1980 XJ650 Seca

Bobs 1980 XJ650 Seca. Hi I have just finally finished the restoration on
my XJ650. It has taken me 21 months to complete this restoration. I
went for a basic black color and I think that it works ok. I would have
liked to have had a 4into2 chrome system but I could not find one to fit the Seca. There are some for the Maxim but not for the Seca. Everything has been done in this restoration and I am looking forward to another 30 years of reliable riding.
Bob

 

I love the simplicity in this. Not too overdone with graphics and emblems. I would love to have it!

 

Looks very nice! Good job! Nice to see something like that to give the rest of us hope! lol!

 

NICE! I just started the project on mine. I'm hoping to have something that looks half that good, eventually!

Stick around! I'm sure I'll have questions for you

 

Hey Bobe7316, we'd love to see a video of you doing a walk-around, start up of the bike. Be sweet to hear a fully restored bike getting revved up!

 

Looks like something is missing

 

looks nice, what exhaust is that?

 

The exhaust is a Megacycle system. It was made in Australia to fit these
bikes many years ago. They dont make them for this model any more.
They still make systems but they are for the newer model motorcycles.
The four pipes are seperate items that go into the collector under the
motor. A single pipe then goes up to the muffler which is a slip fit onto
that pipe. An interesting thing about the system is that the 4 header pipes do not use clamps where they slip into the collector and they do
not leak. I naturally thought that they would leak but they do not. Just
must be the desighn of them. The system has lasted because it is made of stainless steel.

 

Looks great Bob, when you say everything is done..did you have much to do inside th engine. I like th no badges look too, took all mine off ages ago, th tank ones had lost their coating and looked like crap, even found some plain crank end covers instead of th yam'yics

 

Looks great, must be nice on those apple isle roads.

 

Hi Bushy,
Yes went right through the engine. I am lucky that I have an old school
motorcycle mechanic that loves working on these older machines. His
work shop is only 1KM up the road from where I live. He did anything that I could not do with the engine rebuild but every thing has been
checked and any problems fixed which has left me with a fully rebuilt
reliable motor. The bike does not have a lot of kilometers on it but it
had been standing in a shed for 15 years before I found it. This motor
is pre yicks and did not have the yicks covers. I had the fork tubes
rebuilt and rehard chromed at a place called RAD Hardchrome in
Brisbane. They did a beautiful job and they say that there hard
chrome is better than the origional chrome. I have used rubber boots to protect the tubes where they slide through the seals. I like
the old school look and they stop stones hitting this vital part of the
fork tubes. The carbs have been re jetted for the 4into1 system. I
only had to change the main jet from 110 to 116 and the pilot jet
from 43 to 45 to get the engine running spot on again. All the wheel
bearings brake linings master cylinder wheel cylinder cables and every thing else has been checked and rebuilt or replaced on this
bike. Finally I had everything repainted and the seat recovered. It all
took a long time but I want this to be the last bike that I will ever have to buy. It was lucky that I had my TX500 Yamaha to ride while
I was doing this long rebuild.

 

Nice job. Goodlooking bike. Enjoy

 

Nice job. Goodlooking bike. Enjoy

 

Sharp bike, congrats!

The 'blackness' of the paint really makes the pipes stand out. Stainless for the win! I'm so jealous as I have my can of BBQ paint ready to go for my rusty old 4-into-1 system.

 

Hi mwhite74 Yes the stainless cleaned up ok. When I found the bike the mud
wasps had built there nests all through the motors fins and just about anywhere else that they could find. Took a week to clean the engine down
properly so that it could be repainted. It was lucky that some one had stuffed
rags into the exhaust opening and into the air intakes or they would have been inside the carbs and the exhaust pipe making a real problem. The bike
was going to be blue or black. I am lucky that my brother is a panel beater
and spray painter. He had some black paint left over from a paint job and
tried it on the tank. It looked so good that I said to paint everything in the same color. The black makes the whole bike look longer than it really is and it does set off the chrome. The origional color was a sort of brownie
red is about the best way I can describe it. Not very nice. Catch you
later. Bob





My new low profile helmet on the left. Standard helmet on the right.
Both the same size inside but very different outside. Now I do not
have to look like a bobble headed dick. These helmets are made in
Australia from carbon fibre, kevlar and goretex. VERY expensive
but also very safe.

 

It's beeeyoootiful. Nice clean "modernization." Love the turn signals (used 'em myself on my 550) and fork boots (likewise.)

Being all black just makes it look even more "old school."

Very nice work.

 

If you're still looking for a 4-into-2 exhaust I would trade you mine for your 4-into-1...

 

Hi c_muck thank you for the offer but I have to stay with the 4into1 that
is on the bike at the moment. It cost 175 US dollars to get a system
sent from the USA to Tasmania Australia.