New owner of XJ750

Hi, everyone!
I bought a 1985 Yamaha XJ750 Maxim today for $200. I think I got a good deal, but I guess we'll find that out as time passes.
Since I'm a new owner and this is my first old bike that might need work, I figured I would join a forum of other owners and hopefully find lots of help. Here's to happy ownership!
The good:
- seems mechanically fine (hasn't been dropped, clicks through gears okay, brakes aren't locked up, wheels spin okay, throttle and clutch and brake levers aren't sticky or stuck
- wiring seems to be stock (haven't taken a good look at it)
- frame and paint are in good, not great, condition, but no rust issues spotted so far
The bad:
- tires need to be replaced (hold air but are terribly cracked). Anyone know of where I can get motorcycle tires in the Lexington, KY area?
- It sometimes* turns over and starts. Previous owner verified this for me, but I couldn't ride it due to the condition of the tires and no gas in the tank
- The gas cap key cylinder has been drilled out (lost key). Anyone know of a good replacement as I don't really like the stock one...?
- Pretty sure needs a new battery.
Other than all that, I think I'm pretty pleased.
First thing I did was hooking up a trickle charger and removing the ugly high footpegs.

*Previous owner removed the ignition cylinder to get new keys made. The cylinder is not attached, just kind of sitting there.

 

$200?
Lost key?

Clean title?

 

1) Yes, just $200 for the bike.

2) The key was once lost under previous ownership. That's when the old owner drilled out the gas cap lock cylinder.

3) Claimed clean title. Working on getting a duplicate since it was "lost". I know it sounds fishy, but even if it doesn't work out, I'll have a bike to run around on on the farm - and it's a learning experience.

 

Update and call for help:
1) After checking the VIN and cleaning the engine some, I found out it is a 700 cc.
2) I have the title. It is indeed a clean title and now getting it transferred to me.
3) Installed lots of new parts: petcock rebuild kit (was leaking), new levers (clutch and brake) with new switches, new gas cap, repaired the gauge clusters and the ignition switch, new battery, new turn signals (front and rear).
Problem:
After reassembling everything, adding fuel to the tank I found my instrument cluster lights behaving weirdly. The high beam indicator and light is always on. Neutral indicator does not light up (verified the bike is in neutral). The start push-button works, but the engine won't turn over. I can get the engine to turn over if I jump the starter solenoid. Turns over, but no spark.
Anyone has any insight?
Also, a question: what can be unplugged from the harness without inhibiting the bike starting and running? For example, headlight, turn signals, tail lamp, I'm pretty sure these won't stop it from running. What about the front barake switch, clutch position switch, etc?

 

There is a safety system that disables the starter and/or the ignition when certain conditions are not met.

The neutral safety switch indicating that the bike is in neutral. This may be where your problem lies. Look for a sky-blue wire behind the lower left frame tube. it goes to the safety switch (which you won't be able to see, but it's there). The wire gets grounded when the transmission is in neutral. You may have a broken/ unhooked wire, or a stuck neutral switch.

Or, the clutch switch indicates that the clutch lever is pulled in. Try starting it while pulling in the clutch. If it starts then we know that the neutral switch circuit is where the problem is.

If the sidestand is down when you go to pull away the ignition is cut.

The safety relay may be missing, faulty, or have been swapped with the headlight relay (located under the left side cover). Listen for a click under the gas tank when you turn the ignition key to the ON position. That click is the safety relay. If it does not click then you have a problem there.

 

K-Moe,
Thanks. That's helpful.
I did try with clutch in and out. No dice.
Side stand up and down. No dice.
I don't hear the click now, but I do remember hearing it once, when I first began putting everything back together. This was just before I noticed it wasn't turning over, then noticed the starter solenoid was shorting on the frame.
About the blue wire: I think this is the blue with white stripe that runs from the rat's nest in the headlight. I checked to make sure the starter button was working (continuity) then followed it all the way back to the starter solenoid. I get nothing there. I assume it splits from the main harness, runs to the little relay mounted on the left side of the bike, then back out to the solenoid. Seems like that's where I'm losing it. What do you think?

 

NO. Sky-blue, no tracer.

