Starting an '81 550 bobber project.

I have a stock 1981 Maxim 550 that I want to look like this. Currently it looks like every other stock XJ that you see. The bike has run great every year since I have had it, so mechanically I don't want/have to do anything. My biggest question is cutting off the rear end. I want to leave the rear shocks like in the photo. Can you do that without doing any welding. Any advice would be great. Thanks to all. I love the look of these bikes.

 

Not that familiar with 550 but (from the pic) looks like the rear frame was just cut behind shock mount...

skillet
btw you might want to find some more pics just to make sure...

 

Thanks for the reply. I can't even compare it to my bike right now as its buried in a shed behind 3 feet of snow still (damn winter). I'm hoping I can just cut off the back and put on an after market seat. If I put on drag bars, will I need to change out all the lines? Everything will need to be shorter I'm assuming.

 

I'd imagine you might need to weld in a cross brace between the ends of the frame where you make the cut but again I'm not familiar with the 550 so maybe it already has some metalwork linking the 2 tubes at that point.

As far as cables/brake lines/wiring & such, if you fitted lower bars you'd likely want shorter throttle/clutch cables & shorter brake lines to stop them sticking out at odd angles, looking weird & possibly getting caught on stuff or rubbing away on the bike (should replace brake hose anyway if not braided & over 4 years old). The wiring loom should be ok.

Welcome to the forums, please take a look at the links in my signature below regarding brake problems & tyre date codes etc, it may just save somebody's life one day

 

Thanks for the advice on checking the tires, brakes and brake lines. When I get the new lines and cables installed, I'm going to have the mechanic check my brakes as well. I'm also due for new tires this year, so I will be all set in that area.

Does anyone out there have advice for painting flat black? I am not to concerned with perfect. Can you paint chrome if you just rough it up first?

Also, do you have websites that you would recommend for the seat, handle bars, new grips, blinkers, ect. ?

 

Pretty much everyone here would wholeheartedly recommend Chacal at XJ4Ever (link in top right of page) EDIT-: what people think http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=8 ... t=540.html

It's easy enough to check your own brakes & that way you know it's right & the mechanic didn't just throw some Chinese shoes on or leave old ones that "looked fine" lol

Whenever I've sprayed anything flat black & not been looking for perfect I've just masked up lights, instruments & brakes then hit the lot with the spray can, but roughing up everything first would help it to stick better (personally on a flat black bike I kinda like the "bits of chrome peeking through flaking paint" look haha)

 

That is a good looking bobber. I think the 550 Maxim lends itself well to such projects.

Wherever you got that pic from, might be a good source for how to about the mods. Otherwise I recall seeing threads here in the xj mods forum on bobber projects.

Where in the U.P. are you?

 

I wish I could find where I got that photo. I grabbed it from some online source a couple weeks ago and saved it on my iPhone. Now I can't seem to find it again. It's the closest thing to what I would like to do that I have seen. It looks like they put some sort of tape over the exhaust pipes. Anyone have experience with that?

I'm in Houghton. More a part of Wisconsin than Michigan. Still have waaaaay to much snow on the ground, and another storm is supposed to roll through starting tomorrow. I love snow, but this is getting old.

 

Can't see in the pic, but it's probably heat wrap on the pipes. Basically it keeps the heat in the gases & helps them flow faster, as well as keeping the heat away from your engine/legs/hands

The only thing is, it can also trap moisture on bikes not used enough rotting the pipes, and can quickly look tatty as well. Another option is ceramic coating the headers, lots of nice colours available, prevents corrosion & does the heat retaining thing as well...

 

First off, be creative. You can buy generic bobber parts on eBay and make a bobber easy but IMO the guys that build there own parts and come up with their own ideas, those guys have the coolest bikes.

Frame, you shouldn't need to add any support if you have a connecting bar already in place above the battery. Don't be afraid to cut it 8) I'm building an xj700 bobber, maybe this will give ya an idea of what/ what not to do lol

Paint: plasti-dip is perfect for painting chrome parts that you are "on the fence "about making perminantt. You can use regular spray paint as well, flat black, Matt, satin whatever. Just sand sand with (this is what I like) 320 then 400. Clean it, then clean with paint prepper, then mask. I spray primer first, depending on the part. Paint a really light coat if you use a fine grit sand paper, then add how ever many thick coats as ya want, after that.