Pricing help would be awsome please....

Hello everyone,

I hope this is the right forum, but if it isn't, then I hope you don't punish the new guy.

I am planning on joining this wonderful community (as I have read the forums for a week now) by buying a 1980 XJ650 Maxim...or at least thats the plan. This bike is in reasonably good condition, mainly just dirty, no dents, good paint and chrome (if shined and washed). 32K km. Although I will need to get new tires and a battery for sure.

So after that, your wondering what in the world I'm talking about. Well I would like to know how much I should offer to buy this bike for. The seller wants $2000CDN, my dad is thinking I should buy it for no more then $1450CDN.

THIS IS MY FIRST BIKE.

Do you guys have any suggestions for me. How much money is too much for it, what I should look for problem wise in this bike, etc.

The more help the better, and the faster too. I'm hoping to get it soon (in a few days).

Thank you all.

(P.S. let me know if you want more info, I'll try to see what I can dig up/remember)

 

Welcome to the site Yeshua!

Any pictures of the bike in question? (hard to quote price without seeing bike) Here's a few things to think about, I'm sure others will add to my list!

When was the last time it was registered and mobile? (old gas gums up the carbs - carb dismantle and clean)
Has it been sitting for years? (engine seized? old gas gumming up the fuel system)
Does it start and idle now? (back to old gas gums up the carbs)
Does the starter engage the engine or just whir? (possible starter clutch problem - split case to fix)
How does it sound if running? (exhaust system, valve chatter)
Does it smoke? (burning oil)
Does it shift into 1st and 2nd gear okay? (known problem to cause it to not shift/pop out of 2nd - split case to fix)
All the parts there? (possible future expense and hassle finding parts)
Gas tank rusty? (extra work cleaning up to stop carb problems)
Original glass style fuse panel? (found under the seat and prone to failure)

Just remember it is 27 yrs old. Overall these bikes are pretty solid and have good performance. I love my XJ750 Seca.

In my neck of the woods hard to find anything below $1500 to $1800!

 

Well lets see what I can remeber/know.

Unfortunately I have no pictures, so I know it would be hard to tell how good it is (just like me and my saxophones, got to see them to brag about them).

The old license plate on the bike currently is an 04'. So most likely it hasn't been moved a whole lot (and thats what is sounds like too).
We did start it, and it idled just fine to my ears, but because of the battery being virtually dead, it wouldn't turn on when we had hoped to actually take it for a test drive.
The exhaust system sounds about right....not a big harley....but not a whiney ninja either.
I did not see any visable exhaust as I recall.
I know that it shifts from first to neutral just fine.....since we didn't take it for a "ride", we never went into 2nd...nor even 2 feet ahead of its parking spot.
Being that I'm no mechanic, it looks like there is nothing missing.
Not sure about rust in the tank.
And I saw the fuse box, but I don't remember what it looked like.

Yes I do know it is 27 years old.....I just hope that the seller realizes it too!

Thanks a lot! Hope this helps!

 

I would offer one tip for you that I've learned in working on my 82 XJ650. Do this if you want to get your hands dirty. I lucked out and got my bike for $300 US delivered and with title. Even though he said it was in running order I have spent probably another $300 on parts so far just to clean it up and Im still not quite on the road. Also, as mentioned above, you have to source parts. They are just not readily available at your local auto shop.

Having said all that I dont mean to scare you off. I bought mine to learn about how these things work and start riding and its been a great time so far. This forum is a great source of help.

As for price Id suggest checking prices locally on Ebay and then Craigslist. Should give you a good range.

 

Here's a few to look at:

http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/mcy/381516927.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1981-Yam ... 0133471749

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1982-Yam ... 0142331527


Good luck, and welcome!

 

Thats to much for that bike. There is one down the street from my house that is only $900.00 and i have one in our shop that would go for around the same price. The one in the shop needs a little work but if you feel like making it down here i can show it too you.

 

I found a pic of the bike you are talking about and it is in really good shape. If it runs a drives good it might actually be worth $1500.00. I would get a battery for it and take it for a ride.

 

I just remembered this is where I first found it and it has a picture.

http://www.canadatrader.com/result/deta ... no=2&srt=1

But chances are now, I will probably go with Spokes's bike. Still deciding/talking about it.

I'll let you all know my final decision. But in the meantime, the more comments/suggestions the better.

Thanks to all.

 

Don't know if you're still looking but I just picked up a 1980 650 for $1000, 60,000km, and I think that was a little high but I'm happy with it. Naturally it waited until today to start dying randomly--turns out the wires to the fuse box aren't actually solderd on...

 

Lose the stock Fuse Panel and wire-in a reliable new one. It's the Number-1 Mandatory Fix on the XJ-Bikes.

The old Fuse Panels stink ... wicked bad!

