Just bought a low mile XJ550 first time tinker and clean up.

Just bought this XJ550 a couple weeks ago. 4,756 miles and sounded good for $800. I will admit I am a first time rider and DO NOT know what to look for in a bike like this, but took a chance. Bought it from an old man that wanted it for his 12 year old grandchildren but his wife told him NO!. I am aware of the cost of starting with a bike this old but find it intriguing. I have riden a bicycle for the last 4 years and loved the maintenance that was involve in keeping a daily rider bicycle up to par. I moved a little farther away from work and the bus is making me get up WAYYYY to early. 1:20 for a 15 minute car ride. It's a 1982 XJ550 Maxim. Loving every bit of it since I bought it.

I have:
-got a new batter from batteries plus with good cold cranking amps.
-bought spark plugs but have not installed (NGK DR8EA)
-bought oil filter have not installed or changed oil, think I need couple of O-rings holding off till I can get them.
-need to pull off rear wheel and check the brake.
-want to check valve clearance but need to order gasket and buy feeler gauge and shims.
-sync carbs obviously next. (seems to take a while to warm up and still can't totally push choke to far right. (Do I just need to adjust the choke cable?)

It has been around 30 degrees with snow lately here so I haven't been able to really take her out. I don't have my license either as this is my first motorcycle but feel confident. I live in Boulder, CO and can't wait till take this beauty to the canyons and go flyfishing.

Any tips or criticism greatly appreciated! I am definitely new to the whole motorcycle thing and will be updating this thread.

 

can't says i blame the wife.

buying a vehicle for some grandkids that won't be able to use it for at least 5 years.

i bet his daughter didn't appreciate grandpa buying for the grandkid either.LOL

the ninja i had was for my son. but his mother wanted no part of it. and wouldn't allow the bike at there house.

 

So I thought I could post the pictures using the img link from my gallery. How do I post the pics from my gallery. I would like them on this post. Yeah can't blame the wife either. I'm, can't lie, slightly nervous riding this smaller bike myself. I've only really driven a dirt bike in my friends small back yard when I was in highschool. Maybe got into second gear. Although I do understand the idea behind it all.

 

It didn't work because you used the url for the html page (see how your addresses end in .html) instead of the url for the picture that is displayed on it. If you right click the picture you can copy the picture link, then paste that into the box that pops up to add an image.

If it won't run without some choke you're almost certainly going to have to clean the carburetors.

In the future buy the Fram or Wix filter. They come with the o-rings you need.

Nice looking bike. Your pictures:

 

Nice bike. Hopefully you bought the correct battery, so it will fit without issues.

D8EA not "DR" the bike has resistor caps, you don't use resistor plugs too. Good thing you didn't install them yet.

You need a manual, right away.

The very first thing you need to do is check the rear brake for delamination; you'll need to pull the rear wheel and look, you can't go by feel or low mileage: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=15874.html Don't do a lot of riding until you do, it can get dangerous.

And then read everything in here under "Cool Hand Luke:" http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=27544.html

With 4756 miles, judging by wear, those are the original tires. DO NOT ride on them; they're tubeless tires and a blowout is not a good thing.

You're also going to keep a close eye on the chain; if it won't hold adjustment and/or "bleeds red" when lubed it's rusted internally and should be replaced. This and the rear brake issue are very common, you need to be careful.

I'm not trying to frighten you here, I just want you to understand that buying an old bike is not like buying an old car, even one that appears to be in good shape. You can't just start riding it and wait for stuff to fail, it can bite you big time.

Nice find, by the way, I paid $800 for my '81 and it was in nowhere near that nice of a condition. You've got a real nice starting point there, and the 550s are sweet-riding bikes.

 

Thanks MiCarl for the photo uploads! I'll try and figure it out for my next few posts.

bigfitz- I've chosen you as my guru at the moment. Much appreciated knowledge. They let me take the battery home dry to try and fit it. Worked fine. The bike starts up TEN times better now. Amazing how much a fresh battery helped.

Thanks for the heads up on the plugs. I called down there with the D8EA number and the guy said yeah we got em. When I arrived those are what they gave me. I didn't notice until I got home that the model was different. I did do a small amount of research on the internet and it seemed I could still use them. I will most definitely take YOUR word for it though. I will return them and get the correct plugs.

I have a downloaded pdf of a XJ550 manual. Not sure of the year but I will check when I get home. I have a owners as well as a service manual. I would like to buy the CD that I have been reading about in other posts. Haven't looked into it yet though. I have been reading the pdf's religiously though.

I will check the rear brake ASAP! I'll have to do some research on it since I've been focusing a lot on the Valve Adjustment and Carb Cleanup lately. After reading your posts I will probably push the brake and tires to priority one.

I do believe these are the original tires. There is small cracking on the edges. I will try to address these ASAP. Luckily I have some time before its nice enough for me to ride so that I can save some money to buy new ones. Any suggestions on a cheap, good tire?

