Just picked up my first XJ750

Picked up my first XJ750 today as a project for $350!!! Probably going to rat it out...but i'm gonna let the bike decide that as we go. Looking forward to sucking up the wealth of knowledge that resides here. Thanks in advance for any help along the way. Glad to be aboard!

 

Ocrasurfnc,

Welcome.

Gary

 

Got my first question already! Do I have wheels from two different bikes? My front mag is "spun"...while my rear is not. Most of them I see are spun front and rear but I have seen one or two that look like they had factory straight mags but it was hard to tell. Was it a year thing? an option? not even from this bike? lol.

 

the front wheel is stock, the rear looks to be off a xj700

 

Welcome by the way!

Stick around and you can have your bike looking and WORKING like brand new!

 

Thanks I'm really looking forward to getting into this project....i'm a honda man at heart but when i saw this beauty on Clist for $350 with a clear title and it fires. Guy i got it from said he got it started a week or two ago after it had been sitting for a year or so but i'm not going to bother trying to start it until i drain it's fluids and clean the carbs...previous owner installed rebuild kit for carbs and then let it sit with gas in the bowls for a year so it should just be a general cleaning/tuning and then i'll see what i'm working with.

 

this seems like a great time to chime in. i picked up an xj600 a few years back. it had sat for some time when i bought it. somebody got it running rough enough to pawn it off on me and then i sat on it until yesterday when i tore into it. found this awesome site 15 min ago. that pretty much puts us up to date.

look forward to bothering you all with a slew of "what next" and "does this look right". hope to maybe be of some help someday as well.

i can say this is my second bike, the first is a v-twin and already im impressed with the ease/accessability of everything. took 20 min to find the seat lock, then 15 min later i had the tank/petcock, fiberglass and carbs in the back of my truck. wow! never would have dreamed there could be so much room to work inside a frame.

 

Ok, first thing we need to know is if the bike has a proper title, so that you don't go putting a lot of time and money in the bike and run into trouble. Next, before you start tearing the bike down make sure the engine runs and runs well, valves, carbs, compression etc. After that, make sure it stops well, brakes, lines pads, master cylinder. One of the last things to do will be to start turning the bike into something other than stock.
These are just the basics to give you an idea of how you may want to proceed. I'm not saying you are like some others that have come in here, tore a bike to pieces and then have no idea what to do and either leave or give up with a busted dream and empty pockets.
Good luck and keep us updated on your progress and we'll help however we can.

 

Side note: the wheel in the bike pictured (xj700) has two "spokes" going between the rim and hub...mine only has one every place they connect.

 

Yeah this is not my first project bike so i have been "that guy" before and learned my lesson about just ripping things apart all full of ideas that never come through. I'm taking my time and going about the steps in the right order. I'm going to go search the threads for a triple tree that allows me to get rid of these HIDEOUS handle bars...uhhh the 80's. I will say however in the 8 or so hours i've had the bike the overall lines of the bike have started to grow on me a little.

 

I also just found out after decoding the VIN the country of origin was Japan, not sure if this is better or worse or no different but I sure wasn't expecting it.

 

Once upon a time Yamaha manufactured all of their products in Japan.

 

X2, lol

Totally nOrmal, that's where all of our xj's were made

 

Awesome I was just curious. I've seen "Canadian" models on here too. Any difference in those?

 

Still made in Japan, but made to meet Canadian regulations, like our DOT requirements here in the states. Along with metric gauges as well. Some bikes/options only the us got that Canada diddnt, and vice versa.

 

Welcome aboard.

Your bike looks to be an 82 XJ 750 Maxim.
The rear wheel is the 5 spoke mag from an 85-86 XJ 700 Maxim. The original would be the blender spoke as shown on mtnbikecrazy's bike.
I also notice the non-origianl exhaust, and the MC Enterpises highway pegs.

You can switch to a more normal round handle bar by removing the mounting stubs for the modular handle bar, and replacing them with bolt on risers.

Ghost

 

Personnally I like these modular handlebars, there are just...different from the others!

 

Thanks! I've been reading a lot about the riser search on the threads here and was wondering if there was a specific fitment that people use that works well? I think I recall seeing someone used aftermarket risers for an XS400 maybe? I've also looked at clip-ons which would solve my problem but with the extra headache of new cables teamed with the fact I'm not even sure I want to get down that close to her I'm leaning more towards the riser idea.

 

The easiest would be to use the virago risers.

Ghost

 

It has 650 Seca mufflers on it.

