New Owner, what do you think of my new XJ?

Hello Folks, it's great to find an XJ forum.
I soon will be taking ownership on a nice '81XJ650 as my first street bike. I have been searching for a year for something I can afford but also appreciate. I was attracted to the XJ as a lighter older bike that would be fun to commute with. 450 pounds is awesome for a 1981 motorcycle with 70 horsepower. Those specs are comparable to today's newer upright 650 bikes surprisingly.
I haven't even had a chance to pick up the bike but I put a deposit down after driving it. The bike looks great with a freshly resprayed tank and side covers. It has a new seat along with a pair of new white wall tires. The bike also has the K&N filter kit as well. The test drive was a blast. The power delivery was very smooth and the bike didn’t feel too much like an older bike. My only concern was the mileage, the owner has put 9,000 miles on it this last year and it has about 39K. I figure that the bugs have been worked out over the past year. The owner kept great records of maintenance and parts.

I am a car nut currently daily-driving a 1970 Dodge Swepty that I keep hummin. The truck has a 383/727 that loves gasoline. The new bike will help to put a dent my monthly fuel costs.

This bike is a maxim. The cheesy seat has recently been replaced with a new custom-job. The tires are new as well, white walled. I think the headlight fairing is pretty cool with a touch of retro. The fairing, tank and side covers have been freshly painted in black. Essentially the previous owner took an old bike and made it fun and reliable.
Check out the bike and tell me what you think, the seller put this together when he tried to sell it on ebay.
http://youtu.be/SObIMuMLH3c

I did notice that grips are a bit worn. Has anyone installed new heated grips, I wonder how the throttle module disassembles and if it is friendly for grip warmers. How about dual disks, any conversion kits of that or would a stainless line be enough to provide excellent braking?

 

Looks nice! I kinda like the seat - I'll pay for the shipping if you want to send it to me.

First things though before you start riding it alot is to make sure it is up to par safety wise - even if it looks great to the eye.

most importantly, check and replace the rear brake pads(drum) due to the usual fact of de-lamination.

Secondly, i know you said the tires were new, but check the mfg. date.

Thirdly, check the date on the front brake lines, It will be stamped right on there, and anything over 4 years old should be replaced immediately.

this is a great opportunity to upgrade to braided stainless lines if you have not done so already.

Check the front pads and caliper, and perhaps it would be time for a complete overhaul, along with the master cylinder.

If you ever need parts, stay away from the dealer and order from Len - You can get to his stuff by clicking on the logo in the upper right of this site, or emailing him at info@xj4ever.com

I'm sure I'm missing something, but stick around and feel free to ask questions - the wealth of knowledge on this site is just outstanding and you wont find it anywhere else.

Welcome!!

 

Heres a good thread from when i bought mine with some great info: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/p=3 ... tml#303599

 

Thanks Man, have you had fun with your bike? How did the valve adjusting go?