How did you get here?

My last motorcycle was stolen, then recovered, then totaled. I accepted the insurance payout and tried to just wait.... Everyday I ended up searching for motorcycles, something smaller and less scary (I'm a conservative rider) than my 2012 Triumph Speed Triple R 1050 (124rwhp) to fill my recent void in life. My wife has a 1980 xs400 at her apartment in Mississippi where she is stationed; 1k miles is a bit far for a project to wrench on. I looked into older motorcycles due to the lower up front cost, and I like a project. A RD200 caught my attention (always been drawn towards Yamahas) but without a title, I lost interest; then I found an ad for a 1982 xj650 seca..... I was hooked!

Of course I had to research a bit and found the site and all the information. I held off joining until I actually got the bike. And now I have it and it needs a good amount of work to get on the road again. But at least I own a motorcycle again.

 

Nice score! Rare bike in the states---DO NOT CUT IT!!!! Restore it. You got a diamond in the rough there if you do it right.

http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/twins.115808/#post-578195

http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/its-been-a-while.115696/#post-577502

See?

Dave

 

Was in the process of buying an XJ550 Seca, did a web search for "XJ550 Seca forum," found the group and joined. If you want, join up at my Facebook group, www.facebook.com/groups/697824790419933/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel (dedicated to the chain drive models based around the XJ550 engine) and let everyone know about the group. I'll post up about it too, but it would be great if others joined and talked the forum up.

 

I plan to get it on the road and enjoy a bit; then one day do a full nut and bolt restoration.

 

Hmm. Long story short. A few years ago I had purchased a 82 seca which was utterly disgusting in appearance. Lime green and purple. I stripped it all down and then winter came and I completely lost interest. Sold it for a song.

2 years ago I started missing the look of that bike with the scalloped tank and all. Found another in Indianapolis for 500$ with 11k miles on it. Right. Another project at that price although it did run and drive. Was on the look out for a parts bike a few months ago and found one. 320$. Done. Til I got it home and had it fixed in 15 minutes. Well. I now have 2 and an extra motor to boot. Happy to be here with all the good ppl and knowledge base available

I couldn't be happier

 

New member
Had a new 85 xj 700x bought in 29palms
Looking for another in California

 

Found through Ixquick searching up XJ650r exhaust, valves, synch carbs... Been peeking for years before finally registering.

 

googled xj 600 - no clubs/forums for my model in the UK, it's the early version called first generation seca in the US or the FJ600 1984 -91

 

Congrats I happen to have the 86 xj700x here in Medford Oregon.
Welcome to the site.
Got any pics ?

 

Nice bike. Every time I see one I kick myself for selling the one I had before I tried to get it running. It had been sitting a few years and looked just like yours. No damage just ignored. Maybe one day I'll find another. Good Luck with yours. Keep us in touch and keep us up to date with your progress. Jack

 

I got a Midnight Maxim as my first XJ650 from an acquaintance around 2001, $400 or so, running smoothly. It was great, until stuff started falling apart a few months later. The funnest part was when I grabbed the front brake lever and it did nothing but squirt brake fluid across my glove. I Flintstone-stopped it, dragging my boots on the pavement until the whole bike was just inside the intersection, then walked it back out of traffic. Luckily I was only doing about 20MPH before I started coming up to the intersection. I didn't get around to fixing that deathtrap before I had to move across the country (family stuff), though I sure as hell did get the brakes fixed within a few days. When I moved, I sold the bike to a friend with full "this thing needs work, don't get yourself killed" warnings for forty bucks.

Last year, I traded a broken car for my second XJ650. It's a 1981 Maxim with a dented tank and non-operational turn signals. I got a relay (the , and tested it by bridging contacts with a screwdriver to get the lights blinking, but the switch in the left-side controls had disintegrated, so my next step is replacing that. I have some other changes in mind, including getting a different tank (the current tank is dented, and I want a Seca tank anyway) and different handlebars.

I found this site by looking for information I'll need while working on my "new" Maxim. I used a DuckDuckGo web search to find it, and specifically searched for an XJ650-friendly forum because I have found that forums seem to be the places to go for communities that know about specific bike models.



Those handlebars are twisted back because when they're upright I can't see past my shoulders in the mirrors. That's pretty sad, considering I don't have the world's broadest shoulders.

 

I bought a 1985 XJ700N in great condition (9600 miles) two weeks ago, and was looking to learn what I could when Google listed this site. I joined just now - first post. Previous (original) female owner had ridden the bike every year from new, but not often, and had several things done to it (new battery, brakes, carb sync, fluids and filters change) to get it ready to sell. Fell in love with it on the test ride. Love this bike and other mid-80s Japanese 4 cylinder machines.

