1981 XJ650 Midnight Maxim

I have never owned a bike but would like to. I have found a 1981 XJ650 Midnight Maxim that would be a project bike for $350. The carbs are off of it but supposedly complete and the tank needs painted. The ad also says there is rust inside the tank. I'm thinking I could fix it up and have some cheap transportation as I restore it or fix it up and sell it to make some money. I would like to know what to look at or check for when I go look at it. I know everyone on here is very familiar with these bikes so any help would be much appreciated.

 

I think $350 for a non-running XJ650 is high. You could be in for another $1000 before you even know it.

 

that's right. never buy a bike that isn't complete. the bike was torn apart for who knows why. and now it's being sold as an incomplete bike. probably missing parts that the dog got a hold of.

if it can't be sold as a complete unit. then it's worth nothing more then $50 for a parts machine.

 

Do as the the other guys said.

Find another Bike and spend the Summer RIDING it.
You buy a Non-runner and there could be problems with it that will break your heart.

Go back and tell that guy:
"If you can get it running within a few days, ... you'll give him the 3-Bills. If, after ... say, ... 10-days, the Bike is still not running, ...

YOU will rent a Pickup Truck and come-by and haul-away the remains and split the Tab for the Rental.
That's the best you can do.

 

Thanks for the responses. The guys claims it is a complete bike just with the carbs removed. Not sure if he was going to clean them or rebuild them or what. I'm glad I posted on here. I was thinking $350 was really cheap. I'll definitely think twice now and probably keep looking. If it's still around after a while, maybe he'll take next to nothing for it. Thanks a bunch.

 

Hey are you by chance from Fargo??? If so I seen the same bike on craigslist. If you need any help with the bike I would be happy to help. It actually looks like a good bike and I think I could help get it going for little or nothing. I should have and could get most anything needed to get it running. Even a set of carbs for that same bike!! 8)

 

Forgot to add I do agree with what they said about the bike for the price of a non running bike for the most part. I would try offering the guy a bit less. Just tell him if you have to bring it in and have the carbs rebuilt and paint the tank and covers it will cost you more than the bike is worth in the long run. Dealer or shop will probley charge between 3-400 for carbs and to have a body shop paint it it would cost 3-500 to do the tank depending on the condition of the tank.
But in reality I think as long as the tank can be cleaned and sealed it should only cost 100-150 to get it running and looking good if you do it all yourself. That is including rebuilding the carbs. Trust me... If it is the same bike I already looked into it.

 

xyxj650,

Yeah, I'm in Moorhead and did see it on craigslist. Thanks for the offer of help and the info. That's very kind of you. I'll take a look at it and see what I think. I've always done all my own car work but never worked on or owned a bike. I would love to try though. I would love to get it running right away and make it look good as I go along. I'm on a very limited budget...lol...aren't we all. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.

 

i'd like to know why he took the intakes off. if the intakes are bad. that's $100 a peace right there. plus the intake gaskets to which i just spent $40 myself.

looks like the entire fuel system is gone. right down to the fuel switch.

 

I sent you a pm. If you do look at it make sure the bike turns over and if you can check the compression. I have to run up to Fargo tomorrow and bring in some carbs to be ultraconically cleaned if you were free maybe we could take a look at it together. I would be able to tell if there is anything funny about the deal I would think. Let me know.

 

I sent you a PM back...twice...lol....it's showing up in my outbox but not in my sentbox...not sure if it actually went or not. I was just wondering what kind of time you would be available to check out that bike tomorrow.

 

Exactly. He didn't pull the carbs because it was a strong runner and he didn't have anything else to entertain himself.

Here's the math (assuming no labor costs):

Carburetor parts $100
Air filter $25
Oil Filter $10
Kreem, RedCoat etc. $50
Tires $150
Battery $35
Brake pads and shoes $50
Spark Plugs $5

$425. That is the very least you can expect to spend. So now you're up to $775 on a bike that still needs paint.

Then there is all the stuff that often turn up:

Fork Seals
Steering bearings
Regulator/Rectifier
Starter Brushes
Alternator Brushes
Starter clutch
Wheel bearings
Coils

When you're all done you'll have a bike that's probably worth $1,300 at best.

