Yamaha (XJ550) Old Skool Bobber Project
Created - July 2008 - June 2009

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is - "Reaper"

Yamaha 1981 XJ Seca. Our first project bike of 2006 gets another facelift!

We have run this bike for the past 18 months and its been joy to ride it.
With other projects now complete we got bored, looking for another bike to do and wanted to create something unusual.
This one was sat in the corner of the workshop minding its own business after being lovingly restored when we decided to introduce it
to the saw and grinder! This will make a nice Chop or Bobber we thought, so lets see what develops...

Rebuild and Restoration carried out by Rob & Ade
Comments or questions Email

The previous rebuild history from start to finish can be found here >>>

How the bike stood when purchased in August 2006



First restoration in March 2007

The Strip down for Phase 2 - Custom project..  
Work begins July 2008
Strip the front end for yokes powder coating and polishing.
Cut down and reshape the seat, chop the back end off.


 Strip the switch gear, stripped and coach enamel painted.

Wiring loom to cut back and relocated. Engine rebuilt and painted

September 2008
We wanted to keep the lines of the original fuel tank, but its the wrong shape!
No worries, we "duffed it up" it into shape with a piece of 3 x 2 and a hammer, and hit it with the body filler ready to create the final shape.

December 2008
Still on the go, fitted with old skool T-Bars to get a better picture and feel of the bike.
Top and bottom yokes coach enamelled super smooth. Fitted mini speedo and fabricated the mounting brackets for the Bates headlight.
Re located the horn and started to replace every nut, bolt and washer with polished stainless items.
A new smaller, fatter rear wheel is to be fitted which we are working on some spacer mods to make it fit.
More work on the wiring loom to keep the bike clean of the clutter.

January - March 2009
Tank now reshaped and smoothed, primered up ready for paint. Front forks mirror polished and flamed.
Side panels made and ready for polishing. Cables and wiring loom re-routed. All wiring heat shrunk.
Side mount tail light / plate holder custom made and fitted.
Front cruise peg mounts custom made and fitted. Mid foot peg brackets enamelled and custom pegs fitted.
Rear wheel painted and polished. Seat re-shaped (again). Mirror Polished brake & clutch levers fitted. Custom flame mirrors fitted.

April 2009
Painted Tank and front fender. Black base coat and Silver custom flames, then silver metal flake and finished in clear coat. 
More polishing on the side frame 'A' panels.
Waiting on rear fender (not 100% sure which to use - watch this space)

June 2009
Front end now complete. Painted and polished front wheel, brake callipers refurbished and finished in Satin black.
We get to work creating the exhaust system - 2 short fully open side slash pipes either side!
Looks nice and sounds awesome.

July 2009
Working on the rear fender. We used a 6.5 inch Galvanized trailer fender, cut in down and trimmed off.
We decided to make the set - up as a 'hard tail' look but with with soft tail suspension!

The guard is welded directly to the swing arm at the front and held at the back with our own custom made upright stays.
Everything is mocked up to ensure a nice fit around the rear tyre, then sanded smooth for paint.
Finished (as everything else on the bike) with polished stainless Bolts, Nuts & washers. 

The final touch is the rear guard emblazed at the lower tip with our own custom designed shield badge.

THE XJ BOBBER IS NOW COMPLETE.
FINAL PAINTING AND POLISHING COMPLETE.

SEE THIS BIKE AT ITS FIRST SHOW ON THE 16th JULY - THE RMMCC BIKE SHOW HELD AT THE ARDEN ARMS IN STOCKPORT.
SEE THE RISING MOON MOTORCYCLE CLUB WEBSITE FOR FULL DETAILS HERE

 
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