new dude here, tuning tips ?

hey guys & gals, i was giving a 81 550 seca by a friend of mine today. its been sitting inside for years. i tore the carbs down & it was still wet inside. gonna have to get carb kits, tires, fork seals, the normal stuff. im a old road racer so im gonna go the cafe fighter route with this bike. whats the going thing with aftermarket exhaust for these now days ? do i ditch the airbox or do they work better with the box ? im a bike mechanic so i know some model bikes just work better with the stock box. i just want to make a good running corner carver outta this bike. also looking for wheel swaps & dual disc setups for it. looking for tips from you vets of these bikes. ive owned & raced several sr500s & xs650s but this is my first yammie inline 4. looking forward to getting this bike running as i really like its looks & light weight. looking forward to hearing from you & being on this site. thanks for any advice............................snake

 

Keep the air box, snake.

 

Welcome aboard snake. These bikes good with pods man but they run best with the air box on. 550 Seca right? I love those lil bikes. I had one whenI was sixteen Kinda why I got my 650 this time around.
Post some pictures some time.

 

Most definitely keep the airbox; you can go with a 4-1 to lose some weight but they look better with the stock exhaust IMHO, and once the collector box is removed, may require some carb tuning.

Dual discs requires finding a left front fork from a Euro-market XJ550, as the 550 Max had bigger forks. That or a front end swap from a later FJ600 or the like. In my opinion, with a properly upgraded front brake, the single disc is fine.

The biggest improvements to handling would be to upgrade the front fork springs and fit some good rear shocks; upgrade the swingarm bushes to roller bearings as well as the steering head; and get some nice sticky tires.

 

thanks guys, yes ive got the xj550 seca. im gonna do a braided brake line, sticky tires, a fork brace, all the stuff that makes em corner friendly. so is mac the only one still making pipes? i just need a 4-1 headpipe & i can make the rest or i could just replace the stock mufflers with something more racey. whats the norm on jetting with a k&n in the airbox & a more open exhaust ? :lol: