its a very nice thing hes doing hes a cool guy. The bikes a 1982 yamaha virago 750. needs wiring things mint.

 

(it had an electrical problem.

 

I...HATE...YOU... :lol:

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

For my first bike I bought 2 82 XS400 Seca parts bikes from my brother. One engine was in great condition and between the 2 there was enough to make a complete bike. I think I spent 15 bucks on a clutch leaver. Rode the bike for a summer trailered it to college and found an XJ650 Seca for sale. Sold the XS400 for $400 and got another $100 out of the parts I had left over.

My dad's first bike was an old Yamha 180. Not sure of the model. Some guy he worked with bought it and couldn't get it running. He just gave it to my dad. My dad started taking it apart when he found that someone plugged the exhaust with steel wool. He pulled out the steel wool put the exhaust back on and fired it right up. He put no money into it at all. I think that was when he was in College. He still had the bike when I was in highschool but it was no longer running at that time.

 

My story

Well, I got my '81 550 Maxim from my Dad for free. I had hoped to get it running and ride it back to his place before he passed away last June, but alas, I didn't quite get it done.

It had sat in his garage since '88 because the carbs needed synced. He just never got around to it. Unfortunately, he never treated the gas or drained it out. The carbs were epoxied together by the time I took it apart and the gas tank was full of Jello (I just sang the Jello theme song when I typed that). The master cylinder had brake fluid in it, but it had crystalized and felt a lot like the white sand beaches of Ft. Walton Beach.

I got the carbs off, checked the valves, rebuilt the master cylinder and caliper and the petcock valve and threw on a new set of sneakers. While I did all this, I found an NOS set of carbs on ebay, still in the box, for $500. Pulled them out of the box, synced them and been in the wind ever since, weather permitting.

I call this bike "Legacy" for 2 reasons. 1) It was Dad's first ever brand new bike. 2) He was able to buy it with the inheritance after my Grandpa died in '82. When it is my time, it will be passed on to my daughter.

So I guess all totaled, I have around $650 in to it, but it is priceless to me. No amount of $$ will wrestle it from my hands!!!

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

Got my Maxim-X from my sister when she and her husband were having trouble. Bike had sat under a tarp for a year. Flushed the tank, rebuilt the petcock and cleaned the carbs. Fired right up after putting a charger on it overnight. Hasn't cost me a dime to get running. I have all the cleaners sitting around already.

Started costing me when I started updating/upgrading stuff though. Put new mirror on it and next up is a new seat cover and turn-signals as well as a tires. Tires are good, but I want something more rain friendly.

Ride Safe

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

The 650 listed in my sig. free from Brother-in-law. Sat in his shed & outside since 1989. In 1995 I offered him $400 for it but he said he was going to fix it up. I'm glad he didn't. $653 for all the stuff listed in sig & I have a new old bike. I love it!

 

I just finished reading page one of this thread. I can't finish it. Some of these posts make me sick!

I shouldn't complain too loud, I got my '82 for free, about $700 later she is legal and my daily rider. I still have a few hundred to spend though. The '81 sitting in my garage is supposed to cost me $300, but I haven't paid for it yet.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

No bike is free, so true.
I got mine for $425.
Brand new, 4 into 1 and battery, good tires, ran fine.
First year I put no money into it.
Then carb clean, brake flush, valve adjustment, new rearend oil, regular oil, filter changes, misc parts, ie new mirrors, left hand controls, headlight bracket, speedo.
Still only about another $260 into it.
This year's gone be the killer, in parts, tires, balancing, head bearings, brake lines, wheel bearings, possiblly pads and shoes, some welding and a bunch of cleaning, painting, to bring it back.
I figured in the first year, gas saved paid for the bike.
Still Just over $1100 for a sweet ride isn't so bad.

 

Got my 82 XJ1100 from a friend's uncle for $200 not running and 1st and2nd gear messed up.
Rusted exhaust and hidious paint.
3.8 million dollars later it runs pretty good.8)( actually about $600)
I think the valves are tight and i need to resync the carbs.

 

Friend of coworker came up to me at work. said he heard i was working on an older motorcycle. (76 CB500). Asked if i was interested in his 82 xj650. Told him yes, but wife would kill me if i spent more money. He said ok just come and get it then. Front Brakes need rebuilding, carbs were full of crud, fusebox is nonfunctional. Hopefully i will be riding this spring though.

Check here for pics.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dubyaohohde ... directlink

Dont think picasa works for embedding.

 

I found my xj550 maxim in the shopper for $300. The carburetors were absolutely shot(being that someone tried to clean them and wound up trying to drill out the primary jets and royally screwing them up). I had to get a new battery two new tires and she was road worthy. Now just trying to figure out where to go from here.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

My 1985 XJ900 was found via an advertisement in a motorcycle trader magazine, for around $1200 Australian Dollars.

