I'm diggin' this.

I'll be 44 years young in April...ARIES!!! My kids are teenagers and starting to do their own things so they don't think they need mom and dad messing up their "SWAG" everywhere they go. I bought my 650 last summer because I wanted something to do after I finish yard chores and what nots around the house and was working a lot of OT. When I first joined this forum I read the thread in "Information Overload" that talks about spending the necessary wrenching to be able to really enjoy these old bikes. I wasn't for sure in the beginning if this was the "thing" I was looking for, but since I started wrenching on this one, my 1st bike, I must say, I have really enjoyed the experience. It was a brain tease at first because I knew "nothing" about motorcycles except admiring friends and other people that rode them. Now I'm thinking...If I can keep and maintain this bike for...oh say, 20 more yrs, it will be a "vintage" bike. When I'm working on it, I step back and think sometimes...how cool would it be to have this bike, a vintage bike, that is mostly stock, still ride to mfg. specs twenty years from now. Kinda' like a classic or vintage car collection or a nice coin collection. To my understanding a 750 has about 10-15 more horse than my 650. So I'm thinking...once my 650 is running and being maintained properly and after proper consultation with the warden, I might, in a year or so, start to look to add my 2d bike, a 1100 cruiser. It just seems like there's not a lot of 1100's out there which kinda makes me wonder how difficult it would be to restore one in the same way I'm restoring my 650. I hope I'm wrong.

 

igggydidooo my bithday is March 4th'1960 Thank you if you did't ask!
Yes I'm D-R-U-N-K- Today No ride today.

 

Fakeplay,

Happy Birthday! 1960...D@mn, you're old. Just joking. Hey man, enjoy your day. Getting drunk and not riding...great idea. Better safe than sorry.
Holla'.

 

I'm older than that, and I'm not old; not until I say so.

These bikes are already pushing from the "Obsolete" category into "Post-Classic."

And they're way cool to ride around on now, even if they are "only" 30 years old.

 

I don't know Mr. Fitz. Your knowledge and expertise, although immeasureable, lead me to believe you may have been there and been a part of deciding to put a steam engine on a bicycle. We love and appreciate you tho'. You, indeed sir, will be old when you say so. You've been where we are...we have to come where you are. And by the way, what's the deal with top-end speed? It seems that when I tell people I own a 650 they tend to "snicker" like it's a moped (not that there's anything wrong with mopeds). This is my first bike so I don't quite know how top-end speed determines whether we have "real" bikes or not. 80 mph is 80 mph. In my opinion, I could easily ride my 650 without getting another bike and probably be fine. I'm thinking, if i add a 1100, that will, for sure be all the Hp I'll need to experience in this lifetime. Then too I'd be more inclined to tell those guys I don't need a 1200, 1500 or more to feel like I've ridden a bike with some "real" power.

 

I turned 50 today, and I've got at least another 40 years before i get old!

I started out with a 82 XJ750 (for a street bike) and now also have 78 XS1100 and a 83 Venture 1200.

The 750 had more than enough power for riding and handled pretty good.

The 1100 feels like it has twice the power (I know its not that much but it does feel that way) does not handle as well and takes longer to stop.

I got the Venture for long rides (those over 300 miles) It's comfortable and handles well for a large bike. I ride this bike the most.

Trying different bike to see what you like is the best way to go.

I like all three for different reason.

 

TCOOP,
Happy 50th and thanks for the info. I have a long way to go before I even consider another bike. It just kinda' tickles me that some people seem to think these bikes have no power at all. If I were twenty, still in the Marine Corps, I'd probably be thinking "crotchrocket". I'm not...I don't need to run 100 mph every where I go. I KNOW my 650 is plenty for where I'm at and what I plan to do while riding. A friend at work always talked about putting pods on it and increasing the hp enough to "raise" the front tire on take off. I don't need to raise the front tire on take off and I'm not rebuilding this bike to race it. He's 53. So, that just goes to show you...different strokes for different folks. I work in construction and anyone who has been in or around construction workers know a lot of the guys get into pissing contest over who has the biggest or baddest "anything". I don't. Reason being...I know there is always and hopefully will be higher ground.

 

I dunno, man, you tell me.

My Norton weighs around 420lbs, runs the quarter in around 13sec and tops out around 118. It's an 850 twin.

