Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist.*UPDATE*

already emailed the guy about taking a battery to do a compression test...

http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/mcy/1331131453.html

I'm not quite sure where I'll put it, maybe we don't need a dining area for a while...

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

Fitz...

while i dont have any 650s in the stable, this looks like too much cleaning for me. i just dont have the time anymore with the wife and i on different shifts. too much in the way of daddy day care going on after work...

good luck with it. let us know how it turns out for you...

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

Do it!!! You know you will forever regret not doing it.

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

Why don't you just buy yourself some paperback westerns, put on your cardigan sweater, settle down into your favorite chair, and let your hemorrhoids grow? :wink:
Bill

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

Looks pretty original - you'll find somewhere to put it..... :wink:

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

You're on your own, brotha.....I've got my own projects lined up. Good luck!

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

that is in nice shape! it would be a nice project for someone. especially that price.

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

Momma ain't gonna like that!!!!! If Momma ain't happy, ain"t nobody happy!!!! :lol:

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

Fitz ,some times you have to say "NO" , especially when there is no more room in the garage.

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

but I think it needs to be rescued. I can at least go look at it and run a compression test.

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

good plan Fitz just go take a look and run a test whats the harm in that? just make sure you have enough cash on you to make the trip... you know, in case of emergency! I think about $400 sure do it!! :wink:
Shaun

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

You may want to take a bit more than $400, just in case you want to buy something nice for the wife on the way back. :wink:

An extra $10 should do it, can't be getting extravigant after all. :lol:

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist...

i dont think this is applicable anymore, but ill let Fitz speak to that...

 

TRUE! NO 'splainin' to do! Plus the kids eat in the living room all the time.

So...

DAMMIT. I couldn't pass this one up. I always wanted one of these.

COMPLETE 650 Seca ('82,) original mufflers, only slight surface rust; a couple SMALL dings in the tank, has BOTH sidecovers.
13K miles.
Compression test: 152, 149, 150, 150. That and the mufflers sealed my fate.
Shifts thru all the gears turning the rear wheel by hand to help.
No pitting on the forks, they don't even look like they need seals.
Doesn't run (he hasn't tried) WAS running when parked in '95 with 3/4 tank of gas that's still in it.
MINIMAL rust in the tank; no road rash (a few scrapes) GRUBBY AS HELL.
All 4 turn signals PERFECT. Somebody installed an H4 headlight.
I gave him the $400, and he's delivering it. (It was gonna be $350 if I picked it up. Too far, no trailer. It was worth the $50.)

It's coming on Wednesday. I'll post pics. Now I gotta take apart the dining room table or reorganize the garage.

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist.*UPDA

Good man. Right descision.

I bet your mind was made up before you left?

Bet it will be a great bike when its done!

 

Congratulations!

Sounds like a show-it-off bike with most of the investment being time rather than $$$. I reckon your winters are similar to ours which provides lots of time when we can't be riding so we may as well work on one.

Good luck.

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist.*UPDA

I figured you couldn't resist!

Congrats on the Seca 650! Even at the $400 delivered, to me it would've been worth it as well.

Now to get that table moved... Or do ya??? :lol:

 

I'm stoked. 13K miles! New-bike compression numbers; the guy is the second owner.

That's good news and bad: it's never been touched except a go-around with the carbs in '94. No valve adjustment and maybe only two or three oil changes.

And it IS wicked nasty grubby but COMPLETE.

I plan on it taking at least a year.

Here's a question for you shaft-drive XJ owners: Should I just go ahead as part of the resto and pull the lump, flip it over, crack the cases and replace the chain tensioner? Or wait until/if it starts to disintegrate? Is it inevitable? Is it time, sitting, or heat/pounding that makes them come apart? Is it mileage-related, do low-mile 650s lose the tensioners too? The 550s don't have that issue.

 

Congratulations on the great find Fitz and welcome to the other side (shaft). Regarding the tensioner, your bike has 13,000 miles or barely broken in. Most of the bikes I have heard about with the issue are up in the 30-40k range. Save that for it's 29th or 30th birthday.

So what are your plans with it? Totally stock or is there a "British Green" retro look on the way?

 

Fitz congads and welcome to the 650. Yours looks to be in the same kind of condition mine was last Nov. At 13K The tensioner is probably still OK. After a couple of oil changes to get the crud broke loose then I'd start watching for the telltale chunks. Mine had 12K on it when it came to me and its just fine. The 750 in our stable seems to have that issue and is in the 25K range. Seems to be mileage related. Nice find by the way.

 

I think it's gonna get resto-fied like my '83. I'm thinking about using the stock graphics package on a dark electric blue; EBC floating rotor discs, stainless lines, etc; but basically stock. Maybe black out some originally chrome bits. The black on the motor is in good shape except the jugs and head; and except for the headpipes it's not horribly rusted. The mufflers are in real good shape, one has a couple of scrapes but nothing major, and they're not seriously rusty. Polished bits are corroded in the usual manner. The frame may need to be repainted though, so it's probably going to have to come all the way apart.
Like most XJs the biggest issue is the carbs. The guy already knows it needs throttle shaft seals. Pretty standard stuff.

I'm gonna need a 55-gallon drum of Simple Green.

It's coming on Wednesday, I'll get some pics up.

 

Well Fitz if you are like me you'll have a hard time sleeping Tuesday and wont be worth a darn at work on Wednesday

I am looking forward to following the re-build/winter thread

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist.*UPDA

Fitz, I hope you're not overextending your available time and space for another project. Two bike projects and basic maintenance for my daily rider was all I could manage. The third project had to wait all summer, and now my garage is full.
Of course, if the exact bike I'm thinking of showed it's self nearby, and cheap… Lord, help the fool find his way. :roll:
Bill

 

well fitz, congrats, i see you got the itch's too. we'll have to have a race, see if i can get my bike running faster than you can restore the bike to new

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist.*UPDA

See? SEE? That's what I'M talkin' 'bout.

The '83 is nearly finished. The '81 is running great, and just keeps having it's little XJ/age issues, no real surprises.

I was going to get a winter project anyway. I'm not going to dive into this one (other than cleaning out the mouse nests) until the Norton is out of surgery.

Its so COMPLETE... solid stock muffies and airbox... 150lbs across the board... all-black non-YICS motor with 13K... Dual discs... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

How could I not?

 

non yics? hmm. and whats wrong with the ol' norton?

 

Re: Somebody PLEASE beat me to this one I can't resist.*UPDA

Now you got to find a 900 motor to put in there...

 

Way to go Fitz.........


MN

 

Two words:
Garage expansion!

Great find Fitz

 

Oh yeah Mike, like he needs another project?!

 

where r the pics, fitz? u said ud get them on wednesday last wednesday, lesse this ol girl