Why do XJ's rock so hard?

Why does everyone love our bikes so much, I originally bought my bike for less than a grand in hopes of learning on it and going onto buying a nice BMW or CB from the same ERA, everyone I have talked to suggests this will end in only dissapointment, and I have yet to be dissapointed with anything on my bike, aside from the amount of time it will take to restore, so what do you guys think? Why is there such a cult following for these bikes? is it because they are mroe reliable? Affordable?
Everyone and their brother has a CB, and for my cc's I seem to get alot more power, and no one I have talked to has cited these bikes as unreliable, is it the DOHC that makes the difference?
What makes your bike the right one for you, why did you decide on an XJ?
Why didn't they make more of them/sell more of them in the 80's?
also anyone know what they retailed for brand new?

 

There are a lot of them on the used market cheap but I got the Seca because I already had several Yamahas and a lot of the parts will interchange.

 

It was cheap and available, kinda like that girl in high school.

I bought it becaue I was desperate to get back on the road and had little cash. At $500, it was certainly affordable, although I've probably spent over twice that amount on rectifying it's many shortcomings. Frankly, I'm not terribly happy with this bike. I dislike the styling, the crap suspension (fixed), the crap brakes (fixed), the wind turbulence (made worse with the new windshield), complexity, weight, lack of torque (small motor), and oil leaks. Having said that, it pulls like a train at highway speeds, and has a certain nostalgic appeal. I guess I was spoiled owning a near mint 900, so the turbo suffers in comparison. This is the second Yamaha I have owned. I used to think they were crap before I owned one (too many 4th places in magazine comparison ads during the 90's I guess, like that has any bearing on real life..). I'd gladly have another 900 in good shape. The 650 Maxim is probably the nicest looking of them all. I have an odd appreciation for the 400 Seca for some reason, although I'd never own a bike that small anymore. Styling wise, they are miles ahead of anything Honda was building at the time, in my opinion anyway, barring the 750 Seca, which has styling I just can't quite warm up to (dons fireproof suit). Personally, I'd take a Suzuki GS from that period over an XJ, but as I don't plan on buying anything this old ever again if I can help it, that's mostly a moot point. If I can ever swing it, I'll probably have a ZRX1200, or Bandit 1200 for my next bike, although both would be dropped in favour of an XJR1300 if they were ever sold over here.

 

Oh yeah, I think the Turbo went for $4995 back in 82, which made it one of the most expensive bikes they sold.

 

Maybe it is because most of us seem to be from that erra and wanted one back then but couldn't afford one. Now we seem to be having our second childhood and can afford one now. Because they are so inexpensive. (I traded a winch that I had 200.00 in for mine) Parts are getting harder to find, but where there is a will thare is a way. I for one like my xj quite well. Price was right and fuel is expensive. Maybe we have a cruiser bike that has all the power of a croch rocket. Everyone probably has their own reason, but this is my story and I'm sticking too it. Wife thinks I'm nuts.

 

They stuck what was (and became later) a sportbike inline-4 into a standard/cruiser frame. You can see the evolution of the seca/yzf600r from the xj650 engine through the genesis engines... and you can see the divergance of the first Viragos (very similar frames) from the xj maxim.

The xj heart went into many bikes - but - the do it all nature of the XJ is what makes it so enduring and endearing. It can tour, sport and cruise. One bike, every role.

Woot.

 

my story is not one of greatness by any means, but it's mine. I found mine wrecked with bad front end damage and begging for a new home in a salvage yard. She cost me a whopping 300.00, and she started on the spot. I bought it took er home and started my homework. I have turned a wrench for a few years on cars and bikes, but still had to do my study time on this model. I looked around to see what I coould find, came across parts, bought em put her back together. This isn't my first bike, but it is my first XJ. There is something to say about this little bike of mine. Hasn't left me stranded, great power, good styling, and with enought searching I am sure the parts to keep her in the family for when my boys grow older. I wasn't an XJ junky before I bought her, but I am now and always will be... take it easy everyone.

 

I started out on my fathers '79 CB 750, I thought it was the best thing on two wheels when I started, and I saved my money to get one just like it. Until I came accross an XS400 for next to nothing with no miles on it, so I bought that did a few cosmetic fix ups, drove the hell out of it and loved it. So when I sold it and tripled my money I went looking for a bigger XS, but they are hard to find, I lucked into my 650 max, got on it gave it a quick test drive and fell in love. I wouldn't trade it for anything, Like everyone else says having an old bike has its drawbacks, but it has everything you could want in a bike, power, style and comfort. My fathers CB is slower, has less power and really isn't as comfortable. I know I would be kicking my ass if I had bought a CB and not My Maxim

Well thats my longwinded story

 

I see that MacMcMacmac and I share a lust for the same European Yamaha! I rather it had a shaft drive but...... thar ain't nuthin' else wrong wit it!

