Just Picked Up My 1st Bike, XJ700 Maxim, Again

Hi all, I am new to the forum and after looking through lots of different forums to join this one came highly recommended by others in different forums. I will be looking for lots of ideas and advice from those in the know to help me along in a complete overhaul of my new to me, again, bike. To make a long story short, back in the mid to late 90's my dad bought a '85 XJ700 second hand to replace a shadow he had. If I remember correctly, it only had a couple thousand miles on it when he picked it up. In 2001 he called me one day and told me he had just bought a new Softail and I should come over and check it out and ride the XJ home. How could I pass that up! Anyway, the XJ had lots of little problems (quirks, as my dad called them) and after having to ride it home late one night after work with the headlight and other lights not working, I decided to park it and start fixing things before the dang thing hurt me. Being married with two small boys and no disposable income it just sat in the garage. I loaded it up on a trailer when we moved to Birmingham, AL, a couple years later, and pushed it into its new spot in the new garage where it sat for about seven years until we decided to move to Valdosta, GA. When we moved to south GA, I didn't feel like moving the bike again, so I gave it away to a buddy who I thought would do something with it. I was wrong. I called him up a few weeks ago to see if he still had the bike and was told that he had pushed it into his shop the day I gave it to him and it hadn't moved since. That means this bike has sat for another 8 years or 9 years. Well, my wife and I are in a bit more financially better place so I decided to drive the 6 hours back to B'ham and get my first bike back. It's now back in the garage and awaiting a new lease on life. I will be trying to get it running before I completely disassemble it for cleaning, new wiring, and new paint. I am looking forward to having this awesome looking bike back on the streets by Spring of next year. It has so much potential. I haven't yet decided on a color (leaning towards a burnt orange though) or if I want to polish the aluminum engine or paint it too. I don't have a ton of funds to put into this build (very limited budget) so the bike will remain pretty close to stock. Besides, It's a good looking bike the way it sits. I don't feel it needs a lot of bells and whistles. The first order of business will be to get a new tank (current one is leaking from the lower right corner), pulling and cleaning the carbs, changing the fluids and battery and trying to start her up. Once I can confirm the engine will run, she'll come apart and the fun will begin. I did have the seat professionally redone right before I gave it away and its still in amazingly great shape. Feel free to send me links to good sources for parts and ideas. Also, let me know what you would do if this was your bike. Mild to wild, all ideas are good and who knows, you may just give me an idea I haven't had yet. Let me know if ya'll want some additional pics.

 

Congrats on getting your bike back. I always find it interesting how a motorcycle can make it's way back to it's previous owner.

I'd say don't bother. Compression test it. If it blows good numbers it'll run and you can start taking it apart. Getting a motorcycle running isn't magic if the engine is healthy (and it likely is if it wasn't abused), and a bike can "run" (poorly) with bad compression. Beyond a worn out engine, everything else is the regular maintenance that you know you'll have to go through anyway.

I just worry about members that put all their effort into getting it running, and then skimp or put off on the stopping (brakes and tires) and start riding it. You're going to have to do it all anyways.

Remember BigFitz52's rule of $600-800 for recommissioning, just to catch up on neglected maintenance. Tanks and paint cost extra.

 

Thanks ManBot, Good advice on compression testing. I'll do that and if it blows good I'll start the disassembly. Before the wheels go back on the brakes will be replaced as will the tires. These tires where put on around '98 I think. I wouldn't trust em. $600-800 is right in my ball park. I was guessing about $800-1k. Of course, I would love to spend less and keep as much of the bike as possible. However, I know somethings will just need replacing like the tank, tires, pads, plugs, wiring and the amber's stems. Seems I can get most things on ebay but the only tank on there is pretty beat up. Holding out for a better deal on that.