Why do you own your XJ

Steady on Robert think about it! If your wife is anything like mine ie female, she will immediatly suspect your up to something.

Why the XJ? I was looking for a street bike on ebay, decent well cared for S/H bikes here in Spain are rare and expensive. Saw pictures of the XJ and liked it, spoke to the bloke selling her and paid out. Had her transported over here to Spain and have been trying to get her right ever since, I hope to be able to get out on her soon.

Faighaigh

 

awww Oblivion's in love...

Hmm Well when I was 18 years old(and knew pretty much nothing about bikes) the stock 650 midnight maxim for sale in the paper was quite possibly the most beautiful thing i had ever seen. I still remember the squinty eyed(didnt bring eye protection) euphoric expression on my face when i drove it home and hit the freeway putting the bike up to 100km/h for the first time.

Now, a little older and a little wiser, I realize the stock look is kinda ugly in comparison to what else is out there. those goofy deer antler handlebars the HUGE seat, and those sinfully ugly trumpet tips on the exhaust. Which brings me to my next point. Because it's so simple and straightforward, the bike is a joy to modify. Everythign fits. and everything unnessacary comes off with little effort.

And also: shaft drive! there is nothing like a virtually maintinence free rear end. aside from it's limited range of motion, it's only weakness, the enclosed drive is one of the best(if not the best)part on the xj model. this i feel sorry for all the 550's that dont get to experience this superior piece of craftsmanship.

there you go, the definitive guid to why you should own a maxim, simply cut and paste what everone else said here:

 

I wanted to get something inexpensive and unfaired for my first bike. Good thing too, because I laid it down in some gravel the day I got my full license.

Top speed's a little low for me, so I'll be replacing it when I can muster up the money, but it's been a great machine for learning to ride.

 

I traded mine for an old guitar I payed $30 for. The guy I bought the bike off traded it for 4 packs of cigarettes. It had sat for years and the owners just wanted to get rid of it.

 

Huh? My '81 Seca has YICS. . . .

 

Yep - no YICS on the 82 silver seca. The 82 red seca has it though.

 

I learned something new which I'll soon forget today.

 

I traded a RD400 in on a brand new 650 Maxim in 1980...put 60,000 on it, including a solo trip from South Carolina to California. In California, I traded the Maxim for a leftover 650 Seca in 1983, and put 115,000 miles on her.

Fast forward to April of this year, when I found a nice 650 Seca available (not so many here on the east coast as there are out west) and plunked down my hard earned cash. I just have such good memories of my old Seca, I had to have another one.

Tell you how XJ-sick I am...I am obsessed with my new Seca, and don't even think about my '05 Ducati S2R, other than I wish someone would step up and buy it. The Duc is vastly superior, yet my heart gets all fluttery around the Seca.

Regards,
Furyus

 

I was itching for a new bike, since it had been two years since I was forced to sell my '03 shadow sabre 1100, for financial reasons...

I bought my bike from a guy who had lost his job and needed the money... (Had 4 little girls at home) So I probably paid too much, feeling bad for the guy...

It's an '82 Maxim 550 in great shape, runs awesome... Paid $1200 a month ago...

 

