Mystery XJ650RJ Rebuild/Upgrade

Hello, I'm new here, so I thought I'd share why I'm here:
I'm in my senior year of highschool, and I'm fixing up a motorcycle I've identified as an XJ650RJ. For as long as I've been there, this bike has been just sitting outside in the elements at my high school. It was earlier this school year that I got the idea that as a final project for my art class before I go off to college, I could rebuild it; mostly just for the fun of it.
After asking around a bit at school, I found out that the bike was owned by the Theatre department at school, and they hadn't used it since they got it to use as a prop in one single scene in one single play that they performed several years ago. After some convincing, I managed to get the teachers in the Theater department to give me the bike and do whatever I wanted with it.

Over the past few months, I've been slowly taking it apart (all the way down to the frame), sandblasting, and repainting the structural components of the bike. I'm now at the point where I need to get replacement parts for it, and while searching the internets for parts, I found this forum.

The most significant problem (or what would be a problem in most circumstances) is that the entire engine is missing,..but that isn't a problem for me since I'm planning to make it run electric once I'm done with everything else. Also worth noting is that: the gauges are missing, the seat is split, one of the plastic side panels is missing, the exhaust system was literally duck taped to the frame, the rear shocks are rusted solid, and the entire electrical system is waterlogged (including instruments/controls).

Yeah, I know...I'm insane for wanting to fix this bike and make it (sort of) run again.

Currently: I have the electrical harness removed and in a bag, the main drive shaft removed and waiting to have the rust cleaned off of it, and the frame along with all other metal frame attachments (ex. fuel tank, headlight case) at school after being painted with 2 coats of black POR15 and waiting for topcoating. I have the wheels here at home with me, and I plan to sand the old sealant and Aluminum oxidization off of them before recoating them with new sealant this week.

I would like suggestions for what kind of tires to buy, and how to get (or make) a replacement seat cover for as little money as possible; since I'm still a student in high school (most likely soon to be dealing with college loans), and I would rather save money where I can. I'm currently planning to buy some progressive suspension rear shocks, "All Balls" replacement Steering, Swing Arm, and wheel bearings, I'm talking with Goodridge about their XJ650 Stainless Brake hose kit (product code: YA0652-3FC-GW), and I'm planning on buying EBC replacement brake pads and drum shoes (now that I've painstakingly cleaned the asbestos out of the brake drum).

These are pics I took of the bike in its original position outside, and then of the electrics once I had gotten it inside:

 

you have the right side cover next to impossible to find which is good left sidecovers are an easy find.

seat cover check with local upolstry shop or ebay can be found for around 40$

 

I respect your enthusiasm but really think you need to slow down for a minute. First what kind of budget do you have in mind. Be honest and add up everything it’s going to need. If you’re still not dissuaded start with the big difficult things first. Obtain your electric motor and batteries and figure out how the frame can be modified to accept this. This needs to be done before wasting any time and money on paint. If you get that far then I think you might have something interesting to persue.

 

Okay, thanks for that info about the side cover and the seat. I've got the seat cover removed, so I think I might try and either see what an upholstery shop says (i.e. if they want to duplicate it/how much it would be to do that), or try redoing it myself.

 

Yeah, I've done my best to plan this out, but I'm already committed to doing this as a school project (which means I'll be graded on its quality/completion come the 23rd). I've decided to not do the actual motor and batteries as part of the school project (so I don't need to deal with all that on a deadline). I'm painting the body and metal parts semi-gloss black, then I'm thinking about applying glow-in-the-dark vinyl to the frame, front mudguard, fuel tank, and other places on the bike in a starry-night esque pattern (this aesthetics plan is why it would be great to have glow in the dark brake lines).
I totally agree with you that it would be better if I had done as you suggested in the first place (carefully plan out a budget and costs for the bike first, then get started), but I've gotten good at planning as I work on a project in the past 4 years I've been taking Art in high school; mostly due to the strict constraints on my time due to having 7 classes a day to also deal with for school. I know it probably wasn't the best idea to try and do this with the limited amount of time I have as a highschool senior, but I also didn't want to try and pass off a collection of sticks as an art project (as some of my art classmates have done...), nor did I want to let this bike sit out in the rain and rust for goodness knows how many more years.

 

No quite sure how repainting a m/bike rolling chassis constitutes art but at least it sounds better than a bunch of sticks. Do a decent job and you can sell it here for someone else to stick an engine in.. Good luck!

 

seem like everything your spending money on is to make the bike go again. art projects don't have to go, just look nice.
if you ever want to make a e-bike out of something, start with a bike that has a chain

 

I do want the bike to look nice, but it’s also part of my portfolio concentration (essentially, art style) to also make something functional in all of my art peices. For example, I’ve previously made things like lamps, clocks, and heavy duty (i.e. polished metal) school binders; they all look good, but also serve some sort of function.

Bottom line is that I want to get as close to it being able to actually work as I can. Also, money I spend on its functional aspects now also make it (theoretically) easier to sell/able to be sold for more money in the future.

 

Fitting with my functional conentration in art, and the plan I have for making it look “artistic” is what makes this project passable as “art”. I also already have some leeway with my teacher for being one of his only students still pusing myself and not just doing the bare minimum.
Thanks for the support.

 

Still wondering what sort/brand of tires I should get for the bike, considering I would like to save money where possible, and the appearance of the tread/tire is at least slightly more important than mileage/durability in this situation. I found a link to a page about different tires for XJ650/750 Secas (http://www.foreven.com/motorcycles/Tyres/YaSeca65.htm), but that page hasn’t been updated since before I was born (not since September 1999). So I’m wondering if there are better/more current choices for tires nowadays.

Front tire size is: 100/90-19 57H (from previous tire), or 3.25H19-4PR (from Haynes Manual; ISBN: 1850103534)
Rear Tire size is: 120/90-18 65H

The old tires were both Continental “Conti Blitz” tires, but were severley worn and cracked, so the old tires are not a viable option for use.

Also, I don’t need seat info anymore; thanks to whoever/whatever added a hyperlink (to a specific ebay store I had missed during my earlier search) to the words “seat cover” in this thread.

 

From an artistic/style point of view then you could look at 'Dual Sport' aka 'Adventure' on/off road tyres/tires. they are often cheaper (than road tyres) and since you are not looking to ride the thing then any brand will hopefully suffice - provided the pattern fits with your aesthetic desires..

 

The first thing I check is whether the the engine will turn by hand. Then hook a good battery to it and see if you can get the starter
to spin the engine with the plugs removed. Then do a compression check. If there is alot of difference in compression between cylinders,
or no compression in one or more, or the compression is below 100 lbs at sea level the bike is a parts bike only.

 

As you may have noticed from the pictures, and what I said about the bike in the first post on this thread, the engine is completely missing. There is no starter motor, battery, cylinders, or even an engine block for the cylinders to be in.
But, like I also said above, the fact that the engine is missing isn't much of a problem for me, since I am currently only fixing all other parts of the bike *except* the engine/motor. This is because I am fixing this bike as an art project for my art class. If I do want to make it run, I plan to replace the missing engine with an electric motor and batteries so it functions as an electric art bike of sorts.
The drive shaft does turn by hand (though it was covered in rust), and the driveshaft->rear wheel gear assembly does seem to be in good shape (no chipping or damage to bevel gears). I have already removed all the rust from the drive shaft, and I plan to replace the oil in the final drive assembly housing, as well as replacing the swing arm and wheel bearings.

 

pardon me