Project XJ750

[FROSTY:Me]

I've always had a love affair with the seca series xj750's.
As a pillion carter come commuter bike come short haul tourer they are unbeatable with a fairly low seat height flattish bars and a shaft drive so no chain to lube. :love2:
But they have always had a few "issues" The worst one being a truely horrible cable opperated front brake. The shocks at the best of times are barely up to the job let alone after a few years use.and there is a distinct lack of weather protection.
They also are well generally pretty tired by now in the motor department.
I've got one in pretty good overall condition but well its screaming at me to work it over.
The project is now under way.
The first job is to get it stopping properly and so I'm fitting a set of floating disks and 4 piston calipers.The cable opperated brake master has been binned and the brake lever mount has been hacksawed off of the switch block to give clearance for the new brake lever.
The front forks are out awaiting a set of progressive springs and a set of koni rear shocks are waiting to go on the back.
I'm fitting the longer and slightly braced swingarm/shaft drive off of a 750p which is slightly longer and makes the bike slightly more stable.
Whilst the front end is out Im fitting the fairing off of a XJ900 I have lying around the place.
On the plans is a motor freshen up using xs400 pistons and sleeves to give a capacity of 796cc but i think thats gonna wait awhile.
Itll be interesting to see just how well a 20 year old bike will hack it with the modern race replica bikes.
Ill post pics as the project progresses.

[Blakamin]

Cant wait to see the photos... sounds like something legends are made of...
(no, not honda legends.. they made of cage bits)

[Badcat]

man - i had one in "87. it was an ex-cop bike and i had it painted black.
it was a beautiful bike, stainless exhausts, xj900 fairing with long blade and that SWEET digital cop speedo.
frosty - you've got me all itching to get one again!
are there any nice used ones around?
ken

[Kickaha]

The first job is to get it stopping properly and so I'm fitting a set of floating disks and 4 piston calipers.

.

And luckily for you all pretty much any yamaha discs will be a straight bolt on even up to the later 320mm floaters,just the off set might be different but that can be fixed with a small spacer and if you can't find Yamaha discs Ducati are meant to be the same bolt pattern

Might have some 4 piston calipers off a GSXR1100 floating around if you're interested,you're going to have to make up new mounts for them anyway

[FROSTY:Me]

And luckily for you all pretty much any yamaha discs will be a straight bolt on even up to the later 320mm floaters,just the off set might be different but that can be fixed with a small spacer and if you can't find Yamaha discs Ducati are meant to be the same bolt pattern

Might have some 4 piston calipers off a GSXR1100 floating around if you're interested,you're going to have to make up new mounts for them anyway

Um ye se well I just happen to have this spare set of floaters just kinda gathering dust and ya see it seems thre are this set of calipers with a Very similar mounting system ....

[FROSTY:Me]

man - i had one in "87. it was an ex-cop bike and i had it painted black.
it was a beautiful bike, stainless exhausts, xj900 fairing with long blade and that SWEET digital cop speedo.
frosty - you've got me all itching to get one again!
are there any nice used ones around?
ken

Depends what ya mean by nice dude. Theres one in action wreckers -dereg
but complete. Theres one in Mt edens that looks tidy

[Kickaha]

What calipers are you planning on fitting?

I'm looking at doing a similar upgrade to the XJ550 and was looking at alloy RD400 disc carriers with 300mm discs either 2 piston honda calipers or Brembo O5 calipers

[FROSTY:Me]

Well The plan is to use a set of Honda NC31 disks and a set of zxr400calipers.
So far the disks are the ones that mount to the hub center with the least hassle and the calipers have a sort of similar mounting system as the yamaha. -they only need a spacer off of one mounting bolt
If you wanna hold fire Till its done I'll give you guys n gals pictures.
Kick --I assume you mean the twin pots from the rz250/350 -called RD 250/350 in uk --not the ancient single piston calipers from the origonal rd air cooled twins.
IF it was me converting a xj550 I would concider fitting a xz 400/550 rear wheel (drum braked 18" so no issue there) Then Id slot in a complete xj600 front end I think it'll almost fit straight in. -that way you go from single pot to twin pot calipers and there are no mounting up issues and the wheels will look the same --ohh and you go to an 18" wheel -theres a heap more tyres available in that size.
Id do the same myself--except the 750 is a shafty and swapping wheels aint so easy.

[Kickaha]

No,I've been given a pair of Honda 2 piston calipers as fitted to just about evrything they made from RS125 GP bike to the NSR250 etc,I'll just make an adapter up once I finalise what wheels and discs I'm using

No advantage to fitting the XZ rear wheel as the XJ550 already has a 2.15x18" drum brake rear anyway and I'm looking at a RD250/350LC 18" front as they look the same as the XJ550 19" so they match up lookwise,or my other option is RD350 wire wheels and lace on whatever rims I want

[FROSTY:Me]

um sorry kick -great idea. --just that the 600/900 xj's have bigger forks but same length