 

$2000 is way too much. It should be a lot closer to $1000. I'd go $1500 max on that bike, if it was in PRISTINE condition. Don't be blinded by all the "XJ Rules" talk around here. They are good bikes, but you can probably get something as good for less money than that if he is not negotiable on the price. Guaranteed you will need to fix something on that bike, the battery being the first suspect. I picked up an 83 GS1100E with 26k on it for $2300 a few months ago, and felt that price was a bit rich. I paid $500 for my running 650 Turbo. I lived in Alberta for 10 years and there was always a good supply of cheap used bikes. I got a GS550E for $750, a 900 Seca for $500 and a GS1100 for $1500 while I lived there.

 

Hey everyone,

It's been a while since posted anything about my decision about bikes. So this is what happened.

1. We went to where Spokes had his bike, and between me/and/or/my dad, we would buy it and ride it. (sounds like only about $600 repairs I think....were picking it up today or tomorrow).

2. Brought in the XJ650 into the shop for a quick check of what needs to be done to it (I wanted it to be all good before I would think about trying to mess something up with my "inexperience" of working with motorbikes). It needed to pay about $1400 to make it all good to go (not just the basic stuff like carbs but replacing both tires, front forks, etc.). We were originally offering $1350 to buy it. Then after we found out this price, we told the owner that the only way we will buy it is if the price drops dramatically. The owner wouldn't go less then $1000, I wouldn't go more then $700. So needless to say, I didn't get that one.

3. I decided this is my last final decision. (it your going to get mad that there is nothing XJ related, stop reading now lol)
A. Originally I decided to buy a 2007 Kawaskai Ninja 250. ($3600 total after paying for inspections up in Canada, duties, gas and what ever else we had to pay for bringing across the border. If I bought it up in Canada, it would cost $5000 total...hmmm....run across the border [1hr or so away]...or spend almost $2000 more up here)
B. Then I found out that the same dealer had a 2000 Suzuki GSX 750 Katana (sport touring) for about $4400 after I get it everything cleared at borders, inspections, gas, etc. (same as other bike). It wasn't quite mint condition....only a few scratches from the previous owner during transportation to Montana from Texas from moving. All regular work has already been done to it...ready to drive in basically a brand new condition. To get the same bike up here, add $2000.

(3. still) I decided That I would give the $500 US deposit to get the paperwork through the border for both bikes, but making sure they know that I would only take one bike home, and I would test drive it there and decide which one I wanted. A couple of days later they phoned and told us we could only take one for reasons I don't know (they were dealing with my dad). So decision time. A or B (he he he, I just thought about making it a poll...but since I already bought it...oh well lol). Both bikes if I sold it within a few years, I could easily make $1000-$2000 on them, so both are a good choice for that. The 250 I would have to sell within a year or 2 because it would just feel way to weak to me, the 750 would last me easily for years and years, and quite possibly all my life if I wanted to. Both look good. 250 easier to learn on then the 750.

After about a day (we are camping this whole week that all these decisions are happening), I decided to go with the 750 for the main reason that it will last me a long time. So I went with my parents on the 11th to the states (taking the "Going to the sun" road...I think thats what it was called....beautiful, it is a very very worthwhile trip for anyone, but especially bikers, I saw thousands of bikers there, the "no helmets needed" law helps out for looking...better then a car or something I think), I forked out the money to buy it, took it to the border, paid a fee (about $200 or so), found out that I need to pay an unexpected $200 for doing some registration required stuff (basically paperwork needed for the inspections), and brought it home. Since then, I've been waiting for the paperwork to be sent to me so I can get the inspections done (out of Country and out of province), then the registration of the bike can occur, then insurance. I've been wanting to take it off of the truck ever since to drive it down the alley lol....I want to drive my bike.....lol.

A little kid and his brand new toy....

I have also joined the Katana forum (since that is, afterall, what I have) so I'm afraid I probably won't be here much anymore, you might see once and a while because my dad does have his XJ, but he has his own account now too ("Con1" I think). If you guys still want pictures of me and my Katana, I'll post them in the albums, but only out of request of at least one person, because afterall, it isn't an XJ anything.

I think that is it.

Thanks to all that have replied to me since my first post, whether helpful or not, and I am sorry that I didn't get an XJ...but at least there is one XJ still under this roof where I live.

See you guys later.

Yeshua

(Maybe I can have my Katana as a "honorary XJ" member lol....up to you guys lol)

 

Yeshua, all are welcome here. No one holds licence on knowledge and good advice from any quarter is good advice. Do stop in and keep us up to date on your progress.

 

The 250 would have drove you crazy 15-minutes after you started it up and realized you have to live close to the Red Line ... ALL the time to have any fun.

Forget about a distance ride on a 250. Blue Haired, White gloved, Horned rims above the steering wheel, Old Ladies in Classic Buick's would be honking their horn at you to get out of the way.

At least you'll be able to stay ahead of the masses with 750 lugging you!