Yamaha XJ650 Blog

XJ650 Hardtail Chopper (Pictures)

2010-04-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

XJ650 Hardtail Chopper

2010-04-19T08:42:00.000-07:00

I came across this chopper on my countless hours spent looking at pictures of Yamaha Maxim and Seca motorcycles. I really loved the clean look of this hardtail chopper. I had the misfortune of losing my muffler on a midnight ride into Istanbul, Turkey and I remember how loud it was. Looking at the missing muffler on this motorcycle makes me cringe thinking about the noise this bad boy must unleash.

The owner of this Yamaha XJ650 hardtail is a game designer named Russel Pearson and here's what he wrote beside the picture:

Seeing as this is the only creative thing I can show for this year, I thought I'd post a picture of my bike. I brought this bike in the middle of 2006 and at the time it was nothing more than a deathtrap on two wheels. I spent 8 months stripping it down, modifying and rebuilding it. It's been on the road now for about 4 months. Hardtails rule !!!

The New Everything Yamaha XJ650 Site

2010-04-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

Well after many hours in front of the computer I have given the Everything Yamaha XJ650 site a complete face lift. I hope you like the new look. There is still a bit of detail work that needs to get done as I have tweaked a newspaper template to accommodate our motorcycle website. I do intend to remove the Barack Obabma and Vladimir Putin images off the title but with the Nuclear Arms treaty about to be signed I think I'll keep it up for awhile longer before I swap them with a Yamaha Maxim on one side and a Yamaha Seca on the other. Both very reliable motorbikes for riding after a Nuclear Armageddon. My Maxim has often been referred to as a 'Mad Max' bike.

The recent attack on our blog by militant Honda owners jealous of our shaft drives has renewed my verve in adding content and making this an even better landing page for any Yamaha XJ Maxim and Seca owners. The categories at the top make it easier to navigate the 'How-To' section depending on the problem with your XJ650. There is an Ad site in this template where we could advertise bikes or spare parts for sale. Just send an email to xj650.admin@gmail.com with your posting and I will put it up for you. The only requirement is at least one picture, an email address and a minimum of 20 words.

I truly hope you enjoy the new site. I always welcome your comments whether they are positive or critical and above all please send pictures of your bikes with a little write up so I can add them to the 'Reader's Ride' section.

In the meantime....

"Free yourself from the chains that bind you, ride a shaft drive!"

Maritime Cafe Racer (Pictures)

2010-04-07T10:12:00.002-07:00

Elvis' Cafe Racer (Pictures)

2010-04-07T10:12:00.001-07:00

Orange Maxim (Pictures)

2010-04-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

German Midnight Maxim (Pictures)

2010-04-07T10:10:00.000-07:00

Green with Envy (Pictures)

2010-04-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Red Beast (Pictures)

2010-04-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hacked

2010-04-06T22:28:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend this site was hacked. I'm not sure why, it's not as if we have a huge following. I'm pretty sure it's the Honda CBR crowd jealous of us as we pass them by as they lube their chains.

Meanwhile the site has become very unstable and it is going to need a complete purging and overhaul. Luckily, the articles are all safe. I know how important the How-To's are.

I will get to working on it right away and we should be up in no time.

In the meantime, those of us in the Northern hemisphere can take some time to get our XJ's ready for what is turning out to be a wonderful spring.

Free yourself from the chains of bondage - ride a shaft drive

XJ Adventure (Pictures)

2010-04-06T19:02:00.001-07:00

Silver Special Maxim (Pictures)

2010-04-06T16:26:00.001-07:00

XJ650 Adventure

2009-07-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

I know alot of people just come to this site for the great 'How-To's" and to get ideas for their XJ650 restoration projects but I wanted to direct you to another side of owning a Yamaha XJ650... riding! As the administrator of this blog you can guess that I'm pretty passionate about these bikes. I have a number of XJ650 and XJ750 Maxims and Secas in various states of repair or disrepair depending on how optimistic you are.

It wasn't really until last year that my hobby turned into a complete obsession. I opened my mouth a little too much over a few pints with my mates and I told them that I was going to build an XJ and ride it around the world. In my defense, it was after they spent a good half hour bad talking my bike. What could I do?

Being a man of my word I set to building a bike that would be reliable and eye catching. I had enough spare engines and frames kicking around to put something together and I had the most important thing... an impossible goal. When I began the task I didn't think I would get as carried away as I did but by the end of the build there wasn't a square inch of the bike that wasn't touched by me. The engine was stripped down and rebuilt, the frame was modified slightly and powder coated, the exhausts were ceramic coated, custom paint, and new panniers made out of 50mm ammo cans. I had booked passage to Germany and I planned on touring through Eastern Europe. My dates were firm and I was working on the bike right up to the final day before I flew it to Frankfurt. The rest is history...

I toured through the western part of Eastern Europe and visited Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia. I left my bike in Croatia and in 16 days I will be returning to continue my trek. This year it will be Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, and Poland. I know there are alot of people who tour the world by bike, but I think I'm the only one doing it on this particular bike.

