Hello from a new XS1100 owner

[datter]

Hi all, I'm new here and thought I'd give an introduction as I suspect I'll be around here a lot in the future.

My wifes father (Victor Anthony) passed away a few weeks ago of brain cancer at age 58. We just spent this past weekend cleaning out his house of all his possessions and delivering them amongst his four (grown) children. Happily, he'd left detailed instructions as to who got what. No one really wanted to sort through the mans things so soon and all, but it had to be done as the house is being sold by his ex-wife in another week. There's a whole other story there.

Needless to say, it's a sad time and all and we're still grieving as he just passed and all, but this all had to be done. At any rate, as amazing as it is to me... the man left me his 1978 XS1100, which I delivered to my house in a u-haul yesterday, while delivering everything else around town.

I now have his oldest daughter and his motorcycle. There's really nothing else a man could give to another man, as near as I can tell anyway, so I'm honored, humbled and deeply appreciative.

Anyway, before he was diagnosed with brain cancer he'd taken it apart for repairs as something went wrong with the ignition so it's currently fairly disassembled but I made him two promises on his death bed, about 10 minutes before he passed.

I promised him I'd take care of his daughter, and the rest of his children as best I could, and I promised him I would get this bike together and working and on the road again. Despite being so close to passing he reacted very positively to both. He was a really good man.



I will most certainly be in here a fair amount picking your brains as I try to get this bike in running order again. It's important to me, and I'll get it done and I've no doubt this site will be a tremendous resource.

I got my first motorcycle at age nine and had one continuously up until the age of 29 when I sold my Interceptor 1000.. which I miss dearly. Now at age 38, with two kids I find myself with two wheels of freedom again and I can't wait to get it on the road. Both for myself, and to honor my father-in-law.

Sorry for the long winded story, I just thought I'd give a bit of back story so everyone would know where I'm coming from.

Time to go unpack some boxes and rearrange my workspace so I can get this bike fixed. Lots to do, and I barely know where to begin.

I'm so glad I found this website.

David

[webbcraft2150]

First off, I am sorry for your loss. It is always hard to loose a family member, 'specially someone so well liked.

Second, welcome to the addiction that has gripped all of us here. There are alot of members up your way and you will find everyone here very willing to help you get your rig back on the road. As I have said before, there is NOTHING that has gone wrong with these bikes that someone, or all of us have had to deal with, and fixed. Read thru the tech tips and make good use of the search option. You will find most of your answers there. If your can't, ask. '78 was the first year for the XS11, so that in itself makes it a true collector item. Be ready for some frustrations and aggravations but your work will be rewarded with a unique machine that is firmly entrenched in motorcycle history and is still a force to be reckoned with when on the road.

[Wildkat]

Welcome David!

So sorry for your loss... but it sounds like his daughter and his motorcycle have a good home with you...

Lots of great people on this site... very helpful and knowledgeable... and that often goes hand in hand... though there will be times (like if I try to give you any maintenance advice) that they won't...

(I'm simply here to learn and add comic relief)

[MAXIMAN]

David

That is an awesome story and a tear jerker. I'm having trouble typing now.

He truly must have thought a lot of you to have bequeathed his 78 XS to you. The fact that you got along so well with him speaks highly of your relationship.

You will find an ocean of help at this site and you will make many internet friends here. Welcome and call anytime.

Cg

[fredintoon]

Hi David & welcome,
regrets for the loss of your pa-in-law, nothing a stranger can say can lessen your sorrow. That said, at least the bike went to a good home. Now I've owned Yamahas for decades and an XS11 this past 5 years and I gotta tell you, Yamaha's designers all went to the Weird Harold School of Engineering. So you will find all manner of stuff on that bike that are not as a reasonable man would expect them to be. But WTF, the thing works! Buy Clymer's manual. It only refers to the Special very briefly and some of the electrics advice in it is plain wrong so if in doubt, ask this site because someone here has dealt with whatever it is.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[joshua]

I'm sorry for the loss of someone close to you. Many on this site have been through this recently.
Welcome to the site as well. I'm new here, but I've already had so much great help. Also if you can't find a Clymer's manual, there are some here in my town for 5 or 10$. Just let me know and I'll send one out to you if needed.

