Oppertunity to buy 1986 700 maxim questions.

I'm going to look at this bike tomorrow. I'm not sure what the miles are but it looks very clean for an 86' in the pics I have.
He's asking $600 for it but I'll probably take it for 450-500 as he puts right in the add he has a baby and needs it gone ASAP. It has a carb issue or so he thinks. He's had the carbs cleaned and professionaly hot tanked and the bike floods out. I asked and he's never replaced the needles, bowls, seats or jets. My guess is either he's got the float set wrong or the needles are just shot.
Is there anything else that you guys know of that might cause this and also anything particular to this model bike to look out for? I've browsed a couple posts and mostly I see generic stuff like fork seals, tires ect. Any bike specific issues I should know about?
This would be the first cruiser I'd own. I have a CBR currently which I'd hang on to. Always nice to have two bikes.

 

Whatever you end up spending, plan on another 6-800 to get it back up to snuff both mantince and safety wise for a 30 year old bike.

Ex: brake pads, lines, carbs, tires, plugs, valves, filters, seals, etc...

If you do buy it, post some pics and stick around!

 

I know about older bike. My Honda is a 92' but it's been pretty good. No seal issues or anything although it only had 8000 on it when I bought it.
It seems the valves are a lot more high maintenance on these XJ's but I can do the job myself so shouldn't be to much of an issue.
I'm mostly worried about bad rings or burnt valve something along that nature but it doesn't seem to be to common on these engines so hopefully things will work out. So long as its in decent shape and doesn't have a ton of miles I'll probably get it.

 

Bring a compression tester and see if it blows good numbers (145's for example)

See if the fuse box has been butchered, read the tire date codes off to the guy (learn how first) These are valid negotiating points. If it looks REALLY clean, it might be worth the $600.

Flooding carbs can be fixed with 1500 grit sandpaper and some patience at NO expense - - we'll tell you after you buy it.

 

Welcome to the site... I'd look for:
Can he provide any maintenance records? Last time valve shims spec'd? If it won't start due to flooding, at least take along a compression guage to review compression. Otherwise, open the airbox under the seat - shine a flash in there -- stick your nose in there? It will likely smell like gas if the floats aren't seating the float needles, but does the paper look oily or greasy? Or is the filter relatively clean? Again, since it isn't currently running, ask him to pop off the carbs and to remove a bowl to see what's going on -- I've heard guys can easily make a mistake and install the floats upside down and this is a relativle simple fix.

Does the "choke" mechanism at least mechanically appear to work? -- While the seat is off inspect and open the FUZ box? Is it a rat's nest with jiggered circuits added? All fuses in-place?

I'd try to find some way to make it run... I'd be nervous buying w/out hearing/seeing the motor run?

Hope this helps?

 

It will start and run he says. I guess it floods out once it warms up. I do have lot of auto experience (former tech) and a bit of motorcycle as well. I got my CBR cheap for the same problem except this guy say it flooded. Just hoped I'd have it before it did. It leaked gas all over. Upon closer inspection I noticed he had plugged both carb vent tubes thinking they where vacuum lines. Got him to knock 400 off the bike then told him what he did after he signed the title over. I might of not stole the bike from him had he not tried to dupe me.
I really like the looks of this magna though. Hopefully it'll be worth buying.

 

Another question. Does this bike need an adapter for the compression test?

 

It is 14mm so any comp guage at that size or an adapter to get that size is required

 

For 450-500, just go buy the bike and play with it after you get it home.

Dave Fox

 

I have a question for you Jeff532003, is it the 700 maxim, or the 700 Maxim-X? Is it air cooled (700 Maxim) or is it water cooled (700 Maxim-X)?

 

I think it's the air cooled version. I have two good pics of the engine and headers and I see no radiator. The heads also have good sized cooling fins. Not sure if they'd of been different on the liquid cooled engine.

 

If you don't see a radiator, which would be right above the exhaust pipes, you have an airhead. Get it, and you have just acquired one of the more unique xj's. This style was only available in 85 and 86.

Also, if I understand correctly, the production numbers for the airheads were actually less than the liquid-cooled ones. Though the X is often considered the more desireable one, probably cuz its the 'hotrod' of them.

dave

 

It is the air head. I wound up taking it home for 400 bucks. The tanks got a dent in it and it needs a little cleaning but there's no rust at all and she looks like someone loved her a lot at one time.
There's a flooding issue and I can already tell its going to be all new breaks, rebuild, ss lines and eventually pads and rotors. Defintiely needs a tube of chrome polish once she's running but cosmetically for a 27 year old bike it looked pretty good. 19000 on the clock so valves will have to be done also.
For the pluses the bike has brand spanking new dunlops on it. They've seen one trip up and down his road cause of the carb issue. He also gave me his vaccuum synch gauge set for nothing. The seat is spotless Not and rip or wear make on it
I'm on hour 30 since I last slept so she's still on the truck but I'll post pics tomorrow.

 

Btw did they come stock with the dual exhaust?
It's pretty darn sweet looking.

 

Yup, stock dual exhaust. If you wanna see a nice one go to my gallery, or anyone else's for that matter.............

For the tires, the seat, and the guages, you got your money back right there plus some.....the rest of the bike is free with the purchase of those other parts! Good job, man.

The 700 in my gallery was purchased as a non-running parts bike a couple hours from my house. The fellow said he'd help push it onto the truck, but I said I wanted to tinker a bit and see if I could get it running enough to ride it up. He said it hadn't run in a couple years, plus the battery was getting low. Long story short, I putzed around about 15 minutes, and then rode it around the block and onto the truck. It probably wasn't the nicest thing to do in front of him, but since I had already handed him the cash, it was mine to do whatever, so I did. It's not ready for a trophy yet, but it's pretty darn close now, though, and it's my second-main ride.

You'll fall in love with yours, too, I'm sure.

Dave F

 

Just as a point of interest I had a friend who bought a maxim 750 air cooled around the same time I got My 750 Maxim X. We had a rolling start race and it hung with me pretty good until top gear...they are a quick ride also....

 

I've heard they are quick. Of course it doesn't have davidson in its name so it should go pretty good :lol:
My main bike is a 92 cbr600f2 so I have plenty of speed there. This one I bought more for just riding around on and enjoying the ride. That one is for enjoying the road although I don't ride it to hard most of the time.