1981 XJ Seca

Hell all,
I have the option to purchase a 1981 XJ Seca. How is parts availability for this particular motorcycle? What was their reputation when they first came out? What about now?

When I went to visit the seller he started the bike up and rode it around the parking lot. However, it needs a lot done to be made street legal.

He is asking $675.

Thanks,
Adam

 

How many cc's? And how much is "alot" to make it street legal? I think for a little more than that you could get one that's already street legal and just need to put routine maintenance money (tires,brakes,carb cleaning and parts, master cylinder, and fork seals) to get it going real nice. Just my opinion though, and it's all about what you want to do with it once you get it.

Good luck!

 

I don't have that much into my '82 650R and that's including all the "normal" maintenance things you would do when buying any bike. Parts are not hard to get if you know where to look.

 

reputation when it first came out?

http://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/

 

Sounds a bit high for a bike that you need to sink $$ into. Check fleabay out to get an idea of the parts cost then assume 50 bucks and hour for your time to install the parts....if it comes out to more then a buck per CC or so, then you'd do better to keep looking. Thats' just one of my general rules but condition, mileage(50cents a cc if over 15,000miles) etc.

Keep an eye on craiglist for a general idea of the value.....here's a link to a search engine that will search ALL Craigslist;

http://www.allofcraigs.com/

jeff

 

When I say it needs a lot maybe that is an exaggeration.

At first look, it will need tires and a rear caliper to be rideable. However, to make it look good will cost much more.

Is the rear caliper the same as either of the two front calipers. I cannot find any rear calipers on ebay, which is why I am asking.

Also, how about parts availability for this specific year and model?

Adam

 

It has disc brakes on the rear?? Only Seca's I know of that have a disc on the rear is the 900, if that's what it is GET IT.

And to know the parts availability for this specific year and model, we really need to know the cc size of the engine. But parts aren't really hard to get for any of them. Check our sponsor, XJ4ever.

 

You can't find any rear calipers on ebay because there are none - only the XJ900 Seca and Seca II had rear disk brakes and they are newer than 1981, all the rest had drum rear brakes. So either you are looking at a newer XJ900 Seca or Seca II, or you are not looking at a Seca at all. Could be a XS650 twin or XS1100; some of them had rear disk brakes. Could be something entirely different...

 

Woops, sorry.

I got confused with another bike.

I am definitely looking at a 1981 XJ750 Seca.

You guys are right, there are no rear calipers. That would obviously explain why I cannot find them on ebay.

Sorry.

Adam

 

whew.. I just went and looked at mine, panicked for a minute when I discovered my rear caliper was missing too.

so, what DOES it need?

 

Tell him you'll give him 550, no more, and he can deliver it to you, lol! Then you'll be doing good.

 

You drive a hard bargin Mac.....LOL

 

The list of parts you're going to need to get it 100% will run right around $800; and that does not include anything "cosmetic."

That would cover brakes, tires, shocks, fork rebuild, valve adjstment shims/gaskets, clutch parts and carb parts; no labor.

The 750 Seca was a "first" for its time; a shaft-driven sport-touring bike with the emphasis on "sport." Like most Japanese fours of the era, its "Achilles' Heel" is the carbs; the bikes are good solid well engineered bikes and once you reverse the effects of time and neglect, can be very reliable and give you a lot of good miles.

But like anything, you'll get out what you put in.