Fresh owner of a 82' 750 Maxim

So hello, i was surfing the internet looking for stuff on my bike and i found you guys. Story of me i am 19, been riding bikes since i was 14, my last one was a 1985 Suzuki GS1500.

I found this bike for $1000 from some guy back in July and thought it was great. 11k miles on it great for the age. It seems he put some work into it but i believe not enough. From what i see, the valve cover leaks, the exhaust pipe leaks from the linkage at the bottom, can't really explain it as its not a puncture but it leaks out before going through the muffler at something that looks like a coupling. 3rd carb isn't burning correctly, already tried seafoam so i guess i will be digging in soon. The original owner put some ghetto posts sitting on the mirror ports to hold the windshield up, windshield is still good but the posts broke off and i need a clamp for the square handlebars. Clutch is sticking as i pull back on it it doesn't snap back, already tighten the cable so something is up in the case, note this only happens if its cold. also that battery light is fricking annoying me, its charged and it still complains, goes away at 5k+rpm.

Im thinking of modernizing the bike a bit more so im looking into modifications in the oil and carb department soon like the spin-on adapter, oil cooler, and performance kits.

All in all with the bike's condition it runs awesome, i can hit 60 easy under 8 seconds, haven't had a backfire or sputtering. I want this bike to be at its best and im willing to put work in it. If you guys can point me in the right direction that would be great. Also is there a digital copy of the manual somewhere?

 

Welcome Ancienttyrael! You did well to find XJBikes as you have stumbled upon better than a digital copy of the manual. But yes there is a CD you can buy which comes with: owners manual and shop supplements. You can also find a paper version on Ebay for about $20-$30, and your going to need both I'll bet.

Your leaky valve cover is not a big deal to fix-you need a new gasket and rubber donuts on your bolts to hold it tight. And since you'll be going in there REAL soon to check your valves you can fix it then. Sounds like you have a short list related to what you found, BUT your list is longer than you know. Most of these bikes have not been cared for as well as they should be so there's problems lurking. You don't want to be on the receiving end of a surprise when your cranking it to the nines. So your gonna have to get busy and get her truly road worthy.

Go to your Members options and turn on your location feature so if someone is near they can help, and add to your signature line some info about your bike (year, model, mileage, modifications, etc.) This will help you get good advice. And speaking of that get ready cause there is much to come with what you already posted.

Enjoy the site and working on your bike. The adventure begins.

 

Thanks man, problem is i don't have time to wait for that CD
i want to do stuff now.......

I keep looking around the forums and that list is indeed growing, obviously fuel system first and the exhaust. that new job needs to come in quick.

 

I notice you were complaining about your battery warning, it doesn't indicate the condition of charge, it's telling you that the battery is low on fluid.

 

Young Padawan, Welcome to the forum you are.


First thing you need to do is pull the rear and check the brake shoes for delamination before you ride it anymore.

Second, don't believe what the PO told you that he had done to the bike. Do it and verify for yourself that it is done.

Then you need to get a manual and go through ALL the maintenance procedures. Do not skip ANY of them.




Oh, and btw, once you get it running correctly, you'll be doing 0-60 in WAAAAAYYY less than 8 seconds.

 

and may the xj force be with you

 

No, it's "May the FORUM be with you" LOL

 

I thought the collective power of the forum WAS the force?

 

And PO's are the Storm Troopers

 

oh i know the PO is full of himself.

Good question, how many discs do the front brake has?

 

Your 750 should have two disks.

 

Here is something else you may find interesting ancienttyrael, on the left side where the shifter is, there are three DIFFERENT side covers depending which model you have, in your case the 750 Maxim. This is where the collective experience pays off here. Just in case you wanted to change out that cruddy, lack luster cover for a shiney new one, be careful! while any of the three covers will fit our engine, only one will be correct. Look closely at how the shifter linkages are arranged for the three models (650 Maxim, 750 Maxim and the Seca models) and that's how you will learn what's correct for your bike.

 

That's "may the fiche be with you..." http://www.yamahapartshouse.com/yamaha- ... ibrand=YAM

And VALVES come first; you said you "really want this bike to be at its best" then THAT'S where you start. http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14827.html

Then before ANY riding: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=15874.html

Then, after attending to the rest of the brakes, like replacing the original front lines, you can worry about getting it running right.

How old are the tires? Don't go by how much tread is left, check the date codes. How OLD are they? They're tubeless, anything over about 6 years is suicidal.

First thing you need to do for your clutch is to change the oil; use motorcycle oil, not automotive oil. Castrol 4T is widely available, 20W50 is fine. Fram CH6003 filters are also widely available, and they come with the o-rings. I just got one at Advance Auto a week ago.

Then clean and properly lube the clutch cable (do not use WD40.)

 

You always make the best welcomes to new members. You tell them that there is lots of work but you make it sound fun!

 

tires are still fresh 2 years at least, rear brake does squeal like hell when its hot.

 

Thanks Bobby. I speak the truth or at least I try. Unless of course I am trying to make banging your knuckles sound fun or putting your carbs back in sound peaceful. But ultimately when you conquer the mechanical mountain or finish what you started and it works-it is fun.

Ancienttyrael your rear brake is trying to tell you something important with all that squealing. Attention is due and soon, like before it stops-and I do mean suddenly and unexpectedly. You can be sure that a drum brake is not supposed to squeal at all. Having your rear tire lock up on you at speed almost always ends with you on the ground-especially if it happens in any position other than straight up with room to skid.

 

Figures as much. well Friday will be initial "stare at it" day to see what i will need in parts line. so far i got:

-front brake lines: Looking through my manuals i don't see a minimum length
-rear brake shoes: easy to find
-cable lube
-oil stuff: that spinon adapter intrigues me considering my old bike had one.

 

I did the stare at it thing too, you might want to take a mirror and look over the underside, I found that my frame is cracked. Not suggesting yours is cracked, I was just curious and that's what I found. Kinda ruined my short term plans to ride it. But it's just as well, I have to replace the tires, rebuild the brakes, change the battery, change the carbs, clutch cable, and the bike needs some TLC before I can ride it. And since I discovered the crack, I have decided to just do a major restoration on it. No need to worry about the brake line length, Chacal has what we need if you're going to remain stock.

 

Chacal also has what you need if you're going to upgrade to Stainless, AND can do custom length SS lines as well.