If you want to follow me on my travels, or if you would like to read about last years trip I would really encourage you to go to my other blog Elvis On The Move and subscribe to the email feed or RSS feed. Some of the stories that come from the road are hilarious and others informative. I truly hope I see you over there.

Green with Envy

2009-05-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

There's only one thing I like better than seeing a nicely restored Yamaha XJ and that is seeing before and after pictures of a fully restored Yamaha XJ. Everytime somebody clicks the 'Submit Bike' button on the blog I am absolutely taken back. I started blogging over at Elvis on the Move to chronicle my motorcycle trip across Eastern Europe and I just got the bug for blogging. I'll be honest though I do go through writing spurts followed by long stretches of writer's block (read: laziness). That's why I love it when reader's want to put their material into my labor of love. This true gem comes to us by way of 'Down Under' and I absolutely love what Debbie has done to this beautiful Yamaha Seca.

Let's start by looking at how the bike started out:
The bike was in pretty good shape to begin with and the engine was strong. Most of the rework was cosmetic. The first thing that caught my eye when I saw the before and after pictures was the small rectangular box next to the rear shocks. I immediately sent Debbie an email asking what this was and to my surprise I was told that it was the gas container for gas pressurized shocks. Brilliant! I don't profess to know everything about this bike but I know alot and I had never heard of the Seca ever coming with a gas assist suspension in the rear. I want one.

The fruits of a month's worth of hard work took form in this classic looking XJ650:

I truly love the color they chose for this ride, but then again I'm a sucker for green. Debbie has written me a few times regarding this bike and I can hear the passion she has for this machine. I knew I was going to feature this bike the moment I saw it so I asked her to give me some details.

"We paid $A2700, which included 12 months registration/insurance/roadworthy certificate, new tyres, new battery, fully serviced motor, shims done, oil changed, new air filters and new spark plugs. Really, other than the shocks and a bit of work on the carbies, the rest of our costs were on cosmetic improvement, and that was about $A600. It's really hard to find a bike like this in Australia that's in good shape and learner legal. Most (and there aren't many) are sold unregistered and need a lot of work. We didn't have time for that - we still have a Triumph Trident T160 to complete, and it's a true labour of love!

The Harley belongs to friends. They bought the bike in Sydney, (eastern side of Australia) in January and stored it at our place until last week, when they drove over from West Australia (over 3,000 kilometers) to collect it. We live in an area well known for fantastic motorcycle roads, so we took the bikes on a few rides before they left. Victoria is the south east state of mainland Australia. The photo with the two bikes was taken next to the Murray River near a tiny town called Walwa. Google it!

We're really happy with the bike. It runs well, handles great, and compared to the costs to restore the Triumph, as cheap as chips! A few friends have said the Yamy might blow the Triumph to the winds! We'll have to wait and see about that!"

In the last email she sent me over some pictures of some of the work they did. It looks like it was a whole family affair. Take a look:

"Stuffing Muffler with Packing"

"Harleigh polishing the forks"

"Steve repairing the tank."

"Debbie scraping paint of edge of repainted wheels."

Debbie confided in me that she would like to find another XJ650 to restore for her daughter. I can't wait to see how that one turns out.

HOW TO: Bench Synch your Carbs

2009-04-06T12:21:00.001-07:00

This is a "How-To" on bench-synching carburetors. I've noticed quite a people (me being one of them) searching for clear instructions on how to do this. At some point recently I came upon them, but I can't seem to find them anymore. So, I decided to add my own 'How-To' with the hope that future XJ'ers will find this guide an asset.

The carburetors we'll be working on today are a "junk" set that came on my wife's 1982 XJ650J Maxim. They may look okay on the outside, but they've got cancer on the inside. We'll need two Paperclips and a Phillips-Headed Screwdriver for this tutorial. Let's get started.

Here are the steps...
1. Turn all the Synchronization Screws clockwise until they bottom out on their springs.

2. Take two Paperclips of the same gauge and bend them to match the illustration.

3. Rock the Throttle Lever open with your right hand and slide the paperclip (the one with the short bend) between the Venturi and the Butterfly of Carburetor No. 3 (see first picture above for Carburetor positions) with your left hand. Gently let loose of the Throttle Lever so that it pinches the Paperclip. You will want the Paperclip positioned as close as possible to bottom dead center of the Venturi.

Note: if the Butterfly does not pinch the Paperclip securely, you will need to turn the Idle Adjustment Screw counterclockwise until it does. Refer to Step 9 for the location of the Idle Adjustment Screw.

4. With your Phillips-Headed Screwdriver, turn the No. 4 synchronizing screw counter-clockwise while sliding the other paperclip in and out between the venturi and the butterfly. Do this until the paperclip is "grabbed" by the butterfly. This butterfly should now match the butterfly of carburetor No. 3.

