Hey check out my Swedish 550

Hey guys,

Writing from Sweden,

My name is Oliwer, born in Sweden, my mom is from Canada and father from Finland/Soumi.

Came a cross this XJ at work, its from a garage fire. Cost? Two nights out with the boys.
It only has 3000 european miles on it, the bike is in really good condition except the polish, fork and rear dampers.

Im afraid I didnt take any before pictures, stupid of me but any how...

It was full of soot all over, so i disassembled it, startet cleaning everthing, polished all unpainted metal parts (I really mean everything, screws, carburettors etc etc), polished all cromed parts, every painted part except the fram.

After all the cleaning and polishing, about 30 hours of work (I work with sanitizing fire damaged cars, amongst other things) I did a engine service, sparkplugs, plug caps, oil, filter, airfilter, carb cleaning and sync.

Brakes did also get some attention, steel braided brakelines, pads and greased everything up.

Fitted a new, well no not new at all, a seat (made in sweden!!!) from a CB 750 -74 on the XJ to give it the caféracer look that i just love. It took som grinding and plastic job to fit but now I think it looks cool.

Gonna fit some rearsets tomorrow that I bought really cheap from eBay.
It's universal so it needs some grinding and fabricating.

Also ordered a very very slim taillight that I'd like to hide in some way, we'll see soon.

In near future
Progressive fork springs
Rear dampers
Clipons
Bar end mirrors
Classic tachometer, a small "invisible" gadget with all the neutral, indicator and oil lights, almost like the Motogadget Motosign mini but homemade.
Bullet mini indicators
Classic style headlight brackets.
Maybe a 4-1 exhaust, dont know for sure since the exhaust is in really good condition.

This is a project that I recently started with so I have quite a lot left to do, but no rush at all because the last 3 days it has been snowing constantly.

To the pictures










Will be updating soon.

Regards Oliwer

 

Welcome to the site!

Looks like you got a great start. You will find loads of knowledge and a bunch of great people on this site to help you through your project!

Is the seat cover hand made or did it all come together?

 

Gorgeous.

Those aren't the original pipes, (mufflers anyway) but I'd keep them. The bike will lose a lot of its "snap" with a 4-1, trust me.

It seems I may own your North American counterpart; this is my USA-market '83 Seca 550:

 

P.S.: the first time you hit a puddle, you're gonna miss the rear fender, as small as it was. The XJ650R had it right, but it was UGLYYY.

 

Gorgeous bike

 

thats a sharp looking bike , well done.

 

Greetings from California! looks like a great start. there is a lot of information on this site. be sure to do plenty of reading and dont be shy about posting any questions or problems you may have. there are lots of friendly people on here that are eager to help you out. welcome to your new internet home and good luck with your project.

 

Welcome from VA! Nice looking bike. Looks like you got alot of elbow grease work in your bike.

 

Greetings from Michigan!

Not sure if that's supposed to be a picture of the bike or the car, but either way, I LIKE IT!

 

Greetings from Ohio!
Would you mind posting pictures of your homemade tach? you have me intrigued.
this looks like a fantastic bike! keep up the good work!

 

Nice bike!!! Hello from Canada.

 

Bike looks awesome. My condolences for SAAB.
I wish my wheels were that polished. The machined aluminum doesn't look so hot.

 

Brady, there's a "trick" to polishing them up; you can do it too.

 

Hey Fitz, I shot you a couple PMs. I don't want to hijack this thread as well.

 

First, Congratulations, that is a great looking bike - Noice job!

Second, if OK, Please share wheel polishing tricks?

Thanks

 

Let's don't hijack. OP is putting a lot of effort into that beautiful 550R.

coach I'll do a mini how-to if you guys can give me a few, meanwhile go ahead and shoot me a PM if you want.

 

The mufflers are Mivis so no there not oem.

The numberplate is going to act mudguard, I hope.

Haven't built the tacho yet, I just got a vision in my head, but will post pics as soon as I start with it.

Saab was a ticking bomb, it was about time we tax payers stopped paying the staffs sallery.
But its really sad, great cars, great safety, good comfort and really nice to drive. But Saabs blood still runs in Saab airplanes industry.

There is really no trick in polishing, patience and stubborness. I used a rotating machine where it was possible, 3M perfect-it polishing compound on every type of surface.
After this, the really demanding work begins. To keep the alu from corroding again, you have to wax it at least once a week or so and after every wash.

Thanks for all the nice things you wrote about the bike and my work. I've been reading here alot for the two past months, and it looks like everybody agrees that the xj is a very sturdy bike with a sturdy engine, so I guess that Im lucky that i could get a hold at this bike for a very reasonable price .

So the work with the rearsets are very soon ready, just gotta find a brake pedal/lever ( whats the name for it?) that fits the original splines on the brakeshaft (dont want to cut any original parts) and visit a workshop to get som adapterplates done for me.

After that Im gonna give the fork som gentle, understanding and needed manlove.

Will try to post a video when revving the little devil later

Regards Oliwer

 

Yes you were fortunate to find that clean of an example at that price.

There are quite a lot of parts available over here for the "Seca" 550s; you could source a used brake lever and cut it up; and save your original one. I've done that with every part I've modded or even refinished in a non-stock manner-- saved the original and "changed" a replacement.

 

YIPEEEEEE!

 

Yes, I've noticed theres a lot of parts available in the big US.

And by the way, your bike has far better shine than mine has, the engine makes a huge difference. REALLY GOOD JOB. Maybe next year ill give it a paintjob H-D flat black with polished fin tips.

