New member.... new to XJ's

Well, I have a HEEP Cherokee (XJ) does that count? :roll:

Seriously though. I'm new to this forum, but HOPEFULLY will be on here a ton from now on. There are great bikes on here, seem to be good people, and tons of ideas.

I am picking up an '83 XJ750 next week for $600 and have plans for it. I would love ot hardtail it, but I dont posess the skillz YET, so lowering shocks it is for now. Right now I'm also torn between z bars or drag bars as well. I'm leaning towards z bars, but I think I'll hold off on those until I get the bike lowered, so I can see about where I want my hands.

My head is spinning with all of my ideas and directions I could take this build in.... please feel free to give me your .02 and post up pics of what you have done with your XJ.

Thanks

Matt

 

Hi Matt and welcome. if the picture you posted is the actual bike you are getting, my 2 cents are it is far too good looking to chop up!

There are lots of "Must dos" like checking the rear brake shoes, changing fluids, cleaning the carbs etc.

get the bike running right before making any rash descisions.

 

RGR.... that IS the actual bike and I will be checking everything out. I know the tank needs cleaned and coated and he's even giving me the kit to do it. I'll do that right away and then see how she runs.

If you can find me something for $600 that is running good and ok to chop in your mind then I'll chop that one instead, but if not...... this one is on the chopping block instead.

I have an '81 cb900f frame and some parts that I was going to do this with, but after watching the parts, along with two questionable motors, sit for about a year and a half I decided that starting with a clean, good running bike might be the easier route on my first chop.

 

WELCOME! I did (still doing actually,fixin' to change the fork seals) what markie said about the "MUST DOs". Also thought I wanted to do a rigid frame. Had 2nd thoughts and found a set of 10 1/2" shocks and gonna see how I like them. Anyway GOOD LUCK with your plans...

skillet

 

Thanks skillet. Can you post up a pic of your bike when you got it and how it is sitting now?

Thanks

 

It's your bike so feel free to ignore my opinion...but I agree with markie...that bike is in good shape. Heck if you are going to chop it, carefully preserve all those plastic pieces, gas tank, turn signals, headlights, etc and sell them to fund the project. There are plenty of people that could give them a good home

 

koolaid5 i have a xj550 almost done bober prodject that has lost my intrest need to finish my 650 for this year that's going to the first 600 that comes along. I'll get pics and send them over tomorow.
thanks,
James

P.S. sorry for posting this in the general lounge I'll

 

that's the plan MB

 

well, before you make serious mod decisions ride it for a little first. Get it up and going, carbs ready, brakes fully inspected (change the rear shoes) and ride it for a while the way it is. You may find out things you thought would look cool but now wouldn't change for the world, and other things you didn't think about doing but now want done. Get a good solid feel for the way the bike is as it stands and let the ideas come from that. Believe me... i know the cost of hasty decisions. Paying for it as we speak.
If the bike in the picture is the one you are buying it is suweeet just the way it is. They don't make them like that anymore and that bike is amazing in appearance. You'll turn more heads as it stands than anything you could posiibly do to it.
That bike was at the beginning of serious sport bikes. It was designed for performance and was the best at that time. Without the seca we might not have ever seen the GSX-R or YZF-R or other superbikes. What you have there, if that is the bike, is a bad ass classic performance machine, almost before it's time and definitely revolutionary. I would spend a lot of money just restoring it back to top notch condition and would ride the hell out of it. $600? Wow. What is the mileage? have you heard it run?

 

I haven't heard it run yet. I'm going to go and pick it up on Friday. I have to finish my trailer today, because I work the next two days, or I won't be able to go and get it before the guy goes on vacation.

I'm not looking for a sportbike with great handling in the corners. I was really just looking for something running and cheap that I could bob/chop to play/putt around on. I already have the corner carver....


see....




