new user - xj1100 owner

[mbowld44]

Hello everybody,

I am new to this site and new to the web I have found everything to be extremely interesting.I own an xj11 fitted with
a Watsonian GP sports sidecar I have found that the X11 with its
excelent low down torque is ideal for the job. The only alteration to the bike that I found was needed has been double strength springs for the front forks. Are there many other xj,s out there pulling a chair?if so I would love to hear from you.Will send a photo soon. One other question I would like to ask is the xj11 engine spec the same as the xs11? I am told the head gasket is different is this correct? The reason I ask is that many UK dealers and breakers deny that the xj11 ever existed!


Goldfinger

[trbig]

Many things are the same, but yes, the XJ has a YICS tube on the cylinders and ports on the head to match them, along with a couple extra studs. The XS motor doesn't have this.




You can see the XJ head at top with the ports that match up to that tube, along with an XS head on the bottom for comparison.



The YICS ports are( to many)... a pain in the arse. You need a special tool to be able to synchronize your carbs. What I did was to tap the ports in the head that the lines in the picture point to and counter sink some plugs into the holes to completely stop them up. I used teflon tape on the threads to be sure.



If you plug these up, it is MUCH simpler to synch your carbs and you could use either an XS or an XJ head gasket after that.

As for your local dealers... apparently several of us are riding around on figments of our imagination! They made the XJ for the U.S. in 1982 only,(No idea about across the pond there) but made it for '83 and'84 for Canada. Good luck and welcome to the forum!!


Tod

[TomB]

Hey Tod

Will the XJ engine fit straight in the XS frame, are the crank cases the same?



Hi mbowld44, where in the UK are you?

[trbig]

Yeah, the blocks themselves are pretty much interchangeable, but you'd have to use the XS's oil pressure gauge and oil pan, sidecovers and electronics and things, but as far as the shape of the block goes and everything internal below the cylinders (The bottom end, tranny, middle drive etc.) everything else is the same. It will bolt right up. My bike had a '78 XS engine in it when I got it.

Tod

[TomB]

Thanks Tod

I'm looking at buying a wrecked XJ, the frame is bent around the headstock but all the engine, tranny, carbs, electrics and ignition seem OK.

I have an XS rolling stock so thought the two might go together.

[trbig]

The carbs are going to be different also. Basically the same, but the jetting is different (47.5 pilot and 112.5 mains) and you'll have to swap the enrichener (Choke) bar that connects all the carbs together. The XJ uses a lever on the handlebar for the choke versus the lever on the XS carbs. Not a big deal, but you have to be careful so you don't lose the little steel BB's on that bar. Also, the opening of the bell of the XJ carbs are 54mm versus 52mm for the XS, so the intake boots won't work from the XS. (The boots between the carbs and head will interchange) I'd just use the basic motor from the XJ and use all the parts for an XS. All the electronics and everything will have to be swapped if you try to use the XJ system.

You also didn't say what year your XS is. If it's a 78 or 79, if you swap the cams from one of those engines and put on the XJ motor, you'll get more HP with those bigger valves it has. If it's an 80 or 81, don't worry about it.

I am interested in the stator and the CDI box (Plus a few other things) if you're interested in selling any of the parts.

Tod

[trbig]

One last pic...

This is an XJ head gasket. For an XS gasket, just imagine this being trimmed at the white lines.




Man.. I am about to catch some crap... but here goes. I can't condone this action, but I have had ZERO negative effects from re-using a head gasket SEVERAL times. As long as it isn't torn as this one is, I've never had any problems with any of my bikes when I re-use them... 2 stroke or 4 stroke. I know the purists are warming their fingers up right now... but as many times as I have been into this motor, there's no way I could afford a new head gasket each time.

OK... let's hear all the "Cheap a@@!" coments... lol


Tod

[TomB]

Man.. I am about to catch some crap... but here goes. I can't condone this action, but I have had ZERO negative effects from re-using a head gasket SEVERAL times. As long as it isn't torn as this one is, I've never had any problems with any of my bikes when I re-use them... 2 stroke or 4 stroke. I know the purists are warming their fingers up right now... but as many times as I have been into this motor, there's no way I could afford a new head gasket each time.

LOL

So I'm not on my own then. I re-use head gaskets, if they are in good condition why not.

I've never had one fail yet and I've been doing it for years.

Yep I can see why people will tell you it shouldn't be done, but hey if one fails you can always put a new one on, its no big deal.

I don't know if the XJ deal is on yet so don't know what spares I'll have.

Thanks for the info Tod