I just bought my first bike a 1980 Maxim XJ650 from a buddy and it runs but it need a little TLC so I've got a couple questions because I know absolutely nothing about bikes.

1st: do 1980's motor cycles have VINs? All I can find is frame # I'm not even positive the make and model i just have his word. the frame # is:4H7-115078 if you can offer any help as far as that goes it would be much appreciated

2nd: is there a way to replace just the casing for a master cylinder assembly? all I need is the mirror mount because the one on the bike is stripped to hell and there isn't a lot of room to put clamp-on mirrors on the handlebars besides I'm hesitant about spending $133 on a mirror mount (SKU: 4H7-25850-01-00)

3rd: Are the "highway pegs"(?) standard on my bike? I can't find them in the parts manuals on yamaha.com. I mean the straight bar across the front with twisted styling and a fold-down peg on either side.

I'm sure there will be more later but that's what i've got right now thanks a lot

The bike doesnt come with highway pegs, you wont see them in the manual. Sometimes there are master cylinders on ebay but none right now. You could probably have it rethreaded at a machine shop if theres one by you. I dont know much about vins though. Youll learn fast, Im you 6 months from now, and the guys on this site have made me pretty damn handy with my bike.

Thanks man I can stop lookin for the damned pegs on Babbits now. I believe you about the site. I damn near crapped myself when I found out there was an XJ site. I've been doin stuff the hard way.

Cirrone wrote:

Thanks man I can stop lookin for the damned pegs on Babbits now. I believe you about the site. I damn near crapped myself when I found out there was an XJ site. I've been doin stuff the hard way.

Thats y I always search online before I "jump" into something... Theres always a site that'll make sh!t easier!

Hello,and welcome to the site! I can offer a few suggestions...

Perhaps you could use JB weld epoxy (I love this stuff!) to secure the mirror to the master cylinder...I would have recommended a heli-coil to repair this ,but the right side mirror is reverse threaded on this bike (perhaps the PO didn't know this,and that is why it is stripped). I would think that a reverse-threaded heli-coil insert would be nearly as hard to find as an honest politician.

The highway pegs that you described were standard equipment...In JC Whitney and other after market vendor's inventories. Nothing rare or special here,and if you have a broken peg,you can find a eplacement for it on ebay for about twice what it is worth.

As for the vin# question...

Chacal,a little help,please?!

Well, as far as the vin provided (4H7-115078), that's a 1981 XJ650 Maxim serial number...............the 1980 models also started with a 4H7 prefix, but their sequential id numbers started with 000101, whereas the 1981 models started with frame sequential number 100101. The "115078" therefore falls in the 1981 model year range; in fact, it was the 15,077th 1981 XJ650 Maxim (USA distribution) built that year....

The real giveaway will be the full VIN number, which will probably read as follows:

JYA4H700?BA115078

where the ? is a mathematically-computed "check digit" for that entire VIN, and the letter "B" designates it unambiguously as a 1981 model.....

Just for gits and shiggles, you can go and have the check digit calculated here:

www.kerrywilson.com/vin.htm

thanks very much for the help. I did realize that the frame # wasn't a VIN and unfortunately if it was ever written on the bike it's gone now. So I've got an 81 XJ650. Any idea how i can find out if it's a G J H LH?

It actually might not be stripped.
Yamaha's have reverse thread on the right side mirror mount.

Trying to screw-in a mirror won't work without an reverse thread adapter.

Len,you never cease to amaze me! Now,how's bout the winning numbers for tomorrow's Mega Millions drawing?

Bet he knows,but keeps them for himself (LOL).

As always,thank you for your prompt and courteous service!

A 1981 model is an "H" model.......in all models. So a 1981 XJ550 Maxim is a really an XJ550H model, a 1981 XJ750 Seca is an XJ750RH, etc.

Yamaha had a somewhat confusing way of designating things, maybe due to a lack of internal communcation between departments? So in the bike VIN area, the letter code for 1981 models was "B", whereas in the marketing department is was "H", and in other areas of the company I guess they all just said "1981".

So you either call it a 1981 XJ650 Maxim or an XJ650H......and the letter "H" also takes care of the model designation "Maxim", also (at least, in the North American marketplace; in the rest of the world there was no "Maxim" or "Seca" model designation, there was just the "XJ650" model description, and it was basically what amounts to a 1982 XJ650 Seca (= XJ650RJ) model in styling, looks, body panels, etc.

Note the year designations, they're alphabetically sequential:

G = 1980
H = 1981
J = 1982
K = 1983
L = 1984

Whoops, they skipped the letter "I" between 1981 and 1982, didn't they? I suppose that was done so that THINGS WOULDN'T BE CONFUSING FOR PEOPLE!!!!!

Thanks a lot everybody, I can tell I'm going to be coming here a lot.

Tomorrow's winning lottery number is 0662748.

Thing is, I'm not sure which lottery, or where. But I'm pretty darned sure that's a winning number, somewhere.....

Just make sure you use parts that FIT.

This guy came into the shop, the other day, looking for a stock exhaust.
I guess it runs a little lean with the Mazda mufflers and the Y-Pipe!

The valve stem caps on his wheels look non-stock, too:

HCP9191 OEM wheel inflator valve stem RUBBER CAP, correct ribbed, black high-shoulder domed cap seals the good things in (stinky compressed air) and keeps the bad things out (dirt, moisture, small bugs, etc.). Fits all strange, unsafe, thrown-together bikes of any brand. Use 1 per wheel. Each:
$ 1.95

RickCoMatic wrote:

Just make sure you use parts that FIT. This guy came into the shop, the other day, looking for a stock exhaust. I guess it runs a little lean with the Mazda mufflers and the Y-Pipe!

Wow! Not my kind of ride!!! I strive to keep both wheels within one area code,and to avoid any protuberances that may jeopardize my good standing with the FAA.But it IS nice to see that you finally sold that green and white helmet,Rick.