Several comments on our recent Just Do It post suggested a reader’s rides category for The Kneeslider. Starting today, we have our first, Jon Fife’s nicely modified Yamaha XJ900 Seca and it’s a great example of taking a bike that suits you well, buying parts and pieces inexpensively, adding lots of labor and your own ideas to come up with just what you wanted all along. Considering that some folks are being a little more careful about buying bikes these days, it points out how well a used motorcycle can offer everything you need, not to mention, you get a unique ride you don’t see everywhere you go.
Jon once owned a 1982 Yamaha 650 Turbo Seca. He liked it a lot but eventually sold it and moved up to a larger bike, a 1993 FJ 1200. He liked the power and everything else but missed the more upright seating position of the Seca. He remembered Yamaha had once planned a 900 Seca with the same fairing used on the 650, but it was never built, instead it came with a little bikini fairing not to Jon’s liking. Obvious answer, get an old 900 and install the 650 fairing, … obvious until you find out all of the dimensions are different. And that is where Jon’s long project, of restoring the 900 and modifying the fairing, creating a mounting system and building the bike he really wanted, began.
The finished product, Jon’s little bit of “sport touring heaven,” as he calls it, is pretty nice, it actually looks like a factory installation. Nice work Jon!
As more buyers find a new bike a little beyond their reach, this route makes a lot of sense. Look a little closer at the bike you already own or buy something used and see what it needs to make it perfect for you, then shop around a bit, add a few pieces, remove what you don’t need and enjoy.
Link: Prototype 900 turbo
Pete P. says
I believe that Yamaha actually did do this, but offered the bike only in Europe, after they stopped selling the bike here in the states.
Nice work! If I found one of those used, I’d buy it!
Pete P. says
Oops. I was wrong. It wasn’t a full fairing, just a frame mounted half fairing.
http://www.dropbears.com/m/models/yamaha/images/xj9-84.jpg
Phoebe says
That is sharp =)
Mark Shapiro says
Over the years, I have collected a stable of bikes. These include a 1340 H-D TourGlide, a kawi 750, an ft500 Ascot, and assorted mega-scooters. All of them are accesorized to my taste. I not only have all the machines that I will ever need,but they all reflect my taste and personality.The act of restoring an older bike, and making it over in your own way, says more to me about the enthusism of the owner than does someone’s brand new $35,000 custom whizbang. The fully faired Seca looks just as lovely as can be, and is more enjoyable to ride and own than a “new” one. Great job. Ride Safe. Mark.
JohninVT says
Very nicely done. So how does one go about submitting a bike for The Reader Rides section?
dresden says
Nice. I love old Yamahas.
todd says
Very nice, very clean. Now let’s see some more “thrown together” bikes. This looks like there is more money in it than a new bike.
-todd
DLN says
Nice Seca Jon.
Man, I love this site. A daily or weekly “Readers Ride” spotlight is a great idea.
rob says
Beautiful! My first bike was an ’82 Seca 750, and now you’re making me want another one. With a fairing and luggage. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Bruce says
Very cool!
I’ve always liked the Seca 900’s – Just about perfect for sport-touring: Small, light and nimble compared to the current crop of huge sport-tourers; with shaft drive and just the right displacement and power characteristics; big, flat 2-up saddle, and now a classic Yamaha full fairing to top it off.
And the perfect color!
I like this bike a LOT!
Very well done!
kneeslider says
johnny,
This bike, as noted, is a “Reader’s Ride.” We will continue to have all sorts of exotic, unusual, or more spectacular builds, too, but, our readers have some beautiful bikes that have been nicely worked over and an occasional look at what all of you are actually riding and building may give a few other readers some ideas of what they might do with their own rides. If every bike is a high dollar, highly engineered build, it makes a person feel like their own bike is too ordinary to count and that is definitely not the case.
Especially now, when some folks are looking for more cost effective examples of what they can do without breaking the bank, these “Reader’s Rides” put a spotlight on that.
johnny says
I don’t mean this as a criticism of the bike, as it’s a very beautiful example of an XJ900 that’s been subtly modified, but isn’t it a bit too ‘ordinary’ to qualify for a Kneeslider spot? I love this site, but the thing I love about the site is you get to see very unusual and unique motorcycles, not slightly modified tourers. more crazy stuff pretty please!