 

The engines on the XJ-Series Bikes didn't get designed by a team starting with a clean sheet of paper.

They took the design that was winning all those races for Yamaha and started with the blueprint of a race-proven engine and made a few refinements!

The engines, when the maintenance schedule is strictly adhered too, are damn-near bullet proof and hard to kill. But, some people managed to ruin them, chiefly out of neglect or being reckless and having an accident.

If you wrench, and have had to knock one of these engines down, to swap a bent shift fork out for a heavy-footed or frustrated non-wrencher (who jumped on the shift lever to get it into first ... rather than adjust the clutch) you marvel at the engineering; while cursing about all the bolts and fasteners needing to be undone and removed.

These engines are "Over-built". If Harley-Davidson had as many bolts holding their engines together as Yamaha XJ-Bikes ... Harley's wouldn't leak!

Think about that the next time you are zooming down the highway on the nearly 25-year old bike you bought for 2-grand (or less) and see nearly 30-thousand dollars worth of domestic made motorcycle with smoke coming out of some place it shouldn't and it's owner cursing the day he bought it ... as he watches you fly by on your XJ, with that shit-eating grin all over your face!

 

Well, my XJ was a gift from a family member. It only needed minor work after being stored for several years.
I had been "in the market" looking for a cheap fix-er-uper and this deal just landed in my lap and I could not pass it up.
After getting to know this bike I say that I like the fact that it has character.
The type of character not like a brand new bike but one that has a different look and a different ride than most bikes on the road today.
Whatever I drive, it tends to be the uncommon car or truck. I don't like being like everyone else all the time. This bike gives me individuality.
Crazy huh?

 

I scored my beloved XJ from a Parts Only advert in the San Diego Tribune. "$120 parts only doesn't run" it read. Being I was stuck on the biggest screw-up that Suzuki ever fielded up untill that time (a very lame GS550T), I was itching for something with a better torque curve. I popped by the gents house to find, aside from the slight rash on the right tail pipe, a near new 650 Maxim (18K as I recall). The fella dropped it a month before and had replaced the handle bars. Bike wouldn't run for love nor money and he had paid some "buddy" hard cash to find the problem. Pinched kill switch wire in the cluster. I electrical taped the wire and was on my way. Never let me down (well, there was this cold night in Sacramento when I learned about starter button corrosion), docile as could be, very forgiving handling character, I couldn't believe my good fortune. Grunt when I needed it, easy on gas, cheap on insurance, single sailor in San Diego, what wasn't to like? I've grown more and more fond of the old girl over the years and have intensions to finish restoring her this year (if only the days would stop flying by so I could catch up). Wife made the deal, any bike I wanted, ANY price, if I would sell my old Yamaha's. Nothing doing I said. I can ride them reliably, repairs (when warranted) are inexpensive (reasonably so far, but give it time) and easy (you don't want to get me started on my VF750F). Shaft drive whine is music to my ears and a lot easier on my maintenance schedule (not to mention easier on my laundry, tacky cling oil my eye). Why do I keep her? She ain't the most beautiful on the block, but she loves me. And I wouldn't trade that for anything.

 

My brother bought my XJ used in '83 with only a couple thou on it and proceded to flog the snot out of it over the next fifteen years, going to North Dakota several times, Northern Minnesota and other exotic foreign lands, racking up over 40,000 trouble-free miles before he bought another bike. It sat forlorn in the corner of his garage until I decided I was ready to get back into street riding after a rather long hiatus. I cleaned the mouse excrement out of the airbox along with the shredded air filter bits, installed a new battery, and rode it home.
Why do they rock? They have character, that's why. They're hard to kill. They have nice, artistic lines and they're light and nimble.

 

"It can tour, sport and cruise. One bike, every role.".....Well said.

 

"It can tour, sport and cruise. One bike, every role.".....Well said.

 

Hi all. Just got the bike 2 weeks ago (oficially my first bike), an '82 Maxim 750. It is a bit of a nostalgia thing for me. One of my friends bought one new around the time I got out of college. I started to get the bug, but I had no money and the parents were VIOLENTLY against bikes so I figured I'd just wait. Later I moved away and got busy with career etc and bike lust didn't recur until earlier this year. Took my MSF BRC and a few weeks later, the local paper had an '82 Maxim for sale.