5. Moving to the No. 2 synchronizing screw, repeat Step 4 on carburetor No. 2's butterfly.

6. Lastly, adjust the last synchronizing screw (No. 1) so that carburetor No. 1's butterfly matches carburetor No. 3's butterfly.

7. Once you're satisfied that all four butterflies are set approximately the same, hold them up to a light source and compare with your eye. Adjust as needed.

8. Again, with your right hand, rock the throttle lever open and remove the paperclip from carburetor No. 3.
9. From the backside of the carburetor set, turn the idle adjustment screw so that a sliver of light can be seen between the venturi and the butterfly of carburetor No. 3. If you've set everything up correctly, the same amount of light should be visible looking through the other three carburetors.

That's it! It's time to re-install your carburetors and finish fine-tuning... But that's a whole other "How-To".

(Written by Don Bangert Author of several How-To's and the blog, The Path Less Traveled.)

HOW TO: Install a Headlight Modulator

2009-03-30T09:40:00.001-07:00

Have you ever seen those motorcycles coming at you with those headlight modulators? The pulsating headlight makes them very noticeable to other motorists. Unfortunately, these units can be rather expensive. After doing some research, I've come up with an inexpensive way of replicating these headlight modulators.

We'll need a couple of components for our project. We're going to use a Grote electronic flasher, part number 44530, to handle the headlight pulsation. We'll also be using a 30 Amp double-pole relay, Standard Motor Products part number RY48 (or NAPA PN# AR204).

Other parts include a little bit of wire (14 or 16 gage, less than a foot in length) and several insulated female spade terminals. As far as tools are concerned, you'll need a Philips screwdriver, a jeweler's flathead screwdriver (about 1/8" wide) and a pair of wire cutters/crimpers.

I've come up with two different versions of how to hook this circuit up. One way has the headlight's high beam oscillating when the headlight dimmer switch is flipped to high beam. We'll call this Option One. The other has the headlight's high beam oscillating when the headlight dimmer switch is flipped to low beam. We'll call this Option Two.

Before we begin, let's familiarize ourselves with the connections on both the relay and the flasher unit.

The Relay

The relay will have five spade terminals sticking out of it. Two of the five terminals are hooked to an electromagnetic coil inside the relay and they are marked 85 and 86. Terminal 85 is the power-in terminal and terminal 86 will be hooked to ground completing the circuit. The other three terminals (terminals 30, 87, and 87a) are for a double-pole switch. The term "double-pole switch" tells us that the switch has the possibility of sending power down one of two legs depending on its state. Our relay has two states: energized or not. The "not energized" state will have terminals 30 and 87a connected in a normally closed (nc) position, allowing power to flow across them. Terminals 30 and 87 are said to be normally open (no) in this state, i.e. no power will flow across those terminals. The "energized" state is when the coil has been powered up on terminal 85 and the relay's electromagnetic coil pulls the switch closed across terminals 30 and 87. Now terminal 87 is closed and terminal 87a is open. As soon as power is removed from terminal 85, a spring pushes the switch back to its "normal" state, closing across terminals 30 and 87a. Notice that terminal 30 is a common terminal to both states. Therefore, terminal 30 is usually referred to as the "common".

The Flasher

When you look at the electronic flasher, you will see an 'X' and an 'L' stamped on the unit. Power coming into the unit should be hooked to the 'X' terminal and the headlight high beam should be hooked to the 'L' terminal.

We will also need to adjust the flasher's rate of oscillation. You will need to carefully remove the plastic cover from the electronic flasher unit by gently prying out on the retainer clips on either side of the cover. Once the cover is removed, you will see a pot on the circuit board next to the capacitor. The pot has a small square hole in it that is adjustable. Using a small screwdriver, turn it clockwise to increase the flash rate or counterclockwise to decrease it.

I recommend doing this before building your harness as things get pretty tight afterwards. A couple of jumper wires will work to temporarily hook up the headlight and flasher unit. You'll need to hook one jumper wire to the yellow wire coming from the dimmer switch to the 'X' terminal on the flasher. Then hook another jumper wire to the 'L' terminal on the flasher unit to the yellow wire of the headlight harness. Lastly, you'll need another jumper wire hooked to the black wire of the headlight harness to ground to complete the circuit.

After securing the headlight so it doesn't fall and break, start the bike and turn on the high beam. Slowly turn the pot until the highbeam oscillates on and off at a decent rate. If you turn it too much, the high beam will not fully light and will diminish the effect. Once you have it set to where you like it, replace the cover. (WARNING: Be carefull where you grab the flasher's printed circuit board. The capacitor can give you a nasty jolt if you touch its terminials.)

Here are the steps...
1. Remove the headlight from the headlight bucket by removing the two screws from the bucket. They are located at the 4 o'clock and 8 o'clock positions.
2. Unplug the headlight from the wiring harness and set it aside for now.
3. Unplug the headlight harness from the dimmer switch wiring harness.
4. See the instructions under the flasher unit section for adjusting the flasher frequency. Adjust flasher unit.

