What keeps you riding your XJ?

There are stilla number of these old bikes on the road... What keeps you in the saddle of your XJ?

 

I love it. Although I would consider something else, I will always keep at least one XJ.

I COULD afford to upgrade-- but to only one bike, how boring would that be?

My XJs don't need tinkering, they simply need proactive preventive maintenance, like any other quality motor vehicle.

A what??? (Doesn't apply.)

 

i cannot afford to upgrade. i really would prefer a non japanese v-twin, or a supermoto MX bike. i am a suzuki guy at heart for my offroad stuff, and i actually HATE yamaha. i dont like any of their machines really. the XJ is the first yami i have seen hold together. i was very leery about buyng it but the price was right.

i bought this bike for $400 and put mostly my own labor into it to get it runnning right. it gets 50mpg and that paid for itself in the first year, when diesel was $5 per gallon.

i dont own a bike for the enjoyment of the open road, however it is a nice perk of owning one to be able to go out riding with friends. if not for the fuel economy i would have never bought a bike.

i do enjoy customizing it, but i dont spend any significant amount of unnecessary money on it.

 

I'm not sure what I did to it...but I'm getting 50 mpg, amazingly smooth idle around 900 rpm, awesome acceleration....I can't believe a 28 year old bike can run this good. I don't need to go faster. Sure, I'd love to have a new ST or an FJR, but I wouldn't really like dropping it off to strangers for periodics. I'd rather have a bike that presents no mysteries and I can completely service myself and in my own shop. Besides, the "Standard" design fits me well. I don't want a bulky cruiser and I don't want a crotch rocket. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't seem to be interested in what I want. So, I'll be happy to ride what I've got.

 

Though I do find my XJ to be a smoother ride than the Suzuki GS550L that I was riding, if I had the funds I would upgrade to something newer and bigger.

Of course my plan is to keep the XJ when bike #2 comes along......

 

I'm happy with the handling and performance of my 900.... But being the good addict that I am, I have quite a collection of parts and when I had the opportunity to upgrade recently I bought another 2 XJ900's

It's not that I wouldn't upgrade, It just doesn't make any sense for me to do that at this point in time, especially when I have the spares and know these bikes as well as I do now... And where else am I going to find the resources online that are available for these bikes?

 

My XJ650 is really all I need for a street bike, I don't travel that far, and I don't leave the Cape in Summer. For a change of pace, I'll jump on the XT.

 

I once had a roommate that had a BMW K100 and on a regular basis he bragged at how cool his bike was. What I couldn't get over at the time was how often he had it in the shop for various maintenance things. Now don't get me wrong, the BMW was an awesome bike and I wouldn't mind having one some day down the road but it definitely cost more to keep it on the road than my rice-burner XJ of yore. I lost track of that roommate but it would be interesting to know what he drives now or if he still rides. For me, there is a real sense of pride keeping the old XJ going and dare I say, even after all these years, not all that expensive to keep her on the road. For me, cost isn't the issue but reliability is!

 

i love my 650 no better feeling then passing a harely broke down on the side of the road

 

Can't beat that reliability

 

This is my first ride.

I'd be willing to upgrade/newer at some point.

But I do enjoy upgrading/customizing minor things.

It's also fun (though sometimes frustrating) working on "things" that need it.

 

I'd put myself down for all of the first three. If I had the money to upgrade I'd keep the Seca in the stable as I love tinkering with 'er.

That's actually my plan for the next year or so. Get a KLR650 or similar (maybe some dual sport with Red Wings) and ride IT daily while I give Satan's Vuvuzela the deep and serious going through she deserves.

 

That's my dilemna as well. Being a Britbike guy, you'd think I'd be riding a "new" Triumph, but there's a reason I put in the """

Nothing new about them, at least not the "standards" they make. The "new" Bonnie is still a PARALLEL twin. Not just a vertical twin, a parallel twin. Both pistons go up and down together, like they have since 1937. Did you think Harley were the only blind traditionalists out there?

For me, the XJ550 Seca is like an electric motor in a Featherbed frame. For those not familiar, the Norton Featherbed was the pioneering double-downtube dual-shock swingarm frame famous for its road-holding characteristics. Back in the day, cafe builders would put the motor of their choice in them, creating Tritons and Norvins and the like. All it takes to make a Seca stick like glue are some decent rear shocks, a set of Progressive Suspension fork springs, and some nice sticky tires.

The other 4-cylinder "standards" of the era were either grotesquely wide (Kawasaki and Suzuki) or just butt ugly (Honda.) The Yamahas just look right. As technologically advanced as Honda was at times, those dumbass Comstar stamped/riveted wheels REALLY turned me off, big time. And their styling was always apparently kitchen appliance influenced by comparison to the sexy Secas.

 

i'd like to upgrade to something a bit larger as I'm a big guy but i enjoy working on my 700 and will keep it even when I do upgrade!

 

Because it runs... Like a bat out of hell too, once you figure out that it's a high rpm bike, and simply by changing your shifting habits so you shift at about 8k+ rpm as apposed to 4-5k makes them go from a kitten to a Lion. Once you learn how to shift these babies it's like a light bulb going off. You'll never forget it.

Shaft drive. Bullet proof engine. A perfect crossbreed between a crotch rocket and a touring bike. Only thing I would change is the seat, but most of you Cafe` riders make my balls hurt just looking at your seats, so I can't complain too much.

