Bike Finally Complete(enough)

[jgw1986]

So I've been around here for a while, bought my 79 xs11 special back at the end of march. It's been sitting in the garage slowly getting worked on, and I FINAALLLLLYYY got it running decent and street legal and all that.

First, here is when I bought it:




It had been sitting approx. 12 years in storage, and the p.o. had rebuilt the rear end (supposedly). I got it and kreemed the tank (mucho rust) then had the carbs rebuilt and jetted by a local shop. I really wanted to do it myself but at the time I was living in an apartment, going to school full time, and working 50+ a week. well I couldnt get to it very often, and funds were limited, so eventually I got the carbs figured out, got some indy filters on, found some drag bars, cut off the rear subframe, got a solo seat, and got brackets welded up for the seat. I had to put ALOT of creative work into this, finding places for the tag, brakelight, turn signals, etc. Here is what I have so far.



















OK, so before you start in on me, I KNOW I have a long way to go lol. The wiring around the fusebox is a rats nest. The P.O. for some reason removed the tabs for the sidecovers, so I need to figure something to fab up. The brakelight mount is just some angle iron I welded up. The tag is just stuck in between the seat bracket and the seat pan. I kinda like how I used the passenger peg holes for the turn signals, I dont have need for those pegs anymore so it was perfect. the paint job was a gag that just kinda stuck, my tank is dented and ugly anyways.

I'm in the middle of moving right now, and finally have a carport/workshop area... and plan to get a welder by the end of june.

There are many plans to come, just as time and money allows. I plan to go with the full bobber look, probably flat black with white walls, and chain drive eventually. So, let me know what ya think! I love riding it, its a great bike.

[Wildkat]

Looks like a great start!

I like the seat (and it's a great improvement over the one it apparently came with)

You're going to have a really nice looking bike when you get done!

[CarolynS]

I like it

It's different.
I'm sure when you're finished with it, it will be exactly what you want it to be-and that's all that matters! You've done a lot already, and it's hard on a limited budget/limited time existence. Keep it up!

[81xsproject]

Did you trim out the lips on those cone filters?

[fredintoon]

Wetback?

Hi Jason,
looks good & will look better when it's completed.
BUT
I spent my first 12 motorcycling years in the UK. I can hardly remember a day that it didn't rain. Well, there were days it snowed and the sun must have shone sometimes, it's just that I don't remember it.
So you pushed my hot button when you sawzalled the rear fender off your bike.
With no rear fender you are gonna get an inch thick streak of mud right up your back each time you are riding and the rain starts.
How about installing a wheel-hugger? A fender that moves with the swingarm and is set real close to the rear tire. You could also superpose twin rear & brake lights onto the passenger peg signals.
And you re-painted your orange gas tank! I like orange.

[jgw1986]

haha, the tank was actually a horribly fading crimson. I am def. not planning on leaving it fender-less. I am in the process of thinking up a hugger, I want something small but also effective. I got caught in the rain once so far, I was so upset about getting wet, but my entire back did get soaked, and my buddy behind me said I was throwing a rooster tail 30ft in the air.

81xs~ I did not trim the lip on the filters, I plan on fabbing up something like T.C.'s pvc holders.

[silverarrow1970]

Isn't it amazing how versatile these bikes are. You can change them in so many ways. And when you get one thing finished you start thinking up new things to do to it.
Good luck, its looking great!

[stoked]

I have been resisting the urge to chop the back off and go for the bobber look since I've had the bike for a year now. Even with the unfinished look yours has, I think it looks really good. And I am also always looking for ways to lighten the bike up. I'm thinking of trying to find a plastic dirt bike fender to turn into a wheel-hugger. I figure that with cutting the back off and replacing the barcalounger for a seat with a solo seat would shed quite a few pounds. Of coures that barcalounger makes for one hell of a comfortable ride. I can ride this thing for hours.

[TADracer]

Hey Justin, coming along nicely.

I like the bobber look.

[scoobes]

you could always adapt a front mudgaurd (fender) to the rear of the bike...

[jgw1986]

I've toyed around with a plastic dirtbike fender, found nothing that looks right though. I'm definitely planning some type of wheel hugger, not sure what or how yet though.

As soon as I got this bike, I new I was going to turn it into a bobber. I love the look, and wanted something very custom, but not into the chopper look. I'm thinking of some Kind of 4-1 wrapped exhaust, gotta look around for some inspiration.

I did a little maintenance today, adjusted the cam chain... extremely easy, those japanese really thought that one out! I was looking at the vacuum hoses and didnt think I had them right, so I connected the hose from the vacuum advance to the bung on the #2 carb holder... is this correct? that bung was connected with a small peice of tubing to the bung on the #2 carb... making a "U" shape, and that just didnt make sense. If I'm correct, that bung on the carb was for the octy?(I removed it early on). but now that bung on the carb itself is unplugged... I need to get a plug.

ALSO, I fueled up last night and I'm only getting 24MPG!!! I was thinking more like 30-40... I have to figure out what is up. I have a feeling it has something to do with the fact that <4k rpm the bike runs like it's misfiring... any ideas?

BTW... if you go with a solo seat, spend the extra $30 and pick up the hinge and spring mounts off of ebay, I fabbed up a bracket to bolt my seat right on, and it sits at a very uncomfortable angle. I'm a little more concerned about the mechanicals now tho.

[Ken Talbot]

The vacuum advance hose needs to connect to the metered vacuum orifice on the bung on the body of carb #2. The bung on carb holder #2, as well as the other three, needs to be capped off if you're not using it for an octopus. These two things will explain some of your poor mileage.

You should also re-sync the carbs after doing the cam chain adjustment. This will explain even more of your poor mileage.

Originally posted by jgw1986
I was looking at the vacuum hoses and didnt think I had them right, so I connected the hose from the vacuum advance to the bung on the #2 carb holder... is this correct? that bung was connected with a small peice of tubing to the bung on the #2 carb... making a "U" shape, and that just didnt make sense. If I'm correct, that bung on the carb was for the octy?(I removed it early on). but now that bung on the carb itself is unplugged... I need to get a plug.

ALSO, I fueled up last night and I'm only getting 24MPG!!! I was thinking more like 30-40... I have to figure out what is up. I have a feeling it has something to do with the fact that <4k rpm the bike runs like it's misfiring... any ideas?

[jgw1986]

I did a little research after posting that reply, and went out to switch the vacuum hose. Now I have to find a plug for it. I dont have the tools to do a sync yet, time and $$ permitting... this will be done soon.

I had the carbs rebuilt and rejetted at a local shop, I'm thinking maybe they used the wrong pilot jets, and that would maybe explain the extreme improvement at 4k and above?

[fredintoon]

Vacuum connection blanking plug

Hi Jason,
as a temporary measure shove on a short length of fuel hose with it's open end bunged up with a short bolt or a ball bearing or whatever. It's ugly but it's instant and it'll work for as long as it has to.
Do a search on this site for home-built synch gauges. Admittedly at 6 feet tall they ain't too portable but you can build a GOOD one for $10. My favorite filler fluid for them is ATF. It's brightly coloured and won't harm the engine if it gets sucked into the carbs. As ATF is not quite 17 times less dense than Mercury (0.8 vs 13.54) the home-built gauge will be not quite 17 times as accurate as the Mercury filled Carb Stix.