She lives!!

[XJkid]

After hauling her around for 10 years inoperable, giving her away and by sheer chance finding her again three years later, I took my XJ for a ride tonight! Even without synching the carbs she pulled like the proverbial freight train, just like she did before she got stolen and wrecked.I had given up on getting her going and gave her away on this site. Three years later I got a job at Universal Technical Institute ( They teach auto and diesel), noticed an '80 in the parking lot, found out who owned it, and asked him if he wanted to sell. He said "No, but I have one with a blown motor at home that I would sell". I then related to him my story about my bike I gave away. He looked at me funny and said "Where do you live?" I replied "Elk Grove". He said "That was ME you gave the bike to, and it is the one for sale!" He had gotten it going for his brother-in-law who had gotten the seat reupholstered, new tires, grips, fixed the pinholes in the tank and had it painted, and a number of other problems. He rode it with the old oil still in it and threw a valve. In all he spent $1300 on it only to hash the motor. Rather than wait to get it fixed, he bought an Intruder. I got it back for $300, got a motor and other parts from a member in Utah for $350, had a friend who just happened to be going to that small town in central Utah and he picked it up for me. I spent many frustrating hours trying to get the brakes to work (spooge holes plugged) and learned the value of a good bench bleed the hard way, put a set of "83 XV bars on it 'cause I am short of arm and needed the extra length, and polished all the covers (What a dirty job, but what a look!). I have always liked the sensuous curves of this bike, and now I can show her off!!

I am a happy man.

[RJFort]

That is pretty cool, what are the odds of that happening? Great story. Do you have a pic of your long lost girl? The only thing that would have been better was for hime to GIVE the bike back to you since you gave it to him. Glad to hear you got her running again. Good luck with everything.

[tom clisham]

Yeah!

Agree with above. What's with the $300.00 when the guy knew YOU gave it to him?
But at least we all lived happily ever after.

[fredintoon]

Agree with above. What's with the $300.00 when the guy knew YOU gave it to him?

Hi Tom,
the way I see it, there was $1,300 spent on the bike between the giving away and the buying back. The seller took a $1,000 loss on the deal.

[XJkid]

Fredintoon has it right. I forgot to say that he had the carbs rebuilt and found some PO DIY fixes that the remedies are not in the manual and would have driven me nuts, like using a self-piercing screw on the kill switch mount that had grounded it out to the bar. You know, all the little but maddening stuff that makes people give up on a project. I did have to get a motor for it that came with a wiring harness which had many components still on it like the regulator, which turns out I needed. Also had the TCI. Another intangible is that I got her back. You know the old adage: If you love her, let her go. If she comes back, she is yours.

[madmax-im]

Fredintoon has it right. I forgot to say that he had the carbs rebuilt and found some PO DIY fixes that the remedies are not in the manual and would have driven me nuts, like using a self-piercing screw on the kill switch mount that had grounded it out to the bar. You know, all the little but maddening stuff that makes people give up on a project. I did have to get a motor for it that came with a wiring harness which had many components still on it like the regulator, which turns out I needed. Also had the TCI. Another intangible is that I got her back. You know the old adage: If you love her, let her go. If she comes back, she is yours.

Thats an unreal turn of events...full circle...it was destiny. I'm all for bringing these back to their full originality to the extent possible. Having owned my XJ since brand new I too am original...owner...LOL These are great bikes and they offer a lot of versatility in riding styles. Hope you keep it original and enjoy it for many yrs to come.

[motoman]

Great looking scoot and great story. I am also an original owner......the second time. Only regret is it was PO'ed a bit with neglect mechaically and had to replace motor which I did with another H motor.......only 83 in production #'s after my original motor. After gone for some 14yrs. showed up where I had moved to.........long story, but surely was meant to be.

[XJkid]

Great looking scoot and great story. I am also an original owner......the second time. Only regret is it was PO'ed a bit with neglect mechaically and had to replace motor which I did with another H motor.......only 83 in production #'s after my original motor. After gone for some 14yrs. showed up where I had moved to.........long story, but surely was meant to be.

14 years! wow! That's like finding your high school sweetheart again. How far from home had she traveled before she found you?

I also have a question: I have a persistent leak right above my kickstand that I cannot pinpoint. I put my shift cover on with only RTV since I did not have a good gasket. Is this advisable? Is this a known leaky area?

I will post pics soon. I was waiting until I got her painted. I want to do a black with electric blue candy over to give a blue shine wherever the sun glints off. I understand this is called "ghosting"? I work at UTI and have full use of the facilities including the collision repair and they have several instructors on staff who really know custom paint.

[motoman]

14 years! wow! That's like finding your high school sweetheart again. How far from home had she traveled before she found you?

I also have a question: I have a persistent leak right above my kickstand that I cannot pinpoint. I put my shift cover on with only RTV since I did not have a good gasket. Is this advisable? Is this a known leaky area?

Apparently some 750mi. in Phoenix,AZ. by the person I sold it to prior to its ending up here in G.Junction, Co. I purchased it new in Durango, Co. where I lived at the time. As for the seep you have, may be coming from the shift shaft seal. No pressure behind that cover, just residual oil. Have no gasket on either the clutch side or shifter side of mine. Machined surfaces, so a very thin film of high-temp gray is what it wears. No leaks, not even a seep.