New member:TurboXS, super modded

[planedick]

Not XS11 anymore..

Although a beautiful bike and fast for sure, it's really not a XS1100 anymore, nor even Yamaha for that matter. You should remove the Yamaha logo from the tank and make up a new one that is as original as the machine.

[HobbyMan]

How many times has this topic come up?

[Mathh]

for sale

Hi Guys, I decided to sell this bike......
before throwing it on the market and sell it to a stranger I was wondering if one of you USA members is interested (and wealthy) enough...



Multiple reasons: lost my job after 30 years of dedication, so cash flow is coming to a halt....
Still want to build another project: a seventies endurance racer type bike with one-off frame and chaindrive to take out on trackdays ...

[tommystinson]

Exchange rate pretty much blows for Americans right now. I've been waiting for the new V-Max for a few years now. Sounds like the Max will be more than I'm willing to spend at this point, so back to square one. Shoot me a PM or e-mail gpslaser_at_yahoo.com with a $ amount and I'll give you a yes/no. Tommy

[oldnortonrider]

Mathh ~~ what is the "best" , least complicated, bolt-on triple tree swap conversion from another motorcycle to the XS11, to handle bigger fork tubes. I can see what you have on the machine above is a fairly expensive custom mod. (I'm guessing it is.) I'm thinking you've probably seen an entire triple-tree front-end swap from another motorcycle over to the XS11 fork neck. Haven't seen anything done, over here~~a much needed mod. I have a TKat fork brace, that was a great improvement 8 years back, but it's not enough. I was thinking to go at least to 41mm from the 37mm that is on all the Standards and Specials.

[The Lorax]

I have been reading this thread periodically for some time now and I wish I had half the vision and fabrication skills this guy has. anytime I look at an older machine, I see what could be instead of what is. every time I look at an XS, I will be seeing this piece of artwork in my mind. absolutely beautiful.

[Shappers]

oldnortonrider

AlanB has fitted FZR forks to his bike, I believe they are 41mm. His write up is HERE

I have fitted forks from an XJR1300SP, they are 43mm. Both fork swaps have "right way up" forks so preserve the original look.

Both swaps enable the fitting of modern brake calipers also as a bonus. Details of my swap can be found HERE

[AlanB]

Hi Guys,

My forks are 43mm too; the earlir FZRs are 41, mine are EXUP...

AlanB

[oldnortonrider]

Very nice; you had quite a tassle with the spindle. That's a big help to my thinking on this, with the links and the 'AlanB' information on this. I appreciate your sharing this with me.

[Mathh]

Hi Oldnortonrider, got beaten by these two guys in answering your question. Here are some pictures from my girl friends' special







Front fork has been replaced with a 41mm jap-spec FZR750R one (pre exup). Just had to make a spacer to fit below the lower bearing in order to make it fit. Guard and wheel is also from the same bike. Discs are YZF750 and brakes are R1 (both bolt-on). Headlamp ears are modified special, risers were handmade. This bike has 17" front and rear with modern Pirelli's and handles like a dream.

[oldnortonrider]

I knew this "add one washer~~plug and play" swap that you and AlanB have done, was out there some where. I'm amazed, that this is not being done, on a regular scale, over here; if one is spending any real money at all, to make a grand improvement , for the major betterment, of the way this XS11 is engineered.
Yes, your girl friend's motorcycle, is a handsome machine. Front end is pretty. And, I know, indeed it would, handle like a dream.
I bet it stops, too.

[AlanB]

Hi ONR,

I have printed up the same info a few times; get a motorcycle bearing catalogue, and do some reading; LOTS of bikes use the same head bearings as the XS11! including many of the GSXR range, and most big Yams.

All will make fairly easy swaps; the only big things to watch are the length of the post, and the style of steering stop. Both can be sorted out, but I hit lucky with the FZR1000 EXUP; post is only a couple of mm longer, and stops are very similar.

One other point to watch is that generally the more modern bikes have shorter forks, which cause other problems......

AlanB

[oldnortonrider]

Yes,............pay attention to the fork tube lengths ....thanks for the reminder. Bearing catalog ; yes, I'd like to get one. Searched the net to try to get that~~found plenty of m/c bearing sites with anything and everything one could want. Wasn't successful to locate catalog that might have that; was trying to find a US supplier, for the free catalog . The net is an invaluable tool, but we need books, catalogs, and manuals, too.
I know of several model motorcycles that I'd like to check spindle length and bearing sizes on. Scooters that I've probably got easy and inexpensive access to.

[AlanB]

Hi ONR,

I bought a "pattern" (non-original equipment?) head bearing set for the XS11 a while back. On the back of the pack, it has a looooong list of the other bikes which it fits; You might want to look at sites for some of the bike-bits suppliers over there, and try some cross-referencing of part numbers?

We have a couple of big bike spares suppliers over here who have lists of part numbers for "all" bikes; it is just a matter of reading down the list to see what uses the same parts.

Not much more than a dozen part numbers cover pretty much ALL jap bikes..... ever!

Stem lengths and steering stop info is not listed anywhere I have seen; you need to go measure!...... or be prepared to modify.

AlanB

[oldnortonrider]

For sure, I do appreciate this input. What you've mentioned, I've got on my list of things to do . And, like you say~~one would need to measure slash compare on spindles. This'll be a slow project. Have been thinking on this for about ten years. I'll probably put it together slowly on the '79 fork neck, and then when complete, I'll swap it to my '81 Special. I've about stripped all the parts off the '79 except the engine. I also, on down the road, would like to do the carb swap that you've done, or one similar.