My XJ550s weigh a little under 420lbs, run the quarter in about 13sec and top out somewhere around 112. And get between 52~56mpg.

Personally, I don't know what the attraction with overly large-displacement bikes is. When I was growing up, there were very few bikes over 650cc; that was the mainstream "big bike" until the CB750 came along in 1969.

Your 650 will go over 120mph. What more do you need? The 550 will easily run 90 or over on the freeway; I don't need any more than that (although an occasional quick back road romp to 105 or so is SO satisfying...)

I've been around long enough, I don't care if people think my bike isn't "big enough." I like a bike that handles well, that I can "become one" with, that stops right now and is "flickable." A bike that's fun to ride yet helps me stay in one piece. I actually do ride to live and live to ride... LIVE being the key word. I'm not out to impress anyone.

 

Fitz,

That's what I'm sayin'...what more do I "really" need? I've been at 100 on this bike. It can get it. And yes, living to ride...I'm with you on that. Thanks for the info. Later.

 

Now when I was a kid.......mods and rockers.....Goldies and....Lambrettas tarted up with "who has the most mirrors"....and the 650 ruled! Bonnies, Rocket Gold Stars, Norton Dominator SS........and my favourite mix of the Bonnie engine in a Norton featherbed frame..the Triton........650 is plenty of bike and I agree ++ with fitz about the position and comfortable ride...30 years on from my last bike, I love this ride.......

Dave C

 

45 here .. if it matters ..i like my seca because i wont see 5 bikes just like on the way to the beach,,,anybody can go into debt and buy a crotch rocket. Mine was dead when i bought it and will be in like new shape when i am done with it,. its a 30 year old bike that handles has sufficient power and it is also a carbon copy of the first street bike i ever owned,,,,personal satifaction does it for me. http://youtu.be/JsMBjYSq2Ew

 

Happy birthday!

Now being somewhat younger than yourself (24), I unfortunately cannot offer you any answers to the 'top speed' question. 80 on the highway in traffic scares the crap out of me. Granted I have had my 650 up to 100, but any faster than that is too much, I don't care how many horses (or wheels, for that matter) you have.

Some people are out to do everything fast - including dying. The motorcycle isn't about top speed and danger, it is about simplicity and enjoying the road.

Next time someone snickers at your bike, ask them how long of a ride they can do comfortably.

 

To be completely honest, alot of guys my age (20) actually respect me owning such an old bike. It keeps up to the rockets any day! Plus the females would rather ride with me on the xj instead of an uncomfortable rocket

 

Amen.

Or ask them about their fuel economy (the brand-new R6, direct descendant of the 550s, is rated at 43mpg.)

 

I don't get the need for a huge displacement engine either. My xj isn't running yet thanks to work and kids taking up all my free time (plus it's been damn cold lately. Winter finally got here) but your 4 cylinder xj will probably go damn close to as fast if not faster than say a 1999 1200 Harley sportster with a twin engine. It makes 58 HP and tops out at 98 mph. So why do you need a big bike that goes slower and handles worse than what you have?
I can say my CBR with a 600 tops out at around 150. I've never gone past 115. That was plenty fast for me. I figure I can't exactly enjoy riding if I spend the rest of my days in a power chair.

 

Cool. Thanks all for the input. I agree with all of you.

 

Dude. Your CBR won't do 150. It's theoretically capable of 142; it won't do that in your hands, honest. But you're right, anything over 100 is completely out of hand unless you're on a track.

I can guarantee you that even an XJ550 will outrun said Harley.

 

Hi Guys...been a member on here for sometime now and have benefited greatly from all of the fantastic expertise available on this forum. I'll be 65 this summer and have been riding since I was 16. I love my '85 XJ700 Maxim and have cared for it for many years now.

Like "Fitz" I will only consider myself old when they shovel dirt in my face.

Cheers to everyone on this site!

Don

 

I dig this site..... I love the great spirit here...

 

Hey fitz,
The CBR was geared up for commuting. +1 -2 Theoretically it should do 150 or better but I'm not and wasn't about to find out. One of my last things to do on it before spring is actually go back to stock gearing. It hasen't really helped much with gas and I don't enjoy the way the bike handles as much with this setup.

Just figured I'd explain.
-Jeff