Fitz gets shafted-- new project 650

My first shaft-drive bike. (Ex-wife #3 had a Honda Nighthawk for a while that I think was a shaftie, shows you how much I rode it (zero.)

"Complete bike" was what the CL ad said, and the guy wasn't lying. It's definitely all here, including the "powerlock."



BAD GRUBBY though, and not running. Scratched, scraped, dented, rusty.
But it only has 13K miles on it, the mufflers aren't near as bad as they look (not rusted out or anything) and the compression numbers are great:
152, 149, 150, 150.



How did the "Seca 650" emblems survive unscathed?



So I took it outside and cleaned it up a bit. Dumped out the 15-year old gas, replaced the bogus petcock with one from a Seca 550 I had laying around, and installed a new set of NGK's. Glued the one smashed plug cap back together with plastic welder (replacement on the way from you know who) and filled it up with fresh gas. Got 3 of the 4 drain screws open to drain out what crud I could from the float bowls. Stuck in a freshly-charged battery, set full "choke" and it FIRED RIGHT UP! Running very poorly and it didn't stay running long, but it runs!!! It also pees gas everywhere as the fuel rail seals are gone between #2 and #3, and at least one float is stuck. But it ran, and on all 4. Not bad for $400.

Now the fun begins.

 

That'll keep ya busy through the winter!

Good looking bike.

 

not sure what a powerlock is but im glad you got it all together...

as much as id love to have one of these (ultimately id like a Seca in all sizes; 400, 550, 650, 750 and 900) i couldnt have 'beat you to it'...

i dont have room and i dont have the patience that i know is needed completely restofy a bike like this...

Fitz, youll do us all proud im sure...

have fun...

 

I'd love a Seca to go with my Maxim.

I swear, if I keep hanging out on this site it is going to happen...my wife will leave me....

 

Oh, forgot to say, that bike looks like a great place to start. Nice! I'm jealous.

 

The "Powerlock" is the dumba** little chain lock that on the 650 Seca was prominently displayed (look just above the swing arm bolt cover in the top pic) locked to its own stowage peg on the frame. It has its own little plastic compartment but the head of it is out in the open, there's no cover and that's how they came. Impractical, nearly useless but sticks out like a sore thumb if it's missing.

Boy you and me both, brother. I never really liked the square headlights on the 750 but that's easily fixed; and I'd reaalllly like to get my hands on an original 4-cylinder XJ400.

Yep, this is gonna be real interesting. It's a good starting point but some things are in dog ragged shape. others nearly pristine. My first impressions are that the damn thing's a truck compared to the 550s and even my Norton. Good ol' Yamaha engineering though; I'm not expecting any real surprises.

Note from somebody new to the 650s: The Haynes manual is FULL of errors, either typos or mis-conversions from metric to imperial.

 

What a great bike!

I am now showing my age but I can remember when they came out (In my biking days, the first time around) and Yamaha made a good deal of noise about the slim engine.
They were supposed to be as quick as a 750 but lighter and better handling. I recall most of the power was at the higher end of the rev scale.

I personally like the big round chrome headlight and matching clocks.

The only thing I might change would be to fit clubmans bars - but then cafe racers do it for me!!

 

oh okay...

ive got mine on the 750r. there was one with my maxim but i think it got lost when i got out of the Air Force...

i dont recall if there is one on the 900r...

theres a 400 for sale here but its only a twin. i dont know if ive ever seen an I4...

 

Various lengths of chain "powerlocks" were used on all models except XJ700, XJ750-X, XJ750RL, and XJ900RK's.

Actually, it's not as simple as it seems...........

Just wait 'till you delve into the electrical sections of the Haynes manual.......you'll be doing this alot: 8O

 

Nice score, Fitz, nothing better than a 1st time rough bike to restore.
Good on ya, Wiz.

 

Is the 650 Seca the only bike where the "Powerlock" is part of its trim and displayed so prominently? I have them with my 550s too, but they have a discreet hiding place.

The inline-4 XJ400 was a Japan and foreign-market bike; they're really rare here. They LOOKED just like the 550 Seca.

Wow, that little gold Seca is for sale again already? The guy's trying to make $200 too; I saw it offered in the spring for $1600 from the guy who restored it. Nice bike, decent price; but it's all done. Where's the fun in that?

 

My 82 650 has one. I removed the chain part and use the area for storage.

 

Does the 650 have an 8" headlight?

Looks like you got a bargain.

 

i dont know if the 750r lock is part of the 'trim' so to speak but its pretty noticeable

 

The XJ400 was indeed made for the Japanese market.

It has something to do with the drivers license for learners (or probationers) with a 400cc cap. Something along those lines anyway.

Here are 2 pics of my mount, side covers are off as I am waiting on some new carb boot clamps from Len. She runs sweet and everything on her works.

 

Looks like a 550 Maxim with 650 Maxim handlebars.........

Headlight housing and bracketry is certainly 550 Maxim.

Andrew, any chance we could get a close-up picture of the front disc brake caliper? Side covers?

 

That square headlight looks funky on the cover of the Hayne's manual, in fact that's the ugliest photo of a 750 I've ever seen. However not so easy to replace the headlight because the master cylinder has to go too. Enough said, that's the way it came so I stuck with it. I put some hours trying to think of what about the 750 I didn't like and how I could make it nicer, that's how I came up with the side stripes for my 750, they make the bike look more horizontal, as opposed to that pic on the Hayne's manual that makes the gas tank and bike look too vertical. You haven't made a comment on it Fitz, so I take it you don't dig it. Hey, enjoy your 650! Bill

 

Here we are Len (sorry to tag this on to your thread Fitz).



The side panels originally had a gold "Special" badge affixed but one was removed whilst parked and I "saved" the other one for when I can get a replacement. They are only glued on.



Yes, that's Japanese script on the label.

 

Thanks Andrew. Pure 550 Maxim parts.

 

I'd love to have the crash bar that's on that bike! Looks like a good find. I really like the shaft, it keeps me riding instead of cleaning and lubing.

Good luck on your project,
Mike