Considering getting 1985 xj700, help

Hi all, I'm being offered a beautiful red 1985 xj700 with 15k miles for 1000$. This is going to be my first bike and I was wondering how much it would it cost to clean the carbs and give it a proper tune up. The bike has been in storage for four years, so I know I also need a battery, what else should I look out for? The owner is an older gentleman who hasn't abused the bike and claims that the bike was running beautifully prior to storage, so I'm not to concerned. I also wanted to know if this is a good beginner bike for me I'm.5"6 220 lbs. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

 

I have an 85 XJ700 N that i bought in rough shape. I i drove it half way home before it died on me and i paid $550. With that said i am still working on the bike but i have ridden it a little since then (just test rides as i have not finished fixing everything) and i love the bike, if yours is in good to great shape aesthetically (paint and all) then $1000 is fair. Keep in mind that the bike is 30 years old so it may look great, but some internal stuff will need to be checked and more than likely updated.

A few Key points about the XJ's (I don't know if you have the X or N). They were only made for 2 years (1985-1986) so finding OEM parts is a little more difficult and costly, something to keep in mind when a lot of work is required (may not be in your case). The N is much easier and user friendly to work on, while the X is more technical.

With my bike, I had to get the inside of my tank lined due to the age of the bike, so that is also something you might want to consider in your costs (cost me $60 to get it done professionally). Your brake lines are probably swollen and getting cracked/ dry rotted if they are original and will need to be swapped or changed to steel lines (a little expensive but worth it). Brakes themselves will probably need work (especially your rear drum), but i really don't know the cost of that.

I am not trying to talk you out of buying a bike especially an XJ, however these are all things i didn't really consider ( i was more fixated on a cheap bike). Looking back I have invested $1100 already and i am still about $200-300 away from done with my bike. So if you want something you can just ride immediately without any care or maintenance it might be better to get a newer bike, if you like to tinker and are not in a hurry to get out an ride it could be worth investing in an XJ! (plus If you get the XJ and do some updates yourself, you have the added peace of mind knowing maintenance was done recently and correctly, versus trusting a previous owner and waiting for something to go wrong!)

*FYI, everything i said is a little pessimistic, but I just wanted to say the things that you MAY POSSIBLY need done. In reality you may only need half of those things done (or less).

Overall

Tank Lined: $60
Battery: $110- $160
Carb Cleaning (by a shop): $200- $400
Carb Cleaning yourself (and replacing o-rings): 4-7 hours and maybe $50
Brakes and brake lines: $? (upwards of $200)

But you will have a great bike!

 

P.S. i see you are in Los Angeles, and they actually made the XJ's in California with certain parts for California strict emissions (different fuel delivery parts - I am not sure exactly what, I think the tank and petcock and maybe mufflers which may mean you have different carb setups), that is if your bike is an actually California XJ rather than an XJ from another state that is now located in Cali.

Other more knowledgeable members will know better than me, but something to keep in mind when ordering parts!

 

The bikes were made in Japan, as far as I know.

The California models were "California emissions requirements" models. They had an extra vapor canister and associated plumbing.

The 700 is a bulletproof bike. Clean the carbs, do your brakes and tires. Update your fuse box if needed. Do your valve shim clearances. You keep care of those, you're bike will be happy for many years. See the red 700 I have in the gallery? That was a non-runner when I went to get it. I got it running there, and rode it up onto the truck. That was 5 yrs ago.... It's my daily ride.... Stone cold reliable.

Almost all parts for the 700 are easily available.... There are only a very few "unobtanium" parts for the 700.

Dave Fox

 

You are correct they were all made in Japan, i worded that poorly. I was just trying to let Nimni know that if they have a California model it would have different parts and to just be aware. I finally got mine fully functional now and it is great! the Carbs were a bit of a pain to get perfect, but now no complaints.