So, sorry for all of you die hard....keep 'em stock and restore them to like new condition XJ fanatics out there. I'm just not one of them. If any of you want to see this restored feel free to offer me more than I'm paying for it, so I can turn a profit and pick up something you don't mind me chopping I'll take a cb750 if you have one sitting collecting dust.

 

I say have fun with your mods. Make it your own bike. To me bikes are a personal thing if there is something on it that you don't like change it. I'm not a bobber man myself but I also don't want to ride the same bike as everyone else. I admire those who can take a basket case and return it to show room condition and those who can cut it up and make it an equaly beautifull peace of art. The only thing that I would like you to do is to post pics of your progress.

 

you got it tcoop. The pics will start being posted Friday when I bring it home.

 

Haha... so you have a gixxer. ok then, well awesome dig then. As far as bobbing, I have seen some really wicked looks with lower profile bars turned backward and upside down. Makes the tank stick out a lot more and just gives the bike an angry bulldog look. But with your choices, z bars would look sweet on it

 

Like I said....I'm not sure if I'm going with Z bars or drag bars. I keep going back and forth in my head, so I'm trying to do the smart thing and hold off buying one or the other until I get the bike and start working on it and see where I want my hads at when I'm riding....

I WISH I could go with my original plan and put the '91 gsxr 750 front end on this thing along with the swingarm (if not hardtailing it right away), so I can run the gsxr 1100 wheels that I have. I think the thick front end and wider wheels would make this beast look even tougher and badass. Oh, and I'm probably going with spray on bedliner for the paint job

Here is my cb900f (frame with title up for sale along with a ton of other parts) mocked up real quick with the gsxr wheels and another one with a duc tail and mono shock when I was thinking of going the street fighter/cafe route. That was all before I got bit by the chopper bug though.

 

Ok, picked the XJ up today and it looks GREAT. The main damage is a hole in the tank, but the guy had his buddy's kid patch it. It still has pinholes, but he have me a brand enw POR tank lining kit for free. What a good guy. It was a 2 hour drive one way up to Asheboro and I stood up there with him for another 2.5 hours shooting the shit.

I'll probably be starting a build thread of sorts, but if/when I do I'll post up the link in here as well.

The funds are depleted right now, so I think I'll just get the tank lined tomorrow and try and get this thing started up on Sunday. It might be staying as is until I can save up some more money. Then by the time that happens I might change my mind on bobbing it

 

so what ever happened to this? diggin this bad boy up

 

OP's thread from May 2011 might explain a lot: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=31924.html he had everything up for sale because he was deploying to Afghanistan on 6/4/11.

 

I'm still around. I spent 4.5 months in Iraq and have now been in Afghanistan for over 2 months. I should be here until July-ish. None of my projects were sold before I left and I just bought a laundry list of parts for my Cherokee. I haven't touched the bike for well over a year now. I hooked it up with 15" apes, maxim tank, forward controls, 2up sportster seat, small speedo, round headlight, shorter shocks, relocated brake light/license plate, pod filters, exhaust wrap, and screamin eagle pipes. It isn't quite finished, but life kept getting in the way. I need to line/paint the tank, mount the seat, clean and balance the carbs again, and a few small other things, but nothing major.

Thanks for checking up on me

 

ahh, that explains it.

Thank you for your service and I look forward to what you do with it when you get back! Stay safe!

Do you happen to have any pics of it as it sits now, after you did those mods to it?

 

Yeah, I'll post them up here when I dig them up. I think I put them in my "build thread" if you want to call it that. I don't know. I haven't looked at that in quite some time either.

 

sounds good man! throw a link here once you find the pics and/or the thread

 

Here you go man...

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... t=165.html

most updated pics I have are on page 12 of that thread. I think the only thing I did after that was wrap the header and install the headlight. Maybe a few other small things. In those pics the tank and seat are just sitting on there. They're not installed and still aren't Most of the thread is just me babbling about nonsense.

 

and off i go, thanks dawg!