New to XJ's and excited!

Hey there! I just picked up this 1982 xj550 last night. I was excited to get onto the forum and learn from you all. I've had a bunch of bikes recently (1982 cb900, 1979 cb650, 1979 kz650, 2006 Yamaha RS Warrior), so I hope that I can contribute and help out!

The PO said that this bike just needed a new starter and petcock. It needs a couple other things too (like front tire, probably a battery, oil, etc), but it's in decent shape.

Anyway, here's the ride when I got her home last night:

 

Welcome from another newbie. Lots of great info here. Some of the wizards will be around shortly, but from experience, plan on having to overhaul a number of things that probably haven't been touched since the bike was built.

 

Hey-Welcome to the forum here, you've come to the right place.Theres members here that know your 550 inside & out. Dont be afraid to ask questions, just provide as much information about your bike as you can, it really helps to solve some problems.
When you need parts, look no further than clicking on XJ4ever at the top of the page. Our man Chacal there can hook you up with just about anything you need. Great service, too.
Good luck & enjoy your new project!

 

Welcome! Keep us updated (with photos!) of your resto. We love those sorts of things.

 

Welcome!

 

Nice looking bike. I love the 550's. I have owned 4 of the Seca model. Before you ride the bike, VISUALLY inspect the rear brake shoes for delamination. Check the front brake pads and tire date codes too. Old tires are dangerous no matter how new they look. You should also check the valve clearances and adjust them as necessary. The valve adjustments tend to get neglected. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

 

welcome!

as mentioned-

-valve clearances
-tire age/visual check
-front brake line age (originals were only designed to last FOUR years) - great oppurtunity to upgrade to stainless lines
-rear drum pads - check for delamination/pad material seperating from the carrier
-drain/replace oil, and do NOT touch the middle drain plug, only the one under the filter housing.


that should get you started.
Heres the write-up for the shims: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=1 ... art=0.html

PM Dave for all your shim pool needs, just 5 bucks(plus returned deposit) to swap out what you have for what you need:
http://xjbikes.com/your_account/profile=hogfiddles.html

Heres a cheap place to get the shim tool, everything else(including the tool and aftermarket shims if you decide you want new stuff) can be bought from len(chacal) at info@xj4ever.com (without the spaces) - but you cant beat this for under 12 bucks shipped to your door-
http://www.amazon.com/Motion-Pro-Valve- ... B000UKIT8U


good luck! ask any and all questions, all the answers you could ever ask are here!