82 XJ650J Project Bike Medical Partout- LOOK at this engine!

July 7th, 2012. SOLD!


PREFACE: Oh this is just too sad. My husband and I started building project bikes to be able to ride together. We had got pretty far along on both machines when it was discovered that he has a spinal injury that is inoperable (beforehand we had been told that he had a shoulder issue that would be easily fixed so we'd been moving forward with both projects until it was discovered that it was much more serious). It involves vertebra T7 and if he should fall there is a good chance he'd be paralyzed. He's ridden since 1973 and motorcycles were his whole life. He decided to quit the hobby altogether to avoid the temptation so he won't get hurt and put me in a position of caring for him for the rest of our lives. We have hundreds of hours of time in this 1982 XJ650J and a good deal of money as well. So as they say, our misfortune is your gain. We need to part out both bikes to pay ongoing medical bills (his is a different bike, selling elsewhere). So I'll be placing a series of ads here in this forum that detail groups of parts as we go along. Best wishes, Abeja.

THIS AD IS FOR THE ENGINE:

It ran before we removed it and started working on the bike. It has roughly 11K miles on it. It was given a great cleaning and detailing then we used an airbrush to apply several coats of Rustoleum Specialty High Heat Ultra. This is no "rattlecan" paint job! It's been carefully painted over the entire engine. We also replaced all of the cover screws with stainless steel allen head screws. The exhaust flanges were removed and painted with a high heat stainless steel color, and the oil filter cover was also removed and painted in the same manner. The engine has no crash-hash, or any scars from mistreatment of misfortune. It comes with the generator, the starter, new NGK spark plug wires capped with NGK plug caps, and has a brand new set of NGK BP7ES plugs gapped at .7mm. It also comes with the carb intake boots and clamps.

The exhaust is optional. If you want the exhaust headers you will have to take the entire exhaust system. The headers have been "3M'd" to buff them out a little, but the mufflers are painted gloss black. The right one has some crash-hash on the tip. (I was gonna use those pipes while I learned to ride then they were going to be replaced with Supertrapps). If you just "have ta have" these headers we might be able to work out something with you.

Stay tuned for more ads for this bike, I am selling the entire project and much of it looks as good as this part.

Abeja ....





















PRICING:

I want $550 for it but I'm pricing it to sell quickly. Bills and needs are stacking up on us so we're under some pressure now.

$425 IF WE HAVE TO SHIP IT. (plus shipping, and I'll need something in the way of a crating fee too. It depends on what is required.)

$475 FOR LOCAL PICKUP.

NOTE: Price reduced to $300 for local pickup!

Or Reasonable Best Offer.

Location = Yuma, Arizona 85365

I'm pricing it ~wierd~ like that because if I have to ship it, you're gonna take a hit on the shipping so I'm discounting it for you. That's why it's more expensive for local pickup. That price won't include the headers though. We'll have to work that out if you want them.

We're honest and flexible people and willing to work with you if you have some kind of issue or request. Just inquire with me, the worst thing that can happen is I'll say "no thank you".

Communicate with me via "PM". I can provide my phone number and more details from there.

OTHER DETAILS:

I have the full complement of engine mount bolts, brackets, etc. So I can include some of that stuff if you like. Let me know what you need and we can work it out. Some of it might be included for free, you'll just need to ask about it. I also still have:

** CARBS.
** Exhaust.
** Wheel-tires.
** Complete front end.
** Frame/swingarm/drive unit.
** Fuel tank.
** Shocks.
** Much much more.
** ASK!

Thanks so much. This is so hard to see it all go.

Hope to hear from you soon! Best wishes and be well,

Abeja.

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

beautiful job though

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

Thank you.

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

Hi Abeja-Sure is a nice lookin motor you got there. Your asking price is a little steep, but understandably so. Perhaps if you could include some maintenence records or something, would help. I wish I was in the position to take it, but Im sure a member will step up. A guy cant have too many spare motors around. Looking forward to anything else you guys put up for sale, we'll be watching. Wishing you the very best of luck.

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

All that work... I'm surprised your husband didn't make a trike project after getting the bad news.

That paint job makes me wish I had an air brush and knew how to use it!

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this eng

Sorry to hear about your husband, I know how he fells. I have similar back issues that are forcing me to sale my bike as soon as I get it back together.
A trike won't help when you can't get out of bed because of the pain and the bouncing wouldn't help any. Hope the best for you and your husband and good luck with the sale.
BTW Great job on that motor.

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

1st off .. thanks everyone. Most encouraging things. The situation really hurts. We'd spent about a year and a half or so working on both bikes when the good news arrived. But instead of whining about too much we're moving on.

