mtnbikecrazy55
XS400 Addict
Suprise Restoration project for my Father's birthday - 1981 Special
Hey all!
I'm a frequent on the XJ forums and my 1983 Maxim 750 is my baby, but recently have acquired an 81 Special that I'll be bringing back to life as a present for my dad. I wrote a bit for the XJ forum, so I'll copy that below this. I look forward to learning a thing or two from you guys and seeing all your sweet bikes and great ideas!
p.s. here's my maxim -
Here's from my trip this summer riding from wisconsin to cali and back, this picture taken while going over the north cascades in washington state:
So a little background here, if you're in the mood for a little story -
My dad had ridden a few bikes when he was younger, but never got his legit class M as back then he would just get his temps every year as it was only 5$ and i guess you could renew it as many times as you liked. So he's ridden, but hadn't for a longggg time. My grandpa gave him his moped when he bought another one, it being a 79' yamaha jog with 8000 miles on it, so it was pretty wore out and didn't have much life left in it. He would ride it to work which is only 3 miles from home, but other than that he couldn't really ride it anywhere in green bay without feeling like you're roadkill.
Anyway, around the time that i bought my maxim, it just so happened to be around the same time that his class d license needed to be renewed, and without even mentioning anything about it, when he went to do that he once again took the temps test and got his class M temp.
So i let him ride my bike home from school last year while i drove my car home, and when he got on the bike he smiled from ear to ear again just like he was 16 and driving for the first time. It was just so cool to see and i instantly knew that i needed to get him back on a bike.
But my dad being the frugal dawg he is, when i would mention it, he would always say "i'll get one someday". Well, he's 60 and cheap like me, and i knew that unless i did something, he would never get around to actually picking up a bike.
The thing being that my dad's legs are pretty short, i wanted to find a smaller bike as he doesn't need anything big, my 750 is way more bike than he needs, as he only rides around town and to work, and down to oostburg (1.5 hours or so) to visit his dad.
So I had my heart set on finding a 550 seca, and a while later, picked one up. I've been working on it ever since, but with school being more and more consuming the closer i become to graduation, and it turning from a "get it running, safe, and reliable" project to a frame up restoration/rejuvenation/resto-mod , I just dont have the time nor money to be able to finish the bike within the timeframe that i had wanted/planned to as a bike for my dad to ride. It will still be done, but i cant take the time to do it perfecty and exactly the way that i want to and still have it done reasonably soon for my dad to ride.
So then a while ago i picked up a bunch of bikes for the shop that i work at, one of which was this 81 XS400:
Fell in love with it, only 12k on the odo, 100% complete down to the tool kit minus a broken turn signal, and bent headlight brackets, and a roached front fender, and thought just how perfect of a bike it would be for my dad. Big enough to take down to visit his dad, but small enough for him to handle confidently and not be way overkill riding the 3 miles of 25&30mph roads to work.
Buttttt, only thing is it not having a title, so that kinda put the kabosh on that.
But while taking the seat off to list on ebay, i found a PO's registration papers from 2010 with his phone number, address, and believe it or not the guy's soc. security # on it, so my hopes were raised once again as if i could track the guy down then i could have him file for a replacement title and put on new tires, battery, go through the brakes, new pads, new ss line, new shoes, do the carbs, adj. valves, new plugs, fresh oil/filter, blade-style fusebox, just the basics of bringing it back to reliable and safe with a bit of elbow grease and have it back on the road within a few weeks.
Wellll, the guy wouldn't answer the phone, and i was starting to get bummed, but then saw another xs400 pop up on CL for 600$
So after some haggling and dancing with the guy on a price, i go look at it, take it for a little rip to make sure things are basically solid, and ended up talking the guy down to 360$ and rode it 40 miles home at 11pm last night.
Probably not the best idea with the tires and brakes, shot handlebar bushings, and all the other things that are toasted on it, but it made the trip and the engine ran like a top the whole time, and it shifts super smooth. I just couldn't afford to take the work truck to pick it up because that only gets 8mpg lol.
So anyway, here's the newest addition to the stable, an 81 XS 400.
The tank has a decent dent, and theres quite a few little things that need fixed, ins. panel lights, broken tank emblem, tach, smashed turn signal, PO lost the key and wired in a toggle switch, whoever put on the 2-1 ripped off the center stand, missing a mirror, but the plant is solid and its all there, plus, i just so happen to have access to a perfectly complete parts bike with all of those things on it that my boss is cool with me having, so it was a no brainer to pick it up. I plan on putting back on the stock pipes and center stand too obviously.
So here she is! I'll post more pictures as the progress continues, should all happen pretty fast!
Crazy thing, i stopped at the gas station to top it off before heading home and the odo read 19992.0 - and i was born in 1992. - wild.
anyways, here she is back home in the garage:
which is starting to look pretty good i must say
But the cx500 is for sale, 1500$ if you know anyone looking for a bike!
New tires, batt, oil/filter, carbs cleaned, new pads, front brakes rebuilt, all ready to rock! (small plug there )
Just thought I'd share some of the excitement!