 

Great looking bike Oliwer!

 

Thanks. The USA-market 550s all had silver cases; we didn't get blacked-out cases like yours until the FJ600. I think it's great how we have similar but different paint schemes.

 

Thanks mtnbikecrazy55 !

bigfitz, yes I'm a real nerd regarding details and I love these small differences between different markets. For ex. My car is a Honda Del Sol 92 made in Peru, it has many things USD market and EDM market cars doesnt have, so in it's own way, it's kind of rare.

Anyhow, ordered some 10mm alu rods today to extend the gear shifter linkage.
Will try to visit the workshop this week, maybe I can have it ready before the weekend and then the rearset should be finished.
Also soon to land is headlight brackets, clipons and grips.

Regards Oliwer

 

Oh by the way bigfitz, why wouldnt you recommend a 4-1 header on the 550 ? I thought that this revvy little engine would appreciate an exhaust for the higher regions of rpms.

Regards

 

My '81 came to me with a 4-1 on it; and yes, it "improves" the top end but it also takes the "wind out of the bike's sails" in the low- and mid-range.

The improvement after refitting a stock system was quite remarkable; I lost very little on the top end, but the low and especially MID range improved greatly.

It's the collector box; it "fools" the exhaust system into behaving like a 4-1 in terms of scavenging. You can pretty much use any mufflers you want; but if you pull off the magic collector box, it changes the performance drastically.

Here's that bike; also stock (except I removed the removable fairing.) Actually this one is MORE stock (turn signals, etc.,) than the black one. Note differences in engine finish, forks, fenders, etc., between this '81 and my black '83:

 

First of all you have not just one but two very nice XJs, good joob!

Well I guess the collector box works in a 4-1-2 way, in my head a collector box as big as the oem is not good (exhaust from cyl 1 and 3 can rush back into cyl 2 and 4 and there by decrease the volumetric efficiency) depending on how it looks like inside. A 4-2-1 maybe would work better, but I dont know if theres any room for that.... Any way, my exhaust is in mint condition, yamaha headers and collector, so I believe its to much work for to little reward.

Did the bleeding thing on the front brakes today, with steel braided lines and fresh brake liquid the brake lever was very firm and nice, no flexing or softness.
Also recieved my tailligtht today, got the wrong part but it will do I guess, we'll see how much I have to fabricate... again....
I'm expecting the clipons, headlight brackets and brake pedal tomorrow so I will post a little update on the work.

Regards Oliwer

 

Hi, I´m Swedish to! Also have a XJ550! Nice bike you got there..
Just found this site, very good site with much info!
Where did you get the "bakåtflyttade" controls

 

Nämen kul att höra! Var bor du då?

The "bakåtflyttade" controls ( rearsets) was bought from ebay, i just searched for universal rearset and found it. It doesnt fit without modifications, will post pics when its all finished.

Wont have a lot of time over from now since were moving to another apartment, so the build might be slow the up coming two weeks.

Regards

 

Oliwer, I have a question for you:

Does your bike have one of these? http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=31872.html

The USA-market Seca 550s all had them; the Maxims did not. I'm curious as to whether it was a USA-market only "emissions device" of some sort.

 

Nope, dont have it. Strange little device, maybe it has the same function as a bigger plenum/intake chamber. Dampening the intake pulses.

Need more time for the bike.... Did some work at the lunch break today.

 

Where did the picture go.... :/

 

Waiting for spring here in cold Sweden...

 

Here it goes

 

Oliwer.Garant... that is some XJ porn right there. Beautiful ride!

 

Very nice 8)

more pics please :!:

 

Did my first real trip with it last weekend, sadly it went in to the garage directly after since its 6 Celsius here and constant rain...
Any how heres a new picture. Updated my rearsets with a tarozzi kit

 

Grant,

Very nice bike.

Gary

 

Look's great, nice job on the fins. Is that a 54 Ford/Lincoln in the background?

 

Well now, Skitläcker 550!


About the rearsets, are you taller then 175?
I'm replacing my seat with a cafe racer one, and wasn't going to move the fotpegs. BUT since you have done it, what's your opinion on it, is it needed?

 

Beautiful bike, I love the fins.

Damnit I want a 550 so badly!

 

Nice looking bike, second on the fins I may need to steal that look.

 

Thanks man!
Thats a Ford Thunderbird 1957

 

Nämen tjenare! Tackar

Im excactly 174cm. Without moving the footpegs you will have your knees in your chest, at least I would and I'm pretty short

Hey thanks for all the nice.feedback on the fins, just one question, what are they?

 

Then we are the same height, And just because you said it I had to try it.
I didn't actually get the knees in the chest, but I did feel that moving my feet back where you have your pegs gave me a more comfortable ride with the lower handlebar. So I'll probably make or buy a set to

Did you make yours or buy a complete kit?

 

Well no I överdrev a bit
I first made a kit out of some china universal rearsets. They did work but i didnt trust them because the material was out of very poor aluminum and the design wasnt of the same era as the bike. Replaced them with a pair of tarozzi wich are REALLY nice quality and fitment was great! Bought them at disco volante moto

 

O and by the way, my seat is really low compared to stock so you might think different of the rearsets depending on the height of your seat.

 

Okey, good to know there is a bolt on solution, then I could try the original position first when my new seat is ready (it will probably be as high as the original but shorter). And then change if I need to!

 

O and by the way, my seat is really low compared to stock so you might think different of the rearsets depending on the height of your seat.