5. Cut the headlight harness approximately in half.
6. Remove any plastic wire protector tubes from the harness and discard.
7. Determine which option you will be installing on your bike. Option One will preserve the low beam, while Option Two will preserve the high beam.
8. Go to that section to complete the install.

Option One (Preserves Low Beam)

Here's the wiring diagram I've come up with for oscillating the high beam when the headlight dimmer switch is in the 'High' position. This is how it works: power flows to the normally closed side of the relay contacts, terminal 87a, through to terminal 30. From there, power continues on to the low beam filament of the headlight. At the same time, power flows to the flasher unit, then on to the high beam filament of the headlight. The flasher unit causes the high beam filament to oscillate on and off rapidly.

To disable the headlight modulation feature, flip the headlight dimmer switch to the 'Low' position. Power then flows to the relay's coil terminal 85 energizing it (terminal 86 being grounded). At that point, the switch inside the relay closes across terminals 87 and 30. Power then flows from terminal 87 through 30 out to the low beam filament.

9. Using your wire strippers, strip the insulation off all the headlight wiring harness wire ends.
10. Twist together both the bare black wire ends and crimp on an insulated female spade terminal.
11. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the relay's terminal 86.
12. Twist together the bare green wire end coming from the headlight wiring harness's dimmer switch circuit (white plug-end) and a short piece of new wire (stripped of course) and crimp on an insulated female spade terminal.
13. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the relay's terminal 87.
14. Crimp on an insulated female spade terminal on this new wire.
15. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the relay's terminal 85.
16. Crimp on an insulated female spade terminal on the bare green wire coming from the headlight wiring harness's headlight end (black plug-end).
17. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the relay's terminal 30.
18. Twist together the bare yellow wire end coming from the headlight wiring harness's dimmer switch circuit (white plug-end) and a short piece of new wire and crimp on an insulated female spade terminal.
19. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the relay's terminal 87a.
20. Crimp on an insulated female spade terminal on this new wire.
21. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the flasher's terminal 'X'.
22. Crimp on an insulated female spade terminal on the bare yellow wire coming from the headlight wiring harness's headlight end (black plug-end).
23. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the flasher's terminal 'L'.
24. Go to step 25.

Option Two (Preserves High Beam)

On the low beam side, power flows in from the dimmer switch to the low beam filament and to the flasher unit. From the flasher, it flows threw the normally closed (terminals 87a and 30) relay on to the high beam filament. The flasher causes the high beam filament to strobe.

When the dimmer is flipped to high, the power flows into the coil of the relay (terminal 85) which pulls the contacts closed across terminals 87 and 30. This allows the power to flow from the high beam circuit threw to the high beam filament. Since there's no flasher involved, it remains constant, i.e. a normal high beam.

9. Using your wire strippers, strip the insulation off all the headlight wiring harness wire ends.
10. Twist together both the bare black wire ends and crimp on an insulated female spade terminal.
11. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the relay's terminal 86.
12. Twist together the bare yellow wire end coming from the headlight wiring harness's dimmer switch circuit (white plug-end) and a short piece of new wire (stripped of course) and crimp on an insulated female spade terminal.
13. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the relay's terminal 85.
14. Crimp on an insulated female spade terminal on this new wire.
15. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the relay's terminal 87.
16. Crimp on an insulated female spade terminal on the bare yellow wire coming from the headlight wiring harness's headlight end (black plug-end).
17. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the relay's terminal 30.
18. Twist together the bare green wire end coming from the headlight wiring harness's dimmer switch circuit (white plug-end) and the bare green wire coming from the headlight wiring harness's headlight end (black plug-end) and crimp on an insulated female spade terminal.
19. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the flasher's terminal 'X'.
20. Crimp on an insulated female spade terminal on a short piece of new wire.
21. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the flasher's terminal 'L'.
22. Crimp on an insulated female spade terminal on this new wire.
23. Plug this newly crimped female spade terminal onto the relay's terminal 87a.
24. Go to step 25.

Finishing Up
25. Carefully reposition the existing wires in the headlight bucket so that you have room for the relay and the flasher unit.
26. Plug the headlight wiring harness into the headlight dimmer switch harness (white plug-end).
27. Plug the headlight into headlight harness.
28. Reinstall the headlight, making sure not to damage the wires, connections, or components inside the headlight bucket.
29. Reinstall the headlight bezel retaining screws.
That's it! You're done.

In closing, here's a little video of the working prototype on my bike. In the video, you'll see me switching the headlight dimmer switch from 'Low' to 'High'. Note the strobing of the headlight after I've flipped the switch.

I want to thank all those who helped in creating this How-To by submitting suggestions. Without your input, it would not have turned out nearly as complete. I must warn you, this modification isn't strictly "legal". So, use at your own risk.

Written by Don Bangert Author of several How-To's and the blog, The Path Less Traveled

Red Beast

2009-03-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

The power of the Internet is amazing. We just recently placed a 'Submit Bike' button on the site and within a day I received a great email with pictures of a beautiful red XJ650 Seca and a request to show off this gorgeous red beast. The pictures alone are worth the price of admission but I was curious about the background of this bike so I replied with a few questions.

