BC to Nova Scotia On 81 XS11

[bigblue81]

Almost traded in my XS11 this spring, but decided to put some new rubber on the old girl , replaced clutch and throttle cables , take a month off work and drive across canada. What a great desicion!!!! The weather was awesome - only forced to stop twice due to rain (Sault Ste. Marie,Edmunston) . The bike ran slicker than a booger on a wet board, gas and oil was all she asked of me. The longest leg was on the return trip , 1200 km, Thunder Bay ON to Regina SK in one day. Ahhhhh what a great country and what an awesome way to see it . If any of my friends doubt my story I just show 'em the back tire...... and the photos!! May the four winds blow you safely home --bigblue81

[Wayne]

Welcome to the group BigBlue! Im glad you made the decision to keep the XS. I considered selling mine this year but just couldnt do it.
Would love to see picts of your trip.

[desert1]

There was an 81 XS11 for sale recently in a local paper for $3400. it sold for $3000, was apparently pristine condition with 24k on it and yes I should have checked it out but regretably did'nt......sounds like you had a great trip Big Blue!!

Bruce 78XS11
Alpha

[sixtysix]

There is an 81 Standard for sale in this week swap sheet for $1100 USD. Not in the market, didn't even call. Will probably haunt me till I die.

[desert1]

While on the topic of a cross Canada trip, backin 1971 I met this fellow in PEI who had just crossed Canada from BC on his Honda 450. We spent the weekend together along with 2 young woman we met and camped with, after the weekend ended we gave them a ride home to Nova Scotia and after my new friend from BC (Greg Holliday) stayed at my home for a couple of days. I at this time was the owner of a 71 Kawi H1 500, talk about lite in the front end.
Here comes the odd part of this story, the following year I met the same guy from BC in the same park in PEI who had just crossed the country again, unanounced to me on the same bike, whats the chance of this happening.....oh, we did'nt meet the same girls this time.....

Bruce
78XS1100
Alpha runnin strong.

[bigblue81]

Your REply

[Wayne thanx for your reply . As soon as i can scan the photos i will post them. i'm much better on the bike than the computer(less crashes). Ride on........ bigblue81

[oldfart]

pics

Big blue love to see those pics too!You might have passed though my stompping grounds on the way(North Bay,Ont.)I'm planning on taking a run down to Panama City this coming summer,wondering what the border crossing will be like since 911.

[uk1.1s]

Well - sure sounds like a 'trans-Canada' trip is worth doing then. Always been an ambition of mine to ride across Canada, especially as I was born over there and the family came back here to England when I was 7 years old back in the early 70's.

Would love to see those pictures too Big-Blue - especially if you crossed Ontario near my old home town of Smiths Falls.

Haven't been back since - so a long holiday over there is loooog overdue.

Nice one Big Blue - you should definitely keep the XS for these sort of rides.

[oldfart]

cross Canada

uk 1.1 if you ever made the trip,you would have a place to rest for the night and drink a few ales and shoot the breeze about life and it's XS'sives!.....Will.........heck, for that matter any of the XS'er's would be welcome!

[uk1.1s]

Cross-Canada

Hey 'Old-fart,

Careful what you offer, I may just make that trip one of these summers.

After getting married this year (s'OK she rides too) - my future Canada trip it may be a little more sedate than I'd like as she's not really an 'iron butt rider - more a Sunday afternoon day tripper.

Appreciate the offer tho' -

Same goes here in the UK if anyone gets over to London, I'm just south of there.

[Jerry]

Touched a nerve here...I first proposed this trip to SWMBO over 2 years ago, had hoped to do it this year but changing jobs as well as moving to a new state killed that idea. Maybe in 2003...

Ideal: Take in XS East, then up to Nova Scotia, ride across Canada to BC, then home to Arizona. Right around 12K miles with side trips....

Wouldn't do the iron butt thing, want to see the countryside and stop along the way, particularly in Canada. Will have to see how finances and vacation work out.

[sixtysix]

Jerry,

I plan on attending XS East and going to WA and BC, just maybe not at the same time. I was going to wait until BI2003 to head west, planning on 3 weeks for this trip. Maybe I will see ya on the road.