Owned A New Xs1100

[79XS11F]

I am curious to know ... Of all the members on this board how many of you were the proud owners of new XS1100s in the late 70s and early 80s? How many are riding that same original bike they owned back then?
Rob

[Crazcnuk]

I was in the group that stared and drooled. I was never in the position to buy a new anything. Even now I could never afford to buy a new motorcycle, of the type which I normally ride.

Most I ever paid for a bike was $2800 for a 3yr old VT1100 Honda.

[TopCatGr58]

Oh goodie, I can play!

Well, I considered mine to have been the equivalent of a showroom model that had been ridden around the block a few times, but still new! I got it from a fellow sailor 2 years after he bought it, but never registered or tagged it, just fired it up in the yard of the on base apartments he lived in while stationed in JAPAN, and rode it around the yard once a month! It had all of 15 miles on it! I paid $3200.00 IIRC!

I got my 81SH in 83 that way, and still have it today, although I wouldn't necessarily say it's the SAME bike, it's kinda morphed into something ......better, yeah that's the ticket!
T.C.

[TomB]

A work mate bought my XS new and put 9000 miles on it in the two years he had it.

I've owned it for 23 years (tomorrow, 3rd Aug) and its now done 80,000.

I didn't buy it new but I've known it from new, does that count??

[COOL TOM]

NEW ONE

Couldof, shoudof, didn't, did not know of them at the time. Now after owning 5 of these GREAT BIKES i wish that i had known about them at the time because i would have had a NEW one

[STEPPENWOLF]

I am riding the same 1100SG I bought on May 30th 1980.Straight from the dealer.Made a few modifications but try and take a short ride after work every day.After 27 years...........been a really nice ride,some sunday rides,still like riding the beast,pleanty of power,good looking machine with a Windjammer,Bagman saddle bags,hwy pegs with engine guards and Rider Mag improvements to suppension.

[GtrMn]

Great Question! Owned an '75 XS650 and used to hang at the yamaha dealer. When I first saw the 1st 11 I said holy $%^#...but it was too tall for me. Then in '79 they came out with the special..I said sweet! Waited a bit and then the midnight special came out.....the dealer I was going to got one december of '80...Loved it..had to have it...and bought it. Drove home when it was like 35 degrees out...brrrrr....but I didn't care a bit! The sticker price at that time was $4,200...I got that one for $3,800...heck it was winter anyway! The bad news..I sold it in '86 cause at the time I wasn't riding much...always regretted it though. Picked up one off this site 3 years ago...just like it! The first time I rode it...it was like the good ol' days...not gonna sell this one!

[dpotter58]

I bought a 1981 midnight maxim from the dealer after salivating over the 1100. For me, it was a financial issue that prevented me from owning the 11. Probably best though, I gave it to my cousin after the last big speeding ticket. I may not be here if I had bought the big bike then.

[jwebb55]

First off just want to say hello to all you fine folks. What a Great site you have here. I am a newbie here and I did buy my first xs1100 brand spankin new although I bought it as a leftover in 1980 Its a 79 The only reason I bought the leftover was because of the speedometer WAY COOLER! Anyway I pulled her out of my garage in April she has 14,000 miles on her and I plan to double that in the next few years. The Kids are all gone ITS TIME TO RIDE!

[DiverRay]

I had one of the first bikes in the States. Ordered it in June, 1977 from the dealer as an XS1000. When It came in in September, it was an XS1100!! I had serial number 254 for three years, and almost 40K miles. Sold it to a San Jose motor cop to pay for my "new" toy, and I've missed it ever since. I now ride a '79 that I've put almost 60K on, and I have a '78 I hope to have running next year.
NO I WILL NOT BE WITHOUT AN XS!! AGAIN!!

[xswilly]

got my 78E new march of 78
paid 3400 for it
still ride it
its the only road bike i have ever owned
had on and off road bikes before that

[STEPPENWOLF]

As I stated above I am an original owner,just a short story, the first time my bike was ever on it's side was when I was on my first date with a gal on her 750 Honda,latter my wife,we pulled in to a local park and backed into our spots and she hit my bike and we both went down...not a happy camper on my part.I have case guards on so no damage..lucky for her:-)

[79XS11F]

My own XS1100 was a 1978 model that I bought in the spring of 1980. It was new in the box. I had been riding an XS500 and had a XS750 on lay-a-way when the 78 11 turned up. They told me it was "lost" stock ???
I can see that there are only a few who still have the actual bike they bought all those years ago. That's cool.
Rob

[STEPPENWOLF]

I can see that there are only a few who still have the actual bike they bought all those years ago. That's cool.
Rob



I am sure there are others out there but haven't found this thread yet,I haven't been here much at all for awhile. I admit at first I thought it was too much bike(coming from a'70 650 Yamaha,)but over the years I found myself at home on this bike,short trips to the pony keg,long day rides and some overniters to the BIG rides. The bike has never left me stranded on the roadside,close tho,advance timing wire while in the rain would short out,problem has been fixed years ago.
It is still a good ride,it lasted longer than my x wife and I think I made a very good choice back when I was a young 26.

[XMRGWX]

After my first ride on an 11 I had to have one. I bought my XS 1100 E in June of 1978. At the time I was working at a bike shop so I got to pull it out of the crate, assemble and service it. It's been a great bike and currently has 173,000 on it. If you maintain them they last forever.

- Mike