what hasnt gone wrong with your bike?

lrite well im new, obviously, and i just bought a new maxim, looking at these threads its gotten me worried, is there anyone here who hastn totaly screwed up their bike, or hasnt cleaned the carbs. I mean these problems shouldn't happen with regular maintance like i do, but what do i kow im 17, i jsut want someone to comfort me that im not going to be wrenchin' more than im gonna be ridin', well what a post, but thanks,

i guess i'd just like to know what your maintanace schedual is, how much you rid, and what your repairs are.

 

Nasty carb issues usually come from NOT riding the thing - letting it sit with gas turning to varnish in the bowls. So don't let the carb stuff scare you about the bike. Let is scare you into not storing the bike with gas in it.

I'm at 31k and I'm not about to list what hasn't happened to my bike because I'm a bit superstitious and feel I would be inviting total destruction upon it by saying I've never lost the drive shaft or never threw a rod.

Really, the repairs I've had to do are all related to normal wear and tear or neglect (some mine, some the PO's). As is often said, these things are pretty bulletproof.

As for the maint. schedule, I don't have the manual in front of me, but that should be your guide. If you didn't get the manual with the bike, look into getting the XJCDs and/or the factory service manual and/or at the very least the Haynes manual for your bike.

Good luck. Ride safely.

 

I work on my bike about 10 hours for every hour I ride it. I kinda expect to tho, seeing that it's 26 years old and who knows how many people it has gone through. I can tell you this tho, once you've worked on it enough, it begins to feel more like a family member than a motorcycle. You will know it in and out better than anyone, and all the people who have new bikes that take them into a shop to have them fixed will be blown away.

 

hmm I have the same superstician and don't even want to think about what hasn't happened LOL! Mine is the daily rider I have this the wife has a mini-van and thats it(til winter). You do have to keep in mind that these bikes are old and if they sat esp. outside and were taken care of it will take some wrench time to get things up to snuff. After you get everything as it should be. No worries ride the heck out if it but don't abuse it and you won't have any big problems. You didn't list what year, eng size etc you have pop that into your signature when you get a chance then you don't have to type it all the time. If I remember you just picked up an 85 700 maxim from your other post is it a X or the air cooled model? THe good thing well kinda is that your fuse box is encased and won't be as bothersome sa the under seat models.

 

you're dead right about planned maintainance, Schooter, but most of us are putting thing right from P.O.s neglegence. Wiz.

 

7500 miles since I bought the bike a year ago, no problems, just a few oil changes

 

As others have said, most of the problems with these bikes are from years of neglect and sitting un-used.
The new owners come here for help in resurecting them (me included).
Few shops will work on them, and even fewer have the skills to fix them. It doesn't take many hours @$75 an hour to spend more than the bike is worth. It is far more rewarding for most to fix it themselves.

Once you have it running and fix some of parts that don't age well (like the fusebox) routine maintenance will keep it on the road.
Remember it's an OLD machine.....How many early 80s cars do you see on the road?

It never hurts to blow the doors off your buddies $18K Harley any day of the week either! ... and then tease him when he has to push it to the shop.

 

Schooter-- I guess it depends on the bike. I picked up a Seca 900 off of E-Bay in March and only had to buy a battery, play with some wire connectors, and do an oil/filter change. I've had 1,200 miles of fun at up to 49 MPG to boot ! Riding hard, but not thrashing it.

 

I got my xj750 in may and have put almost 4000 on the clock with 1 oil change and a back tire. Dayly rider 50 miles one way to work. No worries mate.

 

thanks guys, even tho most of u guys told me not to buy it, i did, and im happy with it, it sounds sweet, ive only put like 2 miles on tho cuz the other guys insurance is on it and he technicaly still owns it and i still have to get my cycles endorsement. But it seems as tho it hasnt sat, and thers some minor issues i have to fix, Torn seat, and a new clutch i guess. BTw i have an 85 maxim aircooled.

 

I was happy with my seat cover from B&H
I think they are about $90
http://www.motorcycleseatcovers.com/index.htm

Here's a photo of the "long grain" on X2
http://s288.photobucket.com/albums/ll16 ... =Seat1.jpg

The clutch isn't a tough job on an airhead.

 

nah, its tearing at the seams, its only about an inch big, ill just pay an old lady i know to sew it up, and ill be happy. shes really good and cheap so ya, nice maxim you got there, never seen a blue one like that before

 

Jesus, I'd torch mine. I'd have to wrench almost 100 hours a week just to be able to commute to my day job.

 

i wrench every night when i get home, and all weekend long on mine, but thats just cause ive been doing a lot of painting and pice off polishing, its coming along a little piece at a time.

 

jswag, u got any pics of ur bike? if so could u post a link, thx

 

I had this exact thought. 10 hours per hour riding? After I cleaned my carbs, changed the oil, and slapped a new battery in, I didn't have to do ANYTHING to the bike until things went haywire yesterday.....haha.