Hey good peoples,

Here's my 1983 XJ550 'project' that I have had since last summer with little time to do much to it.

I'd be interested to know if it's a Seca or Maxim, or was that only in the States?

Frame number is 4V8005168, same as engine number. But something don't look right at the back end... I suspect it been chopped, as has most of the electrics, basic 'hillbilly wiring' as the moderator on the XJ Bikes forum called it.

Anyway, here she is in a very rat form... who knows exactly what this?

Hey good peoples,

Here's my 1983 XJ550 'project' that I have had since last summer with little time to do much to it.

I'd be interested to know if it's a Seca or Maxim, or was that only in the States?

Frame number is 4V8005168, same as engine number. But something don't look right at the back end... I suspect it been chopped, as has most of the electrics, basic 'hillbilly wiring' as the moderator on the XJ Bikes forum called it.

Anyway, here she is in a very rat form... who knows exactly what this?

Come on, peeps - don't be shy!

I had a '81 Maxim 550, if I remember rightly those are Maxim wheels, but the axle was on the front of the fork lowers rather than on the bottom. So it looks like you've got a Maxim w/ Seca forks and "custom" bodywork. That is also not the stock pipe as it does not appear to have the collector beneath the engine. And yeah, the rear of the frame looks cut to hell. If you are trying to restore it to either Seca or Maxim spec, I would try to find a better example to start with.

Good luck.

Hell now I don't know, looking at an old picture my Maxim only had one disc up front, not two. I don't know about the seca.

Thanks for your reply Tyler... the last thing I wanna do is to restore it back to it's original incarnation, just wanted to know if my suspicions were correct. Plus getting parts would be easier if I knew what the f**k it started out as! Once I've sorted a few bits out I'll get it road legal, ride it around for a while, and then probably tart it up and sell it for a small profit. Then I'll get a real bike!

I have NO idea...... but it could be a very nice bike with a bit of TLC and chopping

I have NO idea...... but it could be a very nice bike with a bit of TLC and chopping

Cheers mate! I hope I can get it sorted before it starts turning cold... need to fix the seat, rear mudguard and lights, and add a chain guard for the MOT and then it should be on the road before too long!

unless I'm mistaken thats definately a Bitsa 550

those wheels look very much like my rdlc 350 wheels.

those wheels look very much like my rdlc 350 wheels.

That's very true! I'm going to swap 'em for some XS250 customs at some point, cos they look better in my opinion.....

80 ?

You need to look at the post date, this is 5 years old !!!!

Any Progress on this project???

Ha Ha Ha think he was a bit of a 14 hit wonder

Check out the frame number it will tell you what model XJ550 it is!

Its got standard forks and wheels off a roadster but the frame different under the seat?