Small road trip and some observations.

I road about 100 miles round trip to visit a friend out in the country a bit and had a blast. Now before I re did my front end I tried a run to top out 4th gear on the maxim x. It was shaky and unstable.


Now that it is done... It honestly feels like the bike has a sweet spot for cruising right around 6500 rpm in 5th which was over 85. But it felt perfectly smooth like rest your other hand on your leg type of smooth is that normal? Also I noticed I had no trouble getting a good deal faster and it still felt rock solid. I love the country...


Also just want to make sure my fuel economy is normal... I got like 100 miles out of the tank.... But I did have several stints into triple digits as well as cruising over 80 most of the way. I am assuming if I did less heave acceleration I should be able to get an extra 20miles or so out of it?

Planning a road trip of atleast 400 miles in spring and want to make sure I plan my gas stops right lol.

Also I am contemplating adding a cafe racer "bikini Style" fairing to just give me something to tuck behind. I dont want a full windshield but the ability to duck out of the wind could be nice. Anyone know how to mount one on a maxim x?

Lastly I think I could seriously improve my comfort when riding solo or one up with more of a straight seat like on a cafe racer where there isn't a split for passengers and it doesnt force you onto the tank. I am contemplating just a piece of plywood and having the gf give a shot at upholstering it. Good idea? or should I leave it be? I'll obviously keep my old seat so I can go back if I want lol.

 

Normal to be electric-motor smooth and stable at 85mph? If you've got everything right, heck yes it's normal. Feels good, doesn't it?

As for the seat; check these folks out: http://www.sargentcycle.com/custserv.htm

Keep your original seat, and get another one off eBay to re-countour; if you're getting it redone, it doesn't have to be in sterling condition.

Sargent's has done two seats for me so far. Excellent work, reasonable bordering on cheap prices and good folks to work with. Highly recommended.

 

100 Miles is around 160Km...

If your tank is around the same size as a 650 (which i think it is), then you're doing ok mileage wise IMHO. Does that include reserve? I was a little surprised to find out my bike was nearly as hard on gas as my Cavalier, but meh... The grin factor trumps mileage any day.

 

oh ya, smooth at 85 is normal, haha.

first time i took the lady over 100 she still thought we were only going 60. bahahaah

 

Bigfitz it feels freaking incredible. Everyone says twistys are fun but so is an open road lol. I owe you a huge thanks for making me do it the right way lol.

Also thanks for the links ill check them out. I don't find my bike uncomfortable I just think a lower seat and being able to tuck in more could be nice.

Mwwhite I was at 89 miles right when my light came on and I stopped to get gas. I was cruising in the 80-90 range with 5-6 blasts of triple digits. So I'm probably alright. How many miles do you guys get out of reserve? I never really let it get that low.


-Ryan

 

Haha, up in the U.P. passing semi's on those wide open roads! I dig it, and she just glides in fourth gear, like your flying! hahahaha

I love it

 

Your mileage sounds about dead nuts on. If you do any drag racing, or point and squirt in the city you may only get about 60 miles out of a tank, including reserve.

 

Hahahah dang so I'm doing pretty well mileage wise! Nice to hear from you Elgato glad to see you're enjoy this as much as I am.


Maxim x I know you do some racing you ever ran one of our bikes for times and top end? Btw super jealous of your track photos you posted the other night.

 

Our company (now closed) was in the town Of St. Thomas Ontario and one of entertainment commitee gus suggested that if enough people show interest we could make our own event. Long story short, we did it.
Lots of cars but a good turn out of bikes as well. I know most stories are not true without pics, but my best time that day was 12.337 at 106.13 M/ph. As this was just a fun day out I wasn't going to slip the clutch hard at the launch as it was also my daily ride. So launching was usually lower revs, little slipping on the clutch and several huge wheel stands off the line. At one point I was on my tippy toes with my crotch halfway up the tank and I was still getting huge air under the front tire.
But one hell of a fun day!

 

Haha! That's SWEET! What does it feel like to pull a wheelie? Even a small one.

And ryancdossey as for mileage, I must be a timid rider. I usually can get like 140 or 150 out of a tank! It's an 82 xj750!

(lol can't ride too crazy with my father in trail, he wouldn't be too happy )

 

That's awesome Maxim x. Elgato I wish my dad rode. I've offered to teach him a few times but I think my Mom would kill him lol. How many gallons does your tank hold? Where do you generally cruise at rpm wise?

 

Hey ryan
Did a little digging around in my files and found my time slip. Like I said, no pics it didn't happen so.................

 

^^ pic doesent show up

 

then it must not have happened.........................LOL

Ryan, Yeah......smooth. That's the weay they are . When They're NOT smooth is when you get concerned!!! Sounds like you got things pretty well dialed in

Dave F

 

Well, lets try this again....it shows up when I click the preview button, hope it shows when posted to the forum.
Hmmmm, just looked at the first time I copied the link from photobucket and they are different. :?

 

Thanks for all the kind words and that's awesome maxim x!