A local wrecker had a complete undamaged (apart from a ding in the tank) XJ900 with 50,000kms (I reckon 150,000kms) on the clock.

It was going...but only just.

Spent a winter and spring dealing with electrics and engine mechanicals and finally got it going 3 years ago and have put on 30,000 trouble free (well, after I replaced the piston rings and starter motor brushes) over that 3 year period. A daily ride to work plus a weekend tourer.

Absolutely have come to really appreciate these bikes. Basic 4 cylinder air cooled setup - not a lot to go wrong and if treated right is probably good for another 100,000 kilometres.

 

Many of you already know the story, so I won't bore you with details of the search. The end result....a neighbor said, "you have a trailer? I said, "yep". He said," go get your trailer and I'll help you load your bike". When I got back, he had the title already signed over, and the owners manual, too. No money, no trade, just "here you are, enjoy it. Let me ride it once sometime." That was almost 9 years ago. IT was dirty, rusty, tattered, but complete. I put in a lawnmower battery, cleaned the carbs, put a tire on it, rebuilt the master cylinder and caliper. I used my own extra battery, did the caliper myself. So the only investment was a new back tire, a mastercylinder freshening, and a carb cleaning. Friends helped out with some of that. Total of $250.00 and I passed inspection and have been riding it since. Now, since then........NOS seat cover, new chrome downpipes, replaced lots of rusty parts with nice shiny parts, restored a full windjammer fairing w/ lowers, quick detach side bags and trunk, swapped seat w/ a seat from an 81, swapped to a 750 tank w/custom ghost flame job, crashbars, pegs, foam grips, new gauge faces, new rotor, but most everything comes from ebay or other inexpensive purchases or trades. I got it w/ 12,000 mi on the clock. I will turn 34,000 next week. EVERYTHING I have done since the initial startup has been purely cosmetic. I have not had to do ANY mechanical stuff. This year the valves will be checked, and next week the carbs will be adjusted if needed. That's all. I love this bike....as well as the other 10 that I have

See my gallery for this 83 XJ650 Maxim, as well as a couple other pics, too.

All of that pales in comparison to trading 15 gallons of maple syrup for a 1969 Torino GT 351w-4v (factory), though....... That's my looooong term project. It'll probably get finished about the time I retire, but hey.... that's ok.

Dave

 

I bought my Seca off my brother last spring for $1000.00. It was running then, barely clinging to life. It sat for a few months until I had the money to get it legal and get my motorcycle endorsement.

Finally the day came I could ride it, and the damn thing wouldn't start. I went ahead and rode it anyway, starting it with ether. When it left me stranded at work I knew the inevitable was about to happen, I HAD to rebuild and clean the carbs.

When I took the keys, a shop manual and the XJ CD my brother said "There's this really great site for XJ's I suggest you sign up and have a look around." I should have known I was in for an adventure!

The money I paid for the bike? It helped finance my brother's MINT '83 750 Maxim. He spent his summer riding while I spent mine up to my elbows in carb cleaner. (And he hasn't logged on the site since the day he posted about his new bike, guess he don't need us no mo'!)

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

Picked up a 750 Seca tonight with 8k mi on it for $150. Not running at this time. Just needs recesatation , and a Bath!

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

Bought this 1982 XJ650 for 50 dollars off my roomate. It looked like this when I bought it, the rest of the bike was in boxes.



It currently looks like this. It is almost done.

 

Definitely loving the pics guys.

My SECA, well, she's dead right now. Definitely a project for later on.
I bought the bike from a guy up north, $375. Needed battery, throttle/clutch cables, air filter, tire reseated, electrical work (still needs a lot more... new harness probably) gas tank repair (still not working right, need new tank) and now it needs the carbs torn down and completely redone.
Video of the bike running a long time ago (the guy in the video is my buddy Geoff that lets me use his shed to screw with the bikes, that is his OLD shed in this video, we have a fresh new mancave at his new house)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W21KqWPJc8

I ran it for ~1000 miles like that. Never knew how BAD it really was till I got my Maxim.


The Maxim I got on a fluke. I went looking for a new fixer-upper.
On craigslist, found a 650 Maxim for $650. Turns out - SOLD.

"But my buddy has one he might be selling still"

Hmm ... O'RLY?!

$650 and a VERY cold MARCH ride home... I had her home.
Ran a can of carb cleaner - big mistake. It was running great.
Now I clogged every single passage in the carbs with the GUNK he had sitting in the carbs.
Oh well, done quite a bit of work so far, now it's down to brakes all around and cleaning the carbs RIGHT then sync and tune. But she's rideable... and will be going to the dragstrip soon to shut my idiot friend up (not the one in the video) because he thinks his 94 Integra will beat me. HAH!


