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My Maxim 550

Discussion in 'Hangout Lounge' started by Nitvid, Apr 30, 2017.

  1. Nitvid

    Nitvid New Member

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    A little of my and the bikes history. I live in the St Louis area and back in the late 90's my dad, he lived in Michigan at the time, gave me his Maxim 550. I rode the bike and loved it! best of all my Harley friends never gave me static and I rode with them a ton. In late August of 2000 I was minding my own business leaving a buddy's house when an old lady ran a stop sign and I got a titanium rod in my leg for life as a memento. I made the bike ride able again rode for a few months the next year and the bike made it into a shed for years. A few years ago the bike got bumped from the shed to the patio. Since then I have been working on my cars, 1950 ford my brother and I got from dad, 97 Lincoln Mark VIII, 99 Grand Prix GT that I S/C'ed and made into a GTP. A few weeks ago, out of the blue, I got the urge to ride the Maxim. started with buying new handlebars (the ones I got after the wreck kind of worked, but just not right). Joined the forum here and started devouring info.
    I can not find my keys, but have read I can order a new one, get the number from under the ignition, or from the lock on the side that holds the helmet. The fairing wasn't original, but I liked it enough and may find something comparable, or even café racer like for the bike. I know I will need other things, new tires, new seat or re covered and for the love of the bike a cover. plan on taking the carbs off and taking to a local shop for rebuild. One problem I had before when I rode the bike was with the gas cap, that thing was always a pain to open, always felt like gravel in the lock, I assumed it was from gas vapors dissolving the oil or grease that lubed the mechanism.
     
  2. Nitvid

    Nitvid New Member

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    it is an 81 Maxim 550, I tried to post pic's but an error keeps popping up as the link is suspected spam...
     
  3. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    You can link photos after your fifth post.
     
  4. Nitvid

    Nitvid New Member

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    [​IMG]
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    [​IMG]
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    [​IMG]
    This is my Maxim and from what I've read on here, Len is about to become my new best friend..
     
    k-moe likes this.
  5. Stumplifter

    Stumplifter Well-Known Member

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    Ooh, custom seat cushion!
    Len is your friend.:)
     
  6. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    I see that it comes with the Woodland Brushfire accessory kit.
     
  7. kosel

    kosel Active Member Premium Member

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    I think that's an early version of the Realtree cammo pattern.
     
  8. Nitvid

    Nitvid New Member

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    I've had worse projects, cars, first bike resto. so this should be a tad bit easier.... I hope.
     
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  9. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Nitvid, get her out of that yard cleaned up and in the sunlight, she will look better. 16K miles is not bad and all in all she looks okay. Should be a fun project for you.
     
  10. steber

    steber Active Member

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    I have a stock seat that looks a lot better than that I might end up selling. Along with the snap in side covers if they're scratched beyond fixing. Good luck with your build! You said the bike was rideable after the crash? So I'm guessing the frame isn't bent or any issues there?
     
  11. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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  12. Nitvid

    Nitvid New Member

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    This is the first time I've seen the ignition switch rebuild, I will definitely be doing that!
    I thought about rebuilding the carbs, or having them rebuilt anyway by a local shop with a good rep, since it hasn't run in quite some time. do you think a good cleaning is all that I would need? I'd be up for that challenge.... maybe...
    I already saw and planned on the gas cap rebuild.
    Thanks for the links!
     
  13. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    looks like your missing a motor side cover and blinker.
    you can start with a good cleaning but breaking the rack and replacing the throttle shaft seals and fuel line o rings is the recomended method.
    so you do not have to do it twice.
    xj4ever has all the correct parts you will need and the throttle shaft seals
    see his logo on top of page or
    XJ4Ever - Supporting Vendor

    also www.xj4ever.com

    check your inbox for info

    what price is the local shop asking to rebuild the carbs?
     
  14. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    And I bet they still don't do it right.
     
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  15. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    my next suggestion if he does not want to do it him self is to send it to our carb clinic expert:rolleyes:
     
  16. Nitvid

    Nitvid New Member

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    they told me $25 - 30 per rebuild kit. 4 carbs, 4 kits... I have done a ton to my Mark VIII and Grand Prix by reading on their forums. this one once again gives me the confidence, knowledge and tools to do the job... but if one of ya'll is a carb king, shoot me a price! by all means!
     
  17. Stumplifter

    Stumplifter Well-Known Member

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    Dave does carb refurbishing in his sleep with his hands tied behind his back and makes it looks easy . . .
    If you don't have freetime and want to be riding yesterday PM him.

    I would like to encourage you to do it yourself. You will cuss a bit, sweat a lot, ask a bunch of questions here while taking pictures and jotting notes - finally get it all together and realize you forgot something - stress over whether or not it is "good enough", come to the realization that"good enough" does not equal RIGHT. Ask more questions here. Takes things back apart adjust - rinse, lather repeat until you get it done.

    At least that worked for me - I learned a lot, can take my rack off/ on easy breeze in no time flat and feel good about the accomplishment of finally getting it dialed in.
    Go to Church son!
    http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/in-the-church-of-clean.14692/
     
  18. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    For that kind of price, I wouldn't trust those kits as far as I could throw them.......and I BET that doesn't include the fuel supply rings, throttle shaft seals, mixture screw o-rings, etc....and I bet the don't even take the rack apart. I've even seen some shops where they just pull the bowl, spray some cleaner in the carbs' general direction and say it's been cleaned and rebuilt.

    I just did a rack for a fellow here that 'had it rebuilt at a shop"....well-- the t-shaft seals were hard and trashed, the fuel supply rings were tittle, the supply T was so loose it rattled, the needle tips were malformed from sitting, the carb 4 body was cracked through from hammering to remove the bowl, etc.....

    When I do a rack, it will come back to you as clean as it left the factory, and set back to factor initial settings ready to dial in for YOUR bike. You can see other pics if you search through the forums

    Dave F
     
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  19. Nitvid

    Nitvid New Member

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    I've seen on EBAY where you can get new keys based off the numbers on the ignition switch, is that where I should get my keys or do you guys use another source?
     
  20. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I go to a local locksmith
     
  21. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    there are 2 ads on ebay one is for 9.99$ for a single key that is a good deal, it is a new ass to me and have not used his services.
    another ad is for 29 $ you get 2 keys with number stamped on them he is quick on the turn around


    Yamaha-Motorcycle-Atv-SxS-Scooter-Snowmobile-Boat-Cut-by-Code-key-keys-to-code 9.99 + 2.67 shipping


    Yamaha-Motorcycle-ATV-New-Replacement-Keys-Cut-by-Code-Number-Guaranteed work 29.99 free shipping


     
  22. Nitvid

    Nitvid New Member

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    I saw the ads there, wasn't sure if you guys had someone on the forums here that did this or went the ebay route. from what I've seen thus far here, Len is the guy to go to for parts as a whole on our bikes, didn't know if keys were one of them.
     
  23. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    len sells the key blanks but as far as i know does not cut keys the last time I looked at keys in his catalog.
     

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