Is it worth going up to an 1100 from a 650?

I found a 1982 1100 Maxim for sale. It doesn't run and the seller said he got it with the intention of fixing it and using it but now realizes he has no time. My 1982 650 Maxim is pretty fast, well, faster than it needs to be for a single rider. It feels light to me and I guess I like it. Will the 1100 feel as heavy as 2 650's? Is the 1100 really that much faster than a 650? Is there any way to check for the trans popping out of gear if the bike doesn't run? I spent a lot of time getting the 650 going as that bike didn't run when I bought it and am not sure if I want to do it again with a 1100. What are some things to look out for with the 1982 1100 Maxim?

 

Looking at the picture, it don't look a lot different to your 650 & I don't think it would be a lot heavier, or faster, be a nice project, if you're in the mood.

 

Second Gear!
Look the guy straight in the eyes and ask him about the transmission and if the bike has --> ANY <-- problems with the transmission -- and then, ask him about second gear!

Is it MUCH faster than a 650?
It's a LOT faster than a 650!

And NOT just faster. It has Space Shuttle Power!
You want to want to be sure you are hanging-on tight if you decide to give somebody a peek at the lettering on the back of your seat when you crank it wide-open from a standing start.

If you have the nerve to to Red Line in 3rd and 4th ... you'll be going so fast on that thing that you'll be going back in time!

 

Yeah, it's a BIG TIME time-to-distance compressor with wheels. You definitely want to be pointed in the right direction before applying too much right wrist...I have never quite understood the need for liter+ 4 cylinder bikes, you simply can't use that level of power or speed very often and they must be a real HANDFUL in the rain, throttle-control wise. Seems like it would suck a lot more petrol too, my friend...but then again it would be a LOT faster...

 

compare the pair

xj 1100------------------ xj 650

weight----- --- 286kg-630lbs------------ 237kg-509lbs

H.P.------------95 @ 8500rpm----------- 71 @ 9400rpm

top speed-----215km/h-133.6mph------197km/h-122.4mph

 

When we were all young and nimble the saying was,
"Go Big or Stay Home"
That's when we all graduatide to 1100's.

 

1100 or 650, thats like comparing apples to oranges. If you think your 650 is fast just wait till you feel the 1100 come to life. The extra 25hp makes a huge difference. If you like acceleration you will love the 1100.
I don't know what a 650 gets for mileage but my 1100's get 35mpg average and 48mpg on the highway.
If the bike is a good deal, buy it. If you dont want it I'll buy it. The XJ1100 is getting hard to find and your picture looks real nice. Don't let the trans issues scare you away the 2nd gear problem is not that hard to fix. I have done several of them.

 

The PO of the XJ1100 I've been working on lost his drivers license going 149MPH. I'd say 133.6MPH is conservative. :-D

 

The PO was exaggerating quite a bit. Once upon a time a few years back I had an Xj11 and it WILL NOT go over 140 with stock gearing unless you put really big tires on it, shoot it with some nitrous, and rev it to the point where it sounds like its gonna sling apart. They are very fast bikes and will get to the 130s lightning quick, but you will be into the redline in 5th around 135.

 

I can't give any personal feed back on the difference nor can I talk to the power of the XJ1100. I do own a 78 XS1100 and it will go like crazy if I turn the wick up. I was riding with an old Bud, he was on his 02 kaw. concourse,
through the first three gears ,that was until we stopped, I had him no problem and he had the HP/LB ratio advantage. He just didn't have enough ponies. Just so you know my daughter rides this bake as a daily drive. So damn the torpedoes and go for the HP. You only have one chance in life so grab all the throttle you can. Also you can keep the 650 to play on. I like riding all my bikes for different reasons. Bob

 

Was supposed to go see the bike at 7:30am today but something came up that I had to do this morning. Someone else came and bought the bike. It was $400 asking price and after reading all these replies, I wish I would have gone to see/buy it. I didn't ask what the mileage was.

 

hey there wizard, by your figures the 1100 is actually slower than the 900, is this true?

 

These big bikes have the torque that makes you grin, not the top end HP. 100 mph is pretty uncomfortable on a naked bike.

 

don't shoot the mesenger.

 

I'd run an 1100 with my 900.
The 900 has such incredible acceleration IT IS SCARY!

Back when I first got the 900 I was out there, on it, living at the High-end of the Tach.
If the darn thing didn't start getting unstable up around a buck-twenty, I'd have pushed it to see exactly how fast the 900 would go.

But the nicest feature about having that 900 Mill tuned and angry is how fast the bike would make power.
Once you got above 3,000 rev's it didn't take very long for you to be looking at the needle getting above 10-Grand!

When I took it down and did the Valve Seals; I polished the Combustion Chambers on the Head.
I also Polished the tops of the Piston Crowns.
The resulting few ponies needed to be managed or I'm sure I'd have blown the thing up!

I added a Dyna Rev-Limiter and set it for 95-Hundred.
So, she protected from me doing anything really stupid when I take her out and go hunting for HOGs.

 

rickcomatic i agree about the power of the 900s i have an 85 model and all of the guys i ride with actually bait other riders into bagging my (old yamaha) so that they can see the other guys faces after the old girl blows them into the weeds. boy it is a lot of fun, i have had mine off the clock and it seems to run best at its red line, in fact its a bit of a pig at low revs.