My 81 xj650 bobber build.

Started with this. Picked it up for a couple hundred just to play around on. Has 40k but all service records for 20 years and alot of new parts.



Threw on some straight bars and stripped it abit.





Added some cheap ebay RFY shocks. I went with a shorter 11" to get a decent drop.

 

Some frame cutting and more parts removal. I also cut about 6in off the bars.




I added a stock ninja 636 clutch perch because the stock one was damaged. I having problems finding a good cable routing for them though. The straight bars have made a mess of the factory cables. Nothing fits right.

Ive continued on the stripping as well. I got rid of the choke and cable so its hand operated for now. No biggie since its easy to grab. Ive also cleaned/ rebuilt and painted the carbs.
Im working on the electrical side now. I got rid of the right side control wires by putting a momentary switch for the starter on the side of the bike and getting rid of the kill switch all together. I never even use them on any of my bikes, I always use the key anyway.
Im also trying to clean up the front area as much as possible. I ordered a set of headlight ears to replace the stock setup so i can drop the light and gauges to clean up the front abit. As it sits now the gauges are a couple inches above the handlebars and it doesnt look right. Im trying to fit a set of cb450 gauges that are much smaller too.

 

Next on my list is a new throttle assembly so i dont have the stock right side controls anymore. You can see were i chopped the wires to make a new harness. Im probably gonna go with either a dirty bike one or one off an r1 or r6.
I still need a seat and figure out what to do about the exhaust. I like it dumped now but it is loud and im sure its reeking havoc on my carbs. Im trying to find a small baffled slipon but im not having much luck.

 

Got abit more work done since its almost 60 here today.

Got the front fender chopped down and is mocked up for paint. I also got the rear fender chopped and mocked up but im not sure how to go about mounting it yet. Also tossed on a cheap seat to see how it looks.
Im still working on the exhaust. I think im going to make a baffle and run a turndown tip.





Ive also been working on the headlight area. Im still moving around the ignition to see if i can find a better home but ill probably leave it in its stock position now. I fitted some cheap emgo headlight mounts so i can drop the light a few inches. They actually fit ok but with a little work they fit perfect and work very good. The light is rock solid when riding even without the lower alignment bolt.



I still need to get a shorter brake line and do something about the gauges. Im not sure if im gonna run just a speedo or run a tach as well.

 

Nice! Keep posting pictures of your progress...

 

Nice dude, liking the progress so far.

 

Did you have to chop the side stand? Looks good

 

I didnt really have to chop it but i did. It probably would have been fine but i wanted the excuse to weld anyway. I ended up raising the front slightly from were it was so now ive got about 3/8th of an inch showing above the triple.

Ive also moved the starter button to the of the frame. Still working on cleaning up the bars. Ive got an 07 r6 throttle assembly that will control the carbs but ive yet to fit it. Looks like itll fit but i wont know till i do it. Ive also got some custom braided lines that ive yet to fit. With the straight bars i needed a much shorter one, I ended up getting a 34in one and its still abit big.
Ive also fitted a clutch cable off a yamaha xv535 virago. Fit is almost perfect but the end play is about a 1/4in too much. It works well but my adjuster is more than 1/2 way out. I may make a few shims to fit on the cable end to take up some more slack. Im pretty happy with it though since it saved me over 40 bucks off a custom one.

I still need to find a new left hand side controller. I dont care for the stock one and its kinda beat. Im gonna update to a modern sport bike one. Im also looking for a new seat/pan to fit up and a nice brake light.

 

Some more progress was made in the last few days.
Ive fitted an r6 throttle assembly in place of the whoel stock unit. I reused the oem throttle tube and cables since the r6 cables were about 2ft to short. Im going to have motionpro make a custom one for me but for now the stock one is fine. Id probably leave it as is but my original throttle cable was on its last legs anyway.




Its alot smaller than stock so it freed up abit of room.
I also got a new left side control switch off some chinese bike. Its much smaller and is all metal and was cheap. Im having some issues wiring it but i think ill figure it out.

 

thats looking tidy there, how you getting on with the new shocks ? i 'm after a set for a 550 I'm bobbing and they look just the ticket, heard nothing but good things about them, but I'm a bit unsure of the spring rates. Mind you at the price....

 

Spring rates are fine. Its no race bike but its ok. I weigh 220lbs and i have about 10 threads showing with about 20 remaining so i can still adjust. I havent done ride height or sag yet but ill bet im fairly close. For the price they are mint.

 

Nice progress so far, giving me some ideas too

 

We really are doing a similar bike ha. A lot of the things you have already done ive been wanting to do. Keep up the good work man.

 

Hopefully i can ease some of your issues. The r6 throttle was a gamble for me but it turned out fine. Once i get motionpro to make a new cable itll be perfect but its fine for now, my oem cable isnt so new anymore though. Just getting the bare housing off ebay for a few bucks will allow you to swap over your tube and cables.

Im going to work on it more in the next few days once the warm weather hits. I gotta figure out a seat mount and put the gauges back on and finish the wiring for the controls. I dont know how im going to mount the fender or rear signals yet either or the license plate for that matter. Im just trying to get the front together now then ill move on.

 

quick question, those RFY shocks, are they pretty universal? like if i just buy a set of 11" ones off ebay should i worry about them working on my 81 seca 550?
thanks for the info!!
bike looks awesome!!!

 

Just make sure the mounts are the same. some have the clevis and some have the eye ones. The eye ones i got fit my bike like oem.

 

this is looking great. I was hoping to get mine bobbed soon,but am new to the xj. was always an xs guy till now. I am inspired. Killer!!!

 

Im gonna try to take some pics tonite. Its nearly completed . I have the front end more or less the way i want it and im still working on the rear. I ended up buying a pile of seats and none of them looked right so im back to using the original one i made shown in the photos. I got it mounted last night and it looks decent, I just gotta cover it. Im still stuck on the rear fender ,license plate mount and rear lights. Other than that shes good to go.

 

dude, it looks awesome.
I want can't wait to see how your seat looks, as I am trying to figure out my own.
more pics!

 

here ya go guys. I ended up buying a nice solo seat that looked aweful on the bike so i went ahead and made my own. I have no idea how it came out so good but i think it fits the bike perfect. I basically got a sign and hammered it over the frame so i got the curves and went ahead from there. I used boating mats underneith for some padding and i took a knife to a leather couch on the side of the road. Its a little slippery but it works. I mounted it drilling into the frmae cross bar. It took me a while to really get onboard with that idea but it was the only way i could really keep the seat low and hide abunch of stuff too.
I still need a brake light, plate mount and rear blinkers then im done with it for abit. Ill tear it apart in the winter to really go nuts on the frame. Hopefully ill get all the parts i need tomorrow at a motorcycle swap meet being held near me. I may try to fit a 2.5inch turndown tip on the header just to get the sound away from me but its not too loud.
Ive been driving it around for the last few days and it runs perfect. Starts with just a push of the switch and rides really good. Ive had to really crank down on the rear shocks to stop it from bottoming out on the fender. Its not the shocks fault its mine for making the bike to low.