"Just bought a bike, how much will I have to spend...?"

I periodically see postings from people asking if a mid 1980’s XJ on craigslist for $1000 is a good deal. I don’t think people realize how much has to be spend on some basic maintenance. Without a history, you don’t really know what is wrong, and even if cosmetically things look good, there can still be significant costs, even doing your own labor. I write this post as a service to everyone wondering “what it will take” to get my new purchase safe and running well.

I am the original, proud owner of a ’83 XJ550 Maxim. Garage stored, driven every year, regular oil changes, etc. I had the required “interval” maintenance (valves, carb synch, etc) done up until about 1995. For the last 20 years I was a bit lax and other than oil changes and chain adjustment, would only repair things (front brake system, tires, oil changes, etc.) when things didn't work. 21K miles on the clock.

Starting with bike in the attached picture taken 2 years ago, I decided to bring it back to safe reliable service. Below is a list of what I’ve done, and the costs. With the exception of mounting the front tire, I did all the labor myself (thanks to the great info and people on this forum).

Here is what I’ve done the last 2 years, and the cost for parts (unless noted, all parts came from Chacal - whom I should have gone to first for all of it!):

Safety/Maintenance:
Bad spark plug cap (replaced all 4) - $25
New spark plugs - $10
Tach cable seal - $3
Valve adjustment (shims, valve gasket, grommets) - $140 (gasket and grommet one time expense)
Front tire - $130 (dealer mounted and balanced)
Replace seat holddown strap - $5 – Ebay but sold by member XJ550H
Front/rear brake shoes (master cylinder/piston already done) - $85 (ebay, sorry Chacal, didn’t yet know better)
Clutch cable (frayed) $39 (ebay, should have gotten from Chacal, would have fit better)
Chain and sprocket - $172
Turn signal bulb - $4
Repair cracked carb boots (rtv) - $10 for flowable rtv
replace all fuze holders and fuses - $20 (Walmart)

Cosmetic (not necessary, but nice):
Cracked seat - $9 for Shoe Goo
Rubber cover for clutch cable - $13
Ignition decal - $12
New grips - $55 (oem style from ebay)
repaint black engine heat fins - $6 (hi temp paint from walmart)

Tools (one time investment - I had a full tool kit, but needed these)
Valve bucket retainer - $19
Metric feeler guage - $9

Total to date: $766

I did not need/had already done, but could have involved significant further expense:
Front Brake system
Rear tire
Carb synch/adjustment/tear down
Repair frame/tank rust
No major oil leaks
major electrical

So, given that the bike was clean, not abused, and some maintenance had been done, it is amazing how much I still had to invest. Keep in mind, the bike was basically running “ok” when I started, and had a fairly good maintenance history. It had never seen alcohol in gas, and the carbs didn't need major work.

However, little did I know how much better and safer it would be running after the investment above!!!

It’s running great, looking good, but it certainly takes an investment, even starting with a good condition bike. I wonder what I would have spent getting a barn find, or a bike that had really been neglected (or at least you don’t know the history) up to snuff.

The moral of the story to buyers, be prepared to spend upwards of a thousand dollars, depending on how much cosmetic things you want to do. If you aren’t going to do the wrenching yourself, it would be obscenely expensive, and probably not cost effective. But given a brand new bike is really expensive, it is worth it to me.


This was the shape it was in when I started:

 

And the same has to be done to a $2000 used motorcycle, or a $3000 one, or a.....y'all get the idea.

 

add to the list front and rear wheel bearings, head stock bearing ,throttle cable, air filter, petcock rebuild.
check your wheels for wobble when you first start remove them to make sure the bearing does not just fall out of its reciever in the rim.

 

At some point I'll go through my shoebox of receipts that I keep on the side... All in I'm definitely over 1k in the past year.

 

Don't do that.

 

^ what he said.

 

What is scarey is mine was in basically good shape overall, unlike some of the ones you see up for sale. My picture above is the 'before' I started the work.

 

there are only two things you bring out that box for , insurance claims and to sell the bike. never open the box

 

Nor tell your wife...she said I could put some money into it two summers ago. Wonder how she defined 'some' money.

 

I actually have a motorcycle fund. Or more accurately, an old glass apple juice gallon jug. Spare change goes in everyday. If it gets in there, everyone knows it is off limits. I have from time to time, asked the cashier at the grocery store to give me the change all in coins. Pathetic, yes. But it seems to keep the XJ rolling.

Funny thing is that the money in there grows waaaay faster than any savings account.

 

http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/tech-topic-the-real-costs-of-maintenance.14581/

 

LOL
I do like the idea though

I don't want to know what I spend. Just bought fluids like coolant, fork and brake, oil and other filters for my last purchased bike and must have spent 200 on that alone. Not to mention other parts that are on order to make the bike safe, not to mention tires.
And my other project bike, Major Pita, well let's not get into that. I might have to rename her to Major Moneypit.
Another expense that I tend to forget is the right tools for the job. But at least I can reuse them.

 

I put mine in an excel file on my compuker...going to save a tree if its the last thing I do...

 

I have a filing cabinet for my truck, I imagine the bike will get it's own drawer.

 

I keep something else in the apple juice jug.......,

 

Word on the street is that you have a still waaay back behind the XJ collection.