1981 Midnight Maxim 650

Hey all,

So i just found an 81 midnight maxim 650 for sale, and buddy's asking price is 150.
Bike LOOKS to be in decent shape except for headers/exhaust, and in his ad it says the bikes having "fuse issues", but that the engine ran great when it did start lol.



Thoughts?

-EM

 

The midnights seem to be a little more rare/special than the regular ones... maybe it's all the GOLD! Wreckers will sell the bike for more than that, and even if it doesn't run (which it doesn't, regardless of how PO says it used to run), you sell a few parts off it, and you have your money back. I'd grumble about the exhaust, the work that goes into replacing a fuse block, the complexity of cleaning 4 neglected carbs and offer 100 bux. Then, even if he says 150, I'd still buy it. It's only 150 bucks!

 

lol my thoughts exactly, but I really respect the opinions of the people on this site and wanted to take in what I can before making a choice.

Thanks,
-EM

 

I'm pretty close to you, EM. Where's the bike? Maybe I'll offer him 175! Ha Ha! Your kindergarden teacher lied! You should never share info on cheap XJs!

 

I jumped at the chance to buy a super corroded, non-midnight 650 with no pipes at all for $150. You have the better deal.

 

Also, it's Canadian funds... that's like 125ish in American! Woot!

 

Hahaha

 

Matti if I can't get it (wife won't let me) I'll get u the info
-EM

 

Tell the wife a truth...the tank is worth the asking price.

Gary H.

 

Yeah then it's a matter of getting the bike home.
Anybody have tricks for keeping the bike upright on a truck bed

 

Get two rachet tow straps (or one really long one) and wrap each side of the handlebars. Hook the straps into the corners of the truck bed, and crank down until you have the forks compressed a decent amount. Wedge a board behind the back wheel, and make sure the front wheel is up against the back of the bed.

 

Kick stand down as well I'm guessing

 

Doesn't have to be, but it's good practice. Rear stand too, if you can get it. Even better would be to have a second set of straps holding the rear end. Just to keep it from lateral sway.

 

I hauled bikes 100+ times with three straps. Two on the handlebars as BW mentioned, and one from either side of the bed wrapped around the rear wheel. Only using one for the front handlebars will make for a miserable load, its really hard to get upright without leaving the strap tight enough to prevent it shifting side to side.

If you've never moved a bike this way, you'd be surprised how sturdy the bike is with just two straps. Just make sure they are ratchet straps and not the "pull to tighten" ones. They'll make do in a pinch, but if you have the choice make the right one. For $150, I would jump on it.

XJ Action Shot:

 

Of course you could always just get more bikes.

 

Haha haha awesome...
Just ran it by the wife and to my surprise she may be on board lol.
She's taking my daughter to see family and will be gone for some time so I told her to think it over. No pressure

 

Double post. Oops.

 

Yeah! 28 and still looking

 

Play it safe. Two straps up front, soft-tied around each fork leg above the lower triple clamp; tow straps on the rear tied off to the grab bar. IF the rear slides enough the bike will go down; foru straps prevents that, and you can break one strap entirely and the bike will still stay upright long enough to stop and save it.