I'd kinda decided on a Honda Sabre of similar vintage, but I gave the Maxim a look anyway. Rode it, liked it, bought it. Then I got an '84 Sabre 700 as well! Not sure which I like better, but what an exiting time the '80s were in bikedom (UNLIKE cars)! So much new technology was coming out, new stuff was smoother, faster and more reliable. The shaft drive is soooooo nice and these are bikes that don't weigh that much, unlike the modern shaft drive rides.

I agree with all above posters about the versatility of these bikes. Right now, the Maxim seems to handle better than the Sabre, but the Sabre needs tires pretty badly. The Maxim has a wicked cool exhaust note when you wind it up and more than enough power. I can't wait to fix a few minor glitches with this bike, but so far I'm really happy with it.

 

My Maxim is my first bike and i care for it more than anything. This bike is absolutely fun to ride and dont think i will ever outgrow it. My uncle used to own this bike, but when he had kids he stored it away for 15 years instead of selling it. I never understood why he would keep a motorcycle for that long without riding it until i started riding it. Even though some of the parts are really showing their age (brakes, wires, seat, etc) and the motor doesnt run as well as it should (rattling cam chain), i dont think i will sell the bike either.

 

After many years of still not having my old British sports car restored in the spring, I decided to buy a bike to get me through teh next few summers till it was done.
Really I wanted something British, style-wise, but since I was already knee-deep in wrenching on the car, forced myself to go Japanese for reliability.
So started looking on the net. Honda? way too perfect. Suzuki and Kawasaki both still represent noisy two strokes from my youth, so they didn't appeal.
Ahh, Yamaha. The styling of the XJ hit the mark for me. As a first time bike driver, the 650 seemed big enough, and it is under some size threshold to keep the insurance down. The shaft drive really seemed like a big bonus, and when I found one with 21,000 km on it I sprang for it.
Since then the only other thing I have driven is a 1650 cc Harley and it's apples and oranges, no point in comparing.
I have gradually gotten into customizing...painted it a Jaguar green, changed the exhaust to a black system, bought a cool looking seat kit, have started making up saddlebags out of old ammo boxes...
So, style, reliability, size, ease of customizing, and not least, support from the likes of this message board, have kept my very happy with my decision.
Jim
PS I have done lots and lots of wrenching over the years and am competent to do just about any repair, and one of the best features of this bike has been that I don't have to! It just starts and goes!

 

I've had a lot of bikes thru the years, all yamahaulers. I really have nothing bad to say about any of them. From my radians to my very much missed thunder ace and now a maxim x that I bought last winter. Even the old yamaha ym dirtbikes and bw bigwheel were great and reliable fun. Yamaha has made some great bikes! Most of which stemed from the xj platform. (except your v-twins and v-fours and singles) Sure honda,kawasaki and suzuki made some incredible rides as well, but I feel yamaha was was always ahead of its time, and the old 80's technology carries itself very well even twenty some odd years later! Its been fun,(and frustrating) getting this old maxim x back in shape, It does everything so freekin well. Its a bike I had wanted to buy since they came out in 85, but at 16 and a student, I just didnt have the money and didnt want to give up my dirtbikes either. since then I had sworn to myself that someday I will get that maxim x, and now that Ive scored one I'll drive it till it it wont go no mo.

 

Oh yeah...I totally agree with you macmcmac,that xjr 1300 is one fine piece! Why they dont send that thing here to the USA has me scratchin my head. Especially in the midst of the "naked bike" finally catchin on here. Come on Yamaha... what the hell are you waiting for??

 

Like many other stories, I got my XJ650 for 300$ canadian. It had been parked in a shed for many(10ish) years, but it seemed in a good condition for the year. After a more detailed inspection, a saw that while it was in a ridable condition, the frame was bent from an old crash from it's younger days. I rode 13 000Km my first year on the bike even if things didn't align perfectly.
Now, I bought a straight frame for it, put some new carb holders, took the air box out and placed pod filters, Changed the clutch friction and steel plates and springs.
I'd also like to find a good exhaust for it but they seem to want 400$ for a complete system. I'm gonna keep an eye out for a good factory system, someday they might pop out cheaper!

I love it as my first bike because 1.cheap 2.cool looks 3.plenty of power 4.shaft drive! 5.an 1982 it's older then me and still runs great! 6. great seat for two riders 7.great steering( I did change to tappered bearings)

You got to ride one to really enjoy it!

I can't wait for the summer months to arrive so I can start riding again! My 1995 Hunduai accent is starting to get boring!

