So... I picked up a broken XJ 600 from a small dealership during bike week 2013. They had it listed at $700 got it for $550. It wasn't the best deal on a seca ii but down here they are rare and the guys selling them want top dollar. I wanted to post my restoration process to share my findings because this forum helped a lot with the restoration. this is the second Seca ii I've owned, I picked up one running but in need of repair for $450 2 years ago but sold it to add to the down payment on my house.
Back to this bike, the dealer claimed that the bike would come with everything it needed to run but I had I brought my tools to open the clutch cover I would have noticed that there was no clutch assembly and I either would not have bought it or would have talked them down more. The clutch housing was bolted shut when I got there. It did come with the rear fairings but was missing the front. It came with a Vance & Hines header (no muffler) that I was able to sell to purchase the stock muffler. I don't do performance exhausts because they just give cops a reason to hastle me on top of other reasons they usually hastle me. On the bright side it had new front and rear tires although the front tire was oversized 120/90-17, and the rear is marked front tire only. However it wasn't till I cleaned the carbs that I tried to crank it up and realized that the idler gear and clutch driven gear were both completely chewed up. I would have been really mad but I was able to ride the bike (bump starting it) for about 1200 miles before I removed the engine and split the case to replace the gears.
One tip for anyone who isn't mechanically inclined, if you buy a used motorcycle and you take the bike up to cruising speed and hold the clutch in, if the bike dies while coasting, then you need a synch. After you complete the synch the bike shouldn't cut off or surge on you any more. Next I picked up a front fairing set and a middle rear panel from ebay. The bike looked like this until I repainted it and replaced the starter gears. At this stage I threw about $350 into the bike to get it looking like the two pic below. The master cylinder was garbage and I was able to replace it with a Brembo from a TDM.
One thing I like about the Seca II vs its competitors GS500 & Ex500 is the high tank and wide seat. When I'm riding I can lay down and rest my upper body on the tank and it takes a lot of strain off my back. Combine that with 45+mpg and its a hard bike to replace. I'm not even sure the same combination of ergonomics, power and fuel efficiency can be found in a new bike. Can anyone even name a modern bike that is comparable to the Seca ii?