 

on the flip side, you Will learn A Lot of new good stuff if you buy it, for me it's fun, time consuming, but fun. I bought a non runner and 15 months later the maiden voyage was yesterday. 100 mile run and running like clock work. Good Good feeling

 

i have personoly baught and sold 2 xjs both around 250 thats about all i will pay for somthing that needs work.
and both were complete not runing, what you want to look for is someone who parked it and why. alot of people get buisy doing other things or buy a bigger bike so they let them sit.
when you look at the bike you want everything to be on it. if things are off there is a reason if just the carbs are off and all the wiring is in place and everything ales in place and they took off RECENTLY to clean then desided not to get her running, thats different then they took them off 2 years ago becuase?
i have anouther xj650 i just baught fo 250 and i cleaned the carbs fired right up.
so look for a complete bike that has just been sitting and with lower miles
like 0-15 thousand. dont buy a bike for 300 that someone has pulled a bunch off unless it all looks complete. i look for ones that have strait undamaged body parts.

 

At the beginning of the Motorcycle Season ...

You buy a runner.
Even if its a few dollars more than you want to spend.

At the END of the season ...
You buy a Project.

You are going to be one of the most miserable people on Earth, wrenching on a Project Bike during the Season ...

Listening to the Thunder and Buzz of Bikes going by, wanting to get into the fun, ... cutting-corners and compromising trying to get-out-there yourself.

 

While Rick's right...I did this last year, I think it makes you stronger (if you're young and have many wrenching and riding days ahead of you). I wasted soooooooo much time last spring/summer/fall wrenching and trying to paint, and would hear "them" ride by every nice day. I was actually happy last June was so rainy (I think there were 22 days of rain that month).

But had someone given me the advice you're being given, I wouldn't have listened. I lost a year of riding, and spent well more than my bike is "worth" getting it back on the road (and I'm not "finished" with it yet). I've learned my lesson...but I'm not sure I could have done it any better. The ONLY thing that MIGHT have helped me of the advice given...look for a COMPLETE bike. You will waste HUNDREDS of $$$$$ getting this bit and that bit on ebay - side covers (if you want them) airbox, mounts for turn signals and headlights...and piece here and there gets expensive fast...in addition to all those shiny new parts you are going to be ordering from chacal.

 

ROFL

 

Ride first. Make it look good when it snows

 

waldreps,
while it's tempting to buy something really "cheap" and admirable to want to fix it up, i would listen to the guys telling you to buy a complete bike (preferrably running)...else you will be unhappy as your "cheap" bike sits in the garage while you're waiting for parts or $$ for parts to get it running and summer will pass you by (used parts are a bit expensive and some are hard to come by on some of these old ricers).

i was looking this spring for a bike and found several runners in the $700-$1000 range. many of them had just had the carbs gone through and would start and idle nicely with the choke off.

i ended up buying a complete 700 (non-running) from a friend's brother for $250 (he was going to scrap it/part it and i couldn't let him).
Battery was dead (needed a charge and hadn't been run in about 4 yrs) but hit it with cables and a bit of gas and she started right up...i considered it a good bet so i bought it. Since then...
*battery took a charge and is holding up nicely
*carbs were fouled up and i spent alot of time cleaning them (had them off 6 or 7 times)...cheap, but timely
*petcock was a leaker...minimum$30 to $35 to fix no matter how you remedy (rebuild or replace with a non-vac unit)
*air box to carb boots trashed $8 to replace with 1 1/2" to 1 1/2" couplers from home depot
*i have over $20 in oil in it (lots of oil changes due to faulty petcock) and $6 in a filter
*needed fork seals (did it myself $8 for the seals and $10 for fork oil)
*speedo cable guts "fell out" of the cable $13 for a used one shipped
*needs a seat cover (seats are torn up real bad)
*need a few body panels (right side cover missing when purchased and they are costly on ebay)
*i need to fix 2nd gear on it to have any resale value at all (and for more practical riding) not sure how much $$ that will cost doing it myself but would guess $50 -$100 minimum
*i need to replace the rear drums (not in bad condition but i don't know how old they are and have been warned of potential delamination causing very bad things to happen)
*i still need a rear tire (probably $100-$120 to have it mounted)

i have put 1000 miles on it in the last 3 or 4 weeks and it's running ok and long story short, i have $345 in it, it needs another $300 to be put into it and don't forget the $200 for a years worth of insurance.

i consider myself very lucky with this purchase but it could have gone terribly wrong and i could have ended up with nothing to show (and nothing to ride).

get a runner, you'll be much much happier.
just our .02

 

I realize this isn't a competion but I have that story above pluse almost a complete ignition, valve shims accross the board, complete carb rebuilds, and over a hundred bucks in oil due to a foctory bum needle valve Seat, and then a bum aftermarket replacement coil defective from the factory. & frozen/replaced cluth cable. Then I rode it. In fact that was yesterday for its maiden voyage, 100 miles and perfect. The front calipers froze on the highway today. But they're apart on the bench and parts are on they're way.