First time owner. Looking for advice.

I'm going to look at an 82 Xj650 tomorrow. The owner says the bike is a strong runner, and from the photos it looks to be in great shape. No rust, no weathering. It has dual disc up front and all the chrome looks brand new.

I'm looking for advice on things to look for before buying. Warning signs that the bike needs a lot of mechanical work. etc.

 

Dualdisc is it a seca 650?
if not find out what the front end is from.

old used bikes need work unless it was done so ask for reciepts if he tells you the work waas done.
brakes are important , when were the rear shoes replaced last have the calipers and master cylinder been rebuilt? brake hoses replaced?
check for frame rot at sidestand.
after warm up does it have a high Idle after warm up ? over 1100 rpm

are the carb to manifold boots cracked?
airbox to carb boots hard should be soft
tires old and cracked? date code on tire is week and year made .

when was it on the road last current inspection?
look for odd wear on front tire and rear
when bike is on center stand sit on bike to lift front tire. does the handlebars move smoothly left to right return to center when released?
you want to feel smooth no a little bump as this would indicate need for new bearings inte fork stem.

no mater what be ready to spend repair money on the bike

 

Thanks for the tios I will check all those things. From the photos I’ve seen the bike looks brand new. The owner said it just came back from a bike show. How would I know its a SECA? It has YICS on the head.

 

seca has a flat seat tank is different than maxim and low handle bars
1982 Yamaha XJ650 Seca - Motorcycle Classics | Exciting and evocative articles and photographs of the most brilliant, unusual and popular motorcycles ever made!


maxim looks like this
1980 Yamaha XJ650 Maxim I side - Yamaha XJ650 Maxim - Wikipedia

 

If it has YICS, it’s a maxim...... unless it’s a seca with a replaced engine—- in which case there’s GONNA be a lot of mods done.

if it’s a 650 maxim, it has AT LEAST different forks/brakes/etc..... on it

best bet— show us pics, we’ll tell you.

 

Went an looked at the bike. Talked to the owner. He has a lot of nice bikes, and he works on all his bikes. The bike is a xj650 Maxim with the SECA front end and engine. His son used to own the bike an blew the old motor. He said he has a ton of parts for the bike. So I'll probably hit him up if I need a part. The bike looks showroom new. He also said he is part of on of the XJ forums. So maybe he will see this post.

 

Well,
the 650 seca non-turbo engine was a non-YICS engine. So it’s not that.

650 seca non-turbo non-YICS also a cable tach (iirc), so that would necessitate harness changes if a 650rj engine were there, but with YICS on the engine, it rules the rj engine out.

the 650 seca turbo engine was YICS but I would be surprised if it’s that.....

I’m guessing it’s an engine and front from an xj750 maxim

 

Ask him to show you any threads here where he showed work on that machine.

 

He said he put the engine an front end on this frame. So I'll ask him what the engine an front end came from.

I will.

 

if you can ride it home, do that. worry about it later

 

If it’s safe to do so.....

 

It has no plates or insurance. So I'm having a buddy trailer it home for me. Plus being this is my very first bike I'm not ready to ride it an hour home.

 

Wise decision