Maxim and the Seca are two different versions of Yamaha's early 80s "XJ" line. There was also a standard style XJ produced during that primarily was not shipped to U.S.
The difference between the Maxim and the Seca is basically the styling. The 750 XJ is powered by a four cylinder, four carburetor inline engine, with a four into two exhaust system which provides the type of performance that many riders still prefer over today's more widely produced V engines. The well designed street bike chassis makes the bike a good choice for the actual ridding conditions you expect to encounter on the road.
Don't confuse our use of the terms design and style. We refer to the design as the basic integrity of the motorcycle. The style can then be added to the design to achieve the desired characteristics. A product can completed by creating a style to be added to its design, or it can be designed to achieve a particular style.
Maxim: The sloped down tank, king & queen seat and basic shape of the bike give it an appearance similar to that of a cruiser, but this bike is no low rider...the riders seat is actually as high as what the earlier street bikes had. The handlebars of the Maxim are high enough and wide enough to provide the rider comfortable riding and good control, where as many bikes produced today have handlebar designs that feel awkward and unsafe to many riders and allot people are even paying hundreds of dollars to have the handlebars of the newer motorcycles replaced with after market bars.
The Seca took on more of a sport bike appearance.
The less common standard version of the XJ was just that (standard looking)
These XJs, the Maxim and the Seca were styled around the basic XJ design, while allot of motorcycles today are designed around a style. The Midnights were uniquely colored...mostly black with gold accents... what an eye catcher.
Shaft Drive no chain to tighten/oil
King & Queen seat gives rider and passenger their own space
Self canceling turn signals
Steering Lock for security
Security chain in its own compartment can be used to lock the bike to a pole
Trip Meter
Five position adjustable rear shocks, with adjustable damping.
Air adjustable front shocks
Helmet Lock
Kick stand engine cut off switch For safety shuts off engine and prevents engine from starting if stand is down.
If you've been into motorcycles for a long enough time, you would remember when most bikes (especially during the 1970s) were produced as street bikes, off road, or dual purpose bikes. Café racers, touring bikes, low riders (choppers and semi chops) were mostly custom modified versions of street bikes. During the early 70s most of the Japanese bikes (except Hondas) were powered by 2 stroke engines. Yamaha actually had a 4 stroke 650 back as far as 1970 and their first 750 was a four stroke. By the mid 70s we began seeing the larger two stroke engines being replace with four stroke engines. Suzuki even introduced a bike that was powered by rotary engine. By by the end of the 70s virtually all the street bikes being produced were 4 stroke. We also saw that the top engine sizes had increased. Remember, I 'm generally referring to Japanese motorcycles here, those that were shipped to the United States.
By the early 1980s The motorcycle industry was experimenting with giving a particular style to some of the newer models. By arranging the elements of what would basically be a standard road bike, the manufactures produced an appearance similar to that of a customized motorcycle. Can you Remember Kawasaki's first "LTDs", or Yamaha's "Midnight Specials" ?
Yamaha produce two XJ base models that shipped to the U.S.; The Maxim and the Seca. There was also a standard style XJ that primarily was not shipped to U.S.
In the mid 1980s, government played a roll in motorcycle production. The United States imposed tariffs on imported motorcycles of the 750 and larger size bikes. The tariffs raised the price of the bigger bikes. This was in an effort to help U.S. produced motorcycle sales. Japanese motorcycle manufacturers responded by producing 700cc bikes, thus a good size street bike while avoiding the tariff. In 1985 & 1986 there was a Maxim X 700, ment to replace the Maxim 750. Eventually the tariffs were lifted, but the Maxim 700 was dropped and the Maxims never returned to production.
By the mid-late 1980s manufactures were styling most of there North American bound street bikes to fit into 3 basic categories:
Touring: large, storage trunks, fairings, sound system, comfort, quiet
Sport: race styled, quick, high revving
Cruising: styling, low ride, mellow tuned
The manufacturers produced really great touring, sport, and cruising bikes, however some of us motorcycle enthusiast really did not see any of them we that wanted enough to actually buy...a good all around "road bike"
The XJ Secas and Maxims seemed some to be the some of the last of the all round street bikes available in the United Stats, that is they don't really fit into one of the three basic categories but these bikes, but these bikes did have there own particular styling that suggest they were on the edge of (cruising or sport) styled motorcycles. The Maxim 750s were only produced in 1982 and 1983, for the exception of some 1985 and 1986 Maxim X 750s delivered to only to Canada? Maxim X 750s are rare bikes. We also here of claims of people owning 1984 Maxim 750s and we even seen repair manuals being sold for them, but we don't have any history on such bikes.
The motorcycle industry didn't seem to push other the continents to change as fast as the United States did. Throughout 80s and 90s the U.K. and Europe had some other, more standard models that were not shipped to the U.S. Even today you will find there are motorcycles produced that are not meant for shipment to North America. However models such as the Maxim did not continue anywhere, as the evolving Seca type style seemed to be the preference. The rest of the world does seem to be going in the same direction as the United States did, as most of there Japanese motorcycles are now Touring, Sport or Cruising
A Seca II (very sport bike) came out the 90s, but no 750s were available in this model.
Today there are riders and collectors that still prefer these classic bikes to anything they have seen produced since. A couple of years ago I talked to a man living in Germany who has a Seca, a Radian, and was soon to add a Midnight Maxim to his collection. I have also found websites titled for these particular models. If you wanted a brand new similar motorcycle good luck, you might take a look at the Honda Night Hawk 750 (you may still find the 03 models new, but it appears they have been discontinued for 04). Honda classifies the Night Hawk as "standard" rather than a sport or touring bike. Honda has about 2 models it classed into the standard category at this time. Suzuki has about 6 models it classifies as standards this year (04) but most of them have very pronounced sport bike styling and only one of them is powered by an inline ( the Bandit) Suzuki has no standards available in a 750. Kawasaki has several models powered by inline engines. Kawasaki classifies some of their road bikes as "Street Bikes" however these "street bikes" seem to be very sport-bike like in appearance. Perhaps the Kawasaki Concours which is a "Sport-Touring" bike would be a good ride but, with displacement of around 1000cc touring equipment it weighs at least 100 lbs more than a Maxim 750. Yamaha also has a sport-touring with an inline... the 2005 FJR1300 ( not really similar to the XJs), the rest of Yamaha's inline powered bikes seem to be in sport bike category. If your not limited to shopping in North America you may find a few late model motorcycles that are not quite in the cruiser, sport or touring category.