Is it a good deal?

1982 Maxim 650 11,000 miles.

Needs some minor parts but runs. Appears to be in good shape and I plan to bob it.

$500


Is it a good deal?

 

Depends on a few things. How old are the tires? It doesn't matter how much tread is on them if they are old. You will need to consider the cost of getting it truly roadworthy too. Front and rear brakes should be checked and most likely replaced. Don't just pull the lever or press the pedal and expect them to be good because they work. The rear brakes tend to delaminate over time. You need to visually inspect them. Carbs will probably need cleaning and adjusting. Valves need to be checked and adjusted. This is usually neglected. How is the battery? What kind of minor parts does it need? All things to consider in the offer you make on the bike. $500 may be a completely fair price but try to get the owner to come down. That will give you more cash to modify it.

 

Clear title? Then yeah I'd get it. Check compression since it's running. Nothing worse than cleaning it up or building it and finiding a bad jug or two.

 

$500 is what i pay around here. but only if the bike is complete.

repairs can be made easily. but buying parts!!!!!!!!!!!! way too expensive and can make a bike not such a good deal after all.

 

Bobbed or not, you will need BRAKES-shoes, pads, lines, caliper and M/C rebuild kits, probably tires, carb parts, most likely some valve shims and an assortment of gaskets and other bits.

You're looking at around $500- $800 to properly recommission a bike; running is a good sign but it's no barometer of what the bike needs, trust me. PO of my '81 rode it to my house; it took me 3 months to get it to where I would ride it anywhere.

Do a compression test; if it blows good numbers and it runs then $500 is not bad at all.

 

gday again,i have been reading alot here lately and boy things are a lot different overhear IMO. A bike in Australia that cost say 2 to$500 is really only a handlebar and a seat held together by rusty bits. I get the feeling that in your part of the world for $500 you expect the whole bike in going condition and looking good and dont want to waste money on parts. Is this cause there were so many of them or are they disliked by many riders over there or something else? I have even read in some post hear that some consider them a disposable sort of bike. I see so many bikes for sale in America for under a grand that i would have had to build a bigger shed to keep them all in.I love my 81 special(your Maxim eqiuv almost) it cost $2500 have spent another $500 on it and i ride it everyday weather permitting and so far havent seen anything for sale at that price over here at least that i would feel confident to ride anywhere . I must be looking in the wrong places.When a old XJ turns up here they are either basket cases or looked after and people want fairly big bucks for it and most dont seem to sell.

 

shadow ridr, I know the bike you're talking about, the blue one with the windshield? my friend was going to buy it until he blew 700 at the casino... I woulda rather had a bike.

 

Ken, a lot of people here in the US are lazy. If they cant start the bike they get rid of it (Sometimes they tinker around with it and make it worse) Most of the bikes I have bought were for 500 or less (All no running when I got them) Most of them I only had to clean the carbs,replace tires, oil, brake fluid and turn signals to have a running bike. Then I had to make it look good.

 

gday tcoop, i have to admit im green with envy,some of the bikes i have seen for sale cheap in you neck of the woods i would buy just to look at in the shed(well almost anyway). There are a fair few people over here who import older low mileage bikes from america and they do ok here. There's one not far from me and i look at the XS650's he has and they walk out the door for just under $7 grand, he has one at the moment thats not in his shop but at home and the motors buggered and he told me he wouldnt part with it for much under $4000. I sort of looked into importing something nice myself but it gets more daunting as you go and the people who know how do do it want a heap of money to do it, such is life.

 

This is hysterical! I GAVE AWAY 7 XS 650's 2 years ago. I still have one that is entirely complete leaning against the back fence. 3 of the bikes I gave away have been resurrected I have lost track of the rest of them. I had to buy the XS's in order to get my Maxim. Wish we were closer.

Loren