 

Hi Jon-- yep, the xj platform is awesome. You'll love the 700 more and more as time goes by

 

Quick question for Jon: does your 700 have a radiator? If so, it's a 700x, which is a completely different (and more powerful) engine.

 

Being that he said XJ700N, I'm betting it doesn't have one.

 

Did they not make the x that year?

 

No, it does not. I felt lucky enough to find the 2 valve air-cooled version in such fine condition.

 

Thanks for the resource in your signature. I'm reading everything I can get on the bike. Here is my new bike, since cleaned up a bit:

 

Yeah, you should feel lucky. I am fond of the minimalist look of air cooled engines. And the rims on that model are my favorite on any xj. For an excellent example, you should check out hogfiddles' pseudo bob in the showcase section.

 

First post might as well be in "General" - better yet, the "How did you get here?" thread. Had been itching to get into a street moto again - something I could cafe/brat/tinker without much concern. Landed on a 1981 XJ550 @ 1/6/18; 20,000mi; running/driving/registered/insured when purchased. Found a small gathering of like minded people [here] and decided to pull the trigger on the bike. The great, all-seeing eye Google was responsible for that.

I believe I am the third owner of the bike. PO didn't fix much of anything. I'm about $60 into bringing the bike up to a "somewhat" rideable standpoint, excluding cost of bike. Bike appears to be nearly all original less the tires, KG rack, hodgepodge starter relay/solenoid. PO laid down at low speed as I am told - damage to tank, bar end, KG rack, right top shock nut, shifted/bent headlight assembly and probably damaged the internals of the Atari tachometer. Fork dust boots + seals completed recently - compression seems funky though - I'll probably tack on springs to the lower list. Otherwise, bike seems stock! Shoot, the wire looming isn't even cut!

To date I have corrected:

1. Left turn signal not flashing (turned out to be desoldered connection on thumb switch contact)
2. Starter circuit (1st owner failed to replace starter relay/solenoid unit - rather, opting to install a hotwired push button starter switch in place of relay/solenoid)
3. Intake boot vacuum leaks (dry rotted vacuum nipples on carb sync vacuum ports)
4. Headlight relay
5. Turn signal relay (contacts cleaned)
6. Front brake master cylinder cap screws
7. KG rack + rear passenger footpegs removed

Items en route:

1. Flat bars 30"
2. Front brake hoses (found out a Yamaha TTR230 front hose will 'work' - about 2" longer than the entire stock xj550 setup)
3. valve cover gasket (will probably be reaching out about shims if new shims cannot be sourced; can we swap in hotter cams? shim status unknown by PO - has a pretty healthy tick from all valves via stethoscope)
4. Service manual

Items to be completed before its registered/insured/streeted:

1. Intake/carb boots
2. Chain + sprockets (stepping up to 17t front - I'm a lightweight - this bike really flies stock)
3. Tachometer (non-functional at the moment - tach cable rotates with engine rotation)
4. Tires, tires, tires. Has two front tires on it. One from a Harley. Front tire partially dry rotted - rear tire out of usable life range via mfr date
5. Carb rebuild/jet; retaining stock airbox.
6. Carb sync
7. New oil
8. Front + rear brake inspection/rebuild/replacement pro re nata
9. Maintenance items not listed above

Considering customization/changes after streeted:

1. Seca rear wheel swap (want to run k60's all round and they arent sold in 16"s; heidenautires. c o m /dual-sport-tires/ <--spaces)
2. Atari delete; opt for single digital or two small dig/mech gauges
3. Custom seat; cafe rear; (remove tail section + bracketry + signals + fender; MillerMatic175 + rear hoop)
4. LED signals
5. Minimalist wiring + handlebar controls
6. 4-2-1 + wrap
7. Fuse box; minimalist wiring;

Stable:

1. 2006 TTR230 - OEM resto project; nabbed for stupid cheap; rear hub rebuild; OEM carb; various nuts/bolts; DONE.
2. 1981 XJ550 - Going to be my cafe/brat/scrambler town scooter.
3. Previously owned 1981 Honda CX500
4. Previously owned 2006 Yamaha TTR125
5. Huge toolbox, a MillerMatic 175 + accompanying equipment, an oxy/ace torch, and an overzealous appetite to tinker

This forum has been indispensable to my success in correcting the above items, as well as foresight to set goals on customization. Thank you to everyone of this forum for that!

