1983 Yamaha XJ Maxim 650 Cafe Racer build page

silverdollar

New Member
My build page. I purchased a 1983 Yamaha XJ Maxim 650 from Craigslist for $500 clams, she was ridable and running when I got her but you can tell the previous just did no maintenance on the bike(poor girl).


I was going to bobber the bad boy but changed my mind like all builders do. This is my first build and first bike, I have caught the mod bug and to be honest with you it has been a blast so far. Before we embark on this build page I would like to thank my loving wife for all the times the house smelled like gasoline, oil, paint etc etc etc..... Also I would like to thank my lil brother for helping me out put this sucker together, www.xjbikes.com, and of course DTT!!!! Alright enough of that lets get this show on the road.

1st day I got her, I didn't even now how to ride a motorcycle. Had to bring my brother with me to test drive it, lol. Not the best picture in the world but it will do for now.


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Front image:


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Rear image:


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Engine:


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Current mods:


I have painted the forks, place fork gaitors which are Rancho rubber shocks, new head light bracket(custom), clubman handle bars, Seca instrument gauges, sanded and painted rims black with red reflective tape, new starter button, new front and rear brakes, front fender chopped and painted red, 4 in 1 exhaust painted flat black, pod filters, new dirt bike hand grips from flea bay, new Shinko tires front and rear and new ignition.


Future mods:

Install the set of Harley Davidson pegs I purchased, cafe seat in the progress, install turn signal, braided brake lines, a Yoshirmo exhaust I got from Craigslist, maybe some rearset, maybe paint the frame in the future and new jets and pilots.
 
I had to purchase a motorcycle jack, every man sure have one. Got it for $30 bucks from Craigslist. It was basically brand new, the lady said they only used it for the lawn mover.

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4 in 2 exhaust removed. These mufflers had the baffles remove and boy were they loud. I like loud pipes, lol. I don't think the neighbors would be to happy with me coming in around midnight with these bad boy screaming! But anyway forget them, LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES!!!

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4 IN 1 exhaust: Got these from my brother from Maryland, fellow XJ'er. Shout out to www.xjbikes.com GREAT SITE for XJ'er, now back to my build page!

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A good old Yoshimura exhaust for $70 bucks.

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The orginial gas tank(650), with the dent and all. This will be my bump stop, yes sir!

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My new gas tank a (Yamaha 750 Seca) got to love the knee dents already there. Got the tank for $20 bucks, CL where else. The tank had a bit of rust inside it but the Mercuric Acid from Home Depot did the treat, thanks to a thread I read on here. Also if you are going to purchase some Mercuric Acid from Home Deopt, get it from the Gardening Section!!! This stuff was $10 for 2 Gallons of that stuff vic the 1 Gallon for $8 buck which was not the industrial strength.

I know not the best of photos......


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New wheels painted(rattle can paint job) with reflective red tape(Flea Bay), new tires installed and rear drum brakes rebuilt as well as the front brakes rebuilt.

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Head light bracket chopped. It was chrome, I'm not much into the chrome, I'm not a chromisexual, lol!

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Ahhhhhh a nice coat of semi black! Refreshing!

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Headlight bracket installed with headlight painted black. Tank mocked up with chopped fender painted red and yes that is the 650 tank that came with the bike as the bump stop. The clubman handle bars really change the look of the bike by far. New pod filters, emgos, and 750 Seca gauges rewired. Also purchased some rubber Rancho shocks, which is cheaper than purchasing fork gaitors online. It was like 8 dollars difference, money save to spend on something else for the bike.



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Front disc drill, thank DTT members for the templet. My first time drilling out rotors so its not the best but it will do. I think it turned out pretty good. Front tire on with fresh drilled disc. Does anyone see the black screen in the front fender??? Its a rain gutter screen I got from Taylor Do it Center.

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Rear tire on. Tank and bump stop mocked up just to get an idea. With the clubman installed I lowered the front end about an 1".


Man this has come along way but I still have to work on the engine. Get some new jets and main pilots for the carbs since I am running a 4 in 1 exhaust set up with pod filters.


Again this would not be possible without the help my brother(Cub).

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I still need to mod a seat pan and the rear bump to up and then paint and prime. I was thinking about painting the tank and seat pan RED with maybe a flat or semi gloss black paint racing stripes. At first I was going to do the tank and bump stop in black with a 2 1/2 inch red strip down the center with white racing stripes and black on the sides but I can't make up my mind!!!
What do you guys suggest???
 
My new battery box that will fit nice and neat under the bump stop. Still along way to go but she coming along very well.

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I was looking at getting a battery charger, does anyone have this brand of charger?

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Also some funny stuff, lol.


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Gooooooooooo JOE!!!!
 
Hey, another Maxim cafe'er AND a Steelers fan to boot! you live in Da Burgh, too? How is she running with the pods? All that you read on xjbikes, tells you that these CV carbs don't like pods.
 
Motorheaddad said:
Any updates? I love the way it's turning out

Yeah I got a few updates, sorry its not much but that happens when your full time college student and working a full time job. I know whatever, you just want the updates.

Here it is fresh off the press. Installed my 4 in 1 exhaust w/muffler, Yoshimura exhaust to follow. Picked up some Harley pegs to replace the old beat up ones. Polished the old shocks and installed, enjoy!!!

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RoadRash said:
Hey, another Maxim cafe'er AND a Steelers fan to boot! you live in Da Burgh, too? How is she running with the pods? All that you read on xjbikes, tells you that these CV carbs don't like pods.

Yeah I'm from the Da Burgh(Swissvile and Edgewood area) right across the bridge from KENNYWOOD park. Live there my hold life but not anymore, I now reside in Virginia Beach, VA. 10 years of service in the United States Navy will cause an individual to relocate, lol.
Goooooo NAVY!!!

Yeah so I have read about the tuning of the CV carbs and Pod mods on XJbikes and it seems for the most part its not a good idea but screw it, its my bike and I'm going to try and sold these riddle. I haven't started her in 6 months, I know I need to both I still have to install my universal petcock that I purchased from PartnMore.

Stay in contact and stay thirsty my friend!
 
Cool, man. Oddly enough, I work under contract for The Navy in West Mifflin.

Yeah, sounds like some people have experimented with using the factory boots with the pods, and I guess one of the tricks is to give that curved oval port at the top of each carb an outside air signal. Seems the increased velocity past it, created by the pod's flow, kills the air to that port? I'd love to have the simplicity of pods, but not at the expense of reliability and power. Like you said, though, it's your bike. You do what makes YOU happy. Fuck the rest who don't like it.
 
I read on xjbikes about using factory boots in conjunction with pods but it seem to be all fictional and not much concrete evidence.

Other than that what have you been working on lately? Do you have a build page?

RoadRash said:
Cool, man. Oddly enough, I work under contract for The Navy in West Mifflin.

Yeah, sounds like some people have experimented with using the factory boots with the pods, and I guess one of the tricks is to give that curved oval port at the top of each carb an outside air signal. Seems the increased velocity past it, created by the pod's flow, kills the air to that port? I'd love to have the simplicity of pods, but not at the expense of reliability and power. Like you said, though, it's your bike. You do what makes YOU happy. Fuck the rest who don't like it.
 
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