Faults:

Head gasket leaked at 29,000 miles.

Fuse holder brackets are brittle.

Seat has some cracks.

General Comments:

A little hard to start if not used after a couple of weeks.

Front air shocks hard to pressurize to specs.

Faults:

Had to replace the brake switch for the front brake.

General Comments:

Have yet to have any problems with the bike, other than the brake issue stated above. It is my first bike, and was very easy to learn on.

Faults:

Here's a weird one. I put the kick stand down while the bike was running and the bike shut down and the battery died. Does the XJ 650 Maxim have a kickstand shutoff? What the heck?

General Comments:

Really like the bike. Bought it for my daughter and she's loving it.

Faults:

None.

General Comments:

This is a great bike, I have owned it for 2 years, adding 10000 miles to it. I have changed the fuse box out to blades, added a 750 gas tank for more miles, customized the exhaust, removed the headlight assembly and added a billet chrome headlight, and added an auxiliary driving light. This bike rips.

If you can't keep up with a 750, you have something wrong. I have been to the line with a few, and have not been let down by my old Maxim.

Faults:

Tach wire broke.

Signals blow fuses, an electric issue that I am not willing to rewire the bike to fix.

Everything else is great. That's it.

General Comments:

It has a very nice motor. Good pull from a stop all the way to highway speeds. Need to drop a gear to make strong passes at highway speed. It is faster than most people think.

I would not say it handles well. Top end speed of about 110 with over 20,000 miles on it. Speedometer does not go that high, I was riding with another biker when we wanted to get the approx top end speed.

Not good off road. Gets stuck in mud easy, and bottoms out like it was made for on road use only.

Faults:

My only issues were my own stupidity with this bike.

I tried to start it with clutch held in, in 1st gear.

Oil light came on and I was frantic for about 6 hours.

I changed my oil, oil filter, and my air filter.

Then I popped it in Neutral, and felt very stupid

General Comments:

I bought a 82 XJ650 Maxim used with 17.3k miles. Garage kept for 800, and have had no problems with the bike so far.

The rubber air boot to the carburetors are a bit cracked, so I had a bit of a vacuum issue as far as idling, easily fixed with rubber epoxy.

I also got lucky on a deal for a parts bike. It is an 82 XJ650 Maxim with no title. Engine runs, 17k miles, no front caliper, all for $225. It's gonna be great to have a stock selection of parts in my garage. Can't wait to pick it up!

Faults:

Having a problem now starting the bike...

By the time you start it.. it rolls then dies down.

I adjusted the idle to higher RPM 4-5000 rpm "just to get home cause it won't start in low idle". The next day.. it won't start.. it seems like it not feeding.. need help!?

General Comments:

Can't say enough.. 28 years old and still running.. except now, hopefully a minor issue.

Faults:

I have an 1982 XJ650 Maxim. The starter or the voltage regulator went out. How do I go about fixing it?

General Comments:

The bike rides great, very dependable.

Please email me at neilpaynejr@yahoo.com thanks.

Faults:

Nothing really has gone wrong with it, though the carburetors could use a going over (rough idling); I just change the oil, tires, fluids & go.

It could use a repaint as the paint is looking shabby.

General Comments:

I always thought the 80's style bikes had a "Whole Lot Of Soul" & the "Yamaha Maxims" says it all.

It's so agile & predictable, it's just too much fun for a bike of this vintage.