I had been restoring a Triumph TR3a for 8 years and every spring was sad because it would be another season of no top-down driving.
Meanwhile I had been lusting after a Royal Enfield. Cool, British, you can still buy new ones made in India - even went to a dealer once to have a look, but didn't have my bike license so couldn't test drive. I liked the idea of a largish one cylinder thumper for some reason.
Last spring, I had re-connected with my high school sweetheart (another story but wow it's great) and it turned out she was quite interested in getting her bike license. I showed her the Royal Enfield and it really appealed to her too.
So I started thinking I should bite the bullet (no pun intended). Went to a local guy who has a few hundred old bikes stashed away, and had a chat. He told me that even the new Royal Enfields were unreliable, just like the old ones. So I forced myself to admit that I have enough work in front of me with an old British car, and broke down and decided I would get myself something reliable instead. I got as far as looking in his hidden bike yard with him, when I became very undecided (overwhelmed with the selection). My indecisiveness annnoyed him supremely - he told me he had no actual need to sell a bike and was not interested in educating me about them - so I left.
Now, of the Japanese bikes I prefer Yamaha because
a) Suzuki and Kawasaki in my mind represent noisy 2 strokes (OK I'm an old guy), and
b) Hondas are just tooo smooooth and perfect; I still wanted something at least slightly different.
After checking into insurance, I found that there was a big jump after 700 cc. I didn't think I wanted too big a bike anyway, being a new rider.
So I started poking around on the net. Found an 83 XJ650 with 21,000 kms on it, and spontaneously went and bought it.
It needed a few small things to pass the safety check, so I did them, and then had the tank and side panels changed from red to the British Racing Green I had selected for my Triumph. This way I could confirm that I really am happy with the colour for the car, before it got painted.
I happened to be going by the guy who has the yard full, and stopped and told him I had finally bought a bike. "About f***ing time", he said. I said it was an XJ650 and he became quite sociable and told me that I had picked a really good and reliable bike.
Here in Ontario we have three levels of license so I went off and did the written test that got me my beginner's license last June or so. Drove the bike last summer, and with my sweetie took the safety course that gets you to the second level of license in the fall. We had a blast, and learned lots of good tips. She wants a Vespa (lives in the city).
Since then, I have changed the tank to one from a 750 for more range, and changed the exhaust to one that fit better and looks cooler.
How's that for a story?
Jim
PS the Triumph is still in the bodyshop.......but it is progressing, ever so little, bit by bit.....

 

Jim, I cut my restoration teeth on a 52 TR3. Neat little cars. Do things modern cars can't (and at a much higher price too!). Glad to hear of your happiness, I hope it turns out long term.

 

My first XJ was a spankin new 1985 Maxim bought in spring of 87. The dealer had a few still in the crate and bought it for $1999.00. It was an OK price at the time but I loved the bike because I thought it looked pretty cool and I like the inline 4 power.

Drove it for about 3 years, put on about 15K miles and sold it cause I need a car.

My second XJ is the same as the first. Since I sold my first one I have always wanted another just like it. A friend of mine had one sitting out in his shed for the last 9 years and I talked him into seling it to me. I picked it up for cheap and didn't take alot of money to get on the road (alot of time& effort).

I just love the ergonomics, power & style of the bike.

 

I bought mine because it was cheap and I really wanted to get back into riding again. Had about a 15 year lay off since my last street bike-a 85 Suzuki GS700E-loved that bike-wish I still had it. Found my Midnight Max in the paper for $950 and my wife gave in. I hate to put this out there-but I really want a Harley..Someday perhaps..

 

My first XJ was a Seca 550. It was a high school graduation gift from my grandfather. The second was a Seca Turbo and the third a Seca Turbo.

There were other bikes in between (Honda, Kawasaki, Vespa, etc). But I like the XJs. The designs are straightforward and the engine fantastic.

 

I got my 1982 maxim xj550 last summer and have only ridden a few times, i never know when if it will start again after i turn it off so i have only taken it for short drives around i cant use it for much else until i figure out what’s wrong with it. but i think i have an idea now. I posted a thread asking for help...

Anyway, I always wanted a bike and could never afford one, but a friend of mine from work said he wanted was selling his and I made a joking offer of 400 dollars cause it was all i had. I was shocked when he said ok. So i went and looked at it... I was amazed, its beautiful, no rust no dings perfectly polished and always garage kept, it had only a few thousand miles on it. But the hitch was that it didn't start...
I called my dad and told him the deal dropped in my lap and he came right out to look at it. After a few min dad had the solenoid out and pulled it apart, cleaned out the corrosion and put it back in the bike... it started right up. I told my friend "well now that its a working bike, how much do you want to sell it for assuming you still want to?" with out delay he said "400, sure it runs now but 5 min ago i would have sold it as a non-running bike you might have bought it and had your dad get it running just the same" So i bought it and my dad rode it back to the house.

a week later i built a crapy shed behind my house to park it in, i got some mirrors, lights, and break/clutch leavers off e-bay just cause i was really excited about it and wanted to do something with it . I also put a new battery in it and took it out a few times with my dad. then it got cold and the bike wouldn’t start anymore. So i looked for help thinking something was wrong and found that there just cold natured bikes and don’t want to start in the cold... I did get it started a few times but never took it out to far cause it would die off and not start back up without a jump...

now summer time is back around and I cant wait to drive it as a regular means of transporting... just have to find out why it wont hold a charge so i can get it fixed up and ride without having to worry about where i will end up stranded. hahaha

 

Spent a few months looking at new bikes such as the Suzuki VStrom 650, Suzuki M50, and the Yamaha FZ6. As a responsible consumer I can't believe I almost fell into the "buy new" hype that seems to be so pervasive in today's society (though I will admit that the new Kawasaki F750S is still rather tempting... no no no no... STOP! But I digress...