 

Okay. Great. I will check on that.
I did remove the gas tank. Beneath the gas tank is the turn signal blink controller. Nothing else. Not sure what I'm supposed to be looking for. And no clicks on ignition from there or anywhere.
Thanks.

 

I checked for a sky-blue wire. Not seeing what I believe to be a sky-blue (in my mind, sky-blue is a light blue). I'm not finding it.
I got a test light and had it rigged up to the harness. I can tap into the blue with white tracer wire all the way from the starter switch to the side-stand safety diode. The light comes on when I hit the start switch. The diode has two of these wires. On the one coming in (I assume from the starter switch) the test light works. I tap into the other one, and nothing. This is also the same color wire going to the starter solenoid to give the signal. Nothing on that wire either. Attached is the B/W wire to the solenoid.
No luck yet in getting it to start. Will dig around some more today and tomorrow.

 

Update
Yesterday was my first ride on the bike. Awesome. It starts and runs pretty well. Sounds good with the Harley pipes (not sure what they were pulled from). Only issue: apparently my new battery from Interstate batteries is garbage. They won't replace it either without my original receipt. So, bought new battery this morning and filled it. Have to wait for it to charge (brochure says about 14 hours at 0.5 A). My charger does 1.2 so I'm not sure if that's going to be an issue. Any thoughts on that?
Also, want to get some feedback on the low rev power. In all gears the bike barely, barely pulls at low RPM (<3000). Is that a carb adjustment issue or just the way the engine is?
Pic is after the ride, back in my garage. Sorry it's so dark. Hope to have more on Saturday!

 

Today:
New battery charged and installed. Went riding. No more issues with idle, it seems. Yay! Did notice this: when off and ignition in locked position, I pull the key out and the light for the left turn indicator stays on...definitely related to the left turn signals not working properly. Other than that, I'm happy.

 

Welcome aboard!
What a deal! Most $200 bikes are just a step away from the scrap heap. That is a good looking bike.
Now that you have the bike running again. It is time to start addressing all the catch up maintenance work that has been let go. Carbs, Valves, Brakes, Etc...
Don't start thinking that because you got it so cheap you should not have to put some money into it. For what you will invest into the bike. You will still be well ahead if you should decide to sell in the future.

The first stop on your journey should be that blue/white box in the top right corner of every page. The one that says XJ4Ever! Yep, That one!
Inside you find more that you ever cared to think about concerning your bike. Take a few good days. Read up. Study.

Now that you are armed with information. Enjoy!

~Ghost

 

The Information Overload Hour

 

Thanks, all.
What has been done:
- oil and filter change
- new brake reservoir, fluid, lines, and lever
- clutch adjustment and new lever
- gear oil changed
- carbs - dismantled, cleaned, rebuilt, synced, new gaskets, needles, valves, etc.
What needs to be done:
- brake pads changed
- front wheel bearing replacement
- solve electrical gremlins (headlight flicker and left turn signal issue)

I guess I should check the valve clearances and such.

I checked the site for the XJ4ever parts...how do I actually order parts?

 

Just start a conversation with chacal, or email to info@xj4ever.com

Include your bike info model and VIN (so that he can make sure you get the right parts the first time)
What part you are working on.
And your name.

He will take the lead from there and make sure you are taken care of.

~Ghost

 

Another Canadian one

 

Been out riding for a few weeks while the weather was nice!

 

Made a headlight assembly to replace the stock unit. It's two Morimoto LED projectors stacked, bolted to a metal plate attached to both original headlight mounting points. No modifications were done to the wiring, switch, or mounting. This is so I can easily revert to stock. Will be keeping the original (in good condition) headlight in storage for the time being. Also painted the gauge covers and fusebox/indicator housing black. The chrome was beginning to look pretty rough. Still have to clean up the wiring as this was done at midnight on Monday...

 

I promised some pictures. Here they are:

My brother and I took our bikes out for a ride on the country roads south of Nicholasville, KY. Rode some great twisties and curves. Also found this old barn.
His bike and mine together:

It's a 2015 Fz09. I guess it's a spiritual successor to my XJ - a bridge between comfort and sport.