 

Well I got to pipe in. I got my 82 750 from a guy for $1200 last july. It had 14,000 original miles on it. The only thing I ddi not like about it was the 80's candy apple red. Off to the paint shop and put a cadilac pearl white on it. I had to put the old Yamaha emblems on it though because t looked too white. Will paint more on it the summer. I got 19k on it now and am lovin every minute. Sometimes I look at the newer stuff then I remember I am riding payment free. The guy I bought it from even had the passenger back rest that I put on a couple of weeks ago just for a change of looks. These bikes may not be as quick as the newer stuff but they still get you where you are going .

 

I shouldn't even tell you that i bought my 900 from a college kid that needed some hard cash in a hurry ... so, I gave him $150.00 for the Seca-900.

I thought $150.00 for a bike that needed a battery and an ignition switch was a sweet deal. Oh, sure ... now that everything's overhauled, rebuilt and painted nice ... the bike's a sweetie and I love it ... but, I never thought I see any kind of a deal like that again ...

Until the guy called me and asked me to "Haul-away" the Ugly-looking '83 750 Midnight Maxim with less than 11,000 miles on it. He gave me the keys and the title ... a free bike.

I am about to re-shape the seat this weekend and just ride it until it gets too cold, again ... next Winter.

It's done. There's nothing left to do, but change the oil and wash it.

1 - 900 ... and, 1 - 750 ... for a total of a hundred-fifty-bucks!

 

well I wasn't locking for a xj I was looking for a v-star so I could start riding with my buddies. was saving up money but wanted to ride now. I was working one night patrolling and saw a 81 xj 650 maxim for sale liked the way it looked and bought it for a good deal until i could save up for the v-star. fell in love with it and that was two years ago and still have not gotten the v-star. I ride with my buddys with their new v twin bikes all the time still plan on getting a vstar just not in a hurry now cause I love riding the xj so much. have no plans of getting rid of it eather.

 

This is an interesting discussion.

I got my Canadian XJ650RJ on eBay. Like many others, I got it because I wanted something to learn on. Never dreamed I'd fall in love with these bikes.

I paid $950 and haven't looked back.

The funny thing is that I thought I needed to upgrade, so I bought several other bikes as you can see below. I bought the Goldwing because I wanted something more comfortable for longer rides. After putting tons of miles on both bikes, I've determined that the Seca is every bit as comfortable as the Wing. I've done 300+ mile days on the Seca and not had a problem. It seems counterintuitive to me. The Seca seat doesn't look comfortable but it really is. I need to get off the Wing at least once an hour.

I think what really separates the Seca from the Wing is weight. It's just so much more relaxing sometimes to not have to deal with the extra several hundred pounds.

I don't mean to insinuate that I don't like the Wing, but if I had to pick one, it would be the Seca.

I bought the Harley because I got a really good deal on it. It's by far the most uncomfortable bike I've ever ridden. After 30 minutes, I literally get spasms in my thighs from the uncomfortable position.

After falling in love with the 650 I came across the Turbos. While I can certain understand Macs problems with his, I really like them. I have no illusions that it would compete with a modern sport bike. It is, however, a blast to ride and I love showing up somewhere with a bike that no one ever recognizes.

Someday I hope to add a Maxim to my collection, but for now, I just love my XJs. Comfortable, reliable, cheap, nice styling. Aside from the fact that parts are a little hard to come by, I really have no complaints.

Thank goodness there's a site like this where we can share info to keep so many of these machines rolling.

Greg

 

I got mine from a buddy. He got the bike cheap because he wanted to learn how to ride... got on a jetski, fell in love with that, and the bike sat in the garage for a few years.

I wanted to get back into riding, and got it even cheaper from him because his wife wanted it out of the garage. When I got it rolling, hopped on a remembered why I wanted to ride again. I plan on getting a newer, perhaps more reliable bike, but I'm not in a hurry.

 

Gee, I bought my 650 Seca from the local dealer in 1982 and I keep it in the condition that it arrived in. I've upgraded the brakes & cables, added Krauser bags, a small fairing, Continentals, etc. The perfect sport-tourer. Which my son expects to be riding (he's 16), while I'm on my Voyager. Junior has to agree to keep the Seca as spotless as I have for the last 25 years.

Marc the Librarian

 

If I was a 16-year-old kid, again ... with a Motorcycle-Jones ... I'd promise to love it and handle it with care, polish and buff it -- every night.

 

Are you kidding? Polish it? hrmph... I'd keep it in my bedroom!

I found my first one in '90 under a carport. The owner had lowsided it in '85, and there it sat for five years because he was scared of it. I traded a microwave, a radar detector, and five hundred bucks for it. After getting it running, it needed paint. I shot it with a eatatjoz original zebra stripped paint job, and rode it for years until it died in a fire. It was one heck of a step up from my cb360t.
I loved that bike.

