My high-school dream...

Hey Guys!

I am new to this site. I am seventeen years of age! It has kind of been a high-school dream of mine to get a bike. My dad has had his 1996 Virago 750 for as long as I can remember and I loved riding it when I was little. When I was 14 we made an agreement based on my grades, and not getting any tickets for one year of driving, he would let me ride. And everything has worked out so far! I got my motorcycle endorsement in June, at the ODPS, a motorcycle safety course in Ohio. My dad lets me ride his bike maybe once a month, but I want my own. I finally found a job making pizzas at Domino's and will have enough money to get a bike in two weeks!

The bike I am getting is from a family friend, it is an 82 Maxim XJ 750. The bike is turnkey, and the seller has taken care of it for many years, and has garage kept it and ridden every season. He is giving me the bike for a steal, it's $800 flat. it has 30,xxx miles. I am willing to put money into maintenance when needed.

So what do you guys think? Should I be nervous purchasing a bike this old? It's big dream for me, and I plan on riding a lot next summer. And for my fellow Ohioans, I'll be riding the bike home in two weeks, it going to be freezing! Gotta pray for no snow! Sorry about the long post!

Thanks
-elGato

 

Does the bike have any maintenance records? If hes a family friend I'm sure he wont lie to you about the maintenance. Ask about the brakes and the last time they have been even looked at. If they have never been looked at then you might want to hold off on riding it home until you can look at them and make sure they are ok.

Now I havn't ridden my Maxim yet but they are supposed to be GREAT bikes acording to everyone who owns one.

 

OH and welcome to the site... LOTS of great information on here.

 

I purchased my bike in a similar fashion, from someone I knew, he drove it semi-regularly, it had a little more milage and he stored it proper. I knew the seller well enough that I was comfortable with the purchase.
You do want to Check THIS as well as going over the pre-ride checks that they should have given you in your motorcycle safety course.

They are great bikes and there is a ton of good information here for maintaining them. You will need to invest money because it is an older bike with older parts and nothing lasts forever. Chacal is a great resource here for replacement parts - I am finding that half the fun is restoring the old bike.
ENJOY!

 

Okay, I am going to lay it out straight for you....
There is going to be a lot of things you are going to need to check, replace and work on because it is an older bike if you want to be safe.
I got my bike for a $1000 and I have put over $5500 into making it like new again but now I have a bike that I can not only be proud of but it runs probably better than when it was brand new.
Go to this link and check out the things I did to my bike.....
http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=31614.html
And I am still working on it. I just got 2 NOS mufflers for it and I am replacing the whole front brake and clutch systems.
Ya, I didn't have to do all this but I wanted to fully restore the bike. After all, it would cost more than $6500 for a brand new one and as for as I am concerned I now have a like brand new one.
The main things to check are both the front and rear wheel bearings (mine were trashed), the front and rear brake systems, the chain, valves should be adjusted, carbs should be cleaned and synced, tread should be checked on tires and I would go over the electric system to make sure everything is okay. Once you get these taken care of chances are good that you have a safe bike to ride.
You don't want to not check these very important things. It is your life you are talking about.
Anyway, you can find all kinds of help and ideas here on this forum when it comes to working on these bikes so take advantage of it.
Have fun fixing it up so that you can have a safe fun ride when you are done.

 

Thanks! for being 17, I'm fairly good with motors, and understand them. My plan is to get the bike soon so that I can make it safe and fun for next spring. My dad can also hep with the maintenance and this website has lots of information and people who have had the same problems. Maintenance is part of the fun, and I love to learn new things.

So, besides all of that, how comfortable is the bike? It's my first bike so I'm not going to be to picky, but I'm 6'1". Think it'll still be alright for 200+ mile days?
-elGato

 

I personally think these are very comfortable bikes to ride.
I like the low center of gravity feel. I am just under 6' tall and my bike is an xj550 so I don't think you will have any problems at all.
Just take care of those few important things I mentioned before you go on a ride.
Your Dads bike should really be checked out too since it is so old.

 

Howdy Cat, first off, HOLD OFF on that notion of 200 mile days, for you safety you have to check the following items: front brake system from MC to the calipers, then pull the rear wheel off to check the brake shoes for "DELAMINATION" this condition occurs as a result of the passage of time, of course it doesn't happen to all of these brakes, my bike for example, but it does seem to happen to a lot of other bikes. Then there are the valves in the engine, due to the design of these engines( shim over bucket ) the valve clearances DECREASE as the engine wears. If the maintenance is neglected, the exhaust valves will eventually fail to close all the way and then you have burnt valves and a poorly running bike. AND BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR FIRST BIKE, GET INTO A MOTORCYCLE RIDER SAFETY COURSE! This bike, when properly running will be a handful, they top out at 125 MPH more or less. I see you have the MC safety course done, BUENO!

 

haha, Thanks!

