| Author | Message | ||
     Wolfridgerider |
I just bought a 1981 Yamaha Maxim 550 at a swapmeet for next to nothing and I want to stay in that price range. The current problem I am working on is its stopping power. I put new brake pads on the front, but they don't grab as good as they should. Any ideas?  | ||
| Zenfrogmaster |
Have you bled the lines and changed the fluid? | ||
| Leftcoastal |
What Frog said, + How is that rotor? might need some cleaning up! Did ya break in the pads a bit? If the rubber brake line is orig, it might be clapped out enough to be 'swelling' when you apply the brake, which will make for a spongie feel and lack of performance. That may be a place to spend a little on a new line. A stock unit (not braided stainless) shouldn't be too pricey. Get new seals for the line, of course, and clean out the caliper and master cyl of old fluid and accumulated mung. "Back in the Day" (says Al, rapidly approaching the geezer threshold) we used to ride Harley's with cable actuated drum front brakes, or no front brakes at all. (Both worked equally well!) Ya learned a totally different style of riding - you always ride with a 'way out' of trouble ahead, like you had to have a place to go in case you couldn't stop. You did this mainly because you couldn't stop! This was a constantly changing mental computation of potential emergency maneuvers, along with the usual and typical required stuff like observing traffic controls, other vehicles, road condition, relative speed, babes near the roadside and other obstacles. etc. NOT recommended with todays' traffic conds & speeds!! Fix those brakes! AL | ||
| Glitch |
Have you bled the lines and changed the fluid?  | ||
| Bluzm2 |
As stated above, the lines should be suspected of part of the problem. Old lines like that DO get spongy. Unless you can get new lines, I'd be wary of NOS (New Old Stock) lines as well. Stainless are not cheap but will totally eliminate the lines as part of the "soft" equasion. Brad | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Thanks for the info. For a bike that is 26+ it is in good shape. I am going to make it into Cafe' bike. I pulled the carbs off yesterday and took all the jets out and cleaned them. 3 of the 4 slow jets had total blockage. Taking 1 carb off can be a scary event, let alone 4. But I had no problems. Put it all back together, rolled up my coveralls for a seat and headed down the road. I got it up to about 75mph and thought to myself "BRAKES WOULD BE NICE". I was on a straight piece of road so slowing was not to much of a problem. I turned around and headed home. I pulled into my gravel driveway and being the idiot that I am, I twisted the wick hard to kick the bike sideways. Much to my surprise I didn't get the handlebar clamp as tight as I should..  ...I had just put a set of clubman bars on it, so now the clutch, brake and all the stuff one would use to stop forward progress are now pointing at the ground... rear brake, let it stall... and then laugh at myself... and think "YOU DUMB ASS" So far I have put on a new front tire, cut about 6" off the rear of the frame to give it that nice short look, cut the seat down to match the frame and dropped it off to get re-covered, installed pod air filters, replaced old side covers with vintage # plates and removed the turn signals. Now for those front brakes!!  I CAN'T WAIT!!! | ||
| Leftcoastal |
Ya screwed up here, Wolf! Now that you got us all involved - we are going to insist on some photos of this project on yours! So far - it sounds like you got the makin's of a cool, fun bike there! Get that camera out, and start posting!  AL | ||
| Eengler2 |
 pictures please! | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
OK, didn't you read the part "I'm an idiot" I can't get the pics to post so I sent them to Glitch and asked him to post them......  | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
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| Wolfridgerider |
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| Mrs_glitch |
Nice project! You're gonna have to bring it to MB-IV.    I love cafe racers! | ||
| Glitch |
DOH! I'm cross posting!  | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
The only way I could get it to MB is if I can make a trailer the could be pulled behind my Uly. Thanks for the help in getting some pics posted. I can turn a wrench, but I can't get this damn box to do what I want.....stupid computer! | ||
| Kootenay |
I own an 82 Seca 550 now, and had an 81 "back in the day. I've had the very same brake issues as you--I've improved them a bit with new pads, rebuilt caliper, and emery to remove disc glazing--but sorry to say, it's mostly the fact that motorcycle brakes have come a long way in the past 2+ decades. The old UJMs require the use of both front and rear brakes--can't just ignore the rear, like I do on my Firebolt. Interestingly, I rode my first "real" Harley last summer--a dealer demo Sportster--and I found the brakes felt almost identical to my Yamaha's (I also found the Harley responded well to co-ordinated use of both brakes...). | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
The seat is ready!! Dropped it off on friday and its ready to go at 10 am on Monday!! If you are in the Columbus Ohio area, A-tech Auto on Eakin Rd is a great place to get your Bike or Car seats recovered.... More pic's to follow! | ||
| Glitch |
More pic's to follow! Just send them to me if you want. I don't mind putting them up for ya. Congrats on the seat. That was a great turn over time. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Just an idea, take the old caliper off & go to a bike breakers to find a "bolt on" upgrade off a later model. For example you can straight swap fj1200 calipers for R1 units. Deglaze the disc, fit a braided line & new pads, & Robert`s your father`s brother. | ||
| Tootal |
Wow, seeing the pics brought back some memories. I had a 750 Maxim and my brother still has a 750 Seca. The Seca is for sale and is in showroom condition. Believe me, my brother is the most anal person I know!! As far as the brakes, as mentioned, the brake lines swell on Yamaha's. I wouldn't buy new Yamaha lines. As much as I like their quality, their brake lines suck. My Maxim became bad also. Replace them with braided lines and forget them. I can almost guarantee that's your problem. Just typical of Yamaha, one of their few faults. Enjoy it! | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
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| Glitch |
All the grass looks white. What's up with that?  | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
It makes for easy burnouts  If the weather is crap at the end of March in central Ohio I may put this and the Bolt in the back of my truck. But if its not bad I will have the ride the Uly to MB4. I have a hard time not riding......and this snow is KILLING me. | ||
| Glitch |
I hear ya, I'm not sure I'd be so easy going if I wasn't able to ride pretty much year round. |