A few years ago I was working on someone's garage door, and there was a bike under a tarp in the front yard with the headlights showing. Yup, 750 Seca, I'd know those headlights anywhere!
I gave him $75 bucks and he gave the the title.
A mini-van took that one from me, but I still have his heart in my four-wheeler.

Wanted: Yamaha 750 Seca, cheap. I promise to give it a loving home, and if it doesn't leak oil, it can stay in the living room with my Vmax. :wink:

 

yeah I bought the XJ550 last year for 1000 running, but needed some maintenance. That is now done and it is 300% better. It is my first bike and I bought it as a "who cares if I dump it learning" type bike, but now it has become more to me.

I just got wind that a local shop is cleaning up an XS1100 Midnight all black with gold trim. Fully re-built motor with porting and polishing done running a little rough, but apparently just needs a tune up which he is currently doing. Then that will be on the market. Unfortunate thing is he plans on charging about $2300-$2800 for it. It looks sweet....ohhhh so tempting.

 

I was introduced to these almost accidentally...

A good friend wanted to get a bike and I had suggested he get something late model around 250cc's cause that's all he really needs.... So one day he turns up on my doorstep with an 81 550 asking if I can do front brakes, fork seals and a couple of other small jobs. Me being me I said "Yea sure". Put it in my garage, take the tank off her and call my mate back and say "Can you take this piece of shit back?" To which he said "No"...

So 3 months later, near complete strip down, repaint, repair, replace and good old general cleanup it finally leaves my garage and still does not suit him so I sell it and all the parts off the parts bike, keep the cash and give him my 04 GN250 that is a lot less work and fairly reliable for a "Put gas in and go" kind of person that he is.... Pics in my gallery.

Next thing you know I have a 900 and 5 650's.... sheesh how'd that happen????

 

I loved my 650 Turbo when I purchased it new in 83, and after a year I was rear ended and the bike totaled.

Ever since I have always wanted another. The bike spoke to me like no bike since, even my very loved BMW.

Finally I found another and will pick it up on Saturday.

I am hoping my memories of the bike are not too distorted. And though I am not stupid enough to believe the bike will be nearly as powerful, or handle/stop as well as a modern bike, I know that 24 years after riding my turbo for the last time, it will definitely bring me home!

Jim

 

"Got-tamm"

Some of us are actually tuned-up good and ready to hit-the-road ... hard, this season.

It ain't no Turbo ... but, I can lolly-gagging around in third ... and twist this baby wide open ... and ...

she sings: Woa-are-uh-wha-way-weh-waa-wah-wee-eeeeeeeeeee!

That and a little hint of middle-gear whine ....

You're rockin'

 

After a 90% succesful carb cleaning, sync´ed and colortuned, progressives springs and - shocks it´s a blast riding my Maxim. I actually feel like it´s 2 bikes in one:

The one I ride relaxed in the 2000 to 4500/5500 rpm range - and the one I race on (when surroundings permits) - keeping it between 3500/4500 and redline and experiencing the area between max torque (7500) and max HP (9000) - accompanied by the "wroooaaaarhh" starting around 6000 8) I must admit it makes me feel "tough" (MUAHA-HA-HAA 8) 8) 8)

 

my first brand new bike was an 82 750 seca.
bought it as a holdover in 85....think i paid 2800.
the dealer i bought it from said i would love it.
he was right. i felt like luke skywalker on that baby.

even today i think that was the most fun and comfortable to ride bike i have ever owned. back in that era....it was the shizzle 8)

i put a k&n stage 3 kit on it and a supertrap exhaust . once i got er dialed in.....20 boxes of spark plugs later :lol: :lol: that baby would howl 8O

sold it to a friend of mine several yrs later.....he totalled it and dang near killed himself.

 

Back in my first riding era, I had a Yamaha RD350. It was the most amazing handling, quickest little bike you could imagine. I blew the engine one day and that was that for 23 years. In the meantime, I had a couple other bikes, recently a VStar 1000 and a Venture Touring bike.

I sold the VStar and was picking up the buyer so he could ride it back home. His next door neighbor had this XJ550 Seca outside idling. I had always admired the euro Seca styling of the Yamaha late 70's early 80's UJMs.

I complimented him on it, and he said it was for sale for $1300. I had a brand new $4000 burning a hole in my pocket, so I took it for a test spin and decided there was nothing I could not fix, so we shook hands on $1000.

It reminds me of the the RD350 with it's nimble handing. Not as quick, but plenty fun.

It and me are gonna be best pals.