NEW XJ Owner

Well, t'internet is a great place for info!
Bought a XJ550 yesterday as a doer upper, most definitely one as well. No tank, no seat, no papers, no Licence plate :?
Needs pulling apart and cleaning Frame respraying, customising to how I want it cos won't be selling her any time soon.
Hopefully, fingers crossed be, 3 months till she's ready. Hasn't been run in a while and after reading through your helpful website, found out it's a 1981 XJ550H Maxim, US import.
Hope to pick people's brains as I'm going, will be posting pics as well. First ones will be up as soon as possible

As an afterthought, would it be possible to have dimensions of original tank?
Length, width, height, how wide and high the half pipe is for it to sit nice and snug?
Thanks in advance

 

Welcome, the resident expert on the XJ 550 is Big Fitz. The guy has been here forever and has well over 13,000 posts.

 

KH was just wondering , if you have no papers which I assume no title and plates. How are you going to register that bike so you can ride it legally?. Some states you can apply for a title but there are some states that it is almost impossible to get a title for if you have no paper work. Where I live that would be considered scrap metal with no title.

MN

 

In Texas it's only a minor inconvenience.

 

Hi MN,
I'm in England, and as long as you have VIN/frame number (which are same on this) then I can for a small fee, have it registered to me and able to find out reg number.
I bought a GN 125 in January with no papers, got it registered. All they check for is if it hasn't been nabbed by some thieving scum. :evil:

 

I guess things are way different across the pond. Good luck with your project. Make sure to take lots of pictures so we can see.
Check out the amazing things Wizard does to his bikes.

MN

 

AYUP!
If there is any way that you can get it running or even do a compression test, do that first. Otherwise you may end up with a nice clean bike all rego'd to go and a useless lump as a paper weight or garden decoration.
In other words be sure that it'll run before you drop a load of dosh into it.

Cheers, Graham

...and welcome to the forum mate.

 

X2 on a compression test!

If poor numbers, check the valve clearances and then check again!

Welcome!

 

Here is a link of things I did last year to my XJ550.
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=31614.html
May give you some ideas....
The photo's of the bike on the link are when it was almost finished.
Looks even better now.
Looks brand new.
Best of luck with your bike.

 

Cheers for the luck, gonna need it. We're checking engine as you say, hopefully works. Had a quick look at the carbs and they are free moving just need cleaning.
Got loads of ideas, just hopefully come to fruition.
I've put photo's up already in an album,
OldBikerDude, there's no link to see :?

 

KH
I don't know what you paid for the bike, but after looking at the pictures if you paid more than a fiver, you've been taken.

I honestly admire anyone that wants to bring a bike back to life, but unless you have very deep pockets, are a trained motorcycle mechanic (who would have run away upon seeing it) have all the tools and a shop to work in, this looks like a non-starter.
Just looking at the one picture of the whole bike it will need tires, brakes, front wiring harness looks like it's gone, boots on the plug wires, shocks, lights and blinkers, controls for both sides as well as mirrors and levers etc, etc, etc.
Just to replace all that stuff plus the seat, tank etc. you are probably at £1,000 or more and that does not include the time you will spend doing the work.
On top of that, if the engine is a dud then there's more money to get it running.
Like I said, I admire anyone that would try and bring an XJ back to life, but this one looks beyond re-animation.
Save your money and look around for one that at least is complete and running, I think you'll save your self a lot of grief and money.
Regardless of which road you take, keep us informed and update the pics as you go, good luck.

Cheers, Graham.

 

Sorry about that.
I added the link to my comment.
Here it is again.....
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=31614.html

 

Welcome to the site! Looks like you have your work cut out for you. Good Luck!

 

Maxim, I do realise gonna take a lot of time and patience and more grey hair.
I'm not gonna put original parts on, like speedo, tacho, switches and lights. Going with what little i can get away with, but.........I will be doing original gasket parts for engine, gonna give it a go, if engine turns over, all good, if not find a cheap one.
See how it goes.....I will keep posting, as I'm going

 

I'm new to these bikes to, i'm anout to go and pick mine up from south wales (UK) on saturday i like a doer-uper me
this is mine.... (doer-upper not XJ)
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=34075.0