1982 XJ650 Maxim Bobber $3000

Some of you guys may recognize my bike. It's for sale now.

1982 Yamaha 650 Maxim Hartailed Bobber
Not your average bike for the average rider.
Title in hand with my name on it
14,000 miles
Drag bars
Strait pipes that are loud and throw flames
Hardtailed
Solo seat using engine valve springs for ride quality
Semi flat black
Modified rear fender with custom tail lights
Shortened and reduced wiring harness and custom battery box
All gauges, lights and turn signals work as they should.

Recently replaced this year:
Battery
Front and rear tires
Spark plugs
Ignition coils and wires
Handle bar grips
Clutch
Front and rear wheel bearing
Engine oil and filter
Rear end fluid
Header tape
Clutch and brake levers
Rebuilt master cylinder
Rebuilt and jetted carburetors
Recovered seat with lambs skin leather
Pod air filters
New engine side covers that don’t say ‘Yamaha’
Freshly cleaned tank - spotless
Repainted tank and handlebars
Rebuilt pet cock
Fuel lines
I can remove the gauges if that’s your thing too.

No tire kickers, joy rides, or pointless viewings. Cash only, no checks. I accept paypal if you like to use credit cards, paypal fees apply. As far as trades goes: I’m also in interested in guns, traditional hot rods & parts, tools, & metal fab equipment. No other trades and no junk please.
Reason to sell: I just had two friends involved in near fatal motorcycles accidents in the past week, one is still in the hospital in a coma. I don't want to become the third accident victim. Time for me to get rid of all my motorcycles and build something else. I also have a bobber project Kawasaki KZ900, a nearly complete 1981 Yamaha 650 Maxim, and a slightly modified 2007 Honda Shadow Spirit C2 for sale.

This picture was taken as it sits today. No surprises. Get on it and ride it home today. Ready to go, no open issues.

Call or text Christian, serious inquiries only.
309-212-9050
Bloomington, IL

I will deliver within 150 miles for a fee. Deposit required.

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[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g112/crath24/DSC_2044.jpg

 

What's inspiring the sell, brother? You're chop has become somewhat of the icon around here, I'm surprised to see you part with it.

 

I don't think I'm going to ride for the rest of this summer. I may start back up again sometime, but who knows. Seeing a friend wipe out and hearing about another friend wiping out a few days later, and they both ended up in the hospital with serious injuries. I just dont enjoy myself while I'm riding like I should. I'm not going to do anything unless I am having fun at it. Now all I think about when I'm riding is getting ran over or wiping out. So it's no fun right now. I'm still going to keep building bikes, just not riding them for a while. I'm still working on bike projects for other people right now, and will continue that in the future. You just wont see me riding them much at all - just for test rides around the lot probably, up and down the road once or twice.

Who knows, maybe I'll start riding regularly again after a while... maybe not. I just have to want to.

 

Sorry to hear your story and your subsequent need to get off two wheels. I too have had friends die on two wheels, one right in front of me as well, but I've had more die in four wheeled cages. Are you going to give up on cars as well? Accidents are a fact of transportation of any kind.

Anytime when we defy the limits of gravity, its going to win when the conditions are right. When I get on my bike, get into my car, clip into my skis, or lace up my roller blades, I make conscious decisions that will hopefully improve the odds in my favor if all goes bad. We all know how put the odds in our favor but there are those times the choices are not only ours to make.

I'm not trying to lessen your loss or say your friends didn't do all things right, what I am saying is that all things we do have a level of risk and the reality is that bikes raise the risk, but I've found personally that the rewards of riding outway the increased level risk.

I hope the best for your friend and I respect the choice you have made, but I don't think it will be too long before you settle the negative feelings and get back to riding. It is probably the best way to grieve.

The best to you brother, and good luck on the sale, I just hope you don't regret the loss of a great bike too.

Dan

 

Great_Buffalo;if you are not a writer,you should be. You expressed my thoughts exactly,in a manner that I could never replicate.

 

I can understand that... It does get a little scary hearing everything that happens to other people. Knowing it's never their fault doesn't help. I do wish I had 3 grand though... I have come across another bike parked in my front yard, given all the effort I know would go into it, I intend to part it out and keep some pieces I want. One is the frame, and I thought of you when I thought that. You should pm me your e-mail so that I can contact you later about a potential hardtail conversion.

 

email me anytime. ChristianRath@gmail.com

Great Buffalo, you are right, you have to assume the risk you take with anything you do in life. Granted more poeple die in cars than motorcycles. But look at the ratio of cars to motorcycles on the road. There is an obvious greater chance of death on a motorcycle than a car, no two ways to look at it.

