going to look at a XJ750 Maxim

Hello, there is a XJ750 local to me up for sale, this is a maxim import from the US, it is a 1982 it was first registered in the usa when it was imported to this country it was registered 2001.

Apparently its having a job starting, i dont know the history of it and it appears to only go to 85mph on the speedo

I wonder if you can give me any tips as to what to look for, why it might be poor starting (other than the carbs need cleaning) and why it may only go up to 85mph - is there a restriction there somewhere?

cheers all

 

as for the speedo, its just what they put on those years, I believe there are some later models that you can swap for a higher range speedo, there are no limits on the motor. They probably figured if you're going faster than 85 you're probably gonna get a ticket weather you know how fast you are actually going or not.

How many miles does the bike have on it?
typically when you buy a bike that old you want to go over all the safety stuff first, brakes tires, controls.
so most important would be to ask about new brake parts, if the current owner kept up with regular maintenance. ect..
The xj's all are pretty stout motors that can handle alot of abuse, and miles with the proper maintenance done.

as for the starting all we can do is speculate from here, but once its running that will tell a bigger story as far as the condition of the carbs.

 

Check the compression, with the valves in spec & the carbs cleaned & tuned, it should start OK,
Where are you in the UK ?

 

Thanks Krafty - Thats good news about the speed restriction, we can get away with a little more in the UK is suspect. Its done 32,000 miles and has some new tyres. I think its pretty shabby so i should get it for a good price - but this really depends on that starting problem. He says its since its been cold.

Hopefully he will be able to start it when i go to see the bike

 

Robbie,

There is a large list of things that should've been done to the bike since 1982. Sometimes things on the list are skipped because they "look good" or don't seem to be an issue. A lot of times people try to fix the symptoms and not the illness.

Like wizard said, you should test compression on each cylinder and check valve shims clearance. This is just a starting point to find out how the motor is but this is not the only thing.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

oh - quite alot to do before i buy it, or should i just take a punt?

 

sorry - im in cambridge, the bike is in peterborough. The chap said he was using it until Jan, still has MOT and TAX

 

Small world, I have a very good friend who lives in Cambridge.

 

Maybe he's the one selling it... LOL

REality..........sounds like the carbs need cleaning, and most likely the shims need adjusting.

Dave F

 

thats what im hoping... yes a small world, it suprising the people we meet..

 

I've never had my max over 85, maybe just nosing 90, and that was on a track. Open road, I'd never pass 80, reaction times just aren't there for my comfort...we have lots of animals that sprint across the roads up in MN, or worst the turtles that DON'T move fast.

 

Let me tell you what......when a turtle is after something to eat, they can move pretty darn quick. Or, when it's a big-a$$ snapping turtle that you're trying to pick up with a shovel so you can get it out of your driveway, it's amazing just how quick they can whip around to try and get you. DAMHIKT

dave F

 

The snappers aren't my worry, Dave, it's the paint turtles. Up north and central MN has lots of those little pucks across the roads, day and night. You can get from Duluth to Savannah State Forest just skating on turtles some summers.

Savannah does have a huge snapper that scares the bajeezus off you while kayaking. I'd hate to be her dinner.

 

For the record, the 85mph speedometer was something that was Federally mandated here in the States during our first big "fuel crisis" in the late '70s, and they appeared on bikes here from around 1979 ~ '80 thru about '83. It was part of the same "effort" that gave us the national 55mph speed limit (which is also long gone.)

The guts can be swapped for a more realistic clock.

 

Luckily we have no snappers here only the odd woman from the bad side of town...

I'm waiting on some pictures from the chap today, so hopefully it'll be mine after the weekend - misses permitting .. errk!

 

Well picked it up today, needs a lot of love, id like to replace the handlebars but these have a strange mounting, needs a new gas cap, seat cover amnd it seems like it has a oil leak around the bottom of the block, can ylou help with how to do these

Thanks all

 

Well picked it up today, needs a lot of love, id like to replace the handlebars but these have a strange mounting, needs a new gas cap, seat cover amnd it seems like it has a oil leak around the bottom of the block, can ylou help with how to do these

Thanks all

 

To change from the square style handle bars to round ones , you will need to replace the upper triple tree from a 1983 model. At least that's the only way I know how to do it easy.

MN

 

It is not necessary to go that far. To replace the handle bars with the round bar style it is only necessary to replace the mounting stubs with normal risers.

Ghost

 

Ah yes i did find a post about this, very handy ;-)

looks like that oil leak isn't as bad as i thought, had a good stab at cleaning the old bike up today and its coming on nice, tanks stripped and off for spraying..