Is $500 a good price for this XS?

[leadpaintexpert]

Noob here,

I have a line on an XS with 50k miles for $500 in Wisconsin.

Here are some details
•owner says it needs attention
•missing a mirror, it looks like from a pic
•might have some cosmetic wear & tear
•including a tank
•new tires
•clean title & good stuff like that
•it runs good right now
•I lack a serial or VIN to tell the precise model, at the moment

Anyway, I've only seen 1 other XS for sale in my area in the past recently & that included a Windjammer & bags for $450, but that one was not running.

So—is the one I'm looking at now a pretty good deal? Think I should pounce on it?

You can see some pics here: https://1drv.ms/f/s!Aoddt4ImL-lngqlGwGmLQiMXL_UJBw

[JeffH]

W E L C O M E to X S 1 1

The big question should be what do you realistically intend to do with the bike? If you plan to pay $500 and "go ride", well that's not realistic. However, if you plan on giving the machine some TLC and spend some Time & Money to do a Interval Maintenance per the maintenance manual (which you can download) then it looks like you might have a good deal.

The 11 in the photos is a Special so serial number should be along these lines:
1979 XS1100SF 3H3-000101 Carmine Red, Black Gold

1980 XS1100SG 3J6-000101 Black Red, New Ruby Red

1981 XS1100SH 4R0-000101 Black Blue, Cardinal Red

The side covers are missing. As long as there is nothing too broken on the bike and it runs then everything else is fixable or repairable. I'd pay $500 for it. I'd check it out a bit more just to make sure but I see $500 sitting there. If you feel the love for the machine and have a bit of time & money to put into it I think you'd have one real nice ride-able XS1100 Special.

That other xs11, with the bags and fairing, that might be ok too depending on whats wrong and why it was parked. $450 not bad for that either unless it has been molested. If the bags and fairing are appealing I wouldn't discount that bike either. That's a different type of riding vs. the $500 bike you are looking at. Either bike have rust inside the gas tank? With either bike you would need to go through the carbs, check the valves, change the engine & drive fluids, clean the electrical connectors etc.

A good running XS11 is a blast to drive. Fun to drive to an XS11 Rally too. Some riders are into shiny a bike while others (like me) care a lot more about how it zooms, handles and runs on a 500 mile day in all weather conditions vs how it looks.
Keep us posted ..................

Jeff

[madmax-im]

A running bike goes for more than $500..so this appars to be a good deal..It wouldnt take too much to make this a reliable everyday rider....

[leadpaintexpert]

Thanks for the feedback. I definitely do intend to give it some TLC over the long haul, so I think I'm going to take the plunge.

[MaximPhil]

Hi leadpaintexpert,
looks like an 81 Special to me. Tank has been repainted. The missing side covers will be a challenge to find but they do exist. The mirror is easily replaced. Be aware of left hand thread on Yamaha mirrors from this era.Many of us on here probably have one in the parts box you can have.
As JeffH has already mentioned if your ready to spend some time and money this would make a very nice ride and could be ridden as a work in process.
We usually expect to put a set of tires and a battery on any XS that has sat for a few years. if it runs it is certainly worth the $500 asking price though one can always haggle the price a bit or see what else he will throw in for the asking price.
I did not see the "other " bike Jeff refers to but a touring machine with bags and fairing ,while a different riding experience , is nice too.
Phil