18th May 2010, 10:49

The blue flecks in the black paint on your Maxim's gas tank was in the factory paint job.

26th May 2010, 12:26

I would like to repaint the gas tank on my 1982 Yamaha Maxim and have spent hours on the internet looking for a place to purchase the paint with no luck. Yamaha called the color Black/Blue and the paint code is 04j or o4j. Is there anyone out there that can help me?

2nd Jun 2010, 09:45

I bought a Yamaha 650 Maxim from a friend. My first bike. It's been sitting for a couple of years. I changed the oil, gas, and plugs. It ran crappy when we started it. It wouldn't stay on. So we took the carb off and cleaned it. Now it starts right up, but now it's open full throttle at the start and will not idle down. Please advise. I want to ride before it's too late.

4th Jun 2010, 18:08

Greetings Maxim 650 fans.

I picked one up a few weeks ago on a great lead from a neighbor who has known the owners and the bike since '82. It has 13k on it, looks and runs fine. Was glad to hit this site and see all of the favorable reviews and tips.

As a relatively new lady rider, I initially thought she might be too big for me, but after taking a MSF rider course and taking her out for a spin, I realized she's a perfect starter bike for a 5'7" 40-something rider.

4th Jun 2010, 23:01

I just bought a 82 650 Maxim. It has 25,000 miles on it. It runs great, has a lot of power. However, I bought it knowing 2nd gear didn't work. The previous owner said he owned it for 5 years and 2nd gear didn't work when he bought it. He just double shifts to bypass 2nd. He said the guy he bought it off told him the shift fingers were broke or worn.

I'm concerned because sometimes when I double shift it hangs up in 2nd. Sometimes it actually shifts into 2nd, but other times it grinds and I quickly shift to 3rd. I'm concerned it will let loose and lock up the transmission.

Are transmissions hard to rebuild? I work on my truck, but I've never done any work on a cycle. I know I need a good manual with a good transmission schematic. Anyone recommend a specific one?

20th Jun 2010, 14:06

Hey guys. I just bought a 1982 Maxim 650, XJ650J, I believe. I got it for $400 due to the fact that it was disassembled when I bought it. I figured that the worse thing that could happen is I'm out 400 because it doesn't run.

Almost everything on this bike looks great. I have gotten it put together, using common sense and past experience, But I have no idea how the battery hooks up. Ha ha. I got everything else put together, but this bike does not have a red cable on it. In fact it only has one cable, plus another that was not connected to the bike when I got it, and a kind of L shaped bracket, which I think is the positive cable, and I think the long black cable is negative, with the extra cable that was in the box being a ground from the engine to the battery.

I'm really not sure, so if someone could direct me to a picture or just explain to me how it hooks up, I think that this bike will run great once I clean the minor rust from the gas tank and do some preventive maintenance, and soak the carbs.

Other than that, I think I may have to rebuild the clutch, or just take it apart and put it back together, because the rear wheel will not spin when in gear and clutch pulled.

I have never had a street bike before, but I have ridden dirtbikes, since I was eight, and I'm eighteen now.

Also, there is one piece of the electrical system I'm not sure about other than the battery. There is one of those plastic connectors, which is located right under the gas tank, which I cannot find the other wire that connects to it. I believe it might not have another set of wires that it connects to, but rather one of the little square goldish boxes, which connects to some of the other wires. But as I am not very adept in the electrical dept, I have no idea.

Any help is welcome, even if you don't know exactly what I am talking about, because it could help in some way. Thank you.

19th Aug 2010, 22:38

Very informative site!

Just bought an'82 Maxim 650, sitting in warm storage for four years. Drained gas, cleaned #1 and #2 plugs (looked normal), but #3 and #4 were heavily carboned up. Cleaned and reinstalled them. Engine fired up after one hit and ran smoothly, but rechecked #3 plug, and was clean and smelled a bit gassy, and #4 was really carboned up badly.

Only other issue is fork seals and front caliper work. Bike runs and sounds fine.

Thankful for suggestions.

StevieD.

24th Aug 2010, 21:26

Dear forty something lady rider, I was wondering where you live? I am in the same category as you! A new rider, forty something female with the same bike!! We should really hook up and ride together. I am in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Feeling the breeze,

Yamahamama.

25th Aug 2010, 16:26

I purchased an 82 Maxim 650 last month. It ran fine and I have cruised daily since purchasing it.

Couple of concerns I have: Bike seems to get shaky at about 60 mph (5000 RPM), and I don't want to take it any faster not knowing if this is temporary until it gets past this point.

Second point; my left side muffler has a hole in it. I have been looking for aftermarket parts for it without success. Can anyone point me towards an online supplier?

Thanks.

26th Aug 2010, 21:46

Hey Yamahamama.

I'm in Upstate NY... a bit far from Wisconsin... in the Mohawk River Valley just south of the Adirondack Mountains. There are great roads up here for riding -- during the Fall colors especially.

Good luck with your Maxim. I'm definitely happy with mine, although she is a tad heavy for me at times.

2nd Sep 2010, 23:34

I have an 82 XJ 650 Maxim that I just pulled the motor on. The rubber boots that bolt to the engine and hold the carbs dry, rotted to the point that too much air was getting in the mix, so I took the carbs off and attempted to remove the bolts. Bad idea. This bike must have seen some gnarly conditions, because almost all of the bolts (all but two) snapped.

Now what I thought would be an easy job has turned into a full blown project. But the bike ran well besides getting too much air. No electrical problems thus far, and it's got 24,000 miles.

Front brake had the most disgusting mix of rust and doo doo that I've ever seen, but with about an hour of flushing the system, it stops on a dime.

All in all, this bike is well worth the $200 I paid for it, and if you know your way around a wrench, you can probably handle working on this bike.