best forum

Hi All, Newbie here but not to bikes. Been riding 44 years and love it! I've owned many bikes but my favorite is the XJ maxim. I bought a 1981 yamaha 650 maxim brand new and owned it 22 years. Sold it, bought a Sportster and hated that bike, then I liked it, after I got used to it. Sold it after 6 yrs. on it. Now I bought a 1983 750 maxim with only 10,000 original miles. The maxim was not a pretty bike when I got it... She is a beauty now!
You cann't ask for a better forum! Thanks to all that contribute.

 

+1
This is a great fourm.

 

There has been a few that have cursed this forum and XJ's because they didn't follow the advice given. They wanted to take short cuts and do things cheap. If you listen to members like BigFitz and RickComatic (the XJ gods), you will have a great bike.

 

This is one of my favorites in that category: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=36333.html

That, or the guy that wants a typhoon to wipe out the Hitachi factory in revenge for products they produced 30 years ago.

And thanks for the kudos. We try.

 

That was some good reading!

The reason I chose this site is to LEARN from the ones that KNOW more than me. I look forward to coming here, when a problem arises, and see how others took care of it! I just got a box of goodies from Len to fix those 30 yr. old front brake lines and calipers. Knowing what could happen with the old lines, convinced me to get rid of the rubber lines!

 

Well of course. It really doesn't take THAT MUCH "doing" to rebuild the brakes, get (and keep) the valves in spec, and properly refurb and set up the carbs. Plus every gasket you disturb, some wheel bearings and a seal here and there (like the forks) and you've got a newer-than-new spec bike that's just as reliable (if not moreso) than the day it rolled out of the showroom.

For EASILY 1/4 the price of a new bike, even less. Spend $2500 or $14,000? Work on it myself, or gotta pay the dealership? The new bike is way faster than it ever will need to be; the old bike gets 30% better fuel economy... hmmm...

The ONLY "caveat" is you gotta do it yourself. If you want to bad enough, you can learn how even if you knew nothing coming in.

I'm kind of proud of the number of "self" trained motorcycle mechanics this site has produced in the last five+ years.

Plus there are a whole lot more XJs back on the road, being ridden and enjoyed. This site has seen a lot of successful resurrections and restorations. My congratulations to each and every one of you that hung in there and overcame all of the issues to emerge with a reliable, fun bike. Good job.

It was worth it, wasn't it?

 

I read all seven pages. Lol... what bike did he get??? Hope he did good. You can read my new post about my bro. I have my xj which I ride and love to ride. She not the prettiest but cosmetics are the last on the list. I just got a brand new tail light for my bike. Well it looks new lol. 20$$$$. What do you think one for a new bike will cost???

 

I bought my Maxim in '05 for $1400 and I have spent at least that much for repairs, up-grades and maintenance since then. Last April, I bought an '89 Radian for $400 and have dropped $900 for tires, battery, brakes, fork seals, handlebars, grips, fuse panel, carb parts, valve shims and miscellaneous hardware. And I'm not done yet. Still want to do a complete re-do of the front brake system, new steering bearings and new chain and sprockets.
There has to be a 12-step program for people like me that spend that kind of money on an "old" bike.

 

Between both of them, you're still not even halfway to the price of a new bike. And once complete, they can be every bit as turn-key reliable. I don't see the downside.

 

If you really want to spend money on refurbishing an old bike, go hunt youself up something that was built in the 1920's or earlier. It's even more fun if they went ouf of business a few years after the machine was built.

 

Don't get me wrong. I don't mind spending the money on them. I LOVE having two bikes that very few people in this area have. They go nicely with my 84 Buick Regal and 52 Ferguson tractor.
And would you put me in your will? I'd love to inherit one of those Secas. I prefer the black one, but I'll settle for the white. :wink:

 

Welcome to the forum Painter. Since no has asked yet, I will. Let's see some pictures! Everybody loves pictures. Especially of motorcycles.

 

Picture of my bike. I am the 3rd owner. The last owner only had it for about a year. He said it sat 20 years in a garage, with only 8,000 miles on it. It looked like it was smashed several times. Dented gas tank, bent handlebars, broke turn signals and side stand. The worst was knowing the mufflers were not rusted but the baffles were broke out and dented from the inside, why did they do that? I took them off and turned them up, Pieces of burnt wood came out. I guess a mouse called it home for years.
http://i881.photobucket.com/albums/ac20 ... f39d18.jpg

 

OK, can anyone tell me why the picture did not show up, but click on photo bucket. I am computer terrible and this is the first time trying to post a picture. I copied and paste to the post.

 

Copy: Direct Link

Click the Image button above the text box on this forum

Paste the link

Click: OK

 

Bike looks great Welcome, and yes Fitz, Rick, Len et-al deserve a lot more thanks than they get for all they contribute. Thank God some people still do things for the sheer love of it or we'd all be stuck...

 

Thanks All! The bike is now getting stainless steal lines and complete brake job. There was alot of gunk in the lines and looks like the brake fluid was never changed in 30 yrs. Master cylinder cleaned out, and good shape, and rebuilt calipers.

 

Rebuild the master cylinder, as in new seals; just cleaning it out won't cut it.

A "complete" brake job HAS TO BE truly complete; otherwise you've just created a new "weak link" in the system. Rebuild the calipers, replace the lines but ignore the M/C seals and they will be your point of failure.

 

Thanks bigfitz, I just wasn't thinking about how the rubber seals could be so weak from all theses yrs. Len will get another order shortly!

 

Go whole-hog.
Do a front brakes full monte!

Have Len send you stainless-wrapped lines with new Banjos and Washers.