We don't really have any maint. records. We bought the bike used, and began tearing it down and rebuilding every little thing roughly three or four months after I got it. So other than the two oil changes we did there's not much to tell. We changed the oil out straight away to remove any of the ~whatever oil~ that the PO may have put in it, and then again after about a month. No surprizes, no metalic particulates, and no excessive carbon. The plugs in it were crap so those got changed right away as well. Then we put this set in it that is shown, they have zero time on them.

The clutch seems fine, my husband thought it worked well enough to not figure-in replacing any of it. And I'm no wheelie king or burn-out freak so...

That's about all I have history wise. I mean I suppose it's like anything that 30+ years old ... you may be able to ride it as-is for another 50k with zip trouble, then again 3rd gear may roast after a trip around the block (or whatever .. just saying .. used, y'know?). All I can say is that it ran fine before we pulled it and began working on it. No internal work was performed by us at all. OH!! ... and *no leaks*.

And thanks for the ideas about using it some other way. My husband .. bless his heart .. he's on very powerful pain meds 24/7. He feels that he doesn't have what he calls his "light speed reactions" anymore and that riding of any kind of motorized machine would be highly irresponsible of him. He's never ~high or stoned~ on the meds but they mess with his vision and depth perception somewhat. He always felt like you have to "ride for everyone else" and take it upon yourself to ensure your own safety, so you have to kindof watch everything and compensate for the fools on the road by doing a bit better job of paying attention than the oblivious drivers (endless lectures about it .. believe me! haahaa!) Well, he feels that the pain meds have taken that edge away so it would be placing the responsibility on other people to prevent road issues, and that is outside his ideas of responsible motorcycle riding. So even though a trike may work out as far as pain issues go, he'd still be putting himself into the traffic equation and isn't comfortable with the idea. He's an ex streetcop from the LA area, he's not one of those self-righteous types, he's just seen a lot and isn't fooling himself just to justify doing something he loves to do. Something I can't help but admire about him.

Hopefully, if I've mispriced this engine it will eventually seek it's own level through offers and discussions.

Thanks again, folks!

Abeja.

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this eng

Here's the "XJX" as we named it about one quarter of the way in to the rebuild. Don't mind the paint, I was trying color combos so I just shot some british racing colors on it to try. Wheels and tires were all done about this time, new rear Progressive Suspension shocks, brakes and fork all rebuilt, and you can see what an ugly lump the engine was. Rebuilt the headlight with a Cibie unit, new bars ... just ~stuff~ .. y'know (these pics make me want to cry - sorry, it's a girl thing).









Ok so then once the engine came out and we got it all the way down to totally bare frame, it was sanded down and some cuts were made to begin rebuilding it into the little hot rod of a bike I was seeing in my mind. The pinstriping was another test of sorts for pictures to break up the lines on the bare tank.



Then I finally got my sights properly set and began heading in a definite direction. The light blue is rattlecan Krylon. The front fender was retrofitted from a Honda Magna (not a direct bolt up, takes some work).









So there you can see where it was headed. Here's a couple of pics of my husband's bike transformation. He was taking a cruddy Honda Magna 700 cruiser turd and converting it to one of those cool old school superbike-kinda machines. He worked so hard on getting the suspension just right and very carefully set it up to be safe and good handling. The hours!









So I hope these pictures offer some idea of what we were doing, and what's in store as I place more ads soon. The work we did on my wheels was tiresome and well worth it! The idea was to do as good a job as absolutely possible on everything.

Thanks, this has been something harder to do than I thought. Selling all of this is going to be tough. I know we'll never get out of it what we have in it. I wish we could keep it, I really do. But sometimes you just gotta be grown up and do the hard things. We're both 50 and we thought we could spend our last decades riding together. We have so many wide open highways and places to explore and such a beautiful open desert. Perhaps another time ...

Be well, Abeja.

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

Hello again Abeja. Just wanna say, despite your recent setbacks, your husband lucked out when he met a partner who shares his enthusiasm for working on bikes. How fulfilling is that? Lots of guys have partners who love to ride (a very good quality indeed), but to be with someone who is not afraid to get her hands dirty, plus adds skills, talent & creative ideas, is a very fortunate situation.
I know you'll sell that motor, & Id like to add that its most generous of you to work with someone if their are shipping costs involved. I really like what you guys are doing with that Honda, nice work! Im interested in that seat piece from the XJ. Is it for sale? P.M. me if you wanna to discuss it. Stay strong & good luck.

