Hi all & my XJ story.

Hi to all fellow XJ owners/fans, great site, what a find My name's Ant. I've had a 1981 XJ650-4KO (the one without YICS that has no midrange then goes mad above 6000rpm... fun!) for over 16 years now we have quite a history together.

I bought it in '93, 12 years and 33,000 miles old and almost immediately took my wife for a weeks touring. We had a great time and sorted out a few problems we were having and the bike was faultless carrying much camping gear etc over 1000 miles. It didnt even use any oil. That week saved my marriage, now over 18 years long. I bonded with the XJ like no other bike I'd had before. It became my only transport for years.

In 1995 I had a nasty accident on it, the front tyre blew at high speed on my way home from work (I would say around 90-100mph judging by where it happened but I had no memory of this or half hour before and was in a coma for 3 days). The XJ front end was completely trashed but the frame was straight, engine good, apart from some broken plastics and a reshaped tank everything from the yokes back was good. I just had to keep it and sort it out.

One problem with that plan, my left leg was in plaster from groin to toe, the knee and ankle were demolished. Cast off, I rebuilt it while on crutches into a 'mad max' style rat bike, I made some makeshift forward controls for it (looked odd on an early 80's sports tourer) and 6 months later I could bend the knee enough to get back on the XJ. I gave it the name 'Warhorse', painted blood red on a battered matt black tank.

The XJ continued to be my only vehicle, winning ratbike trophies with pride at rallies I went to, but my range was getting less and less. The knee would bend to 90 degrees and no more, was permanently unstable and arthritic, held together by plates and screws and was irrepairable. After 10 miles or so (less in cold winters) the knee was painful and I couldn't straighten it up when I stopped. By the new millenium the XJ was laid up outside, over 80,000 miles old and getting tired, I turned to Land Rovers, easier on the knee with a character all their own. British weather did Warhorse no favours and it looked sadder and sadder.

A few years back I dragged it into the shed, stripped it and started to 'soft-tail chop' it, lowered seat rails-modded rear frame, sportster tank, sleekbob style rear mudguard, 16" rear wheel, XJ600 forks/calipers + more new/good used bits. But the engine needed work, the valve guides were very sloppy, worn rings, could have done with a rebore, camchain, clutch etc. I checked out the horrendous new prices and the bike got covered and left in the shed for a few years.

Then a few days ago I met my wife's friend's new fella. He's got a triked XJ900 for sale which got me thinking as soon as I saw it. Then he said he has a spare engine and various bits in the shed I could have. I came home and googled XJ650-900 conversion, wondering if it could be done and found this place. I am now under the belief it can be done and am making plans to try it out and trike it. But I'll deal with that in the appropriate place on the forum, it will not be for a while anyway, I have a few other projects to sort first.

Sorry for the very long first post, I've tried to keep it brief but it's quite a long story however I tell it :roll:

 

Hi Ant, welcome, quite a bitter sweet story.
Whatever you decide to do with your XJ, the help is here, good luck. Wiz.

 

Quite the story! You're sure more than WELCOME here...

skillet

 

wow, i'd love to see pics of the war horse if u got any.. and that thing about your leg is awful.

good luck, and for your sake I hope it can be done

 

Thanks chaps advice will no doubt be needed and appreciated. I have a whole new enthusiasm for it again now I've decided to trike it, especially with a 900 motor. It's buried under stuff in the shed at the moment and is nowhere near a finished state but I'll dig it out and post some pics. Has anyone on here triked one, they are quite popular with trike builders over here as they are shafties and cheap. But crazy euro-bureaucratic laws are making trike building and registering more and more difficult :evil:

 

Hey V8Mate- - Welcome !!

You should check out . . .Greg_in_London on this site,and on others.
He does side cars which might have different registration reQ's.

You'll need 4.13:1 or steeper gears in your axle, if you trike.
There's also "landing gear" for Gold Wings which automatically deploy at low speeds. So you can ride a bike, and never touch the ground.

 

Thanks TtR

We call them stabilizers, as on kiddies bikes 'training wheels' :lol: I think I'll stick with the trike plans.

4.13:1, hmmm my Range Rover diff is 3.54:1, that would be interesting. One big chunky heavy s.o.b. though. Actually the axle used on most trikes here is the Reliant 3 wheeler axle, light, compact and narrow, I just happen to have one on the wife's car/my 2nd car. I dont think she would like me stealing the axle. They are a small British 3 wheeled car made from 1930's to 2002 that you can drive on a bike licence in the UK. Mine looks like...

 

Its SAD but interesting history you have with your XJ. And i should mention you have a good courage, enthu with projects. I did hav a pedestrian accident n have hardware in ankle n knee..wonder whts in store for me in future. I came across a guy who listed a Maxim X converted to ATV a while ago..but trike would be interestng. Good luck.

 

Now surely you can find a Reliant axle in a junkyard someplace. Yours looks too good to part out.
I have seen a pic of an XJ that someone triked using a Reliant axle some time ago. I believe he was English, but I don't remember if he was on this forum or on another one. Did a good job as I recall.
Best of luck to you with your project.

 

Great story, hope things work out with your knee, I crashed in august but only broke my nose and face, both of which have healed fairly well, the bike did't even get dented. Let me know how the trike thing works out. I'm gonna build one for my wife, she has Cerebral Palsey, and can't ride a reg. bike.

 

Where their is a will their is a way. I have to screws in my foot and still ride every chance I get.

 

welcome V8mate! your story is of great intrest to me ( rod from hip to knee in left leg from bike wreck,both knees have wires and screws from a frwy head on) since i'll be a on trike at some future point. please keep us posted on your progress