Did I mention I really enjoy bullet points? There's also a Seca 750 running for sale in my area, but no title and needs a fair bit of work - $300. Just FYI..

Bike purchased condition = Avatar

~Ketchup

 

Good evening XJ lovers.

Not sure if this is the correct place to post an intro and ask a question....so mods, please move as needed (and get me on track).

I will do my best to keep the history short....but I had a nearly new Xj900 back in the 80's. Sold it for something faster and always regretted letting it go (have had quite a few bikes over the years that fall into that category). Other previous XJ experience included a 82 750 Seca and 650 Turbo projects that I repaired and sold (to once again fund newer machines). At one point I decided I wanted to build a small collection of 900cc bikes and started with a 86 900 Ninja project, then added a M900 project, and most recently bought a 83XJ900 project. Super low miles and in overall solid condition but needs some attention to get it road worthy and looking good enough for me to be happy with. Lots more details/history I could share but I don't want to bore you all.

I was doing some searching online for parts and this forum came up and you all look to be a great resource for information....so I hope it is OK to join and tap into the collective wisdom as I bring the Seca back to life.

First question and sorry if I missed a how-to section on the site but I could not locate information about how to start a thread. Could someone point me in the correct direction?

Thanks in advance!

 

1. 
   
2. xj bikes are supposed to have a healthy tick should sound like a sewing machine

Seca wheel will fit just a little hard to find
no atari on the 550's
led signals can be done but are a pain but if you are going min wiring there is a schmatic for that here,
fuse box good idea

 

1. 
   
2. xj bikes are supposed to have a healthy tick should sound like a sewing machine

Seca wheel will fit just a little hard to find
no atari on the 550's
led signals can be done but are a pain but if you are going min wiring there is a schmatic for that here,
fuse box good idea
seca 550cam and carbs

 

How did I get here?
The abbreviated version is I was between bikes, I was half looking for an early Harley Davidson Evo, then one day while at a mate’s shed I noticed a bike languishing in the corner with a heap of crap piled on it, it wasn’t at all what I was looking for but now there’s an 81 XJ750 Seca in my shed.
I pulled the carbs off to clean them up and get it running, then I started google-ing to work out what they were so I could buy a carby kit, I think they’re HSC33 but they might me HSC32.... I’m about to head out to the shed to measure them. From my interwebs research I’m thinking the 32/33 refers to size of throttle plate/butterflies.

 

http://xjbikes.wikidot.com/carb-specs

XJ750 Models:

Years & Models: 1981-3 XJ750 Maxim, Midnight Maxim, and Seca USA models
Carb Manufacturer: Hitachi
Carb Series: HSC32
Carb Model ID: 15R00 (Maxim, Midnight Maxim)
Carb Model ID: 5G200 (Seca)


Years & Models: 1981-4 XJ750 11M UK/Europe Seca models
Carb Manufacturer: Hitachi
Carb Series: HSC32
Carb Model ID: 5N100

 

Thank you for the response, XJ550H!

Cam Tick: That is what I had read too. Very first thing I did was stick the stethoscope to her. She certainly sounds like a pissed off industrial sewing machine at idle - but calms down with added rippums (RPMs).
Seca Wheels: There appear to be a handful of "Seca" 550 wheels on ebay - but exercise caution as not all of them are 18" rims! Some for as little as $40 (w/ $40 shipping..), as well as a NOS for the tune of $500. Now, I fancy my matching wheels at tires but goodness. That puts me into fork-swap-and-chill budget.
Atari: In review, you are correct here. Looks like my understanding of "Atari" is a bit too global of the XJ models. I'll edit the original posting to reflect my desire to rid myself of the original gauge cluster.
LED Signals: Have read as much of the LED Signal threads as possible and it seems reasonable - but annoying. Seeing as how I've already been through that entire circuit - it should be a breeze, right? (...no)


Do we as an XJ community have any sort of general information/how-to's/write-ups on swapping in different camshafts? I love the 550, but aiming to have a bit more "lope" sound go with it, post 4-2-1. Seca 550 or F600 cams? Lastly, and not to hijack too much here, is there any sort of collective information regarding swapping out the pesky XJ550 upper triple tree with the incorporated Riser/Pullback? That thing needs to go. Pronto.