I bought some Triflow PTFE spray to lube my chain. Is this a good option? I use it on my bicycles all the time and seems to work well. I will definitely check for bleeding.

Thanks for the info and I will try to update this post often. This forum and the new XJ has me obsessed! I'm really loving the fact that I can do all or most of the work on it MYSELF.

 

Re: Just bought a low mile XJ550 first time tinker and clean

The chain is probably original too. The pins on it are probably full of rust and it'll wear quickly when you ride it. A new one would be cheap insurance to make sure you don't need a chain AND sprockets in a few miles.

 

Welcome to the forum and nice bike.
Lots of good advice to be found here as well as links and pictures.
A couple of things I'd suggest are, make sure you have a clear title to the bike before investing a bunch of time and money. Next, seeing as your riding experience is limited, look into training schools, knowledge and training are invaluable to a first time rider, you also may get a discount on insurance with a course certificate (you do here in Canada) plus you may get to use your course bike for you test (maybe).
When it comes to doing the actual work on the bike, read, read, read and then tackle small jobs first, it'll build up your confidence and give you a feeling of accomplishment.
I don't know what your tool box is like, but use the right tool for the job, don't try and make do with something you think might work.
From the pictures, that is a nice, clean, unmolested bike and with due dilligence and carefully planned repairs will give you a good return on your investments (money and labour)
Keep us informed and include lots of pictures, everyone likes pictures.


Cheers, Graham

 

Re: Just bought a low mile XJ550 first time tinker and clean

Congrats on the bike and welcome.

I'm not too worrried about the bike. A few dollars and a few hours will get that sorted out but what I am worried about is you! You are new to riding, please, for your own sake and that of those that love you, enroll in a proper course. When you complete the course go practice, then practise some more. I used to spend a month or so in Boulder every year a while back and learned ow to ride going back and forth to Broomfield, then my older sis taught me to ride in the mountians. I know that it's not quite "riding weather" there yeat since lots of snow is still falling but you can still practice the basics, ESPECIALLY BRAKING!! Remember that braking is the one riding skill that will save your life on a daily basis. Learn how and when to use the front brake, practice panic stops once you are ready till the cows come home. Like a lot of guys here I've been riding many, many years and I am not ashamed to admit that I constantly practice. When you get to the point where doing a "panic stop" from 90mph, in the rain doesn't rattle you, then you are beginning to get it.

Learn to ride with your head on a swivel, paying attention to everything around you, and learn to stop your bike better and faster then anything in the manual.....that last 4 feet will be TRUCK!

It honestly sickens me when I'm out and I see a rider, head welded on straight, never looking to either side....he'll never see it coming. Stay aware and learn to stop and the rest will take care of itself.....

jeff

 

I LOVE TriFlow PTFE as a cable lube, etc. Use it all the time.

IT IS NOT a motorcycle chain lube. You need motorcycle chain lube.

My personal favorite is PJ1 Blue Label, but there are many good brands out there.

 

Well said JeffK and jazzaero that looks like a good buy to me, follow th procedures and you will both be happy, ride safe.

 

Battery works GREAT!!! Seems like it starts before I even finish pushing the button! lol I did get a small shock from the spark plug wire while I was feeling the side of the engine this morning. They look perfectly fine and covered with rubber. No exposed wires that I can see. Is this normal? Not a very big shock. Just felt like a small 24V shock or something. Still running on the old spark plugs. I touched it again just to double check. The second time I touched it right on the top of the 90 degree bend of the wire. Didn't seem like a big deal but I thought I'd ask.

Looking into some riding classes out here in Colorado. Not cheap but I feel like it will help me a million times over.

Also, suggestions on the sequence of the valve adjustment. Such as, should I order the gasket and take the measurement. Then replace the cover, order shims, install when they arrive and then use the same gasket. Or will I not be able to use that gasket again if I open it up the second time and need to get another. I'm assuming I can reuse it.

Bike seems to be running great! I've taken it for a spin around the block a couple times to get the feel and see how it acts out of neutral. No issues that I can tell. Carbs seem to need cleaned though. The bike won't idle under 1500rpms. Maybe that is fine but I feel that I read in the manual around 1000-1200 is good.

