1978 XS needs a good home - Battle Creek MI

[mainlylinux]

I'm in Battle Creek Michigan. I have a 1978 XS11 that was fully functional more than a few years ago :-)

I may not have all of the parts but I have a lot of them. This bike has been stored inside for many years now.

The last time the bike ran it was fuel injected with megasquirt. There was a huge thread about it on this board actually.

I am moving to California very soon. If you can make it to Battle Creek Michigan within the next few days you can have this bike and all of the parts that I can find. You will need to text me at 269-425-1286 with questions. As far as I know there is nothing wrong with the engine or transmission. The ignition computer thing is missing and the ignition parts on the end of the crank probably are also. There is a tank, I do not know the condition. I believe the tires are probably good. There was been some minor welding on the inside of the frame where I added a battery box. With the side covers on it should not be noticeable. I believe there are stainless steel brake lines on it. I was rewiring the entire bike when my son was born and so that is how it has been sitting - for over 7 years. I will give you all of the parts I can find but I can't promise the condition of them. I did take good care of the bike while I owned it. The megasquirt computer itself does not come with the bike, but you can buy one really cheap now.

If you are seriously interested contact me and do it very soon. I am leaving for California Nov 1st and the bike will be gone one way or another before then. Please rescue it from shredded death on a scrap heap.


Dan

[mainlylinux]

Bike is pending ownership transfer now

Thanks everyone for the interest, Mac is coming to get the bike Friday.



Dan

[IanDMacDonald]

Man oh man! As soon as you read the story, you'll say it to.

So, my truck has a trailer hitch on it, but my neighbor borrowed the wiring pigtail for his truck of same make & model. So, I borrowed my buddy's Jeep Cherokee, which I knew had a trailer hitch on it. Get it to my house- no hitch in the receiver. No issues, three in the garage. Nope, it's the smaller 1 1/4" hitch. My buddy grabs one from his buddy. Problem solved. Nope, no hitch pin. Down to Auto Zone with hitch to look for pin. 1/2" pin- check. Get back home, the hitch pin hole is smaller than the receiver's hole. FML!!! Drill it out with a step bit. Done. Took 30 minutes to sledge hammer the hitch in, then another ten to get hitch pin in. Geeze, get on with it! On the road we go. Very bad feeling in my stomach with the way the trailer is rocking the Jeep. Topic of discussion on ride over? Where would the trailer go if it came loose. Ten minutes later we heard the grinding noise and pull over after the car on the side of us looks and points at the trailer. The gate came down. Get back there, and the carriage bolts holding the gate up is gone. Bunch of wire in the back, and use that to hold the gate closed. Problem solved. Still an uneasy feeling in my stomach going over bumpy road. Shake, shake, shake, trailer detaching. Oh look, our trailer just crossed three lanes of highway, crossed the median, into oncoming traffic! Crashes into guardrail and stops. Not a car nearby. Stop the car, get out, trailer decides it does not like the guard rail as a friend, and decides to play red rover and sends itself right back over across the highway back into the median. I go hurtling across into the grass and grab onto that trailer and dig in with all I got. Surprisingly, it was not very hard to stop. I call the State Police, let them know what happened, and they say all is well. So, get off next exit, back on the highway, hook it back up, only to find the safety chains carabines completely stretched. Ride the side of the road for five miles, take back roads ten miles to Tractor Supply, new safety chains for $20, and back on the road we go. The rain starts coming down in sheets. Grab the bike, brakes are locked up. Get it into the trailer, and on our way. Get home and attempt to pull hitch out of receiver is impossible after 20 minutes with a sledge hammer. Wrap chain around utility pole, other on hitch, and it moved a fraction of an inch. Not happening tonight. About to take Jeep back, four Flint cops in-front of next-door neighbors house. The loud noise echoed off his house, and he thought someone was breaking in. Luckily the cops were not gung ho and did not pull their guns on me as I approached and apologetically explained. All was well. We figure the hitch post was never secured to the trailer properly, and the bumpy road popped it off. We lifted up on it, so trying to find the learning lesson there. If it was upto me, I'd create a clamp or something that wraps around the trailer lock and the hitch to prevent it from popping up. I'll look at the bike tomorrow.

[Prisoner6]

HOLY MACKEREL, Ian!!

I'm so glad no other cars/people were involved and glad that everyone is safe ...

[IanDMacDonald]

For sure Marco! Thanks for the concern.

[Shootoo]

Holy wow! I'm going to pick up a Boulevard C90 on Sunday with a trailer... Now I'm going to be extra worried! Lol

[MarkD]

Ian-- reminds me of 2 years ago, when we went to Syracuse U. to pick my son's belongings up after graduation. We had a pretty large U-haul trailer behind our SUV, heading E. at around 65 mph. Suddenly, trailer comes loose, tongue digging into highway, trying to sway the car back and forth, even maybe trying to put us on our side. Yikes-- the ball was still in the trailer hitch on the trailer, but the huge nut and lock washer had worked loose. We were lucky. I did check the tightness before we left MI, but the dang thing loosened up cross-country. Maybe all these years of riding a bike helped me to keep her under control while we slowed to a stop.
Glad you get another crack at it tomorrow.