Very new, looking for a few resources...

Hey all. I got my license a week ago and my first bike yesterday. She's a 1980 Yamaha XJ650G Maxim and I love her... I named her Halley, after Halley's Comet...mostly because that's what I feel like when I bury the needle, lol.
Unfortunately, I'm not in the best of positions to take care of her. I know next to nothing of mechanics, but I do have the shop manual and a severe desire to succeed in this...
She hasn't seen use in quite awhile (I'm guessing over a year), and hasn't had any work done yet this year.
From what I've gathered, I need to change the oil at the VERY least, and I'm sort of kinda getting the general idea how to do that, lol.

I'm wondering if anyone knows of resources more current than the early 80's to teach me about how to do maintenance on my bike? I need to find something that explains things by first assuming you've just learned which side of the hammer to hold on to (I'm not quite that helpless, but it sure feels that way sometimes).

Every time I go into the garage to work on my bike, I end up on the freeway going 80...Is this normal?

 

Yes it is normal but you need to stop doing that. Get your manual out and pull the rear wheel and check the rear brakes for delamination. It's where the actual shoe material starts separating from the metal. If it happens at 80 you won't feel a thing after. The rear wheel can lock up and send you down the road on your face. I'm sure if you live through the experience it won't be pretty.
I know your all excited about the new bike but please for your own well being check EVERYTHING on the bike before you continue to ride even around the block.
There is a TON of info here and many people willing to help out. Use the search menu and start reading. If you put your location in the signature, maybe someone is close and wouldn't mind stopping by to help go through it.

 

Sitting for a year is seriously nothing compared to what some PO's put these bikes through! Believe me, with all the how-to's (with pics) and members willing to help you can get your bike running as good as factory (maybe better) and keep it that way...

skillet