Faults:

Stored for many years with a part tank of fuel, the fuel dried up and clogged the carbs badly. That's a storage issue, not a bike problem.

Seat had cracked up badly (30 years+ = OK).

Paintwork was poor on one side (see stored!).

Front fork seals cracked and leaking (lack of use).

Exhaust rusted out, patched over OK.

Rear shocks were about stuffed and replaced with quality after market shocks... sweeeeet.

General Comments:

This is "Big Daves" Maxim, and might be the only Maxim 650 to make it to Australia??

It's now on club rego in the State of Victoria as it's over 30 years old, so much cheaper registration!

The workshop who cleaned the carbs set it WAY lean, so it was almost impossible to start without Aerostart, and it died out at any idle below 2000 RPM. Once the carbs were set and balanced correctly, it now idles like a gem. I'll call that a workshop oversight?

I have cobbled up some highway pegs on the engine bars to give some degree of leg room, but am seriously considering proper forward controls.

I think the bike would benefit from a better shaped seat, but it's OK for an hour or so cruising between breaks.

I'm amazed at how readily obtainable the parts are on eBay.

Overall, for its age... oh man, this is a sweet ride, and that's coming from a big bloke who normally rides a Harley Bagger.

Faults:

The bike had always been very reliable, never left me stranded. Enjoyed its ride & feel on the road, whether it was a dirt road or paved highway. I always felt the inline 4's rocked, so 4 years after I sold it to a friend, I recently purchased a XJ1100 Maxim to further my enjoyment of the Maxims. Now the wife can ride with me comfortably.

I did not have any mechanical problems with the 650; I just needed something a little bigger. I only replaced the tires & changed oil when needed, & put a little sport fairing on it to give it a little sportier look, plus I could get out of the wind when the weather turned nippy or rain.

General Comments:

The Maxim pulled smoothly throughout the RPM range.

The driver's seat could have been a little more padded; would sometimes slide back to the passenger section for variety.

Forwards would have been a nice addition for more leg room; just didn't add them.

The Maxim is way more fun to ride than my V-twin could ever think of being.

Faults:

The one and only real problem I had with this bike is when I first got it running after sitting for a few years, I couldn't get it to run right. It would sputter and pop under acceleration, and die at a stop. After a few days of troubleshooting, I accidentally fixed it when I ended up draining the tank and filling it with premium gas. It turns out, mine just will not run on regular.

Also, I think with 32,000 miles it could use a valve adjustment.

Brakes are noisy.

General Comments:

Love the look, love the feel.

Don't understand why people complain about the lack of power. For any practical purpose, the bike has all the power it will ever need. I weigh 270lbs, and have no complaints about the power. People looking for lots of horsepower and superb handling, should be looking into a street bike, not a cruiser.

Faults:

Bought this bike from a nice old lady who used it for her display model. She decided to retire, sold her bike accessories store, her collection of Indian Chiefs, some Harleys, and this bike.

It has a full wind jammer fairing, coffee cup holder, built in stereo, leather handle grips with 2 ft leather whips. All needed for our cold Alberta weather.

Lots of smooth inline 4 power, not any of that shake and rock and roll V configuration. A lot smoother ride than my newer Honda 500 Shadow. Miss having 6th gear though.

General Comments:

The brakes need some work. My 6 speed Honda 500 shifts smoother.