Ten months' of blood, sweat and $$$ and finally

I can actually RIDE it.

174 mile shakedown run on Saturday July 4:



Up along the Lake Huron coast, on the east side of Lower Michigan's "thumb"



It was COLD!!! By the water only 67F, highly unusual for this time of year even here...



Just a few little items to finish, and some cosmetic stuff. Those dumb**s mirrors (cheap EMGO replicas) won't stay put; got a better set on the way.
Needed to adjust the throttle cable; that was it.
Runs like a 4-cylinder sewing machine.

Whew.

 

Holy Cow... very nice looking 550. (drool)

 

She looks great Fitz congrats!

 

Very well done Mr. Fitz !! Hope my shake down goes as smoothly as yours did.

Cheers
Ken

 

Great job Fitz! The gators add a nice touch

Did you ever post a review of your upgraded front brake?

 

Not yet, really. It's not broken in enough to really push it; it DOES work one whole heck of a lot better than the stocker; increased stopping power and zero fade (an issue I've been discussing in regard to my other bike.) Plus with the SS lines it IS like grabbing a rock; there is no hint of sponginess. I was surprised at that with the stock caliper, but I guess it truly is a substantial lump. The bike only has about 700 miles showing on the new odo; the brake only has about 400 on it. It will need another 500 miles or so to be fully optimal.

I have Wiz to thank for the fork boots; the forks are coincidentally the exact same size, tube and top of lower leg, as the Kawasaki he restored (while we watched.) Once armed with the Kawi part number, I was good to go.

I can say that the Avon AM26 RoadRiders are absolutely incredible. I haven't ridden in the rain with them yet, but they sure work well in every situation I've encountered so far, including some rather agressive rain grooves. (Apparently no one at MDOT has ever heard of a motorcycle.)

Oh, and thanks guys. I mean it, without XJBikes and chacal I would never in a million years taken on a SECOND one. You guys all made it possible; I just have to ride my new 26 year old bike. (Less than 8K total miles but NOT for long.) Virtually everything that can dry out, crack, crumble or otherwise deteriorate had and has been replaced; I learned a few new curse words too.

Special kudos to Sargent Cycle Products for their work on the seat; this is the second one I had them do and it's even better than the first one.

Thanks again.

 

very nice fitz

 

Excellant Restoration Fitz!

 

Very Nice Fitz.


MN

 

wow. very nice!

 

i hope, not i'd pick that up and carry it to the nearest overpass at the first drop
very nice

 

Superb job, Fitz.
Is that a magnetic tank bag? a recon I could get 2 bottles of scotch in there.
What you gunna do now?

 

Fitz the Bike Looks absolutely fantastic!!!!

Hey if you get bored and need another project to do I have family up that way I could always loan you my bike to clean up and restore.... I of course would need her back when you where done.... but then again I sure some one else would next in line to loan them yours

 

Wow. Just stunning. It's inspirational.

 

Wow, looks awesome!


grz Thijs

 

Very nice 8)

yeah, mirrors could be prettier :wink:

 

Awesome Job Fitz!! The result of all the hard work is rewarding in itself.

That looks like the road side stop on M25. Done that route North from Port Huron a few times all the way up to Port Austin and back down 53. Long ride but worth the trip. It's been a couple of year or so since but would love to do it again soon.

 

Gorgeous bike, Fitz - makes me jealous. Great work!

 

Good job! Looks great!

 

Wouldn't by chance still have that gator part # would you?

 

Kawi pn PN 49006-1096. Keep in mind they're only going to fit exactly on the 550 Seca; even the 550 Max had different sized forks. It MIGHT work on the 550 Max since I believe their forks are only 1mm bigger in diameter; any more than that and they won't stretch without buckling. The 550 Seca has 35mm forks and the top of the tubes are 55mm; exactly the dimensions of the boots.