Warren

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

Thank you, that was sweet. He and I have been together since 1979 and we never had any kids, so we've spent our lives together sharing interests. We play live music together, which is what we're trying to replace motorcycling with. I have always enjoyed puttering around in the shop with him too. I even learned how to mig and tig weld (not very well mind you). It makes people laugh when they learn about how I help and stay involved because I'm pretty much a girly-girl. We've both had some pretty close calls (I had cancer and he's had a few issues as well) so we've learned to appreciate each other's presence as much as possible. It can all end in a streak of lightning .. we're here for such a short time, you have to fill every day. So we both try to not take a single thing for granted. I figured I had a choice, see he's gonna be out in that shop doing his thing or in the studio doing musical things so I can either leave it be, or be involved. I'm just glad he's one of those men that doesn't mind having his wife in his "man cave". Haahaa! So he made me a deal, he'd buy me my own motorcycle but I had to do as much of the work myself as I possibly could. It's been one of the most satisfying and fun things I've ever done. Well, that and playing live music (we play progressive rock type stuff and synth-rock in a two piece duet .. no big deal just little gigs at local venues. It's all just for fun). We make audio electronic stuff to help pay bills too.

So thanks a lot for the compliments.

I'll get with you on the seat piece. I looked in the shop just now and didn't see it, I don't remember if we sold it already or not. I need to check with him when he gets up (it's only 5:00am).

Thanks! Abeja ...

BTW, someone asked me what my name means .. it means "honeybee" in Mexican.

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

I PM'd you.

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

Are you selling the tank?

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

pm sent

 

Re: 82 XJ650J Proect Bike Medical Partout - LOOK at this engine!

Yes, it even comes with brand new new tank rubber mounts. (PM'd)

I also have a little package that is made up of the fuel tank cap, the helmet lock, the igniton switch, and of course the key. So it's everything that the keys fits plus the key itself. I'll probably do a separate ad for that little bunch of stuff.

 

Sorry to hear about your husbands situation,

To add value to the motor, you could show the measured valve lash specs, and compression numbers. It could help convince a buyer.

 

Well, that sounds like fun. But we loaned out our compression tester and it's currently listed as missing in action. We have no need for one any longer so I'd really rather not go buy another one to be honest.

What are Xj650J engines going for on the average? The ones we looked at ranged from $125 for pure crap/parts lumps, to well over $600 or so for engines in great shape. I thought my asking price was pretty fair .. was I wrong?

 

For sure. It better have amazing compression numbers/valves in spec for that price.

 

~Amazing?~ Ok, so help me out here. What's so wrong with the pricing?

 

This will vary by region and time of year, and by an individuals experience.
I see a $200 motor with a $250 paint job, plugs and bolts.
It's not the factory black, and it's lacking the buffed hi-lites.
But it could be perfect for someone wanting that look.

I bought a parts bike from a salvage yard for $200 that came with a good motor. I bought a 750 Maxim complete for $400. It's priced high for Florida, but might be right where you live. (as always, no offense)

 

I suppose it depends on how you look at it. I didn't want it "factory black" for one thing. And another thing is it could be a $50 head with a $200 crankase and a $35 generator, and a $40 starter. $5 plug wires, $10 plugs, and $34 bolts (er whatever).... my point being is that it all makes the engine up whether part of it is labor, and part of it is parts. It still makes one entire engine.

Everyone has their own ideas of what "good" is, and this engine doesn't happen to be your idea of good. But that doesn't make it any less of a value now does it! In your case you want a DIY engine that needs a bunch of stuff done to it. But that doesn't mean my engine is worth more in paint than it is as an engine. So I see no need to dismiss the effort or be demeaning. Your comment implies something less than honest on my part. So because junk bikes are available for $200 that means all engines are only worth $50 or so? I see. Well, that's what I get for asking. Haahaa!

Perhaps my choice of posting it here was incorrectly thought through.

As for the aesthetics, we were going for a very functional competition look, not worrying about polished highlights as most racing engines are geared towards a more functional ethos. I consider "polished highlights" to be rather fluffy looking myself. I'm not partial to overly ornate motorcycles, this aesthetic is my idea of good. Reminds me of the Yoshimura Suzukis like those that Wes Cooley and Roberto Pietri rode in the early 1980's. A look and era that I hold close to me as my husband use to race in the AMA Superbike Production class in the early 80's. Those bikes were endearingly known as "the diesels" due to their weight and poor handling. They took nerve to ride quickly.

While I appreciate your opinion your comment has served to somewhat devalue my offering and sortof contaminate the pitch.

Of course, no intention of offending here.

At this point I'm forced to lower my price to:

$300 plus shipping and handling. I'll include the entire exhaust system. That way my "$200 engine" is only painted with a "$75 paint job" and includes $25 worth of pipes.

I have medical bills to pay and prescriptions to buy, I didn't want to sell it in the first place so it's not like I was trying to "make money". So the idea here is (was) to move it, not to debate it's value. So I'll leave it here at $300 for a few more days.

Thank you for your insight and comments. You've done well, young Skywalker.

Best wishes ... Abeja ...