1981 Maxim 650 - need some help, please

Hi,

I borrowed my friend's 1981 Maxim 650 while she was out of the country for a few months and I'm having a few issues that I could use some advise with.

It ran ok for the first 6 weeks I had it, I'd have to choke it hard to start, and keep the choke on slightly while I rode so the bike wouldn't stall out. Not sure if that's a matter of tweaking a screw or not. But if I stopped suddenly, it would stall out, or if I didn't keep it choked enough it would stall out. The shocks were feeling pretty soft, too.

One morning I went to start the bike, and it wouldn't turn. The lights came on, but when I pushed the starter button, nothing happened. Tried to roll start it down a hill - still nothing. So it sat on the street for about 4 weeks while I was too busy at work. During that time, it was knocked over once, which seems to have bent the front brake level, and the right handle grip is chewed up some, but nothing else seems amiss.

I got it running today by jumping it. The lights came on fine before the jump, so I'm not sure if by giving it that much juice, that maybe it powered through whatever the starting problem was. But at least it turned over.

Riding to a friend's house today who has space for me to store it while looking over the starting issues, the bike locked up. It's a two mile ride to his house, I was about a mile into it, and midway through a turn the bike quickly slowed to a stop. Somehow suddenly it seemed like the brakes froze up. By the time my friend showed up, I had messed with the pads up front and loosened them from the disc, but the back wheel wouldn't budge and the bike wouldn't go forward. We messed with it a bit, and after awhile I drove it slowly to his house, but the back brake was at least partially on (I know, not the best thing to drive it that way, but we had no way to tow it the last mile). The back wheel is frozen enough that we couldn't get it on the center stand.

So now my questions:

1) any thoughts on why the bike wouldn't start? Is it probably just in need of a new starter? Is that a hard fix?

2) If the bike fell to the right (since that's the side with the bent brake handle, etc.), is there anything that could have been hit that would make the brakes freeze after riding for a mile? It was riding fine until that point.

3) Thoughts on how to unfreeze that back brake? I'm not positive that the front brake was locked - I needed my friend to help lift the bike up to see which wheel would spin.

4) A general question - at what point do you give up on an old bike? I have an '82 Nighthawk that needs a bunch of work on it. I've changed the front brakes, some cables, the pipes, but nothing major (i.e. carbs, engine parts) and feel like if there are small things to be fixed on this bike, I could probably pull it off. At what point is a 25 year old bike not worth fixing? I'm having the same thoughts about my bike. I'm not a great mechanic, so when do you cut your losses and buy something newer that might not need so much attention.

Sorry that this was so long, it was a bit frustrating of a day.

thanks,
Eric

 

On the non-starting issue - I'd check the battery before anything. This bike needs a 12 amp battery (yes, amps - 12 volts also). I had similar situation with mine, hard to start - especially on colder mornings. I found out I had a 9 amp battery - not the right one! A new $27 battery with 12 fresh amps from Batteries Plus and my starts are amazing now.

On the other issues - someone with more experience will need to chime in - I've only been at this bike thing 3 months.

 

Q#1. Check your battery right off the bat. Secondly, inspect your fuse block very carefully, they tend to go bad especially when neglected. Thirdly, I would suggest you check your alternator brushes. Rick did a nice writeup on how-to for that one. Hit the search function at the top of the page.
Q#2. Your rear brake lever rod is located on the lower part of the bike on the right side. Since a bent master cylinder lever would not cause the problem you seem to have, I would investigate as to weather or not the lever the rod is attached to on the rear brake drum has been bent, causing a lock-up.
Q#3. After you visually inspect the rear rod lever (which I'm pretty sure is your problem), you will need to bend it back into alignment. Large pair of channel-lock pliers should do the trick. Eyeball factor is acceptable for this application for alignment. I am curious however as to why you need a help to get the rear tire up off the ground to check. Is your center stand not installed?
Q#4. This is purely relative to how much the owner of said bike is interested in bringing it back from the edge of death. I've seen folks throw entirely too much at a bike that should have been by all accounts scrapped. I've dumped more than the bike is worth into my Maxim and won't part with it for love nor money. I cut my mechanical "teeth" on her, so to speak. It may be that investing your time and effort will yield the knowledge and confidence you lack at this time. You make the call.

Hope this is of some use to you and remember, we're here to help you with any questions you might have. Best of luck, I'd be hanging onto those classics if I were you.

 

OK here's what your friend is going to ask....

What were you doing screwing with your friends bike while she was gone????

She's gonna ask, you know.


I'd suspect the linkage like Robert said on the rear brake, and definatly have the battery checked out. My understanding is they usually wont push start if the battery is too far gone!

Good Luck (especially with the friend)

 

You might even need a new back tire after towing it the last mile?!