Chris
Hey all!
I'm a frequent on the XJ forums and my 1983 Maxim 750 is my baby, but recently have acquired an 81 Special that I'll be bringing back to life as a present for my dad. I wrote a bit for the XJ forum, so I'll copy that below this. I look forward to learning a thing or two from you guys and seeing all your sweet bikes and great ideas!
p.s. here's my maxim -
Here's from my trip this summer riding from wisconsin to cali and back, this picture taken while going over the north cascades in washington state:
So a little background here, if you're in the mood for a little story -
My dad had ridden a few bikes when he was younger, but never got his legit class M as back then he would just get his temps every year as it was only 5$ and i guess you could renew it as many times as you liked. So he's ridden, but hadn't for a longggg time. My grandpa gave him his moped when he bought another one, it being a 79' yamaha jog with 8000 miles on it, so it was pretty wore out and didn't have much life left in it. He would ride it to work which is only 3 miles from home, but other than that he couldn't really ride it anywhere in green bay without feeling like you're roadkill.
Anyway, around the time that i bought my maxim, it just so happened to be around the same time that his class d license needed to be renewed, and without even mentioning anything about it, when he went to do that he once again took the temps test and got his class M temp.
So i let him ride my bike home from school last year while i drove my car home, and when he got on the bike he smiled from ear to ear again just like he was 16 and driving for the first time. It was just so cool to see and i instantly knew that i needed to get him back on a bike.
But my dad being the frugal dawg he is, when i would mention it, he would always say "i'll get one someday". Well, he's 60 and cheap like me, and i knew that unless i did something, he would never get around to actually picking up a bike.
The thing being that my dad's legs are pretty short, i wanted to find a smaller bike as he doesn't need anything big, my 750 is way more bike than he needs, as he only rides around town and to work, and down to oostburg (1.5 hours or so) to visit his dad.
So I had my heart set on finding a 550 seca, and a while later, picked one up. I've been working on it ever since, but with school being more and more consuming the closer i become to graduation, and it turning from a "get it running, safe, and reliable" project to a frame up restoration/rejuvenation/resto-mod , I just dont have the time nor money to be able to finish the bike within the timeframe that i had wanted/planned to as a bike for my dad to ride. It will still be done, but i cant take the time to do it perfecty and exactly the way that i want to and still have it done reasonably soon for my dad to ride.
So then a while ago i picked up a bunch of bikes for the shop that i work at, one of which was this 81 XS400:
Fell in love with it, only 12k on the odo, 100% complete down to the tool kit minus a broken turn signal, and bent headlight brackets, and a roached front fender, and thought just how perfect of a bike it would be for my dad. Big enough to take down to visit his dad, but small enough for him to handle confidently and not be way overkill riding the 3 miles of 25&30mph roads to work.
Buttttt, only thing is it not having a title, so that kinda put the kabosh on that.
But while taking the seat off to list on ebay, i found a PO's registration papers from 2010 with his phone number, address, and believe it or not the guy's soc. security # on it, so my hopes were raised once again as if i could track the guy down then i could have him file for a replacement title and put on new tires, battery, go through the brakes, new pads, new ss line, new shoes, do the carbs, adj. valves, new plugs, fresh oil/filter, blade-style fusebox, just the basics of bringing it back to reliable and safe with a bit of elbow grease and have it back on the road within a few weeks.
Wellll, the guy wouldn't answer the phone, and i was starting to get bummed, but then saw another xs400 pop up on CL for 600$
So after some haggling and dancing with the guy on a price, i go look at it, take it for a little rip to make sure things are basically solid, and ended up talking the guy down to 360$ and rode it 40 miles home at 11pm last night.
Probably not the best idea with the tires and brakes, shot handlebar bushings, and all the other things that are toasted on it, but it made the trip and the engine ran like a top the whole time, and it shifts super smooth. I just couldn't afford to take the work truck to pick it up because that only gets 8mpg lol.
So anyway, here's the newest addition to the stable, an 81 XS 400.
The tank has a decent dent, and theres quite a few little things that need fixed, ins. panel lights, broken tank emblem, tach, smashed turn signal, PO lost the key and wired in a toggle switch, whoever put on the 2-1 ripped off the center stand, missing a mirror, but the plant is solid and its all there, plus, i just so happen to have access to a perfectly complete parts bike with all of those things on it that my boss is cool with me having, so it was a no brainer to pick it up. I plan on putting back on the stock pipes and center stand too obviously.
So here she is! I'll post more pictures as the progress continues, should all happen pretty fast!
Crazy thing, i stopped at the gas station to top it off before heading home and the odo read 19992.0 - and i was born in 1992. - wild.
anyways, here she is back home in the garage:
which is starting to look pretty good i must say
But the cx500 is for sale, 1500$ if you know anyone looking for a bike!
New tires, batt, oil/filter, carbs cleaned, new pads, front brakes rebuilt, all ready to rock! (small plug there
)
Just thought I'd share some of the excitement!
Chris
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