Blackout XJ550 Build

Well i fell in love with the early 80's XJ styling and how they can look with some work. So i picked up a local craigslist deal i could pass up. It was a project a guy couldnt finish and i was able to profit off that by buying it for a steal of $200! I am still decinging if i want to go hardtail and bob it a bit or just keep it soft yet add some mean lines to it. It will be a nice DD for me going to work and the gym on nice days instead of driveing my lifted V8 ranger.

Well here are some pics to start it off and I'll update as i make some progress

here is how is was stock,



when i got it it had a rad lame paint job and too much chrome


And how it is now without a seat and the air filter pods. also threw on some flat black, need to fill some holes still though. also need to gut the mufflers.

 

i like it! much better blacked out than with that other paint job

 

thanks, yeah it came into my hands quite ugly. but i cant wait to get it how i want it and start riding it next spring/summer


Did a little more work and picked up some parts i needed.
I got my air filter pods,battery and i got a seat. I also got all the wiring connected to the right places (i think). Still need to hide it all, but it wasnt too bad just needed to match up all the connecters etc. But it started out as a great rats nest. The bike came with the harness off.

filters





And the lovely pile of wires.not near as bad as a car harness though





and the tooled leather seat i got. i'm hoping it looks good with my final look

 

bike looks like it's off to a great start. BTW that seat has no tooling but it may be hand stitched. Just a couple suggestions: Loose the passenger pegs, possibly paint the bracket they attach to black (flat or gloss) ditch the gauges or replace with tiny ones, and keep up the good work.

Let me know or please post pics when you gut the mufflers, cuz I might do it to my 2nd maxim I'm doing right now.

 

yeah i ment hand stitched as far as tooling. I plan on removing the foot pegs, i just had them on still cause i had been debating on making it a simple 2 seater for my girlfriend every once and a while to ride on back. but i think its going to be mainly me on it so im going to keep the single seat bobber style

 

got a few more things done this last week. Still alot of figuring out exactly how i wana build it. still not sure on keeping it softail and what to do for the seat.

got my filters and breather on. look past the zipties lol..temporary



got my headers wrapped(all but one..need more). also got rid of the mufflers and painted the stubby section black and i think i'll rock it like this for a while



my pile of stock parts is growing :twisted:



built some new bars. just made a quick design and i like it. maybe make another set or two a little different with the extra 8' of 7/8"



the rest of the pics are how it sits now and a simple mock-up of my seat. which i may swap with on of the simple black vinyl ones, might go better with my bikes style.













comments and suggestions welcome! i got lots more work to do including getting it to run. have it all ready just no spark now. i got some 1" tube for frame mods if i need it

 

I think you are going to be surprised at exactly how ungawdly loud it will be with no mufflers at all. When I got my '81 it had an open megaphone 4-1 on it and you could literally hear it from 2 miles away. Also; Progressive makes black-bodied shocks and offers black springs, the all-black units look really cool. If you decide you want to keep your teeth, that is.

 

i really like this project, looks similar to where im going with my 750 seca. keep the pick coming, good work!

 

nice project can never go wrong with black, Im going all primer black on my seca bobber as well...and what I really think pulled it together some is painting the rims black to match.

 

hmmm.... you need to fab something between the seat and the tank and so on.... just looks thrown on... need to cover the tank tab... and well ya you're gonna want to extend the exhaust out a bit... the exhaust will go all over your bike and make it all carbony and nasty...try finding an xj700 seat... they have a nice look to then and should be flush with the tanks and stuff.....looks good though.... i guess i dont like the wrapping though, should paint the pipes with heat resistant paint... i bought some 1200 degree f stuff, or they say BBQ paint works good....

 

maybe some "custom stickers" would look good on his bike too huh schooter?

 

Lookin great!

Love the pipes!

I would have attached the seat with the front pointing down a little more, but it looks cool either way.

 

thanks guys. yeah the seat is just sitting there. i wanted to see if it looked ok with the rest of the bike. but i think im going to ditch it. i have the old seat kinda chopped up so its smaller but looks better since it covers the tank. just need to wrap it in vinyl and see what it looks like. i'm going to be changing the rear of the bike some so its not at the final look yet. I painted the wheels black too, looks way better i'll get pics Monday night.

 

Just me, but I think it needs taller handle bars. You said you have some left over 7/8". Tack together some mock ups and see what you think. I just kinda like the looks off the hangers, but not the radical ones.

Side note: a friend of mine in Omaha rides a 1200 sportster with some 48" ape hangers. Looks just right with him riding it, you see 'Too Tall' is 6'10" and looked just plain stoopid with the stock bars.

 

yeah not sure on the bars yet or anything for that matter. I'm doing alot of trial and error since i have till the spring to finish.

here are some new pics.painted wheels and my stock seat that was chopped a bit and recovered, to see what look that created. i still need to mount the rear fender to match the lines of the rear tire, and sorry for the crappy night garage pics.(and yes its packed with stuff,Old man owns a Const. company)

 

Wow! feel like Im almost looking in my garage, good work man like this seat alot better. how much header wrap does it take for all 4?

 

Just a quick question, were did you find that cool loking crankcase air breather?? Bye the way love the look on your XJ

 

thanks guys, i used a 25ft roll to get 3 done with some trailings left. so i had to get another roll. but i screwed up on my first pipe, and wrapped it like a noob using too much. but i got the hang of it after that.

i got the breather at pepboys actually. they have a couple small ones like that in a few colors in the ricer section haha

 

Mr. 550, once again, the bike looks great and thanx for this simple tip on the breather ... will go there tomorrow and check it out

Keep on modifying, it's ALL GOOD

 

uhm... quick suggestion, lol but unless you plan on bilting something to the rear fender, you may consider welding this plate of metal to the bottom of the rear fender, and then fill the holes with bondo... sand down and re-paint, would look alot better i think
But i see you have no tail light, and thats a good sport for one, idk what ever its a nice bike