I was so pleased with the reply I received. The owner of this machine is from England (so some translation may be required for our North American readers) and he put this bike together using the best parts of two bikes. I found so many similarities in my experience with the Yamaha XJ that I found myself getting very sentimental as I was reading his response.

When I receive pictures of a bike or if I see one online that I like these are the typical questions that I ask:

What year is this bike?
Where are you?
How much riding do you do on this beast?
What was the hardest part about rebuilding this bike?
Why did you choose this bike?
Are you happy with your XJ?

Usually I get back fairly brief answers that are too the point and I have to add some flourish to the interview. In this case I was pleasently surprised. The owner of this bike uses the moniker 'Nige' and here's the reply I recieved to my questions (I have added some translations in parenthesis):

Nige's Response

I got my first one (which ended up donating the engine, braided brake lines and a few other bits) from a friend who had it laying around (in bits, of course). I paid him £150 ($215USD) and then it sat around for a couple of years until I got tired of looking at it.

Just as I was ready to throw it in a skip (dumpster), I found another one on ebay (for which I paid the princely sum of £90 - $130USD) which is basically the bike in the photos. It had only had two owners, wore the original dealers number plate and showed a genuine 16000 miles on the clock. Unfortunately it had sat outside for a time - with the head and barrells off (which let the rain in).

I figured I could save/build one bike from the two wrecks - which is what I managed to do at the back end of last year. The tank and some other bodywork bits were sourced from yet another ebay seller. Powder coating was done locally, new tyres, wheel bearings and some taper-roller head bearings went in, I painted a few bits, polished a few bits and put it all together again. I was very pleased/relieved when I eventually got her to fire up, and the motor seemed OK.

I bought the first example because:

a) I like older bikes, and
b) it was cheap.

I bought the second one because I wanted to end up with a complete and decent bike which I could ride - a task which the first one on its own could never really live up to. I also have a flat-track Triumph Bonnie (which I've been "developing" over the last 23 years) and a Daytona 955 in the garage, but must admit that the XJ is now a very firm favourite (even though its not a bike I took much notice of back in the early 80's - when I was really a Suzuki man).

Yes, I like the bike very much, its especially good in the twisty stuff which is quite a surprise, and comfy too. I like the fact that the XJ has such an apparent following for what I originally considered a bit of an oddity here in the UK (I think it was much more of a hit in the 'States, even though it was developed for the European market). I've only covered about 400 miles on her so far (longest continuous trip being around 140 miles) but looking forward to many more when the better weather arrives. I'm in West Yorkshire in the UK. The most frustrating bit of the build was stripping/rebuilding the front brake master cylinder and calipers, and getting the brakes to bleed. Everything else seemed relatively straightforward (but remember, I had two of a lot of things so could choose the best parts for refurbishing).

I'm delighted and flattered that people seem to like her, especially as she was built on a budget. Its only the second Yam I've owned (out of sixteen or seventeen bikes over the years) - until last weekend! I've just bought my next project - an '86 FZR 400, with a 600 motor in it. I plan to build this as a track bike but it will take a while, as its a bit of a mess.

Happy riding and restoring to all XJ owners and thanks for providing the sites and forums where we can share our interest in these older bikes.

By the way, Elvis, I take it yours is the Green Cafe-racer-style Seca. Tell me a little about it and how long have you owned it?

Regards

Nige

You can see now that I didn't need to edit this at all. It's true the Yamaha XJ has a great following and it's always good to see someone else get hooked by this bike.

If you would like to send pictures of your bike in to display to the world go to the home page and select the 'Submit Bike' button or click here.

HOW TO: Test a Relay

2009-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if anyone else has done an in depth look at relays or how they work, but I thought I'd put in my 2¢ worth on the subject. Let's start our discussion with a technical description of a relay.

What is a Relay?

"A relay is a simple electromechanical switch made up of an electromagnet and a set of contacts. Relays are found hidden in all sorts of devices. In fact, some of the first computers ever built used relays to implement Boolean gates."

An Open Relay

Relay Construction

Relays are amazingly simple devices. There are four parts in every relay:

Electromagnet
Armature that can be attracted by the electromagnet
Spring
Set of electrical contacts

The following figure shows these four parts in action:

In this figure, you can see that a relay consists of two separate and completely independent circuits. The first is at the bottom and drives the electromagnet. In this circuit, a switch is controlling power to the electromagnet. When the switch is on, the electromagnet is on, and it attracts the armature (blue). The armature is acting as a switch in the second circuit. When the electromagnet is energized, the armature completes the second circuit and the light is on. When the electromagnet is not energized, the spring pulls the armature away and the circuit is not complete. In that case, the light is dark.

When you purchase relays, you generally have control over several variables:

The voltage and current that is needed to activate the armature
The maximum voltage and current that can run through the armature and the armature contacts
The number of armatures (generally one or two)
The number of contacts for the armature (generally one or two -- the relay shown here has two, one of which is unused)
Whether the contact (if only one contact is provided) is normally open (NO) or normally closed (NC)

Why use a relay?

