New to me 81 seca 750

Hey all! FNG reporting! I just got a 81 seca (albeit in questionable condition) for trade for my machining services (about $200 labor trade value) and I'm trying to decide what to do with it. It's missing the seat, side covers, taillight, taillight housing, and headlight, but the friend who gave it to me said the engine was in good shape, and would run with a battery and some gas. However, the bike has no title, and it's a bit of a pain in my state to get a new one issued. I've basically got just a scrap of paper with the VIN on it. They'll do it but it's about a 6 month wait, a hundred dollars, and several trips to the DMV, post office, and notary required. Now for some bio about me, this ain't my first rodeo, I'm a machinist/toolmaker and welder/metal fabricator by trade, that's what pays the bills, and the projects I do for others on the side pays for the toys. I've owned and repaired a few older yammies in the past, as well as a couple Honduhs and Kawis, had a mint 81 XJ650 Maxim, a 79 XS650 I turned into a bobber, and the last was a 81 XS11, which I cafe'd. The Maxim was mint when I got it, but both XS bikes needed the usual petcock rebuilds, gas lines, fluid changes (middle and final drive on the 11) etc, so I know if I was to plan on titling, fixing, and riding the seca, I'll need to plan on around $200 for misc repairs parts. The dilemma I'm battling is should I fix, title, and ride? Or fix, title, and sell? Or chop it up and list the bits and pieces on here/eBay? I'm leaning towards option number one, but the wife... She is strongly against both option one and two, mainly because of the word 'title' involved with either. So I'm thinking I'll drop by the DMV tomorrow on the way home from work and see what they'll say. if I can hunt down a title, I think I'll cut the frame neck and increase the rake the by a few (+5) degrees and weld it back up, along with adding about 3" to the swingarm (I know, I know, shaft drive, easier said than done, blah, blah, blah...) so I can run a drop seat, and mount the newly made rear fender directly to the swingarm (a friend has an English wheel and I'm headed over with some sheet metal and measurements to get a custom front and rear created to replace the currently non-existent fenders) also, I think chopper isn't a bad way to go as you'll notice in the pictures the already molested frame... Let me know what you think.

 

welcome to the forum, it looks like you certainly have your work cut out for you.

FU

 

Quick question, which speedos will work on this seca? I recall the XS11 has a funky gear reduction different than the other yammie road bikes, just curious if the seca will work with any yammie speedo? Would a old Yamaha enduro speedo function? Thanks

 

Looks like a fun project!

 

I don't have any answers for your initial questions, but I just wanted to note for you that the front fender is/was also the fork brace. If you like the fenderless look, I'd suggest at least fashioning some kind of brace for it.

 

Did you get the info needed to title/reg it? You should do a compression test to diagnose the status of the mill.

Gary H.

 

Hey guys! Ended up just selling it to a buddy for a bit more than I had invested in it.

 

That was quick.

 

That's what she said!

 

Imo it's a parts bike without the title.

Gary H.