Mark X says
Kneeslider,You hit the nail square on the head. The majority of us do not live in an exotic, high dollar, money is no object world. As much as I enjoy being informed about what is on the cutting edge of design and development, I more enjoy seeing what cool stuff the guy next is doing. Keep up the good work. You have my vote. Ride Safe, Mark.
Mule says
I build about five Secas myself that were pretty tirck. Got to 90 RWHP! In fact I still have a brand new, balanced and lightened Falicon 900 crankshaft for anyone that wants to build one of these. Those were the days!
Mule says
Oh yea, forgot to add, that is, that this 900 with the full fairing looks factory! Very clean! A man after my own heart!
JohninVT says
Putting together something like this Seca is a lot harder than it looks. It’s easy to throw magnesium or CF wheels, Ohlins suspension and trick bits on a bike when you have money to burn. A subtley modified and tasteful machine like this one takes real forethought and creativity. Also, mining the parts bin of similar models is a time honored tradition among Japanese manufacturers and knowledgable hot rodders. Sometimes, things that look simple….are more than they appear at first glance.
Jon Fife says
Thanks to all for comments on 1983 XJ900 Seca-SST. Kneeslider is spot on about the average joe building bikes. This bike was built in my 2 car garage, with parts I could afford and lots of sweat equity. No $1000 parts here, just don’t have that kind of money. JohninVT put it best….I had vision, I had time, and I had desire. Tons of thanks to Kneeslider for printing us….awesome folks. All the best, JF
SeniorWrangler says
What a jewel! How come bikes like this aren’t made today?
B.Case says
Paul, with no intention of giving you more work, what if the “Reader’s Rides” was its own module over on the right that automated the reader’s submissions, like the one you have for Ebay. Then, depending on the context of the article you view on Kneeslider, relevant Reader’s Rides would pop up. That’s probably not possible, but just a thought. I don’t know how you’re going to pull this off anyway with over 10,000 visitors/day, and I’d bet a lot of them would like to see their bike posted. If I knew of a way to help you, I would gladly.
And, nice job on the SECA Jon, looks totally factory!
-b
guitargeek says
Ah yes, I used to have a Seca Turbo, and I kinda miss that fairing sometimes on long trips…
Excellent work, Jon! A man after my own heart.
tyler says
I bought a Sea 900 brand new, I rememnber how beautiful it seemed back then, I myself wondered if there were ever going to be fairings available. Alas the bike was a 1 year run bike here in USA. i ended up trading it in for the 1985 FZ750
Thure says
Yamaha offers the xj900 for police duty in mexico….
http://www.yamaha-motor.com.mx/flotillas/motos.htm
ED DRUMMOND says
I have a XJ900 Barn find motor runs great ! just needs cleaning and some TLC anuone intrested call me 502.552.9295
Stan Ziobro says
I’ve owned two 1982 Seca Turbos, and considering a third now. Very nice job and color on the XJ900. What I like better about the style of the 900 is the lack of the cheap gas tank panels, although they complete the look of the original 650, the smooth lines of the 900 tank are very nice, not to mention you don’t have to remove any tank panels to have access for servicing.
Side note to one of the responders above – Europe had a XJ750 Seca that was non-turbo but had the same entire 650 color scheme and cosmetics. If you had them side by side you could not tell until you were close enough to see the 750 designation. Simple mod for Yamaha; take off the turbo and increase bore. It used the same motor as the US-made Turbo.
D-Man says
How does one submit a bike to readers rides?
raystargzer says
Absolutley stunning! My first scooter was a 1981 Seca 750, black. It had the nice decals and I adored it. 26000 in the first two and half years and they stole it during lunch at work. I ended up buying an FJ1200 as well a few years later, but had to give it up due to kids. Always wanted to see if the Seca 900 would bold up to the 750 tranny, but these days they’re both few and far between. Still my dream is to tweak together something like the 900 in this article. That is a beautiful creation and one that I’d love to own.