I'm not walking away from cars and bikes all together (definitly not cars). I am still going to build bikes for other people. For example, last week I started a build of a '79 XS650 for an individual in Southern Illinois. I plan to continue building bikes for others as I always have. There will still always be motorcycles in my garage, just not mine.

As for myself, maybe one day I'll ride again on a regular basis. I just have to get the images of friends hitting brick walls and laying in hospitals out of my head. Right now, everytime I ride a bike, those images come to mind. Hopefully that will go away with time so I can ride again. In the two incidences in the past few weeks, both occured because of the riders wrong decisions. Both decisions/situations were ones that I would never get myself in to. So I can at least look at it that way. I would never have done what they did.

But walking away from motorcycles personally will open up doors for other types of projects. This is all giving me a good excuse to start up another project I have wanted to do for some time. I've been wanting to build a traditional hot rod or rat rod. But I just dont have enough time/money/sqaure footage to do the bike gig and built a rod at the same time. So I'll take my time and money that I invested in bikes and put it towards that.

 

So, will you be checking in on the forum? I'm sure there are still a few who would seek your advice.

I have you in my address book on my e-mail account. One of these days, it will happen.

I differ with you Great Buffalo... understanding the records, I know car accidents occur more often - understanding the stats, I know motorcycle fatalities are more likely. Perhaps it was the circle I grew up in, but I know more people, personally, that have died on motorcycles than in cars.

My father has been a hard biker for years. He has been in his share of accidents in town, some of them more severe than others - some during his fall in recovery; the real scary ones.

The last severe accident he had, he missed a turn and flew off the bike - ramming his head into the big "Welcome to Pana" sign on Route 29 coming into my hometown. A bystander seen it happen and called 911, saying that my father was dead on the side of the road. He was so unresponsive, breathing so suppressed, they assumed he had killed himself.

Dad continued to drink, but he left the bike in shambles in the garage. 3 years he didn't ride - is scared the shiat out of him. So many wrecks, but the one that was blatantly his fault was the one that scared him. Every other wreck, broken bones, etc., was the result of someone else's negligence, but this one was different because he was called in dead. Made him realize his own mortality. That can be life altering.

He rides today, but he doesn't stray the bike too far from town. Actually, for 2 years, the shovelhead was his only mode of transportation. Some cold days there, haha.

No one can be criticized for the risks they do or don't take - they know where there life stands at that point in time, and how much risk they are willing to take. Perhaps these accidents wouldn't happen as often if more people listened to those thoughts crath is having - being man enough to give it up for a while instead of riding out of obligation while distracted because of previous situations.

My 2 cents.

 

I had my ass handed to me on an FZR when I was about 20. Nearly killed me. Didn't stop me though. I kept riding every motorcycle like I stole em. Riding wheelies for the girls, endos... etc.

My brother/best friend was killed on a motorcycle when I was 26. That stopped me. Crath, I understand where you're coming from.

I quit riding from 2002 until 2008 when Crath's bike inspired me to build my own. For what it's worth Crath, thats a true story.

The first time I rode her was like a kitten on brand new legs. 6 years is a long time. I have come to terms with it and accept that I could be killed. I do my best to drive defensively at all times, be conscious of whats going on around me, and have a large life insurance policy just in case.

I wished I didn't love it so much. I have been riding so long that being on two wheels feels as natural as drinking a glass of water.

I guess I am saying, its your decision, you have to make it. Always listen to yourself.

BTW, I sold my Bobber, Wilma, over the weekend to my youngest brother. We ride together now. I bought a KLR650 and have my eyes on a another maxim 650.

 

Crath, I completely understand. I sold my Nighthawk after nearly getting broadsided by a car that ran a stop sign and seeing a girl on a moped get broadsided by car at low speed. Just enough to break her leg and create an ugly scene.

I picked up another bike (the GPZ) about a year later. Didn't ride it much, and then stepped completely away. Fast forward 20 years give or take, and I'm back at it and loving it. But, it took some time.

 

Thanks for the words guys.

I rode my Shadow yesterday for the first time in a month, just 10 miles around town. I was kinda skittish the whole time. I still have them all up for sale though. Like I said, I may come back to riding on a regular basis, just not anytime soon. But for now I'm selling all my bikes to build an old hot rod/rat rod/ traditional hot rod.

I will still frequent the forums on a regular basis. I have it marked on my favorites. If anyone has any questions, I check my messeges, email, and threads. More than happy to help

I also have a 1981 650 Maxim for sale with title, part bike, 85% complete, no front end for sale for only $250 if anyone wants it.

 

How much for just the frame and title from that parts bike? No swing arm or anything just the bare frame and title.

 

Cant see the pictures!

 

I think I accidentily deleted them on my photobucket, sorry. I sold the bike to a guy in downtown Chicago