 

Messing with the bike this morning, I pulled the fuel tank and drained it and removed the the petcock for cleaning. I drained all the fuel bowls and then i sprayed liberally (and i know you guys are getting ready to let me have it) WD-40 into the fuel line running into the carbs and then let it sit. I have done this many times with many bikes and it has worked fine in all my past experiences I know it may not be the preference of some of you guys but bear with me we can get past it. I drained WD-40 from fuel bowls along with varnish chunks and some rust. re-installed petcock and fuel tank, primed the carbs, and then once again drained the fuel bowls until i was happy with the fuel i saw coming out. Crank it....nothing...

So i take a spray bottle and shoot a little mist in the #1 cylinder and crank and it fires right away. I let it crank for a minute and pulled the plug from #1 & #4 and they were both wet....I'm guessing whatever "fuel" i'm getting is still not good enough to burn and i need to go ahead and pull the carbs see whats up in there. Not sure if I'm missing something simple in the priming process....also the line going from the back of the petcock (the sideways one) I'm guess goes to the #3 intake manifold? I don't have my Haynes manual yet but just from looking around the bike that seems to be the only logical option. I'm sure this makes a difference and should be installed but i figured i could get it to fire regardless. Thanks for any thought on this.

 

Took the carbs off (what a pain) and cleaned the fuel bowls, pulled the jets and cleaned them out, re-installed carbs and it fires now but likes to backfire out of the exhaust. It tried to catch and idle once but couldn't hang in there. Getting closer!

 

Almost all my intake manifold bolts were loose too and weren't making the manifold seal well...i'm sure that didn't help.

 

Ocrasurf.........I'm restoring a 650 seca (the one that should have your mufflers) Here's a question for you:

I'll swap you a complete decent exhaust system for an xj750 Maxim, for your XJ650 Seca exhaust...............

Get back to me if you want to pursue that with me. I have a couple different 750 options for you....

Dave fox

 

Another thing i just realized - those are aftermarket horns - the original horns are mounted under the tank.

 

They look like Seca horns to me. I suspect PO had a Seca for a parts bike.

 

Talking about project bikes-------

You should see the project bike I got yesterday! Well, actually it probably doesn't look any different than any other project bike around here....LOL

Long story short, awhile ago a list member asked for help with carbs so we traded some parts for the labor. Fast-forward and situations changed, and the PO decided to sell the bike rather than let it sit and maybe never get done. I bought it...........

So.....he got here yesterday- I held the back end of the frame, he steered it with the attached fork, bars, and wheel. Then, about a dozen more trips between him, his fiancee, and me, later--we got everything up to the shop. The engine is on the bench with everything from the jugs up, in bags. I have to replace a ring, then the jugs will go back on..

Some nice things.....frame has been painted, jug was painted, foot brackets polished, and some other little details, too.

I'll make a nice bike out of it.....only has 15k on it, too!

Oh, yeah......it's an '82 XJ650 Maxim. So.....a bunch of bikes went out the door, and the vacuum has already sucked some more in. LOL

Dave Fox

 

Ocrasurfnc,

I'd take HF up on his offer and rejet to stock (making sure the fuel and air jets are properly located. If I'm correct the 550, 650 and 750 Maxim engine "design" was the same with the exception of the X's and Yics. I'd get the valves in spec, clean the carbs, make sure the petcock is working properly, connect that "vacuum" line, fully charge the battery and do a "running sync" with the air filter installed. Hope this helps.

Gary

 

HF that sounds great i'll PM you. When i cleaned the jets today i took notice and they are running 40's and 120's which i'm pretty sure is stock already, correct? I'm 145Lbs and plan on removing as much useless metal weight anyways so i doubt i'll need much in the engine mod department.


Bike starts up now and will idle once warm....however....My number #1 and #2 cylinders get hot as !@#$ pretty quickly (within 3 minutes of running) the headers will singe your skin...while #4 takes much longer to heat up...(much closer to what i'm used to) and the there is #3 which doesn't seem to heat up much at all.....Until i cover that "vacuum" line with my finger. I'm pretty sure that Cylinder is firing because when i choke #3 carb with my hand and the release quickly the RPMs climb on their own due to all the extra fuel.

 

Yes, please PM me....

I have a few different exhaust options for you, including some lighterweight options, too.

Looking forward to talking with you!

Dave Fox

 

Also, If you're going to pull off the grab bar, I call dibs on the black part of the grab bar. If you want to keep the grab bar, but lower the back of it, I have a low back part that I'd swap you for the high back part.

dave fox

 

The hose from the back of the petcock is indeed the vacuum source that is hooked to the #3 intake boot.

#1&#2 getting hot fast. Sounds like a lean condition. Typical of dirty carbs.

Stop trying to take shortcuts, and send those carbs to the church of clean! You are dealing will dried lacquered fuel in the carb passages. Vacuum leaks at the carb boots, and probably shaft seals. Plugged enrichment ports. You know. The normal stuff.

Ghost