 

A fast idle could mean a possible air leak, it could also be as simple as a cable adjustment or turning the idle screw on the side of the carbs.
The minor shock could be a small crack in the insulation that is not visible to the eye, but enough for the spark to find the shortest distance to ground, IE: your fingers. LOL!!
As far as courses not being cheap, consider the alternative costs of not being able to react to circumstances that may end up with you in the hospital and a wrecked bike.
That being said, a course will not make you indestructable, but may give you the edge when it comes to making a split second descision.
Then if you can afford it, get the best damned riding gear you can, starting with a good quality helmet at least. Skin grows back, bones usually heal, but if you split your head open and suffer a serious head trauma, chances are you will take a long, long time to come back, if you come back at all.
Sorry if I'm sounding all doom and gloom on the last bit, but the realities are that eventually you will come off the bike. I don't know stats but if anyone on the forum can say they never had a get off at least once, speak up, then we can all come over and rub your head for good luck.
Even a tip over in your garage or parking lot can mean serious pain, think of where your bike is parked, then look around it and see what your head or other body parts may come in contact with on the way down, really take a look around, you may want to rethink how things a placed around your bike.
From personal experience:
I had just finished washing my 04 Bandit, dried it off and was moving it into the garage to polish it up out of the sun. Got it inside, stepped off the bike to put it on the centre stand and dropped it on it's side. It never occured to me the the bracket on the centre stand was still wet and so were my sneakers. My foot slipped off just before I had it all the way up and the bike started to tip away from me. I struggled like a F'ing mad man to keep that sucker up, but it's a 1200 and weight and gravity won out and down it went.
Bent the bar end weight, scuffed the mirror and ball on the brake lever, but worst of all, the right front signal disintegrated. ($70.00)
Now the thing is, I had just cleared the area up where I was going to park the bike. I had two auto axle stands, an axle lift and assorted other tools laying around on the ground. I know for a fact that the axle stands would have seriously damaged, if not punctured the tank, and the other stuff would have probably caused some serious plastic damage.
I know I'm rambling on a bit but it's difficult to pass on some experience in just a few words, well, at least as far as I'm concerned..

 

First thing: NO MORE "riding around a bit" until you get the rear brake apart and check it for delamination! Serious biz!!!

Re: Motorcycle safety courses: Check with your local Community College. They're offered in our area for like $25-$35 thru the CC.

 

Ok. Will do. I'll pull the wheel off tonight and check the rear brake. I'll take plenty of pictures and update as soon as I can. It's so tempting to ride lol.

Thanks everyone for the help.
This forum is GREAT!

 

There're a lot of things you're going to want to do before any serious riding as well.

The bike has 4K miles. Initial valve adjustment was to have been done at 3K and chances are it wasn't so you're 1K overdue. You've already mentioned it so I assume this one's on your radar.

You need to at the very least bleed the front brake and refill with new fluid; the lines should be replaced SOON as well. Plan on a master cylinder and caliper rebuild in the near future.

And, if it were me, I'd just replace the chain now before it starts to chew up the sprockets (which should still be good.) Chances are it's rusted internally, which you may soon discover. Personally I wouldn't wait because they're so cheap.

Now get after that tire shopping...

 

Re: Just bought a low mile XJ550 first time tinker and clean

So is unprotected sex in the heat of the moment, that's why good rubber and being able to slam on the brakes is so important. 8O
:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

So I started to take off my rear wheel tonight to check the rear brake. I removed the tension bar and the brake rod. Seemed simple enough. Went to the other side to loosen the axle nut. Then found out I don't have the proper size wrench or socket to loosen it. What size is this nut? I'm thinking 20mm since the 19mm seemed just a hair smaller. I need some half inch drive sockets for my ft/lb torque wrench anyway so I'll try to get some tomorrow.

 

Removing the cotter pin on the tension bar.





Removing the tension bar nut.





Removing the brake rod adjuster.





Removing the cotter pin on the axle nut.

 

Axle nut is 22mm; invest in a good 6-point socket.

Rear wheel removal made easy (chain drive bikes only) and this is why you need a factory book:

DON'T PULL OUT THE AXLE. Makes it a lot more difficult.

-Loosen axle nut.

-Loosen chain adjusters, and flop them down, out of the way.

-Remove the small vertical bolts that hold the adjuster blocks into the ends of the swingarm, and remove the blocks.

-Slide the whole assembly forward enough to disengage the chain from the sprocket.

-With the stop blocks out of the way, the entire wheel/brake/axle assembly can now be slid straight back and right out the ends of the swingarm.

-You will need to jockey it past the fender and get it unsnagged from the chain, but it's still easier than pulling out the axle and having it all fall apart.

-You NEED a service manual. The Clymer will do, the factory book is better. If you get a factory book off eBay, be sure it includes the "Maxim Supplement" with the stuff that's model-specific to your bike (and different from the Seca, which was the "standard" XJ550 to the rest of the world.)

Reassembly is equally easy if you put it all together first then slide it in, much easier than trying to finagle the axle through all the bits and spacers, etc.

Use the little marks on the swingarm and the "pips" on the adjusters to ensure the rear wheel is aligned; adjust chain to about 40mm free-play. The book says 35mm, but it's too tight; I run mine at 40mm-45mm and they hold adjustment for literally thousands of miles.

Your axle nut gets torqued to 76 ft/lb; your torsion bar nut to 14.5 ft/lb. Be sure to use new cotter pins.

Get a book.