new projects

Cheap projects are getting hard to find but I did buy this lot today for $300 . xj650 

Don't even know what it is supposed to look like . Seems to be 2 models ,a chopper style one with a king and queen seat , and a standard one .
Seeing as the seat is missing i'm not sure .

Not sure about the XJ ,I had the xs 650 special ...........this one ............the standard one was made to take on the Triumph of the day .( both models were chain drive as well. it looks like a shaft hub in your picture on the XJ  )





Fun to ride , until the speed rose , & then handling became " evil " . Stepped seat was literally a pain in the arse if you were over 5 ft tall .

The XS special had different wheels , bars ,guards , seat etc to the standard model , so I presume the XJ would be the same .
 

The XJ 650 special was the midnight maxim in the USA , but I don't recall seeing many in Aust , so pretty rare I would think , & it had an all black motor like your one  but so was everything else black, I thought the standard one had some silver on the motor which may have been painted over on yours , and yours looks like it was painted blue . There were so many model changes back then ,maybe Google images might help.

I remember a few years ago one of the Pommy mags ran an article on the 10 worst bikes of all time (well, all of the old times). One of the entries was "anything with the word Special on it".  I have to agree with that re 70s and 80s bikes. 

Ewok1958 wrote:I remember a few years ago one of the Pommy mags ran an article on the 10 worst bikes of all time (well, all of the old times). One of the entries was "anything with the word Special on it".  I have to agree with that re 70s and 80s bikes. 

This was given to me after I bought mine ...........not quite as bad as this article , but it certainly had its problems .

Well its not that one although I did get a spare tank from that model .
its this one 

paul wrote:Not sure about the XJ ,I had the xs 650 special ...........this one ............the standard one was made to take on the Triumph of the day .( both models were chain drive as well. it looks like a shaft hub in your picture on the XJ  )

I had the Yamaha Virago Special posters from the middle of some motorcycle magazine decorating the walls in my bedroom as a youngster. I liked the gold and silver rims.

I always liked the first 1000 virago with the gold wheels .

If you look at the first pic ,there are two leo vance titanium end cans . Nice bonus ,a few dents that a hammer fixed . Off a sv1000 thrown in

Was it a repairable write-off Gus ?

No he pulled it down to turn into a bobber ,but then bought a new Aprilia Tuono v4 and completely lost interest in it .

gus wrote:No he pulled it down to turn into a bobber ,but then bought a new Aprilia Tuono v4 and completely lost interest in it .

So that may explain the missing seat ................is everything else there ?

Missing airbox  and exhaust system .The exhaust system is proving a problem . People want $400 for just 4 header pipes . (not going to happen )

After working on other bikes, I decided today to see if I could get it started . I removed the LHS cover to turn motor  over by hand . Guess what , locked solid .I remove plugs to make sure it hasn't filled up with fuel . No ,locked solid .
Fearing a totally stuffed motor I take off the cam cover . Attempt to turn motor over and IT TURNS PERFECTLY .WTF !!!!!!
Turns out the last owner put the cam cover on back to front , not hard to do ,it looks right  , but crushes the cam chain . The bolts were done up THAT TIGHT I twisted a allen key getting one undone . The one that pulled the cam cover onto the cam  chain .

Scary..............I'd be checking the valve clearances in case he played around with them as well .

gus wrote:After working on other bikes, I decided today to see if I could get it started . I removed the LHS cover to turn motor  over by hand . Guess what , locked solid .I remove plugs to make sure it hasn't filled up with fuel . No ,locked solid .
Fearing a totally stuffed motor I take off the cam cover . Attempt to turn motor over and IT TURNS PERFECTLY .WTF !!!!!!
Turns out the last owner put the cam cover on back to front , not hard to do ,it looks right  , but crushes the cam chain . The bolts were done up THAT TIGHT I twisted a allen key getting one undone . The one that pulled the cam cover onto the cam  chain .

He probably couldn't get the cover to sit down properly, so just tightened the bolts down as hard as he could, instead of investigating why.

Its just as well I work on bikes for fun  instead of Bingo or bowls or this bike would do my head in .I tried to start it today and thought it sounded strange while turning over (no start ).It sounded like a drill ,as in no compression. Plugging in a compression gauge I get 0-0-3 -0 .
Cam cover comes off again and the cams look just WRONG with lobes going in every direction .Cam caps have no a-b-c-d Suzuki style but 
I-3-7-8 . I need a manual

To day was spent pulling cams out and refitting, four times actually . Seeing the  cam cover and cams were fitted incorrectly  it was a sure bet the cam clamps were fitted incorrectly as well . Especially as  they had no markings on them (very strange ) . I did the best I could and marked them 1 to 4.
Refitted carbs ,turned it over by hand (all good ) ,and hit the go button . Starts first go . 
How this motor didn't end up with bent valves is beyond me .
Now the big problem ,no exhaust system . A four into one from the wreckers is (at best ) $300 plus $150 postage .
Ive been offered a complete bike (xj650) for $1000 but that STILL leaves me one exhaust system short if I buy it .
Tasmania seems to have no wreckers that suits

It sounds like he had no idea ................good job getting it going 

"Now the big problem ,no exhaust system . A four into one from the wreckers is (at best ) $300 plus $150 postage."


A brand new full Mac system can be bought off eBay for not much more (if I'm understanding things correctly). 

Your right on the Mac System . If I can get this motor sorted may be the way to go .
The cam timing has been a nightmare . .. I find the front cam chain guide has a big s type bend in the bottom . It should  to be straight .
This was mucking up the timing . I straightened it up and it slid into place unlike when it was bent .You would think problem solved, but no .
I line up the timing marks perfectly,  motor turns over thirty times and then valve hits piston and locks . Check everything and it does it again .
I notice which lobe is push a valve too early and take cam back one tooth on camchain . Timing marks are now out (not a lot ) but im thinking this is the correct position due to a well used cam chain .(stretch ). I put on a compression gauge and get  125 -125-`125 -125 +-  Thats a lot better than 0-0-3-0
I originally got . How I didn't end up with a bent valve I have no idea .
I have been offered another Xj650 for $900 which has an exhaust system and new tires .I thinking it makes sense to use what I want and sell off the rest 
No doubt it has its own problems waiting to torment me . Like the soccer 

It just keeps getting better  & better   


Oh well , here's a bit more soccer for you Gus ............


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbVJ-31JSrA

Good score Gus. My brother in-law had an '81 Seca 750 in the eighties which I used to ride a lot. Was a top stead back then. At least you don't have the digital dash on yours.
 Hope you get some fun out of her once up and running. Cheers.

That's the best min. of soccer ive watched .
Today was spent painting it blue (rattle can ).Waiting for air box to turn up . Headers and link pipe from Tranzac $400 if nothing turns up .

Gumtree 
I have no idea whats happening here