I can't stand those bulky full dressers going down the road.. Loud as hell and barely doing the speed limit... They literally scream "Old mans weekend warrior" to me. Just not my cup of tea.


XJ4Life

 

True. The 10K rpm redline and the way it gains revs like a 2-stroke are habit-forming to say the least. It's a "racebike for the street" but it's comfortable too.

 

I bought my (first) bike because it was cheap (although not as cheap as it should have been). Learned to ride, learned to fix it, and now can't imagine myself having bought anything else. Most of the fun I've had with this bike has been in the driveway with a wrench in my hand. Sure, it doesn't have the power of a newer bike, and it might have been nice to have gotten more riding time over the summer, but I wouldn't trade the experience of getting my bike running for anything.

 

It was my first bike. When I got it i had to work on it for two months to get it road ready. While everyone I ride with have pretty harleys that they clean or work on more then they ride, i ride all year and have little maintenance. The power of these bikes is what amazes me. I can beat my buddy on his 650 ninja on any windy road or up to 85 lol. I love my xj because no one around here has any and its just different. even though its not pretty it still turns heads and gets people looking.

 

I voted "Too cheap to buy another bike", err...I mean, "can't afford to upgrade".

This is not strictly true, just the closest option to my situation. I do not plan on getting rid of my Seca. It is the first (and only) non American made street bike that I have ever owned. I love it and will keep it as an on going project. I will eventually get a larger cruiser and a faster sport bike, but I don't need either right now and can't justify the expense even though I could afford one or the other.

 

It won't start.... oh wait... that's what's keeping me FROM riding my XJ....

I love my bike because i can do what i want to it at a reasonable cost, it's low maintenance, and i dont have to deal with those harley guys... (there's usually a wait for service at the local hd dealer...) on top of that, these bikes just look and feel right. I have never been on a bike that feels better than my xj

 

I love my XJ becuase, I got it for 400 bux not running, got it running on my own with no real know how, have minimal money into it, and I customized it to the point people gawk and check it out everywhere I go. Cant say the same about my Big Vctory Cruiser.

 

I love my XJ650H because it is my first and only bike. If I could afford to I would like to upgrade to a Vulcan but that's a pipe dream. So, I keep trying to improve my old XJ. Before I bought it the bike sat for three years in a garage. With no previous experience with motocycles (but over 30 years experience doing auto maintenance) I was able to learn all I need to know and raise this bike from the dead. I am forever grateful to all those mechanics and tinkerers out there who were generous enough to share their knowledge on-line. You all made it possible for me to get her running and enjoy the ride.

 

can't afford an R6.
not that i'm complaining, i love my xj.

 

Love the XJ 750 and I am cheap. Still haven't found a replacement. Good all around bike. Lite enough to zip around town, yet cruises on the highway. Though the backside doesn't like staying on for more than an hour or two. Bought the wife an 04 savage - cute bike. I don't need to keep mine clean - couldn't tell if I cleaned it. Easy to maintain.

 

I probably would get another bike if I could afford it, but will never give up the old XJ. It has proven its reliabilty time & time again. I know every inch of this bike inside & out and can pretty much do any work it may need myself. The industry does not make a good standard-type motorcycle like my Seca anymore. The only choices they offer is between serious sportbikes & laid back cruisers. I like my Seca because its a good in-between these two classes. As long as I can find the parts to keep this one running, I'll be riding it. Oh and I almost forgot the most important thing-its plenty fast for me!

 

When the XJ nines arrived in OZ they were not given more than a cursory look and were passed over. However over the years they seemed to have earned a venerable respect as a great bulletproof tourer. I will ALWAYS have at least one in my collection. I also don't think I want to deal with chain drive bikes again

 

Being a kid here (24), my view may be a little slanted, but here goes.
Why is it that nobody makes a mid-range inline-4 standard/cruiser anymore? I hate V-twins, but crotch rockets are uncomfortable for long cruises, and I'd rather not have another car (Goldwing). After I sold my old XS project and started looking around for a replacement I realized that I'd be back to an old Yamaha someday.

 

I guess when I bought my 750 Seca, I was intending on restoring it and just selling it. But once I got it back to running condtion, I never stopped making changes with it. Now that I have 2 years of tinkering and customizing it to my tastes, I guess it's just too much fun to ride now.
I may sell this season if I find another bike to customize, who knows.

 

I traided my xj750 for two xs1100s. Once I go the 78 xs11 running I have not riden much of anything else...Until as few months ago. I rode my wifes xj750 and I had forgotten how smooth the xj was, easy to shift and handles nicly in the twisties with plenty of power. The xs11 has way more power but does not handle as well as the xj.

 

I've had it longer (27 yrs) than anything else....!

It's part of my life!





"Every man dies. Not every man really lives."
-William Wallace

 

I have had my bike for 31 years, can see no reason to own anything else, well maybe a wing for long rides. Don't think any of the new bikes last or run like mine. Plus to is has to be one of maybe 5 in the U.S. maybe less. I don't know of any here. Would like to know if anybody else knows of a XJ750XN in the U.S? Anyhow it's part of my life now plus brings back many good memories. Like blowing away my friends new (at the time 92) EVO 1200 Sportster that was fun, he could not believe it. And many other rides & many more to come. :lol: