'82 Maxim XJ650 Parking Lot Project

Sounds good to me.

Just put her together about an hour ago. I used a liquid silicone gasket maker and just bolted her up. We'll see how it holds up. Of course I'll have to wait on the gear oil until its all together.

 

Just started rewiring the bike again. I added so many little things that my first harness turned into just as much of a rats nest as the one I pulled out originally. I've got nothing else to add though so this should be it. Im going with a pretty simple diagram I found on this site with a few mods to it. Pictures of the wiring job to come later.

I forked up and got a Dakota Digital gauge. I cant wait to get it working...along with the rest of my bike.

 

I would have installed the new rear tire before painting the wheel.

 

Psssssst... 10 coats of clear on the wheels... and 12 years of experience at Michelin.



Im fine with wheels n tires n brakes. Im learning engines and metal fab

 

I apologize for the attitude of the last post but I have been hearing about that tire this entire time and that was the only thing on this bike I didn't need help with. For 20 years straight, working 9 to 5 and even longer once I was managing a few Michelin stores, all I did was work with tires and wheels. I can handle the tires. Very few can handle them better than I can. What I would like is suggestions on ANYTHING else. I love opinions on my work or lack of work. And I highly respect the experience all of the members and moderators bring to these posts in regards to these bikes.

 

OK... so I am on a roll today. I just pulled the engine out and got about halfway through brushing the frame. I went through four 18v batteries with my angle grinder, that has a brass wire brush attachment, and am now waiting for them to charge. Only thing is that in 3 hours I am going to be on a plane bound for the bahamas; so this will be my last post for a little while.

as always... pics



Found this little guy on the bottom of the frame... Is this a deal-breaker? its a straight through hole. the metal is still thick around it. the micrometer says its the same thickness as the rest of the tubing. just a single spot got rusted through. would taking the frame to get an acid bath be a good idea in this case? I wanted to avoid that just because of the money and also i am fine with brushing the frame by hand... $H!T... I know what the right thing to do here is but I want someone else to say it first just in case Im wrong and there is a better fix

 

Not good. Id probably do a plate patch. Im not sure id even acid dip it.

 

The Bahamas?! Now I'm jealous. Oh, and the paint job is nice too. Just kidding! I really like the red on the rims! What paint do you use?

 

I used Dupicolor Engine Enamel with about 6 coats of Rustoleum Auto clearcoat. together the combo is just about bullet proof. I'm juggling with the idea of taking the frame to get powder-coated though. I really beat it to hell getting it off of the engine... I'm prolly gonna have to beat up again putting it all together.

 

It looks like your build is nice enough to warrant powder coating the frame. Itll last so much longer too. As long as your careful i see no reason why your have to beat it going back in. Good time to get rid of any brackets and fittings your not gonna use too.

Last i checked my local powder price was around $350 blasted, dipped and sprayed with any color.

 

I would be a bit concerned with your frame. I would be tempted to take a small drill bit, and drill a few places in the frame to check thickness. If it is just the one spot, I would have it filled or plated, but if there is more id be looking for a salvaged frame. You could probably pick up a salvaged frame fairly cheap.

Measuring your frame with mics is not telling you anything. These frames rust from the inside out, so the OD of the pipe will not change

 

Amen. If that's rusted through, while it could be the only spot it could also be one of many; or maybe that whole rail is "thinned out" along the bottom and that's the only spot it perforated.

DANGER, Will Robinson. It needs to be completely stripped and checked; and as for that spot it needs to be professionally repaired.

Or start looking for a solid frame.

 

To bad you're out of town. Really looking forward to seeing it put back together... when you figure out your frame problem.

 

lol. I should have clarified; that is what I did ^ I checked the thickness of the pipe metal at the bottom of all of the bends in the frame... anywhere where water would have collected. It looks fine to me... However I'm still getting it checked. There is a small shop in town that said they'd take a look at the frame and fix it for a pretty good price.

"Dude, welding is cheap. Its taking the bike apart that'll cost you."
"Oh, you already took it apart. Leave it here and I'll get it to you Friday"

 

Local shop opened up the hole in the frame and used a fiber scope to look inside. they said the rust was minor and they dipped the frame to pull out the rust. They then sealed up the hole. They told me it was probably from contact with the ground rather than rust because the rest looked fine. Only paid $50 for all of the work.

They gave it to me striped and I painted it. 4 coats primer, 4 coats Engine Enamel Semi Gloss, 8 coats Clear. I think it should hold up for a while.

 

PICS!!!

When the Shower rod wont hold it up...



Half of a rolling frame.

 

Update!!!

So I know its been a while since I posted anything. But in my defense... Snow sucks the motivation right out of me.

I got a new rear tire
Bolted everything back together and wired up the basics (Just enough to run).
A shot of starter fluid and she runs like a hooker during a police raid.











Just the digital gauge to wire up and I'm done.

 

sweet job man.

 

That's a lot of work... and an awesome result!

 

Dude, I can't believe you did all that pretty much outside!
Well done.