My new project. 80 550 seca

80 550 seca

my flickr pics
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33238041@N ... 909036413/

The original owner put 37K miles on. Somewhere decided to make it a vintage racer. Unfortunately he was sidetracked with too many other projects. The second owner took possession, but he was also overwhelmed with his other projects. Posted on craigslist I showed up and we started the motor. From cold. He said it had not been started since last winter. It does start and idle.

Needs work to finish as a racer or make it a street-able rat-bike. The banjo bolts are missing for the calipers, the master cylinder to 'T' brake hose is a bit long unless I put a different triple tree top with a higher handlebars.

If anyone recognizes what the front forks are from, let me know. The seller thought maybe early 90's FZR. Surfing around ebay, Im thinking 86 or 87 FJ600.

 

What diameter are they, they look like later RZ350 forks and so does the wheel

 

its a 36mm diameter fork, and the front wheel is 2.15" X 18".

 

Dunno about the forks but that is not a "stock exhaust" at least not off a 550, looks like it came off a 650 Seca. Lots of work but what is there looks good...if the frame hasn't been hacked, you COULD restore it...

 

Can't be a 1980 Seca 550. The first year for the Seca 550 was 1981.

 

The front end looks exactly like an FZ600 I saw last night.


The exhaust - mufflers have Yamaha part numbers. The Seca exhaust looks just like the Maxim 550 exhaust.

The frame has been cut in back. The wiring harness is still intact.

The VIN tag is a bit tattered - I need to locate the stamped VIN. Where???
But the date is clearly 12/80.

I'll pull some bits (Headlights and gauges and ignition switch ) from my 550 Maxim and get the Seca on the road

 

well normally on cars after the 6th month its a next ears model... idk about bikes

 

"Short" version of the VIN---model code and actual "serial" number are on top of the transmission case on the RH side. My '81 was likewise manufactured in December of 1980, there were only three MODEL years for the Seca 550s; 1981-83. Chacal did a post on serial numbers recently and armed with the "short" version you should be able to extrapolate the whole thing...My point about the exhaust was that the MUFFLERS aren't 550 Seca, the rest of the exhaust would have to be or it wouldn't fit...

 

on bikepics.com, looking at the xj550's, the ones that arent obviously modded look very similar, aside from a few with the end taper.
The hangars line up with the brackets.

Making it street legal first, then mods.

 

The VIN should be stamped on the right side of the steering head.

A bike made in 12/80 is a 1981 model. My '81 Seca was made in 10/80.

Those mufflers look just like the cans on my neighbor's old XS 550 (I believe it was a 1977 model). I'm pretty sure his XS was all stock.

 

Ive been reading chacals VIN thesis.
Except for digits #7, #8, and #9, Ive got the 17digit code sorted out.
But looking at my 81 XJ550 Maxim title, I do only need the 9 digit shorty number from the steering neck.

the mufflers are identical to the maxim mufflers, correct (Maxim or Seca) or not. Me Seca has 37K, and obviously been modded at least a little.
The Maxim has 13K and appears all original. (and still needs more work)