Newbie from Michigan.

Hey,

New to the forum, not so new to the XJ maxim world BUT I haven't been into them as far as I am on my current project. It's a 1981 650 Maxim that I have owned since 1991. It's been ignored in a barn since 1994 and it got pretty crusty from sitting.

I am reconditioning and restomoding it, very mild customizing.

It's coming along well, cleaning it up, repainting, repolishing, down to the bare frame that's going out for powder coating soon. I will be cleaning up some of the very few clunky design details on these beauties like the messy wiring, the headlight bucket that's a little too high (mine is bent up anyway)and I am blending out the gas tank seem weld. And since it seems next to impossible to get chrome parts in VGC and since most of the chrome on mine is pitted or missing, MOST of the original chrome stuff is going to be painted. (the taillight housing is in good shape! but that might be color matched too if it looks odd.)

Oh and deleting most of the excessive amount of "Yamaha" emblems on it. I count at least 13 emblems on something that's a little over 5 feet long! wow. The "MAXIM"s stay though.

I'm enthused!

This will also be the primer for the restoration of a 1961 Parilla "Wildcat Scrambler". In some ways it will be easier, in other ways more difficult.

Thanks in advance for answering any questions I will have,

Peganit2

p.s. I am going to paint the taillight housing. :wink:

 

No performance mods. I was thinking about "pods" mainly because the airbox's chrome cover just doesn't work aesthetically for me but after reading through this forum I'm keeping the YICS. I may mod the cover, but it's not a deal breaker on these.

The exhaust system is shot. It actually cracked in half when I was riding it back in the day, so I figure there are ZERO VGC used pipes and if there is an NOS system out there, it's going to be VERY expensive and fragile anyway.

How much of a performance loss and how much louder with these?;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-XJ650-Ma ... 27de5e3d43

 

Their are NOS parts out there, but the tally may be close to $800!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-YAMAHA-XJ65 ... 51a0be4f9e

http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-XJ650-MA ... 1c3a288052

I extrapolated.

Yep.

 

Personally I woud find a used exhaust that is in good shape, but cosmetically imperfect, and have it ceramic coated.

Jet-Hot
Jet-Hot isn't the only company doing ceramic coatings, but they have been doing it for a very long time.

Their 0100 silver looks almost like chrome.http://www.jet-hot.com/coatings/premium-colors/

 

Now there's a thought.

But I'd like a really good match for the bare aluminum that's left.

 

I suspect that the factory system gets brittle from the chroming process. Nitrogen embrittlement.

What's the coating on midnight maxim's exhaust?

And on a similar note, are the cylinder jugs different on Midnight Maxims? I'm painting my engine black with the ends of the cooling fins bare aluminum and it appeared it may be easier if I got a Midnight jug. The fin ends look machined.

 

get ahould of len of http://www.xj4ever.com/ he should have everything you need like ss brake lines rebuild kits brake shoes etc.

I tried to save a few bucks and ordered parts from a major supplier and ended up getting wrong parts and ended up costing me money...

I ordered all the parts the 2nd time from him they came fast got them installed and back on the road.

Also a buddy of mine does powder coating he has hi temp chrome looks great that may be an option for you.

 

Not ONE nut or bolt left on the frame. Cleaned and ready for some needed small repairs and a wee bit of "desnagging" and deburring. I do not like unecessary bleeding. I do like smooth.

The things I only notice when I take things apart; The right side rear spring/shock upper mounting stud is stripped and about a half inch shorter than the left side. (crash damage again?) I can get it off and make a new one fairly easy, but I'm second guessing myself as to what kind of steel I should use to make it out of. I love chrome moly but welding it can be tricky.

Plus there is a half round plate welded to the left lower tube, just to the front of the center stand, that I think was the kick stand mount at one time, but is now just two pieces of excess baggage in my eyes. Good guess? If that's all it is I'll just finish the job that stress and crashes started, cut it off and smooth it out.

After the repairs and smoothing, off to the powder coater! While that's away I'll keep plugging away at the details.

 

You can accomplish the same "look" with a sanding block and 800-wet sandpaper after the paint has cured.

RE: powder coating the frame-- powder coating is way cool, I have some powder-coated pieces on my Seca. However, powder coating can and will chip, and repairing it means re-baking the part.

You might want to consider painting the frame. Makes repairing minor stone chips much easier.

 

I am reconsidering fitz, as usual. I don't a have blast area and oven big enough to do the frame myself like the rest of the bike, but where I work do! (I HATE asking favors....) I may have to suck it up.

Just found this today. http://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalo ... l-coating/

Brushed on with a clear coat maybe AWESOME!

It ain't cheap tho! $250 a gallon, which is comparable to powder coating. $50 a quart.

(If the link doesn't work, copy and paste. Sorry!)

 

two formulas, Polyurathane and Epoxy.

I'm going for the poly.

 

For that price you could probably have it sprayed with Rhino Liner or something similar

 

Nahhhh.

 

90% of the medium/small black stuff is done. The gun in my blast cabinet is finished so I need a new one before finishing the other 10%.

Soon.

A nice and subtle detail. I sanded the DOT letters and numbers off of my taillight lens and front reflectors before polishing. 8)

 

Nope, won't be doing this on the frame, using the same VHT Satin Black caliper paint with the same prep that I've used on the rest of the details.

Follow the procedure and this stuff is HARD!!!!!!!!!!!

 

New sand blast gun is FANTASTIC! It cut blast time down by more than 50% at least. A key; a 5/8" syphon hose versus the 3/8" original one, on top of being all new. PLUS I can get replacement tips.

Kind of a bitch in my not so big cabinet, but WAY worth it.

I think I'll look for a more flexible 5/8" syphon hose.

 

So much time saved with it, I have my swingarm painted 3 hrs after punching out at work. And that includes payday business and finding this badboy gun!

$19.99 too at TSC.

 

Should this thread be transfered to another forum?

 

DuPont Imron industrial coating is very tough stuff and not terribly expensive. Very hard to chip or scratch and you can get in in high gloss, semi, or flat. You can get it in quarts as well so instead of a gallon.