In general, the point of a relay is to use a small amount of power in the electromagnet -- coming, say, from a small dashboard switch or a low-power electronic circuit -- to move an armature that is able to switch a much larger amount of power. For example, you might want the electromagnet to energize using 5 volts and 50 milliamps (250 milliwatts), while the armature can support 120V AC at 2 amps (240 watts).

Most relays work on these basic principles. However, there are a variety of configurations that you will run into and you must adjust your testing techniques for each unique situation and relay. Understanding the basics will give you the knowledge to handle the more complicated relays found not only on XJ motorcycles, but in your automobiles and home electronics. Heck, you may even get comfortable tearing one apart to "tune it up" with a point file.

I hope that everyone now understands how relays work, because we're moving on. Let's get to the testing part of this How-To...

Pictured here is a headlight relay I grabbed off my '81 Virago parts bike. I'm pretty sure it's the same relay used on the Maxim and Seca, too.

I've gone ahead and popped the cover off this relay to show you what it looks like on the inside. Just like the How Stuff Works quote above, this relay has an electromagnetic coil, an armature, a return spring and a set of contacts. This particular coil also contains a diode. A diode, put simply, allows current to flow through it in only one direction. It acts like a one-way check valve for electricity. I'll explain why this relay has one in a moment.

Looking at the picture below, we're going to be referring to the spade terminals as I have marked them since they weren't indexed by the relay's manufacturer. Note the position of the pigtail's indexing tab (yellow paint).

On my bike, power comes in on Pin 1 from the alternator. If this were for a generic lighting circuit, this could be where a toggle switch would be hooked to. From Pin 1, power flows through the coil and completes its path to ground on Pin 2. When current flows from Pin 1 to Pin 2, the electromagnetic field pulls the armature down into the coil's body. The contact lever that is hooked to the armature is then closed across Pin 3 and Pin 4. Power comes from the battery on Pin 3, and--when closed--flows to Pin 4. From Pin 4, it flows out to the headlight (or whatever we happen to be powering with this relay).

What's unique about this particular relay is the diode that ties Pin 4 back to Pin 1. The diode allows power to flow from Pin 4 to Pin 1, but not the other way. This allows power to keep the relay energized once power is allowed to flow from Pin 3 to Pin 4. As a matter of fact, you could remove power from coming in on Pin 1 and the relay's contacts would remain closed because power would flow from Pin 4 through the diode back to Pin 1. The only way to open the contacts would be to cut power to Pin 3.

To test this relay, hook an ohm meter to Pin 1 and Pin 2. You should have some continuity across these pins. Most of the time when you're testing relays there is no way of determining the what the resistance of the coil should be, so you're left with just checking whether it has continuity or not. Except for the rarest of occasions, this is adequate when troubleshooting a relay. If you have continuity through the coil, continue on. If you don't, the relay is bad and needs to be replaced.

The next test is to check whether you have continuity across the contacts. First, since this relay is normal open, let's make sure the contacts aren't welded closed. Hook an ohm meter to Pin 3 and Pin 4. The meter should show an open circuit. If it doesn't, the relay is bad and needs to be repaired or replaced.

Next, you need to energize the coil so that it pulls the contacts closed. Hook a jumper wire from the battery to Pin 1 and a grounded wire to Pin 2. The relay should make an audible clicking sound when it latches closed. With an ohm meter still hooked to Pin 3 and Pin 4, you should be reading continuity now. If it doesn't, the relay is bad and needs to be repaired or replaced.

Normally, this would conclude our troubleshooting procedure, but since this relay has an internal diode, we need to make sure it is functioning as well. As stated before, diodes allow current to flow one way but not the other. If you hook an ohm meter to Pin 1 and Pin 4, you may get continuity. If you don't, that's okay. Reverse the leads and check for continuity. If you didn't get continuity before, you should now. If you did continuity before, you shouldn’t now. If you don't get continuity either way or you get continuity both ways, the diode is bad and the relay needs to be repaired or replaced.

To repair the relay, you can sometimes file the contacts with a point file. This will extend the life of the relay for awhile, but you really should start looking for a new replacement. If the diode is bad, you can remove the old one and solder in a new one in its place. If the coil is bad, the relay is pretty much junk. Toss it and find a new one.

As you check relays, you'll find most manufacturers will print the relay's diagram and pin locations on the body of the relay. However, sometimes they don't and you're forced to either open them up to see how they work or just replace them with new ones. I generally opt for option 1. Besides, if I break one while trying to pry the cover off of it, I've still got the other option to fall back on. Very Happy

That brings us to the end of this How-To. I hope the information I've provided here is useful and helps you diagnose your relay problems.

Written by Don Bangert Author of several How-To's and the blog, The Path Less Traveled

Silver Special Maxim

2009-01-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

This is a 1983 XJ650 Maxim Special. This bike is pretty close to stock with the exception of the silver upholstery on the seat. This motorcycle was exported from the United States to England back in 1989.