Transitioning from that bike, to the new bike...
Ignore his ignorance, he calls the Maxim a SECA, and also says 'we cant even get the old one running anymore' Ohhhh but I can... but it needs $$!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_o0H3-IZvM

Still need the pilot circuits on the Maxim to dial in...

Take a peek around here too.

http://s570.photobucket.com/albums/ss141/dpawl31/

 

I don't have a pic on this puter but I picked up my 85 maximX for $900. It had a dent in the tank but started right up and went down the road pretty decent. When I bought it I had no clue what a maxim even was let alone the X. I could have road it home then ran good and even test drove it before buying. about another $700 later it is very decent but still need some cosmetic parts that are hard to find. I put new tires on right away(they were dry rotted) clean the ehck out of the carbs and synced them. bought a windshield, saddle bags, had it apinted, recovered the seat, replaced the brake shoes, checked and replaced the valve shims as needed. It is now my only mode of transportation. I have had a few wet and cold days but man nothing is better after a hard days work than a nice cruise home on the bike.

 

Roger, ur quicker than I am. I had my eye on that one but couldn't get the trailer tonight to pick it up. Let me know if you consider parting it. I want to change my seat and rear fender and that one was primo!

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

the 550:

paid $700 in the Air Force. im owner #4. owner #3 did a down and dirty repair job on the dented tank and punched clutch cover from damage done by owner #2...

just last year or the year before (i honestly dont remember) i got it all running after $200 to rebuild the carbs, another $200 in carb racks (and parts and pieces), another $150 in fork seals and oil and about another 3 months of cleaning...

when i got home from the Air Force in '93 i had the tank and side covers painted. it went from 1 of 10,000 black 81 maxims to the only white one ive ever seen and the first (there have been graphics put on in the last couple of years that duplicate mine) with the flaming tuning forks...



the 750R:

i paid $1200 for it last march...

after wrecking in july, ive put new bars on it, a new headlight bucket and i might have to spring the $40 for the computer someone offered to me last week. it currently doesnt have any instrumentation on it or a headlight. that might be why i have no turn signals, brake light or horn...

it cost a case of Bud Light to get the steering stop Tig welded up so that was pretty cheap. didnt even crack one open. coffee all morning...



the 900R:

paid $500 for it last september...

it cost $275 to rent a panel truck to go get i (180 miles away) and ive since paid about $1,000 in parts. tires, 4 carb diaphram/slide assemblies, battery, fork seals and a whole host of other things. still need to pay Carl for the labor and get a set of mirrors for it...

i want to get it painted or put some time into cleaning it but i can think of very few things id rather not do. i hate cleaning...




when its all said and done i guess you can see im not too savvy on getting good deals!

 

Dave; the 900 was still a good deal. Wait until you ride it.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

The first XJ550 I bought cost me $400NZ about 4 years ago and I rode 10,000km on it in the twelve months after I bought it before it burnt a valve, since then I've bought two more, one for another $400NZ that is about to be used as a Post Classic race bike and another I bought for $168NZ for parts

The first one I bought will be resurrected as a Cafe racer style bike

 

Gotta love that 900 Lt.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

prices around atlanta are a bit high, so ill call mine a deal until someone corrects me 1983 seca turbo, 100% complete bike in original condition, 1000$. fairings were shabby due to several slow speed drops (fiberglass breaks easily) but were still intact minus a few cracks. everything needed touchup (paint chipping all over the place, etc). bike smoked on startup and boost was subpar, but it ran just fine below 6k rpms. drove it home about 80 miles with no problems and rode it all summer. the following summer i cranked it to ride around the subdivision, and the first time i got in the throttle the throttle cable stuck WOT and before i could get it shutdown (due to my surprise my response time was way to long) i ran off in someones yard and layed it over, which took some peices off the fairings and busted a mirror. After some extensive fiberglass work, lots of touch up painting on the frame, motor, etc, painting the fairings, some ebay purchases, and alot of elbow grease, the bike will embarras a gsxr 1000 until it runs out of gear, looks brand new from 10ft away (i ride it everyday so it wont ever look showroom condition), never smokes, and rides like its brand new. ive got 1500$ total in the bike, and did all the work myself except for having the new tires mounted. ill be keeping this one a long time.

 

Re: Storys about Xj rebuilds or Xj resurrections and cheap f

Bought my first XJ550 in March of this year for $250, but no title. Brought it home, changed the plugs and put in a new battery - started right up! Ran rough though. Bought my second XJ550 in April of this year for $250, but this time I got a title with it!

Both bikes had sat for at least 9 years - the one spent most of it's time outside. After two months and a lot more money than I expected I have a great looking bike that runs and sounds pretty nice. Got it on the road last Thursday, and have put over 200 miles on it since!