Need more power and some ideas (82 xj550)

I have an 82 maxim 550 that was mine (and my dad's) first street bike. For that reason i want to keep it (that and its so comfy riding 2 up). I am wanting to get some more power out of it, i am new to bikes (modding wise, been riding for a few seasons now) but not new to modding cars (my favorite was my 85 mustang gt i had). I have been doing some reading on here and have noticed some threads where there is anything from cams in a 550 to swapping in a 600 or swapping over the top end from a 600. What would be the best way to gain alittle more power with out going all out and spending a ton of money (for this winter about $1200 is my limit). Also what are the best places to buy parts for the xj550. I've been on ebay, any specialty sites out there for these bikes? ( i need a new right side crash bar, and i want to get highway pegs and maybe track down some forward controls, or guides to making my own). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I guess without doing motor internals / swaps, a 4-1 pipe, hi-flo air filter (K&N?) and re-jetting to suit would give you the biggest improvement for your money.

 

Get the bike on a dynamometer & see that it's giving at least stock BHP before you go tearing into it.

 

Well, at this point the question I would ask is what are you willing to sacrifice? want more low end grunt? Reduce the exhaust lift, and down size the carbs 2mm. More top end? Bigger carbs. more cam, porting, more compression. don't want to get into the motor? tire size changes. it's mostly a waste of $$ if the motor is worn beyond specs, low in compression, excess piston slap. It'll go fast for a little while then we'll se it in the parting out list.

Either way a simple ram air-mod, reduced baffling and lower effective gearing is the basic drag racers beginner kit. Oh, decals!, you can make it look fast, lol.

 

i'm not at all against a motor swap, just not sure how much that would cost. Does the 600 just bolt right in?

 

I put a yellow racing stripe on my helmet. I felt the increase in speed immediately.
The cams can be re machined for differences in performance but then, unless the mod is slight, you also have to modify the pistons

 

take the 1200$ and just get a bigger bike That ones happy like it is don't try to make it something it's not

 

I like Wiz's advice. How sure are you that it's putting out its full potential?

Properly tuned, a reasonably tight 550 will produce a pretty good pucker factor without mods; go find another 550 to run with and see.

I thought my '81 Seca 550 was a decently quick little bike until I got the valves adjusted and the carbs sync'ed... then I found out just exactly HOW quick. The improvement was exponential.

Have you checked compression, checked/adjusted valves, sync'ed the carbs? You too might be surprised at the results.

 

for $1200 i would just get a different bike and keep the 550 as a weekend cruiser. aside from little things like regearing the sprockets and air filters and stuff you wont see a huge difference. like bigfitz says if its all dialed in properly its a pretty snappy bike.

 

Lopez is right, Go through the whole tune up process and make sure its all good. If thats not fast enough then move up to a larger cc bike.

MN

 

Yes it will

 

The first rule of drag racing is "You can't beat cubic inches"

 

I never said anything about drag racing or wanting a drastic difference or anything. i just want alittle more power for 2 up, i have another bike for going fast, this is my comfort cruiser that also happens to be my first bike so i am NOT going to get rid of it for a bigger cc bike. I was just wanting alittle more power, i like what wiz and bigfitz brought up, i havent syned the carbs yet or checked valves. As for the decal comments and stuff, not needed, this isn't a thread for that thank you :roll: . Anyone have ideas where good places to order parts for the 550 are? Also anyone kno where i can get a right side crash bar (it was missing when i got the bike).

 

Get parts, history and mucho info here: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewforum/f=23.html

 

Anyway... here is the site catalog page with the cam mods for the xj550. You send your cams to them and they will machine them for you. Its where my cams are going in March.
http://www.megacyclecams.com/catalog/pa ... e%2060.pdf

 

well, I use the drag racing metaphor because it is the purest application where al that matters is acceleration. Speed is second, giddyup comes first. Its not about going fast, its all about quickness. This where responsiveness is held as a prime goal. IN road racing its a bit different, where you may want more torque comming out of certian corners or roundy round, flat track etc. YOu may maintain a constant rpm range and only use two or three gears the quickness from corner to corner and power to pull away at a mid rpm range. YOU may not be interested in drag racing but the lessons learned there are very valuable and it is still a good form of testing say your on ramp speed is commonly 45 mph and you merge into 60 mph traffic like california thats your acceleration goal and it can be fine tuned by using dragracing methods. it all boils down to the engine that has the greaest pumping ability and effencency will overcome be it by size or rpm so what ever. the 4 stroke engine is a pump, thats all.

 

thanks for the links, i think i have a temporary solution to needing a crash bar...i see the stock foot pegs fit there nicely....might have to just get an extra set of those.

 

i get what u mean now, i completely took a different meaning from the statement before hand. Yeah i want more mid-upper rpm power. I do mostly 2 lane roads when im doing 2 up just because we are interested in sceanery and getting a way from traffic and enjoyin the ride. this bike runs higher rpms at cruise speed anyways so mid-upper rpm acceleration is the goal. Doesn't need alot more, just alittle. And i am just one of those people where it doesn't matter if its a car or a motorcycle, i want something someone cant just buy from the factory, i love modding, whether it be cars or motorcycles.

 

Did you think of trying a pair of Supertrapps'? They're tunable to change your torque curve. not the hot ticket for top speed but they just be what the Dr. ordered for you and your style of riding. They come is several styles from chopper-sportster-off road without baffling. You'll have to re-jet your carbs after wards, but trust me the package will work. If you re-jet the carbs first, you'll probably need to do it again.

I blocked off the under the seat air intake whole and cut a 3" whole into the side of the airbox and attached an air inlet of pvc type tubing. moved the igniter and flasher. Took off the side panel and adapted a K&N filter made for cars & re-jetted my carbs. Now it goes like stink at all rpm ranges, simply twisting the throttle will lift the front wheel in first and some times second solo. It never did that before. Besides the pipes and a good tune up thats' about as far as my finances would let me go. Works good though. Good luck. I came from a drag racing background so the decals wise crack wasn't directed at you or your bike but lots of guys I knew pasted them on their rides with only a pair of glass packs and thought they were cool.

 

Based on what I gather from reading this Post so-far; I'd say you'd probably have a bit more fun Touring on a bigger Bike.

More power. Less vibration and fatigue. Longer range. More comfortable for both riders.

That, ... plus being able to keep two people moving at the same safe speed in Highway traffic without being close to running at Full Throttle all day.

I'm not talking about a big cruiser.
But, a 750 with a nice Seat Mod would be a nice Bike to take on a weekend trip.