@LVsteve2011 The MC safety class was a huge help, I plan on retaking in this year, especially since it is free for minors, and I taking the advanced course too. I will definitely check for delamination. I'm glad to know that I've already heard of problems as bad as that. I will have all winter to make it a safe bike. Plus, probably for the first year, my father will make me ride with him. He is very strict about safety. And as for 200 mile days, I'll work up to those. I need plenty more saddle time.

@OldBikerDude: This is nice to hear. In the ODPS MC safety class, I rode a nighthawk 250. That think was tiny! But despite the small motor, it wasn't underpowered for just going around the class. Now it was never full throttle acceleration. And I imagine it would be dogging at highway speed. It was comfortable to ride for the 2, 4 hour class sessions. From riding my dad's 750 Virago, which I would imagine would have similarities to an 82 Maxim xj 750, was pretty comfy. I just hope I can go for a good long while without to much fatigue. I don't expect total comfort although. If I wanted that I'd take my car!

And one more question. I've heard about the YICS motor, and that it is supposed to induce a swirl in the combustion chamber for more complete combustion. Do a lot of these have problems?

 

YICS doesn't cause any problems at all. The only "problems" XJs have is the effects of neglected maintenance because the carbs and valves cannot simply be ignored.

Almost all XJs (except for the early 650s) have YICS.

 

Noted! Maintenance is so important with any motor! Especially a 29 year old bike! Thanks!

And anyway, I have to do plenty of maintenance to keep my 1990 Chysler NewYorker on the road! Now she's back to stock, and is a strong starter every time! I've had it for 2 years, and the odometer has been stuck at 147,352 the whole time. Who knows how many miles! I'm proud of my high school old car! haha

 

It's nice to see a youngster that wants to take care of his machines. Too many kids today just get in and drive, then beg mommy and daddy for a new one when they ruin it.

 

Yeah, you wouldn't believe some of these cars students at my school drive. Custom Jeep wranglers and a few beefy mustangs. And they probably don't know what a fuse is. But from my family, I've always had do things for me, go out and get them if I want something. Iv'e worked hard to even have the opportunity to have a bike, and I've saved lots of money. I will not let such a privilege go to waste. I'll keep that bike in good shape.

And the rewards of hard work will pay off, having one of the best summers a teenager could have, bu appreciating how I got there rather than being 'spoon fed.'

 

You are on your way ELGATO! now lets see some pics.

 

Hey let's be reasonable here. He did say he was going to fix it this winter before riding it. And besides it looks like he lives in Ohio and last time I checked not too many warm days for a while there.

To answer your question about the long rides. Yes as long as your in a comfortable riding position, your bike is tuned properly, and you've done a number of shorter rides to get used to riding-then you should have no problem going 200+ miles. I try and stop about every 1-2 hours to stretch and get gas if needed. If the scenery is nice, more often. Important is your riding position and a good running machine to keep vibrations down. 750's are really good for cruising and generally are designed well for anyone from 5'8" to 6'4".

Welcome to XJBikes and to riding! Have fun and learn to ride safe so the fun can last for a long time.

Oh and from what I've gathered, read, and experienced the YICS was really a breakthrough of simple but effective engineering on Yamaha's part. Produced the world record 750 in 1981 (750 Seca - 11.99 quarter mile), and better gas mileage to boot!

So refurbish, recommission and ride it! And blow away your friends with modern sport bikes who can't believe how fast your classic is.

 

do the work do it right. come here with your questions and findings and when its done and your going down the road on your bike you'll know YOU did it and I promise you there isn't a feeling like it in the world.
may the force be with you young one (and welcome bro, glad to have you)

 

Start by acquiring a SERVICE MANUAL. The aftermarket (Haynes) is good but contains errors and leaves out a lot of important details. The factory books are much better, but aren't really aimed at the DIY mechanic, they tend to assume a certain level of training/skillset on the part of the user. The best is a combination of both; plus this site.

Then go through the "maintenance" section, item by item, leaving NOTHING OUT, taking NO SHORTCUTS, do it all. Along the way you clean, repair, refurbish or replace any unserviceable parts. There will be a few "must replace" items; you can't fudge on things like brake shoes, brake lines, gaskets, etc.

Depending on the overall condition of the bike, a proper recommissioning will run you around $500~$800 for the parts. (This assumes that you'll be doing all the work yourself.)

Once done, you'll have a safe, reliable bike that you can ride and enjoy; and only need to "maintain" rather than constantly "repair." These bikes can be made even more reliable than they were originally, with a little bit of work. OK, a lot of work, but it's worth it.

Be forewarned: Any item you skip over or fail to properly attend to WILL come back as a "problem" which will crop up almost as soon as you put the bike back into regular service. Anything you ignore will come back to haunt you, trust me.

If you actually plan to travel on the bike, then it HAS TO BE 100% first.

 

Man, I made the right choice with this site already. Everybody is very nice and we all have the same interest. And when I come over a confusing problem, someone has probably already had it and may know the answer.

@LVSteve: I won't have any pictures until I get it in two weeks! But I'll sure to post them!

