XJ650 Cafe

Well it all started midyear, with my old man suggesting that I should pull my finger out and get my second xj650 project (project café) underway. At the start of 2014 I completed restoring and xj650 back to stock condition. I found 3 xj650’s as a bundle on eBay, thinking there was enough parts to make two solid bikes out of all the bits and pieces I accepted the challenge and rolled up my sleeves and had a crack.
The first bike flew together no problem, and was completed 12 weeks after starting (this one is my profile pic). Now these bikes were far from immaculate barn finds, they had been seriously neglected for a long time. The bikes had last seen the road in 2000, which doesn’t sound that long ago, but it is 2015 now making that 15 years, and the bikes being 35 years old, it was a fair challenge.
Anyway back to my old man’s suggestion, he was thinking that if I could complete the second build by 14 December 2015, we would be able to take both bikes on a toy run, which usually attracts 5000+ bikes and travels the best part of 100km’s.
So with me being a bit of a slacker I got started on the build 2 October 2014 and I was full steam ahead.
Modified Chassis
Restored Rim’s
Rebuilt Forks
New springs and shocks
New Brakes front and rear (rebuilt callipers, braided lines, new master)
Engine (shims, timing chain adjusted, plugs and oil)
Carbies (well we all know about these carbies)
Paint and panel
The creation of the rear section
New lights and dash
Rewire
And the list goes on.
10 weeks the build took, and by no means is it completed to a point where I’m happy. But it did have it rideable buy 11pm December 13 2014 and I was way. Both bikes completed the toy run, which would have been all up 250km’s (my old man’s place was 80km’s from the start line).
So I thought I should throw up a few pics of how it turned out.

 

A few more pic's

 

The pic img_1760.jpg is a mock up just so i could so for a ride around the block. The tank, gaurd and rear section were off getting preped for paint. I don't hate the look though.

 

Very nice! Did you fiberglass the seat yourself? Also, you wouldn't happen to have the wiring diagram you used, would you? That would be HUGE.

How comfortable is it? Or should I ask "How many miles did you ride it before you became sore?"

 

Hey BrosefStalin,

Yeah fibreglassed all the back my self, i was thinking of molding it so i could make a copy if i ever happened to destroy it (that and i really like the lines and think it will be hard to recreate). The seat is quite wide and comfortable. But i am going to remake it or have it trimmed up by a pro, just to get the look right. I ran out of time, so it is on the list of things to do. On the day i did 150 miles but i was off and on the bike a bit.
The wiring is more or less standard, with items either removed or extended in order to hide every thing. The diagram came out of my Haynes manual which seemed to have Xj550/ Xj650/ Xj750 from all countries in it, which was sweet to use.

 

Nice color.