Rather than put 20% down on a new bike, I used that $ and purchased an 85 XJ700 Maxim outright. The bike was in such good condition some of my friends (who are not bike nuts) thought it was new!

The previous owner just had the bike in the shop to have the carbs cleaned. After changing the oils and filter plus a complete disc brake rebuild (a first for me) I took it to my independent LBS (the same one the previous owner frequented) and spoke to the mechanic (the same one that worked on the bike before). $160 later (valve and carb synch/adj) I got the ok from the mechanic that I bought a solid runner that should last for many years to come (small price for peace of mind in my opinion).

I added a National Cycle detachable fairing and have a friend that will fabricate a mount so that I can attach the Givi E21 hardcases this summer. Right now, my large Nelson Rigg magnetic tank bag holds my laptop and other goodies. My wife loves that the passenger seat is comfortable and that the bike came with a sissybar. The ergos are perfect and I like that my feet are underneath me rather than splayed out "cruiser style". I love the power of the I4 and the extra hp (over some of the newer bikes I had considered). I commute about 55 miles (roundtrip) 3 times per week and average about 48-50mpg. Insurance runs $200 per year - no complaints.

 

Boy did you get the hookup Samtidor. Nice beasty.

 

my cousin gave me my first motorcycle, a honda cbhawk 400, and i never rode it! i started to strip it down...got it firing on both cylinders and promptly got a D.U.I.... lost my license... went to jail... and my cousin took the bike back i bought my enduro for 380$ put in a bunch of money so it was at least road worthy...kinda 8O , but couldnt go on the highway b/c i couldnt get it up to speed limit....least not w/o fear of life :lol: one of the guys at advance auto had my bike....in the middle of winter i asked when he was gonna break it out and he said he was actually gonna sell it for 3-400$ 8O 8O ...i said i want it...give me a month... long story short i had to wait til spring to get it, as a gift (ty lyle) for my anniversary, by that time he was so eager to ride it took 600$ to aquire...ive put 70 bucks into it (head gasket) with 425$ (youll see :wink: ) more planned as i sell off excess vehicles. i dont regret the purchase for an instant...love this freakin bike!!!

mike

 

ok here i go now's my turn!

i used to ride a sidecar rig for years,

and say used because i haven't used it since i bought the seca, :roll:

but wanted something more versatile and without a sidecar.

this bike had been sitting at a dealers for years and i always liked it,

i offered several times but didnt meet their price

one day i took the money and said my last price and they accepted!!

 

I had been looking at bikes in the classifieds and on e-bay for a while, looking for a complete bike that didn't necessarily run but was cheap. I figured it would keep me busy, give me a goal, and eventually save me some gas money. I was usually outbid buy a few dollars, but then one day I actually won! My brother had come over for a few beers, and offered his truck to go pick up my new (to me) XJ550-Seca, so long as I drove, but I was just as tipsy as him so we had to wait for my other brother to show. In the time between the end of the auction and when we left, a sunny day had turned into a torrential downpour; my neighbors house was struck by lightning and the two intersections between my house and the hwy were flooded and full of stalled cars. My sober brother thought these were omens. My drunk brother wanted to know why Yamaha would name a bike after a 70's porn star (Seka). The rain stopped, we loaded it onto the truck, and took it home, where it started raining again. While the kids took turns sitting on it and making motorcycle noises, my 80 year old (slightly crazy) neighbor, out for a walk in the rain, stopped for a look and told us that he used to have a motorcycle, but it was nothing like these fancy new bikes.

My brothers have taken to calling my XJ "Christine", because they thinks its resurrection must be due to some supernatural power, as I am not too mechanically inclined.My wife calls it the Yamaha MLC (for mid-life crisis).