 

aww fitz.. shoulda stopped in to my house... would have been about 20 miles away or less.... i can only mention one thing wrong with your bike- paint the centerstand!


but it looks awesome, very nice

 

Well done Fitz. Superb detailing and polishing too, she looks new.

 

Don't worry I'll be back in the area again soon.

Paint the centerstand; finish blacking out the exhaust/footpeg bracket hardware; get a stripe for the RH sidecover; fix all the little paint blems on the tank; pull/clean/check the alternator brushes; I've still got a lot of "small stuff" to do, but it runs and it runs well.

 

Top Shelf.
Wonderful job.
I am amazed that the fine work done by a number of our Members has not found its way into one of the Cycle Magazines as a Feature Story.

There is no doubt that many of you are deserving of the publicity and some reward.
Many of us have rescued an XJ Bike just inches away from being scrapped, and brought it all the way home to Restored with extremely hard work and dedication.

All you get to hear for your troubles is an admirer exclaim: "Nice Bike!"

 

The way these things run once they're set up correctly is reward in itself.

That bike doesn't even "crank" it's running as soon as you hit the button and it idles like a sewing machine.

I would NOT have been able to get it to the condition it's in now without the knowledge gained from the likes of you, Mr. Massey, and all the other true XJ Wizards on this forum. Thank you again.

 

I wish there was a way to get everybody tuned-up and running "Just-right"!

I feel so bad for some of the Members who haven't got the Bugs all worked-out and have some Issue that prevents them from jumping on the Bike, firing-it-up and just riding and riding all day long.

 

Ya Fitz, Bow to Schooter, the only true "Wizard" muwahahaha!

kk if you come up and i manage to find my main fuse, ill put in a non blowable fuse in and we can go riding-haha, naw, ill try to find her...

 

it looks really good, ten months payed off!

 

Schooter, you are indeed the only true Wizard... of Elkton. Only, you, I, LtDave, probably Carl and maybe rpgoerlich know what that REALLY means...

Thanks again guys. It still needs some stuff done, but it runs SO GOOD I just want to keep riding it. It is, for all intents and purposes, a new bike, and it feels like one.

 

very very nice...

i LOVE the drive up to port austin but the last long ride i took was to sandusky and back down, the day i got my 900rk back from Carl. that was a lot of miles after the 90 from plymouth to home...

im certain it rides better than it looks and it DOES look like a new bike...

im impressed...

d

 

what kind of mechanical parts should be replaced to get that "new bike" feel? what will make the biggest difference right away as I get started?

 

Fork Service including New Fork Springs.
Swapping the Steering Head Bearings for "Sealed Rollers"
Brakes.

I have to Swap the Headset Bearings in a 900 this Winter.
I'm just waiting to get motivated.
At my age, that means getting somebody to help me!

 

Very nice Seca resto!

 

Rick got the list started: Full fork service including springs; new shocks; new brakes front and rear; new brake lines; new clutch, new chain and sprockets (in my case anyway, 550) new tires, new grips, new foam in the seat.

If necessary, steering head bearings adjust or replace; swing arm bushings the same;

Valve adjustment, carbs serviced, synched and colortuned; new air filter;

A brand new speedometer, LEDs in the instrument panel lights, and an H4 Halogen headlight also contribute to the "new feeling."

It doesn't hurt to start with a low-mileage bike (this one had 7092 on it when I got it.)

(That is NOT everything I did to that bike; just the stuff that made it feel "new" again.)

It also got: Modern era Yammie style signals; a clock; fork boots; a floating front disc rotor; new gas cap seal; rebuilt caliper; luggage rack; all chrome except the exhaust redone in black nickel; rear brake powder-coated black; black rear sprocket; black carb hats; blacked out hardware all over the bike; and new badges all around.

**edit** almost forgot: new "modern" black (WIDER) mirrors because of the lower handlebar; plus a lot of repainting, polishing, and refurbishing.

It still needs the paint redone; the black is full of blemishes (it's original.)

pjb03; Thanks!