First time builder, 81 XJ650 Maxim

[Westboundbiker]

I've seen enough rounded bolts to always get the right wrench, lol.

Paint is looking great!

[53Bash]

The difference between 3/4" and 19mm is about 2 thou inch. Not all sizes have a clear cross over (there's no metric equivalent for 1/2") but 3/4" is one size that does cross over very near perfectly. In that case, if your bolt gets rounded, its the tolerances on the bolt or wrench or user error, not the fact there is a metric / imperial mismatch.

I did my whole custom front end on my XJ750 using standard size bolts and bearings, mostly because its a pain in the ass getting high strength metric bolts in the USA. I do have to have some extra wrenches, but its not a big deal. Not like I wouldn't need to own both anyhow. Since I built it myself, I literally know every bolt.

[ironmoose]

I'm smoking what 53Bash is rolling, that's the thing, from having this bike apart and together, and apart and together, I know tooth to tit exactly what tools I need to make it chooch.

Not much progress today, I painted the rear fender with rocker guard rubber spraybomb, threw some flaky clear over it, then today went to layer up another coat and I have no idea what happened but it reacted bad and the rubber sagged hard and began to bubble. Paint stripper wasn't gonna remove it, wasn't gonna futz with a grinder and wire wheel to remove the rubber so I took the fender outside and cooked it with a tiger torch until all that was left was the metal.

Either going to give it a soaking in hammered tremclad and bake it or see about bedliner, the tank is fancy, not the fender since I plan on slapping stickers and beer labels on it as my adventures take off. That and it's gonna have luggage strapped to and around it all day long.

[trikerdrew]

Loving your"can do" ethos!

Your bike,your rules!

Lady with the shop and skills single? LOL!

Paint looks cool!

You normally Messing with yank tanks?

Drew

[ironmoose]

Sorry haven't posted in a bit, here's the bike as it is at the moment, I've been working and haven't had time to get back to er. Ignore the painted sparkplugs, those are toast and are just keepin paint outta the motor.

[Jasonisdico]

I definitely dig what you got going on. Only input I have is a full painted motor like that looks 'cheap'. Even if it's done well, it's what everyone with a rattlecan and hacksaw does to make a 'chopper'. Color accents are good though. Just my opinion, so take it with s grain of salt.

[ironmoose]

Was thinking about that, it's painted in Duplicolor metalcast, which is some sorta weird tinted clea r coat shit, you can see the raw metal underneath.. if that makes sense? I really don't wanna pull the motor again because it's kind of a dink to get in and outta this frame as it is now. I gotta zip those upright struts off as I'm building new ones welded to that fuckin sissybar.. the sissybar I welded to the frame.



Gonna be honest though, looking cheap is the least of my worries or cares, I made my seat outta a car seat cover.

[DustyDave]

I think that the fenders, side covers and valve cover need the same paint scheme as the tank!
Dusty

[ironmoose]

Well it's got legs again.



Ladies go wild when I expose my shaft,

[jsmith800]

great job on the XJ! i'm working on my first build using the 82 XJ650. getting set to chop on the frame..little worried. using 1"DOM .125 is that about what you used for the hardtail pipe?

[FMC1]

great job on the XJ! i'm working on my first build using the 82 XJ650. ...

Start a thread. Show us what you're doing

[DustyDave]

great job on the XJ! i'm working on my first build using the 82 XJ650. getting set to chop on the frame..little worried. using 1"DOM .125 is that about what you used for the hardtail pipe?

I used 1" .125 wall resistance welded tube on this XJ. I can't see any reason to pay extra for DOM unless you are doing a bunch of slip fit joints. The the tiny increase in strength from work hardening goes away when you weld and normalize or changes with bending. Start a thread we would like to see you build it.

Dusty