 

Hi Guys, since we're talking about mileage Is that right? I mean you can get that mileage every full tank?. Lately I had problem with the carbs, and now I'm having a lot of problems with the joint carburators, every time the engine is hot the bike doesn't pick up the r.p.m's as you open the throttle, instead there's a lot of smell of raw gas. And since you also are talking about cruising speed, 85mph could be the cruising speed for this bike? Due to the road conditions in this part of worldmy rides can't go over 65mph...Thanks.

 

I think it's just over 3 gallons! As for riding, I'll usually cruse in 5th gear, 4th and 3rd for the twisties! But usually around 4k for riding, sometimes lower. On the highway it's around 5,500 or higher!

 

Have you worked on the carbs lately? That sounds like floats could letting fuel spill over in the carbs. If you break the rack when working on carbs and do not preform a proper "bench sync" (making sure the carbs are level, and the butterfly shaft is perfectly straight) when the bike heats up, the butterfly valves can lock up!

I'm just an amateur though! :/

 

Thank you el gato...The mechanic did the carbs in winter, he also told me that the joint carbs are low quality with a poor fit and that's the reason of this problem because the poor fit of the parts are doing that the engine is sucking more air than gas so the gas gets a poor burn ratio....if I remember right....

 

Rod1 with my bike It may be a bit different. Being the Maxim X my bike I normally cruise at 6500 rpm in whatever gear I am in. So going like 70-75 in 4th or so. That rpm puts me around 80-90 mph if I remember correctly. The mileage I got was from going consistently around 85mph with several blasts into much higher speeds. Doing under 60 you should do better mpg wise. I know when I first got the bike and wouldn't get on it. I was getting around 120+mpg on my bike. My tank is right around 3 gallons.


I haven't had to do carbs yet. but I know that everyone on this site says mechanics kind of have a bad rap with our bikes and not being farmiliar with them. It may not be a bad idea to go through the "church of clean" and re do your carbs. The only way to know it was done and done right is to do it with your own hands.


I had a reputable mechanic work on my bike after a werck and when I went to pick it back up I asked how it ran. He said he test drove it in his drive way..... If I am going to be doing 60-80mph on something I'd prefer it was tested at those speeds... Not 3mph for 10 feet in the drive way.

 

120+ mpg??

Bullshit. There's just no way.

 

I think he meant per tank, which would sound about right if you take it easy.

 

Damn my bad! YES per TANK! lmao 360 miles on a tank... don't I wish...

 

Ok... guessing my mechanic did the carbs like he should (I mean right!!) I have no doubt he did, my bike is now running about 100 miles per tank, I'm not including reserve. Anyway afters saw this post I started to pick up some speed when the road allows me to do so. That mileage is riding about a 65-75 mph. I guess is pretty good. Carbs run ok at high speed. Since is my first Maxim I'll like to know if you can ride this bike, let's say at 35 mph in 3rd or 4th gear and still have a very good response when you open the throttle, because mine's not, due maybe to the joint carbs...

 

You're not really in the power band. It would be like trying to race someone and starting out in 6th instead of first. It will get up to speed just feel sluggish and take awhile. What bike do you have? My bike will hit 70 mph at redline in 2nd gear. On the highway I am normally around 6500 rpm in 4th gear to be at like 60. These bikes really come alive over 6k.

I would think 3rd would be so so even at that speed. I normally get up to like 20 or so in 1st shift up and out of second at 40ish. In 3rd gear 6000 rpm is like 50-60 mph.


Maybe try cruising in a lower gear at higher rpm? And If you're getting 100 miles to a tank before reserve you're fuel economy is pretty good. Mine was including reserve.

 

Hi Ryancdossey, no way... I'm in 5th at 5000 rpm riding at 70-75 mph. My doubts cames since is my first bike with a racing kind of engine type. My bikes were always choppers style and Hondas, 2 vlx 600, shadow 1100, and 1 a.c.e. 750. I didn't have many bikes because I'll like to keep them for long time. I've been riding for 17 years and this is my first bike with 4 carbs and 4 cil. and took my a lot to get used to the sound of the engine cause seems like you are a over the revs all the time if you compare it with a chopper/custom style. My guide is the sound of the engine and in this bike (maxim xj700 1985) is not a roaring sound but a high peech sound that make me think all the time that I'm forcing the engine, though I love it...I'll try your way of riding and I'll let you know...

 

Yeah man the power bands on these bikes is OVER 6000 rpm. Anything less and boy are you missing out. I rode for over 50 miles at 6500 rpm in 5th doing around 85mph and it was so buttery smooth. When I am getting on it I have no worries pushing it up towards redline.

 

What about the fuel mileage riding at 85 mph? still good or go over the roof?

 

Your fuel mileage will drop no matter what when you exceed 65mph, but not enough to be bothered on an XJ. Wind resistance is exponential and so even though it is doubling and quadrupling etc. what you are increasing is a small force to begin with, over 65mph and especially over 85mph that becomes a large force, even so gas mileage won't change by much-maybe 10-20% less.

A twin, or Harley type will always get better mileage for the size of the engine, less carbs, longer stroke, lower rpms. But an XJ is truly a gas mizer for a 4 carb, rel. high revving motor and should get you more than 100 per 'on' tank, but not much more. Are you tires properly inflated, brakes not dragging, plugs good, air filter clean? One thing-you should never smell raw gas, if you do there is some leaking somewhere.

Rod is it hot in Argentina right now?