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Daily Rider
I found my XS11SF black beauty 2/2010. She was factory original but had been stored in a shead for 22 years. Thank the Lord for ebay.
Took me two months to get her back on the road. During that time I replaced the fuse box with a blade type. I replaced the brake lines with braded steel when I rebuilt the brakes. She had been put in storage with a full tank and the octopus leaked so the carbs required a lot of work as did the air box. The crank case and cylinders were gummed up and required several flushings with kerosene to clean them out. Thankfully, there was no rust in the tank. It seemed as if I put a thousand miles on the engine turning it over by hand. Cylinder # 1 had no compression but came up with the others after the first run. I assumed rings were gummed up so bad, the kerosene didn’t get it all. Talk about smoke on that first run! I changed the fresh oil and filter right away and twice more after two 100 miles of riding. She used a quart the next 2k but has never required added oil since.
I have added a Windjammer III, TKAT brace, K&N filter, 3 point case guards, Sound Off brake light modulator, automatic cam chain adjuster and reupholstered the seat. Except for a badly corroded battery to ground cable, she has given me 30k plus trouble free miles.
She is a daily rider, weather permitting, but draws little attention except when I meet with other riders or visit the bike shops. I once had a guy ask me in a parking lot how I liked my 650. When I pointed out that it was an 1100 and two extra cylinders, he was flabbgasted and never knew Yamaha made an XS11.
The paint and trim are still original and shinny. People are amazed when I tell them this is a 36 year old bike. I don’t always explain that it is not my fault she is so good looking.
I found my XS11SF black beauty 2/2010. She was factory original but had been stored in a shead for 22 years. Thank the Lord for ebay.
Took me two months to get her back on the road. During that time I replaced the fuse box with a blade type. I replaced the brake lines with braded steel when I rebuilt the brakes. She had been put in storage with a full tank and the octopus leaked so the carbs required a lot of work as did the air box. The crank case and cylinders were gummed up and required several flushings with kerosene to clean them out. Thankfully, there was no rust in the tank. It seemed as if I put a thousand miles on the engine turning it over by hand. Cylinder # 1 had no compression but came up with the others after the first run. I assumed rings were gummed up so bad, the kerosene didn’t get it all. Talk about smoke on that first run! I changed the fresh oil and filter right away and twice more after two 100 miles of riding. She used a quart the next 2k but has never required added oil since.
I have added a Windjammer III, TKAT brace, K&N filter, 3 point case guards, Sound Off brake light modulator, automatic cam chain adjuster and reupholstered the seat. Except for a badly corroded battery to ground cable, she has given me 30k plus trouble free miles.
She is a daily rider, weather permitting, but draws little attention except when I meet with other riders or visit the bike shops. I once had a guy ask me in a parking lot how I liked my 650. When I pointed out that it was an 1100 and two extra cylinders, he was flabbgasted and never knew Yamaha made an XS11.
The paint and trim are still original and shinny. People are amazed when I tell them this is a 36 year old bike. I don’t always explain that it is not my fault she is so good looking.
BTW minor changes like the fuseholders are items that over time just need to be improved upon as they improve the overall performance of the bike without any radical changes to the overall OEM design..
I would prefer to have it off, for the looks and weight / handling, but it sure is nice on a day when its rainy or cold, or both, and on long trips its very calm to be sitting behind it. I also appreciate its a factory install, and hesitate to change it. So that has me thinking I need a second XS11, one I can keep naked, and leave the 78E for long hauls.
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