 

Along with that, I do have a few questions tied to bad news. My brother (another one) dropped my bike on a joyride a few days later. No serious immediate damage was visible - only minor things like scrapes on the bar end, battery cover, and on the front and back right side turn indicators. However, I did notice that the tach was no longer working and wouldn't light up along with all the other lights on the "dash". Good thing I got home before dark, because then I found out my headlight wasn't working either. I opened the dash cover to check the fuses. Headlight and indicator fuses were both burned. When I replaced them and started the bike, the tach works and lights, dash lights up, and indicators work, but the headlight wasn't. I installed a new bulb. Still nothing. Even more interestingly, the headlight fuse burns immediately upon starting. The indicator fuse is fine until I start riding. A few minutes into the ride, it also burns.
Any ideas? I have slowly started chasing all the wires to try to find a short. Does anyone have ideas on how to make this process faster or narrow things down?
Thanks!

 

we did have a member find a shorted wire in the atari that was blowing fuses.

no good deed goes unpunished, no one rides my bikes but me

 

haha, yes! I think I've made a policy to only allow my experienced brothers to ride.

 

only when they put the cash in my hand

I saw an artical I think it was at bikebandits .com on folks in Ca. listing their bikes on line to rent out to anyone who wanted to ride.

 

I'm having a hard time understanding how this can be profitable...but, more power to them.

 

Found the issue. Fixed. When my brother dropped it, the clutch lever mounting was jammed against the wiring coming out of the left side (headlight and turn signal) controls. Caused a short against the frame which was the issue with the headlights. As for the turn indicators, the rear brake switch is faulty. Not sure how that causes the turn signal fuse to burn out, but removing that brake switch means the turn indicators work as expected and the fuse no longer burns out which means the tach works and my dash lights up too!

 

Removing the faulty rear brake switch also opens the circuit. You have another short somewhere.

 

Okay, that being said, this is me thinking aloud: If removing the rear brake switch leaves the circuit open and everything else working as expected (tach lighting, tach, dash lights, and turn indicators), but when installed, the fuse blows after a few minutes of riding (not immediately). It sounds more like the circuit is overloaded, not shorted. When the brake switch is installed, I had one of two related issues: 1) brake light always on after first time hitting the rear brake, or 2) hit the rear brake and the headlight flashed off then back on. I don't have the second issue with the front brake. Also, maybe this is related, maybe not: The aftermarket front indicators are two-wire (not three) so they are not always on like the stock indicators are.

 

What happens when you jump the rear brake swich leads without the switch in place?

 

Tapping the leads together is the same as hitting the brakes - brake light comes on - then off when letting the leads loose. As expected. Just for kicks, I touched both leads to the frame and got my answer: One of them causes a short that blows the same fuse. From this I can conclude that the switch is faulty due to a leak somewhere inside the switch which causes a short between the positive (signal) lead and the frame (since the switch is mounted directly to the frame. What do you think?

 

I think you're correct. Normal operation without the switch, but blown fuse with the switch = faulty switch. Replace.

 

So far, I've removed the rear brake light switch. Have been riding without it. I just make sure to use the front brake first to trigger the brake light. Not decided on whether or not to replace it...want to but with moving and getting married I have other priorities...

 

So after my brother dropped my bike, I have noticed an interesting issue. The bike wasn't really damaged. Just changed the handlebar as it was bent a little. But now my headlight acts up. I'll try to describe it.
Turn ignition on. Headlight turns on. Start bike. Sometimes the headlight stays on, sometimes it turns off (along with the gauges illumination). When the headlight and gauges are not illuminated, the signal lights, and dash indicator lights (oil, fuel, turn indicator, neutral) still work. After letting the bike warm up, the headlight usually turns on. Sometimes it doesn't. I've had days that I rode the bike several times that day, and the lights worked fine all day. Some days, the light turns on and off seemingly randomly. Other days, after turning off when I press the starter switch to start the bike, it just won't turn on. This has limited my riding to daylight hours only :-( as I have to make sure I can get home before dusk. With the days getting shorter, that's really limiting.
Anyway, anyone have any idea what could be going on? I've checked the to make sure the fuses are seated well and have good contact. I've checked all the grounds I can see. And I've taken the headlight bucket apart three times to try to find a loose connection. Everything seems okay.

 

Bad connection somewhere yet......check everything under the seat, too---

 

I know, right! Haven't had much time to tear into it yet.