German Midnight Maxim

2009-01-10T12:00:00.000-08:00

This beauty is from Germany. It's not too often you run across a Midnight Maxim in such beautiful condition. This motorcycle really shows how nice a stock 1981 XJ650 Maxim can look.

HOW TO: Replace instrument cluster light bulbs

2009-01-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

You see it every time you climb on your bike. It sits there providing you with a mountain of information for your riding pleasure. It does its job without complaint. But every once in awhile, something goes wrong and you're forced to open her up.

Well, that's the case for this latest installment in my "How-To" series. When I bought my bike, I noticed that the tachometer light wasn't working. It was mid April heading into summer. I was a new rider and had no plans on riding at night, so I didn't bother fixing it.

Well, times have changed. Here it is the beginning of October and I'm fighting tooth and nail for every riding day I can get. I've embraced—with open arms—the idea of riding at night. But, that burned out tachometer light has got to be fixed. I've just got to know what's going on in the engine room.

Enough of that. Let's get started with our project.

Here are the steps...
1. Remove tachometer cable (if so equipped).
2. Remove speedometer cable.

3. Remove instrument cluster mounting bolts.

4. Remove headlight from headlight bucket.
5. Unplug and fish through the wiring harnesses for the speedometer lights, the tachometer lights, (the tachometer head, if so equipped), and idiot light tree.

6. Remove the instrument cluster.

7. Remove the screws from the rear of the instrument cluster.

8. Remove the chrome housing.
9. Remove and replace the light bulbs.

10. Perform any other work that needs to be done (cleaning, lubing, etc.)

11. Reinstallation is the reverse process.

That's about it. This one's pretty easy to take care of.

Bonus Tip: if you scroll back up and look at the instrument cluster you'll see a small digital clock affixed to the tachometer. That's held there by a piece of Velcro. This allows me to remove it when I wash the bike or find myself in a heavy down pour. Underneath the head cover (that plastic piece surrounding the ignition switch) you'll find another piece of Velcro. I can stick the clock there until the wet condition passes.

(Written by Don Bangert Author of several How-To's and the blog, The Path Less Traveled

Orange Maxim

2009-01-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

I spend far to much time searching the Internet for anything to do with Yamaha XJ650 motorcycles. My love for this motorcycle is obsessive. I come across pictures of these beautiful bikes all the time and I've seen a lot of custom builds. Some good, some bad, and some ugly.

Here's a rebuild that really caught my eye. The builder's attention to detail really stands out on this motorcycle. Notice the custom battery cover and license plate holder. The frame and rims are painted to match and rear fender has been modified to accept a custom rear brake light and turn signals.

This is one awesome ride.

I never thought I could like orange this much but it really stands out on this 1981 XJ650 Maxim

HOW TO: Install an aftermarket fuse box

2009-01-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

This is a How-To on replacing the oe fuse box with a more reliable aftermarket ATO-style fuse box. Before we get started, we'll need to collect a few pieces. We'll need a fuse box. I picked mine up from the CARQUEST store where I work. It's a reboxed Littelfuse brand going by the part number 350417BP

In addition, you'll need a couple of mounting screws (8x1"), electrical tape, a couple zip-ties, a box of female insulated spade terminals, and fuses (ATO10 amp x 3 & ATO20 amp x 1).

Tools? Phillips Screwdriver and Wire Cutters/Crimpers/Strippers.

Okay... Ready? Here we go. Let's meet the patient:

My wife's '82 XJ650J Maxim.

Here are the steps...
1. Remove Seat.
2. Remove Right-Hand Access Cover exposing battery.
3. Disconnect battery.
4. Unscrew old fuse block.

5. Note fuse sizes and wire colors.

6. Pry open metal wire retainer ring at the base of oe fuse box.

7. Place zip-ties around left- and right-hand wire bundles and unwrap tape.
8. Cut wires at crimp joints.
9. Take new fuse box and position it for mounting, making sure all the wires will reach their respective terminals.
10. Strip wires and install female insulated spade terminals.

11. Tape wires bundles and attach terminals to fuse box.
12. Using the two #8x1" screws, mount the fuse box.

13. Install fuses and dust cap.

14. Reconnect the battery.
15. Install side cover and seat.

That's it. You're done!

(Editor's Note) It occurs to me that if you have a tool caddy you'll want to make sure you allow room for it

Notice how I've bent the spades a little to make the connections a little more convenient. I still need to label the fuses. From left to right, they're 10A IGNITION, 10A SIGNAL, 10A HEAD L., and 20A MAIN.

(Written by Don Bangert Author of several How-To's and the blog, The Path Less Traveled.)

HOW TO: Install a fuel filter

2009-01-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

For those who've requested a "How-To" on installing a fuel filter, here you go. This one's actually pretty easy. I had mine installed in about ten minutes. That includes the time it took to take pictures and notes. The fuel filter we'll be installing is a Primeline part number 7-02357.

