83 Maxim 750 Cafe Project - New User Questions!

Hi guys, new to the forum, just recently got my 83 maxim 750.




I recently took off the front fender, and the chrome pieces along the seat. Today I ordered the Cafe Racer kit from Old Bike Barn, along with some cafe style mirrors. It included the clubman bars. I had a few questions regarding these mods:

Will the clubman bars work with that teardrop shaped tank on the maxim? I saw one guy that had them but said they wouldn't turn too far. Would I be better off with straighter drag bars?

Also, I saw someone had posted that with those bars it was necessary to have a different (longer, shorter?) throttle and brake cables. Is this true?

Thats about all I want to do with this bike...eventually repaint it primered black with some pinstriping. Also if anyone is interested in that fairing that comes in the kit from OBB, I don't want it but it was cheaper to get the entire kit. Let me know.

Anything I should know before tearing into this project?

Also, I can not get the brakes bled very well. I have spent over 4 hours and for some reason can not get any significant pressure built up with the brake lever. Have used a vacuum bleeder tool and done it the traditional way, still is soft. Is there a trick to doing this on this bike? Have never had such trouble!

Thank you in advance, this is a great forum!

 

My advice gets typed ... although I'd much rather have rubber stamps.

Master Cylinder Rebuild Kit.
Replace Fuse Panel.
Carb Intake Manifold Cap Screws are ~> SOFT STEEL <~ and will pretend to turn-out; then SNAP!
Check Alternator Brush Length 11mm Minimum.
Remove the 70's tech headlight bulb and do a 20th Century upgrade.
Take the Igniter and Voltage Regulator off the bike if you do welding.
YICS Tool Sync
Colortune Pilot Mixtures.

Repeat the 3rd item in the list and recite it out loud until it becomes a Mantra. If they don't break-loose they're going to break-off!

 

Hi Daxx. Regarding the Clubmans, I don't know for sure with a teardrop style tank, but Ease, another member, has his turned around so they go out towards the front. Thats on a Seca, so I'm not sure about the Max. On the forum list, go to the XJ modifications category and find the thread "83 Seca 650 Cafe Project". He has many pics of his way-cool bike and you can see how he has them set up.

As far as the cables, can't help ya there. I would look for someone on here that has done the cafe on a maxim.

Good Luck with your max!

 

IM interested in the fairing. PM sent.

 

I have "superbike" bars on my xj

They are low, but not as low as clubmans. I think they're about perfect. Anyway, They pretty much went on without a hitch. You have to position them just right so they don't hit the tank. I was able to reroute my cables so they still work properly, however the brake line gets put in a strange position, which will definitely not help your brake bleeding situation.

 

Hello, and welcome. It is a great forum - lits of people on here who know their bikes too well.

As far as the bars, I'm not completely sure about the setup on a maxim... but I do know that I never had any troubles with my cables being too long.
The only trouble with the stock cables is some rubbing of the tach cable on my front fender.
Also, I had to loosen and slightly turn the brake line from the master cylinder to clear the headlight - however I will soon be adding aftermarlet headlight mounts that should allow me to lower the headlight (and gauges), so I'll soon see if it makes the cable length a problem.

Good luck with the project!

- Ease

EDIT:
On closer inspection it appears that those cables are much longer then mine. If you want to use clubmans I would suggest running them "upside down" (I call it upside down because it's the opposite of how I have them mounted... but some say mine are "Upside down").
Your cables may still require a little zip-tying to keep them looking good, but I think it should all still work.

 

When you get the configuration and final "look" just right ... you'll need to something to the cables ... right?

The Throttle and Choke are NO Problem.
Just visit a High-Tech Bicycle shop and the "Bikeee-guy's" that do the Tuning and Truing can make-up any special-length cable you need in minutes ... or, hand you the stuff you need for a D-I-Y job that will look great.

Shortening the Clutch Cable is surgery.
You NEED a DREMEL and Cut-off Tool Wafers.

"Tin" the Cable with solder to prevent its unraveling.
Cut the Cable through at the Clutch Lever end.
Pull-out the Cable from the Sheath.
Prepare to make your cut through the cable sheath.
Measure twice.
Cut once ... through the Cable Sheath.
Slide some Heat Shrink tubing onto the Sheath ... far enough to not shrink until additional heat applications are complete.
Run the Cable back in.

Heat the Cable remnant on the lead Bullet and extract it for using on the new end.
(If its worn-out ... replace it with a new one ... Hardware Store or Lawn Mower-Small Engine Shop)

Finally, run the Heat Shrink to the end leaving a bit of exposed Sheath to fit the Knurl adjuster.
Shrink it.

You're a Customizer.
You already knew that though!