Custom 1982 Maxim 650

Hello XJers. I started this post because I wanted to share my bike with you. I bought this XJ six years ago for $350. I rode it mostly stock for the first four years and then decided that I really wanted to make some forward controls for it. So I tore the bike apart, and the project snowballed from there. It took about a year to do the build, but somewhere between paint and assembly the mess of a wiring harness that I created began to act up. I messed with it over and over again probably making it worse every time. My Maxim is currently at a shop having the electrical redone. So with some luck, I will be able to ride it a bit this season. I can't find any good pics of the original bike, but I going to post what I have if I can figure out how.

 

Like what you've done! Depending on what you want to do as far as the wiring goes, do a "search" for "simplified wiring". It might help.
How about sayin' something about the rubber boots from your carbs to the filters...

skillet
btw WELCOME to the forumms!!!

 

Thanks. It was a fun build right up to the wiring. I have a few simple diagrams that I printed off of several sites. XJ Bikes was definately a huge help throughout. I'm just really bad with electricity.(I don't really know how to use a test light!) I finally caved and will be spending a few hundred to have it done right.
As far as the intake goes, I liked the pods. I just wanted a different look. I bought two identical radiator hoses that were the right diameter ('92 Buick?). Then I cut out a short and long section of each. I cut my rear boots down a bit to fit inside, then I rubber cemented them together with some button head tacks. New clamps cranked tight made them nice and secure. I also dyed a white crankcase filter black and used some small tubing to match the intakes downsweep.

 

Very cool man! I dig the radiator hose for the pod filters and your black on black paint!

Here's the obvious question - did you have to re-jet your carbs for the pods or notice any difference in performance? I might try them out next spring.

Where is the seat from?

 

I have rejetted the carbs. I also drilled 4 small holes in the back wall of each of the mufflers. Unfortunately I only had it running for a little while before I screwed up the wiring. I could tell that it would need tuning though. I got the jet kit through e-bay, from a company called 6 sigma racing. You basically tell them about your intake and exhaust mods, and they send you jets and drill bits that will (hopefully) work for your bike. I would love to put 4 shorter straight pipes on, but I just want to get it running and ride it for now. Maybe save the pipes for a winter project.
The seat is actually the stock seat. I shortened the plastic pan and carved and reshaped the foam. This dropped the ride height a couple of inches, and sets the rider back an inch or two. I put a better piece of foam into the recessed bottom of the seat foam, and then had a local upholsterer wrap it for me for $60. I plan on eventually making a detachable rear seat that would mount to the old signal brackets and rest on the rear frame. Also a possible future project.

 

I like the radiator hose idea, now that's what you call velocity stacked pods. Look's good.

 

Love the chain drive forward controls! Can we get some close ups of those? Great work!

 

thats badass, was the seat hard to cut down? what did you use to shave the faom down?

 

Hey guys. Thank you for the comments.
I left my computer at work today, so this is just a quick post from my phone. I'll put up some more details and pictures at lunch tomorrow if I can.

 

Okay, so here are a few pics of the chain drive controls. I decided to use chains because I could get the same rotation at the forward and rear parts of the controls. It would also allow me to rotate with tension in both directions for the shifting side of the bike. I used pedal bike sprockets and chains during the mockup, but I wasn't going to bet my brakes on a bike chain. I ended up getting much stronger chain at Tractor Supply. I found the sprockets online. Using both my original foot controls, and another from a bike salvage place, I cut them up and welded them in multiple parts to each forward sprocket. The sprocket is welded to a piece of tubing which rotates on the bolt that goes through the forward bracket assembly. I also cut the triangular motormount bracket and welded that to the bracket assembly for added strength. This is not in the unfinished pics, but you can see it a little in the finished ones. The front assembly is finished off with some Liberty Bell bmx pegs. The rear sprockets were a bit tricky because the spline from the tranny and the rear brake linkage were both knurled. My shift lever and the scrapyard one donated their clamping ends which were welded to the rear sprockets. Then the sprockets were cut to allow the clamp to pinch the spline. Everything seems to work well.
I used a few different knives, a ruler,a sharpie marker, and a sawzall for most of the seat work. A utility knife with the blade extended as far as possible was used the most on the foam. It came out a little rough, but as you can see it all smoothed out during the upholstery.

 

thats sick! i like it

 

Those forwards are kickass!! Great job on the whole thing.

 

Hello again. I was hoping to have better news the next time I updated this post. However, the bike is still in the shop. It has been there for well over a month with no hope in sight. On the few occasions that I have spoken with the guy, he keeps saying that it is almost done. He's promised multiple times that it would be within 24-48 hrs, and that he will call. Without fail, he hasn't finished, hasn't called, and wont answer his business or cell phone. If all that wasn't aggravating enough, the last time I stopped in the estimate went up about $150.00. I guess that I picked the wrong place to bring my bike! At this point, I think that I was getting less frustrated trying to wire it myself.

 

I've heard "there's nothing new under the sun". Welllllllll I think you just proved that wrong with your controls! Sorry to hear about the buttwipe mech and your bike...

skillet

 

I have never seen controls like those before. Cool idea. I was just wondering if there is any adjustability in the chains for the time when they start to stretch from repeated use?

 

Thanks guys. If I ever get the bike back, I'll post some better pics of the controls. When I was making them I realized that I would need adjustability to deal with the chain tension and fitting issues. The forward brackets are mounted with 2 bolts to the frame, and 1 to the motor mount on each side. Each hole in the bracket was slotted with about 1/4" of horizontal movement. This actually allows almost 1/2" of front to back travel at the forward sprocket. I definately needed that, because I had to slacken the brake side control so that it would return properly. None of this has been road tested yet, so I am curious to see how it will be after I've put some miles on the bike.

 

Arrgghhh!! It has been two freaking months since my bike went to the shop! I have been calling every day for the last two weeks to no avail. Today when I called I got a recording that said "Your call cannot be completed as dialed..." WTF!!

 

Pardon the language...

 

This could help the guy wiring your bike...

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=39992.html

 

I think you need to go get your bike.