I just got my first XJ!! Let me know what you think.

Check out my new XJ750 I just got for 250.00! It's been sitting since 04 so I'm sure there are going to be a few things I'm going to have to do. What would you folks recommend be the first things to do to it to get it to run properly, I'm for sure going to take the fairing off and swap the sissy bar out to a grab rail so if anyone is intrested I will be posting in in the swap sections.

I just got a new battery but beyond that I'm not sure what else I should be looking for to make sure it's running properly. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

Welcome to the fold General, you've taken the right step toward getting her up and running.
First order of business is to get a maintenance manual, factory, Clymer, Haynes, they are all useful (some are just more useful than others).
Second, get the fuel system cleaned out. Drain and flush the tank and carburators. You may have to use some carb cleaner in the carbs but make sure they are cleaned out. Refill the tank and check for leaks. If there are leaks, fix them before you go riding, otherwise, you might find the negative side to a positive situation in a hurry.
Third, change the oil and oil filter. Be sure to gently snug the oil filter bolt no more than 11 foot/pounds! You'll be in for a heap of trouble if you over tighten it.
Fourth, check the compression. This will tell you if the machine has any spirit left in it. If the numbers are there but lower than 120 psi, don't worry. The rings might be a little sticky and getting her running might clear out the varnish . If the numbers are non-existant (lower than, say 90 psi), your the proud owner of a large paperweight. Squirt some oil (a teaspoon or so) into each cylinder and perform the tests again. If the numbers come up, your rings are shot. If they stay the same, you either have a hole in the piston (BAD news) or your valves are stuck (bad news too but not as bad as the hole in the piston). Stuck valves may simply need cleaning, any good machine shop can hook you up for a reasonable price.
This ought to be enough to get you going for a short while. Get it running, find out if the machine is worth putting more money and time into it. Then get to the other fun stuff.