Howdy y'all

So I just so happened to stumble across an 83 xj750MM. A buddy of mine had it in his shed completely torn down and could not bring it with him when he moved. So I became the proud new owner. I've never owned or ridden a motorcycle in my life, aside form dirt and mini bikes, that being said I honestly have no idea where to start with this beast. Any and all help would be much appreciated. Thank you so much in advance gents and ladies.

-Humbly Yours
Dusti

 

welcome aboard! There is a wealth of info and expertise on this site. Start by posting some pics and I bet you get opinions as to where to start.

 

Welcome!

1. CHECK YOUR FRONT BRAKES! You probably have the original rubber lines which were only rated to last four years, and it hasn't been 1987 for a long time. Also, brake fluid should be clear, not brown. You'll want to rebuild the caliper(s) and the master cylinder.
2. CHECK YOUR REAR BRAKES! They have a tendency to delaminate without warning, which can be an issue if you're going down the highway and your rear wheel suddenly locks up.
3. Are your valve clearances in spec? You'll hear/see it many times over: don't try to tune anything until you know your valve clearances are in spec, as no other measurements are reliable if they're out of spec.
4. Do a compression check!
5. Check your intake boots for cracks. Seal them up somehow (bicycle inner tubes) or replace them (pricey).
6. The fuse box is probably about ready to fall to pieces. Upgrade it to a ATC blade style, preferably with a sealed cover. You can find them in marine shops.
7. Clean the carbs out, change the air filter and the oil. Make sure your tires are good. Ride the bike stock for at least a year. Don't be like half of us (myself included) and go straight to airpods, etc. It can be done, but it's a pain in the ass to troubleshoot and these bikes are pretty darn powerful without "upgrades" like that. Decide what you like and what you don't like. Once you get to this point, you should be pretty darn familiar with this site, and you'll have Len from XJ4Ever on speed dial. Not that he takes phone calls. You know what I mean.

 

Welcome, definitely stick around and ask questions--the folks here know their stuff.

Oh, and, PICS!

 

Oh, and make a thread for your build and post updates/questions there, and put your bike model in your signature.

 

Alright last question here before I start my own thread, trying to figure out exactly what I have. The vin is JYA22R007DA102558.

 

VIN lookup is here: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14577.html
Would seem your bike is an 1983 XJ750 Maxim, US.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not implying you shouldn't be making this thread - it's just easier to follow people's progress once they get working on a bike when it's all in one place, especially since sometimes a single problem might have multiple, seemingly-unrelated symptoms. Others following along might catch an issue for you that way.

 

I have the same bike but an '82! They are quite nifty.

 

Welcome aboard.

Gary H.

 

Welcome to the world of XJ's!

 

the first thing to do is get a title in your name, then get a shop manual for it. then your on your way