[datter]

wow guys, thanks for the warm welcome and kind comments.

I registered here awhile back in anticipation of all this, and suspected it was going to be a great resource as there seems to be a lot of good people here, each of you included of course.

I originally intended to help Victor get his bike running before he passed while he was still able to get around by himself. Sadly, around the time I registered he took a turn for the worse and was never able to get back to it.

Very glad to be here, I'm hoping to get started sorting out what I've got to do in the next week or so. It's difficult stepping into someone elses project mid way like this as I'm not 100% sure what needs to be done, what parts I might need if any or much of anything else. He left me a lot of materials including a manual (not sure if it's Clymer's or not, still boxed up at the moment) as well as a lot of detailed descriptions he wrote himself while he was able.

I'm sure I'll be rolling in no time, and I hope I don't annoy the hell out of everyone here while I get back into all this again.

Thanks again.
David

PS- I've had 1978 in my head for some reason, but it's actually a 1981 XS1100 H

PPS- I also just found the manual and it is in fact a Clymer's, but thanks very much for the offer Joshua.

[desert1]

Hi Dave

Hi Dave
Welcome to our group! And like the Guys have said I too am sorry to here of your loss, please sxcept my condolences.......

I am a fellow Nova Scotian and live just east of Dartmouth in a small shire called Grand Desert population 111 . I have a 78 XS1100 as well which now has a 79 special engine in it.....where bouts do you live Dave?
Bruce
78XS1100
79XS1100 Special partzer

[datter]

I live in Bedford, and work in Dartmouth actually. Small world.

Maybe we can meet up sometime once I get 'er running.

[desert1]

Sure thing

If you need a hand with something or another point of view my phone # is listed on this site and its not long distance.
I dont have a PC at home and I'm at work right but I will be back on line on Friday.....yeah we'll hook up for sure. Perhaps we could meet at Arbys some time; last summer I saw a red 78 XS1100 out at Arbys, not sure who owned it.
Bruce Doucette
78XS1100
79XS1100 Partser

[cajun31]

Welcome

Welcome Dave,

Sorry to hear about your loss and happy to hear about your acquisition. From your correction you are the proud owner of the 81 standard. As someone previously stated don't trust the Clymer's manual verbatim. There are a lot of errors. Check out the Yamaha site for schematics. Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words when trying to figure out where everything goes. You won't find a nicer group of folks anywhere else on the web.

[BLUEJEEPLAB]

Welcome Dave,

I am sorry to hear of your loss and I can say I understand how it feels, my father passed from this earth to His House in Feburary from Brain Cancer as well. It sure hurts, but you have two great ways to honor and remember him. We stand by ready to help you get one of them rolling again.

BTW, I'm jealous of you and Desert1. Nova Scotia, what a great place to ride. Too bad the summers aren;t longer though. I was there several times in the 80s and 90s and fell in love with the place. I just can't convince SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed, since you're new here) that becoming Canadian wouldn't be any change.

[desert1]

ThanX Papa Gino

Thanx for the complement Papa Gino! Another nice Province is Prince Edward Island, its a small province, mostly rural, flat terrain, a lot of strait roads, beautiful beaches that I cant say enough about....outside of the Annapolis Valley here in Nova Scotia I cant think of a better place to be on two wheels...when your ridin thru the Valley in the dusk part of the day on a Summers eve and all the floral aromas from orchards and fresh mown fields hit you, man its somethin else! Gotta watch out for the June bugs though....there so big when they hit your mask....my bro calls them flying cell phones
Bruce
78 1/2 XS1100

[GtrMn]

Wow...Amazing. Tears in my eyes. I hope it's running now!

[Jan]

hi...sorry to of your loss...
i have just joined myself and hope to make some new friends