looking to buy a maxim...

I have been reading this forum for quite some time but never registered until now. I have recently come upon a 1981 XJ650 for sale. I went to look at it yesterday and the guy is offering 500 for it. The bike has 51000+ miles on it with only 2 owners (or so I was told). It definitely shows sign of age but nothing too major really. He claims that he is the 2nd owner and the original owner bought it new and took really good care of it. It is inspected until next month. All of the lights work but the headlight does not turn on. Does the engine have to be running for the headlight to be on? The gas tank looks free of rust and the carbs look somewhat clean (even though they would probably be the first thing i would clean when I took the engine apart to change the head gasket)

It has the usual patina of old chrome and some rust on the exhaust but the only thing I can see wrong with it is there is a leak from the left side of the engine in the middle of the side. It looks like it would be the head gasket. I looked around the plugs and all over the engine and it is definitely only coming from the middle of the side. He did not want to start the bike because of the leak but I do not want to buy a bike that does not start. He let it turn over a little but did not let it start. I have minimal mechanical knowledge of motorcycles but i have friends that are willing to help me with that. I was wondering if it would be worth my time to buy this bike and put some money into it to get it on the road again. Even if it lasts me 2 seasons I would be happy.

I just want some reassurance in my decision from people who have bought these bikes before and put time into getting them working. I'm not looking to completely restore this bike to like new condition. I just want to get the feel of riding a bigger bike as most of my riding experience has been with dirtbikes and an old honda rebel. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

Do a compression test on all cylinders.
All plugs out throttle wide open, should see 120-150psi.
I would be very leery of him not starting the bike.
If all that is wrong is an oil leak, if the the oil is full, no harm in running the bike.
51,000 miles+gasket leak that requires pulling the head+cosmetic wear and tear, does not equal $500.IMO
I bought mine 24,000 miles, $375 running, it was a daily driver.
There are guys on craigs list selling very nice running XJ's for a few hundred dollars more everyday.

 

My requirement for purchasing a bike is that I can take it for a test ride or that the owner ride it to my house. Either way, I know it runs.

I have bought two bikes this way. I paid $900 for my daily rider and $300 for a running parts bike.

 

I tend to agree. 51K is a lot of miles; for a non-running bike $500 is way too much. I paid $800 for my '81 Seca and the PO rode it to my house.

REGARDLESS, it took another $800 to get it to where it is today.

Whether you spend $200, $300 or $500, you're going to be spending another $200-$500 on ABSOLUTE necessities, like new tires, brake overhaul, a battery, etc., just to make it SAFE to ride. You need to read this: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14581.html
so you understand what you're getting into.

I'm not trying to discourage you, just help you understand that there is a lot that must be done to ANY motorcycle more than 5 years old to make it SAFE to ride; quite a bit more is required when it's a 25+ year old bike.
Is it worth it? It certainly can be; a lot of us ride very nice reliable XJs that cost under $2 grand to get that way, after the bike is running reliably it's up to you how far you want to go cosmetically.

 

I bought mine for $400 non running but got to hear it rotate and try to fire... dont know how to explain it other than i kinda have an ear for motors

personally if he says it runs even poorly you need to hear it atleast try to run...

keep in mind that a cracked head and a headgasket leak look alot alike fully asembled.... use that with your negotiating power when you go back you might score it for $100 then its really worth your time

 

For that year bike, you should not see the headlight energize until the engine has fired up (a relay will latch when the voltage gets high enough). I would be very concerned about the seller not starting it. Waving about $300 cash, I'd tell him fire it up or no deal. Then perform the compression test before parting with the money. Another thought is that unless the fellow can prove anything with receipts or maintenance logs, whatever he says is meaningless.
I found my bike as a non-runner for $125 (with 18k on it!) simply because the kill switch wire had been pinched to the handle bars, killing the electrical system. You may have a similar deal sitting there.

 

Just a double-check on something. Are you really speaking about a head gasket or the valve/cam cover gasket? Head gaskets typically blow compression and valve gaskets leak oil. Head gasket could mean some major trouble, valve cover gasket is minor.

 

Well the only reason I said head gasket because it looked like it was leaking halfway down the middle of the left side. The valve cover gasket is at the top of the engine and just figured that wasn't the problem. But I talked with the guy today and he said he was unable to start the bike, but he was not willing to negotiate the price. I offered him 175 and he scoffed and said he could sell the emblems and the side covers for more than that. I passed on the bike.

As for looking on craigslist... I check it everyday for old 4 bangers and the only bikes I see day in and day out being sold are harleys or crotch rockets. I guess I live I the wrong area! But thanks guys I appreciate the input.

 

Just keep looking. It is about the same every where. I'm not sure where you are at but we just had a string of 3-4 XJs on craigslist in the Wichita, KS area. You could also try searchtempest.com. It allows you to search all the craigslist pages within a giving distance of an area code. Very helpful. It will save you a lot of time searching.

 

I agree you should keep looking. You don't want to buy a bike because it was really cheap and end up spending 2g's. Spend a bit more up front and get out and ride....if he doesn't want you to hear it there must be a reason. good luck.

 

Oicheshamhna,

Where are you located?

 

I'm located in central Pennsylvania about 25 miles north of Reading.

I have another question for everyone. I love the look, ride height, sound, everything of the maxims. But I have come across an 82 seca 750 for a reasonable price and probably an even better chance of getting the price down because I can tell he wants to sell the bike. Normally I would just go and look at the bike but it is a good hour and half drive one way. I just want to know the differences between the maxim and the seca. Like reliabilty of the engine and components as well as comparing the ride to a maxim (height, weight, etc)

 

From what I understand, it is more a difference of style.

If you'd rather the Maxim, someone here in Ohio is selling something you might be interested in. He is selling an '83 Midnight Maxim. It is driveable but needs brake fluid added and the brakes bled - something that can be done on the spot, and the rear brake adjusted. He is asking $850, but I expect he'll go lower as it has been posted for a bit. I'd be willing to act as a proxy to go look at the bike, test it, and arrange a transaction if interested. I could even be talked into riding it out to Pennsylvania for you if you'd pay the costs and return bus ticket ...

 

Styling primarily. The engines are the same as is most of the running gear. The Seca is set up more as a sport style while the Maxim is a cruiser. If you are looking for comfort, scoop the Maxim.
They are both reliable and easy to work on.

 

Styling is the main difference and comfort really depends on the individual. I am more comfortable on my Seca than I am an cruisers. I will say I think the Seca 750 is sort of ugly in its stock configuration. I don't like the square headlight the guage cluster or the clip on handle bars. I hear they are really fun bikes though. Fast and handle very well.