You should be able to pick one up at any CARQUEST or NAPA auto parts store (Note: NAPA sells it under the Balkamp# 740-1158). You may even be able to find one in you local hardware store. Look in their small engine department (think: lawnmower). You'll also need a couple of clamps, a pair of cutters, a flat-headed screwdriver (for prying), and a 12mm wrench.

We'll be working on my 1981 Yamaha XJ650 Maxim...

Here are the steps...

1. Remove the Seat.
2. Loosen and remove the Retaining Bolt at the rear of the Fuel Tank using a 12mm wrench.

3. Turn Fuel Selector Valve to "On".
4. Remove the Fuel and Vacuum Hoses from the Fuel Petcock.

5. Remove and set aside the Fuel Tank.
6. Cut the Fuel Hose in an appropriate location for your new Fuel Filter.

7. Install the Fuel Filter with two new clamps.
8. Re-install the Fuel Tank but don't install the Retaining Bolt.
9. Lift up on the rear of the Fuel Tank and carefully re-install the Fuel and Vacuum Hoses.

10. Re-install the Retaining Bolt and Seat.

That's it. You're done!

(Yes, I know... I forgot to get hose clamps. I'll put 'em on later.)

(Written by Don Bangert Author of several How-To's and the blog, The Path Less Traveled.)

HOW TO: Test your starter circuit

2009-01-05T12:00:00.001-08:00

Start with the bike on the center stand with side stand up and the transmission in neutral. You will also want the ignition switch turned to on and the kill switch turned to on. The numbers in the picture coincide with the steps listed below.

1. Test the voltage at the battery. It should read at least 12.5 volts. Charge and retest as needed.

2. Using an old screwdriver, short across the two large terminals at the starter solenoid. This will bypass the solenoid and allow the starter to crank the engine. If the starter doesn't crank, perform a continuity test between the negative battery terminal and the engine case. If you read no resistance (or almost no resistance), repair or replace the starter. Otherwise, repair or replace the ground cables and retest.

3. Locate the pigtail from the starter solenoid and unplug it. Using a jumper lead, hook the Red/White wire from the solenoid to the battery's positive terminal. Using another jumper lead, hook one end to the solenoid's Blue/White wire. Momentarily touch the other end of this lead to the battery's negative terminal. If the solenoid is functioning properly, the solenoid should click and the starter should begin cranking the engine. Repeat this step several times to ensure the integrity of the solenoid. If nothing happens, repair or replace the starter solenoid

4. If the solenoid checks out, hook your continuity tester between the battery's ground terminal and the Blue/White wire coming from the bike's wiring harness for the starter solenoid (solenoid pigtail unplugged). It should read an open state while the starter button is not pressed. When you push in the starter button, the tester should then read a closed state. If there's no change, inspect, clean, or replace the starter button switch and its ground and retest.

5. Using your voltmeter, hook its ground wire to the battery's negative terminal and its positive wire to the Red/White wire coming from the bike's wiring harness for the starter solenoid (solenoid pigtail unplugged). The meter should read 12 volts (approx.) if the bike is in neutral, and/or the clutch lever is squeezed and side stand is up with the key on and the kill switch on. If not, inspect the wire coming from the starter circuit cut-off relay for any breaks or chaffing. If the wire looks good, go to the next step.

6. Remove the left-hand side cover to gain access to the starter circuit cut-off relay. Using your voltmeter, hook its ground wire to the battery's negative terminal and its positive wire to the Red/White wire coming from the kill switch (starter circuit cut-off relay pigtail unplugged). The meter should read 12 volts (approx.) if the ignition switch is on and the kill switch is on. If not, you will need to inspect, clean or replace the 20A Main fuse, the ignition switch, the kill switch, or the wiring between them. If you measure 12 volts (approx.), go to the next step.

7. Hook your continuity tester between the battery's ground terminal and the Sky Blue wire coming from the bike's wiring harness for the starter circuit cut-off relay (relay pigtail unplugged). It should read an open state while the transmission is in gear. When you shift into neutral, the tester should then read a closed state. If there's no change, inspect, clean, or replace the neutral switch and its ground and retest. If it checks out, proceed to the next step.

8. Hook your continuity tester between the battery's ground terminal and the Black/Yellow wire coming from the bike's wiring harness for the starter circuit cut-off relay (relay pigtail unplugged). It should read an open state while the clutch lever is released and/or the side stand is down. When you squeeze the clutch lever and the side stand is up, the tester should then read a closed state. If there's no change, inspect, clean, or replace the clutch and side stand switches and their grounds and retest. If they check out, proceed to the next step. (Note: some models may not have a side stand switch.)

9. If all previous tests have passed, replace the starter circuit cut-off relay and try to start the bike again. If it still doesn't start, have your bike exorcised of demons by a Catholic priest and retest as there's really nothing else that would keep your bike from cranking over.

(Written by Don Bangert Author of several How-To's and the blog, The Path Less Traveled.)