@MecuryMan: And yes! I may only get one ride this season. This would be if I ride it home. The family friend that owned it says it ready to go. I plan on asking him some specific question to make sure I'm making the right decision. Otherwise, I'll have to move the bike by some other means. But when I do ride home, it's gonna freeze me! It will be 45-60 minute ride in 30 degree weather. I've already purchased gear (Snell rated helmet, Leather Jacket, Leather gloves, Leather boots) but I plan on wearing Carhart overalls over my jeans, and many layers under everything else! I hope it's sunny! haha

And to everyone, I will do the work to the best of my ability, and get help when needed. I'm not half-doing kind of guy. I want the bike to last for many years, and most importantly, safe! And too bad they don't make A 'Clymer" service manual for the XJ's. My dad has one for his Virago, and not a detail is skipped! They're awesome!

 

THe "Clymer" for the 650/750s is published by Haynes; it too is a multi-model manual like the Clymer books, and like the Clymer books contains errors and completely misses some things. Clymer publishes the aftermarket book for the 550/600s, and it is likewise chock full of errors and just plain wrong information. None of them are too grievous however.

The problem with the aftermarket books is they simply OMIT mentioning some rather important details, especially once you get deep into the motor. That being said, if what you're doing is "catching up" on maintenance without a lot of heavy teardown, the Haynes is generally fine.

PLEASE DON'T RIDE THE BIKE HOME BASED ON SOMEBODY'S "WORD" that it's "turnkey ready." You don't have the experience as a rider to deal with a mechanical failure such as a brake lockup; what might be just a "hairy moment" for an experienced rider could mean a trip to the hospital for you, or worse.

DON'T TAKE THE CHANCE. It's not worth the potential for disaster. Old motorcycles ARE NOT old cars; this is a different arena altogether. You can die.

 

Go for it! Sounds like you can set and achieve goals.

Be prepared to learn an amazing amount about your bike
and wrenching in general.

The age of a bike is not as important as it's condition. After all-
with enough money you can get a 1908 FN, 1941 ACE etc. that
still run as good as new. ( A LOT OF MONEY)

With this site you can go all the way and re-build her from the bottom up if you really wanted to.

So enjoy your first bike and be comforted in knowing that you've
stumbled onto one of the best sites devoted to a set of models ever.

We have the best gurus in the nation and you cannot beat Len at
xjforever for parts.

go luck and have fun.

ron

 

@Fitz: This is true. I do understand the risks involved. I guess I'll have to find some way to move it. It will be for the best. As much as I want that first ride, I should take advice from wisdom. And I certainly don't want my first ride to be my last. And another question, how hard is it to take of the back wheel to check for delaminating brake drums? Am I going to have to purchase a motorcycle jack? And how tricky is detaching the drive shaft?

And thanks Ron! I am finally entering the world of motorcycling! It is an exciting time in my life! And I've got all winter do make that bike breathe great!

 

You don't need to detach the driveshaft; the rear axle slides out and the wheel/brake assembly comes away; the final drive "pumpkin" (the differential, if it was a car) remains behind.

You don't need a motorcycle jack; having the bike on the CENTER stand should suffice. You might want to centerstand it on a hunk of 1/2" plywood to raise the back wheel a bit further, but that's it.

Find a buddy with a pickup truck; it's a much wiser decision, truly.

 

Hey Gato, here is a tip to keep you from going insane when you are trying to remove that rear wheel, there is a plate which holds the rear brake shoes, it's on the opposite side of the final drive, after you have disconnected the brake actuator rod and the torque arm, do not try to remove the brake backing plate from the wheel. You have to push the wheel away from the final drive to free the wheel from the drive splines, some times this easy to push other times it may have a little resistance, I had to wedge a wooden hammer handle between my drive shaft swing arm and the tire and used a mallet to rap on the tire right at the rear of the bike, then mine was freed. Once the wheel is freed from the final drive pull the wheel AND the brake backing plate out together. Trust us, and learn from other fools mistakes and you'll be one happy camper.

 

Well now I've got a general Idea of all the things I'll need to do to this bike for next riding season! I'm sure I'll have plenty more questions in the next few months down the road. I really hope it's a dependable start too. I never want to have to worry about that!

I can't wait for next summer. After a long winter of bringing the bike back to life, that first spring day of snow melt is going to feel like victory. I can't wait for the first ride. The first big turn with a down shift to second, and rolling on that throttle! Maintenance is half the fun and I'd like to keep the bike forever. As my first bike, and a classic too!

Thanks guys, my high-school dream gets closer every day, and feels much more real. And having the help of the experts will be a blessing! When I tell friends about this they think it's cool, but usually don't understand! It's nice to have a group who can relate.

 

YES. Even if you think you are familiar, take it. It's worth it for the practice, the atmosphere and the fee-less license acquisition.
And like Fitz said, don't assume it's ready to ride unless you have checked EVERYTHING.