Hello from Kansas City, looking into buying a Seca...

Have been riding for about five years now (bucket list), started with a '91 Shadow 600 (for about 300 miles), then an '05 V-Star 1100, now an '09 Vulcan 900 Classic. Rode a Kawasaki Diversion in the UK last year (briefly, the traffic flow there blew my mind and I wound up riding pillion, for *everybody's* safety) and fell in love with it. Came back here to find they are the Seca but are out of production, and according to one mechanic are to be avoided, especially the Seca II. Still... I really liked the bike and here y'all are, a bunch of people who love the Seca enough to have a forum devoted to it.

So it is really that difficult to maintain? Parts that hard to come by? Would it make a good tourer? I'm looking at an '82 750 with 21K miles on it. I stand 5'2", the Divvy I rode was a 600 and was a 90's model, I should look up the specs to see.

Anywho... hello. :}

 

Welcome! Parts aren't hard to come by Len (user name Chacal) at xj4ever has pretty much everything for these bikes....

The bike will need a proper go-over (see the link in my signature) to make it properly road worthy and safe.

Don't listen to that mechanic.... it's his opinion It's like asking what you want on your pizza.... everyone's gonna give you a different answer. Nobody's right and nobody's wrong.

 

Thanks, jmilliken. I've only ever had to change oil before, looks like I may learn to wrench finally. :} Dad thought the boys should know engine learnin', not his little grrrl. Silly Dad! ;D

 

The mechanic simply doesn't know his old Yammies. Or, he's a hack not capable of fixing high performance machines properly.

They ARE "precision instruments" requiring proper maintenance; but once brought back up to spec they're excellent bikes. Even the Seca II.

 

Welcome.

The key to any old bike, even quality units like Maxims and Secas, is the maintenance. In the 30 years of their existence, if their owner do the maintenance and upgrades where necessary (brake lines, fuses), they are excellent bikes that out preform newer, higher CC units (and look way more awesome).

If it's been through several owners who sat or sold the bike rather than do the maintenance, then you have to catch up on everything. THAT'S where all the work is, since people who keep up on the maintenance rarely sell the bikes. Odds are you'll get a bike that's out of spec, has original brake lines and fuses, never had their valve cover off, etc. Then you have a bit of work (here's a sample of what has to be covered, http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=43470.html ) to do to get it safe and sexy. From that point on, maintenance is pretty basic.

These bikes, like cars from the era, were created so that people can work on them rather than have to send to a shop. For many of us, that's part of the fun.

 

Thanks bigfitz and kilted, more useful info. :}

What is the center of gravity like on these, please? Low, middlin', or top-heavyish, any opinions?

 

Middlin' from my experience, but that's on a Maxim. They aren't really heavy bikes, but that is kinda subjective.

 

So far that is the only fun I have had on my restoration project, none the less now I know a whole lot more about this bike than a lot of people who don't know how to change an oil filter 8)