Thank you again,

~Ketchup

 

it is in the repair manual on cam removal do you have one?

do not know about tripple tree swaps to rid the risers there are threads on swapping front ends and getting dual disc out of the deal. the xj550 rims are predrilled and taped for dual disc

 

Google "XJ bike discussion"

 

I am amazed and grateful how active this site is for these limited run XJ's. I am on my second 750 Seca which is an '82, my first being an '81. I had the first on the east coast and drove the shit out of it, learning little things here and there, using this site as my main resource but clocked around 17k miles on it in the year I owned it before moving to California and finding Seca #2 - the '82. I am a member at a DIY shop and have rebuilt the carbs, the entire charging system, corrected valve clearances, fork seals, and whatever else has come up. I've put down around 20-25k miles on this one from LA to Vancouver, multiple trips to Ventura, Joshua Tree, and is my main transportation.

I have a failing head gasket and am looking into all of the "while you're in there" items, trying to get an idea of pricing and time to invest. Right now it runs very smooth but I'm still learning and I don't know how long until the head gasket will fail. I don't want to be 300 miles from anything without water and shade when it blows.

Any suggestions, time estimates on a rebuild, and pricing estimates would be much appreciated!

 

I'm studying up and found this page again. So thankful

http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/xj750-engine-removal-and-split-pictures.38545/

 

Google

 

Google brought me here. I've been looking for a bike to re-enter the world of riding after a VERY long hiatus. I prefer the upright sitting position and the XJ650 caught my eye. I'm a true believer of belonging to a group that has infinite knowledge on a subject that I'm interested in.

 

Hi fellow xj folk. Bought my 1st example of this marque last week. It's a 11000 mile 600cc UK bike.
I Google " rejetting xj carb for pod filters" and found this little gem of a community.

 

xj1100 or xs 1100?

miss read that i understand now

 

Sounds like the XJ600 or 600 Diversion??

 

Xj600. I've got pics but they're deemed spam like ?

 

after 5 posts you can post photos. if you start your own thread you can do a running history of the bike what you do/did to it and the problems that arise.

if planing on mods the mod forum may be a good place to do the thread.

 

Thanks for that. I will start there

 

Hey all, just googled and there you were. I am a novice at bike stuff, but have been riding for years. This next bike will be a labour of love converting an XJ750 into a scrambler/cafe racer. Good to find people who are passionate about this bike.

 

Keep posting and you'll eventually be able to pug pictures up !

 

Hi Andrew I love Scramblers. Don't know why I don't own any. I'm looking forward to your XJ750 scrambler pics.

 

Got an 82 750 Maxim last year. Was rough, but under $300. Every time I google search for a part or repair it has brought me here.

It was spray painted red just about everywhere, had bald rotten tires, dented tank, no working signals, no tank gauge, no speedo, rats nest of a fuse block, and the kid thought the starter was out.

So far I have:
Removed the rattle can red from the rims, driveshaft, rotors, drum, tank, and shocks.
Replaced the tires
Painted the tank (like Bobba Fett's helmet, since the square lights made me think of Star Wars)
I replaced the wheel speed sensor, but the new (used) one failed in less than a mile.
Replaced the broken front signals with LEDs.
Currently trying to get the flashers to work... new relay does nothing.
Next up is rewiring the fuse block and taking another crack at the speedo.

Areas that I could use some advice:
Do I need a specific flasher relay? I got a three prong with the same pattern that is rated for LED or incandescent, but it does nothing, the old relay lights up but doesn't flash.
Where can I find a battery cover?
Best place to find a nice simple fuse block?

Photo of bike still red doesn't show how bad it was. I failed to take before pics; this is the pic from the Facebook listing.

Previously had an xs400 maxim, brother has a xj400 seca

 

you need to use the oem relay it is 3 prong for a different reason what kind of bulbs are you using need to be 27 watt unplug the canceller unit se if bulbs flash clean bulb sockets

 

He changed to led signals so he likely needs to unplug self cancel unit as suggested. I am unfamiliar with the 3 prong flasher units but I believe one of those needs to be grounded for some reason or another I think I've read that on here before.

 

this flasher from superbrightleds.com

Flasher is LF1-S-FLAT

 

Here's another guy, Attom who buys a POS and turns it into a great ride. Cool paint. Different. I have a confession.. I had to look up Bobba Fett. That makes the paint job AND the square headlight even cooler.

 

Whaaaaaaaat?!

 

I found it through Google looking for parts, super glad I found you guys, I was ready to rebuild my motor needlessly!

 

I am taking the thing apart right now and about to rebuild. I will post pics when I am done!

 

Bought a 1981 Xj650 out of a barn for 450$, googled around for parts and found this forum