Like a virgin

[CatatonicBug]

I did it! I have officially ridden a motorcycle for the first time in my life!

I got a 1981 XS1100 Midnight Special on Monday (9/29) for $500. The lady who had it before me had recieved it when she bought her mobile home (it was left in a shed by the previous owner), and she decided that it was too much bike for her to ride safely. It had not been run since last summer, and she had lost the keys. Needless to say, I had to rebuild the carbs and get a key made, but after putting it back together last night, I actually was able to drive it around the block! I am so stoked!! I have never ridden before in my life, and I am super excited to have my first bike.

Unfortunately, it's leaking fuel out of the #1 air intake... A tiny drip, but I will need to do something to fix that. And neither of the petcocks completely close. Is it possible to rebuild those? If I don't have to buy new ones, I would much rather not.

[barberad]

Hey Bug, That's one serious learner bike you got there. I would suggest an MSF class. 90 hp and 600 pounds is a lot to start out on. I'll leave the technical stuff to the technical guys.
Enjoy and be safe.
Dan

[CatatonicBug]

I only wish I could afford the classes... I spent $500 on the bike, and there's absolutely no way my wife will allow me to spend another $400 on classes... I am still begging to buy new air and oil filters...

The good thing is that I work 1.3 miles from home, and I go home for lunch every day. I figure I can use lots of laps around the block and eventually my tiny commute as my training ground and by the time the winter is over, I will be ready to actually drive somewhere.

[madmax-im]

Its not impossible

When i was a beginner I learned to ride on a Yamaha Heritage XS650.It was big for a beginner but not impossible to learn on.So while the XS1100 is big and heavy and has lots of power...doesnt mean you cant have that as a starter bike...however it is much easier to learn on something smaller in size.Good luck with it.Evevn though you say you cant afford the MSF course..you should try and find a way to take it.What you learn is greater than the initial cost of the course...and might even save your life.

[barberad]

I did an MSF coarse search for you area:
http://nm.msf-usa.org/msf/ridercourses.aspx?state=MO
Average cost in your area $325-375. Didn't get ahold of the state coarse.(Bottom one on the list) price is probably much cheaper but way booked. Sign up now for next spring. Training can never hurt, but not taking it can.

[tarzan]

You ca probably take apart your petcocks and clean them up and reassemble them.At least it worked for me.You can also get a kit to rebuild them.
I agree with everyone else.A MSF course is cheaper than hospital or morgue bills.
Welcome to the site.

[mstic2000]

First bike I owned was a 1980 XS11 Special and it was fun. If I would have bought anything smaller I would have wanted something bigger like the XS11. It was a lot of fun. Just treat it with due repect and it will be good to you. Enjoy!

BTW: There are kits out there to rebuild the petcocks...

[CatatonicBug]

Maybe I can convice my wife in the spring that I will need to pay for the training course. I just found one at the community college for $195, but that's still way too much for me right now.

I agree with mstic2000. I saw so many people selling their 600's and 700's because they wanted to get bigger bikes, and I knew that there was no way I would be able to buy another bike in a year or so just because I felt that the one I bought was "too small". I hope to be riding this bike for many years, so I needed to get the bike that I will be happy with in many years too. Plus the fact that I found such a great deal on this one, I couldn't pass it up!

[webbcraft2150]

MSF course is cheaper than an hour in a ER!!! Besides, they let you ride there bikes, if a Buell Blast is classified as a bike.

[Crazcnuk]

"there's absolutely no way my wife will allow me to spend another $400 on classes"

She obviously doesn't love you!

That or she can taste the insurance money...

[Korr]

Get your permit if you don't already have one and practice your butt off. Maybe you'll be good enough to pass the DMV test. That will save you a ton of money, but the dmv test is insanely hard even for people who have been riding for years especially on a big bike like the XS. Welcome to the XS!!

[Montreux_Blue]

Re: Like a virgin

Originally posted by CatatonicBug
Unfortunately, it's leaking fuel out of the #1 air intake... A tiny drip, but I will need to do something to fix that. And neither of the petcocks completely close. Is it possible to rebuild those? If I don't have to buy new ones, I would much rather not.

I had a very slow leak out of one of my carbs also. I rebuilt the petcocks/ octy and the problem went away! Unlike just about everyone else, I like the octy, it's there so you don't have to remember to turn off the fuel all the time. I had a fuel injected bike before this one so it's hard to get back in the routine of turning off the fuel. The rebuild is only $13. But you have to spend a total of $35 for US orders, I'm sure there are other things you'll need also. You can run some Seafoam in a tank of gas through the carbs too, it may help.
Part#20-0067
https://www.partsnmore.com/cat_index...&category=carb

[Bigfoot]

I also have rebuilt the octy with good results. Seafoam is a great product and can be found at most autoparts stores as well as wal-mart.

[latexeses]

.....Get your permit if you don't already have one and practice your butt off.....


I remember back in 82' I bought a little 185 Honda and did just that. Practice my butt off. Drove out the the local DMV office and practiced the course they had painted in the parking lot out back of the office.

Someone told me you had run do the course "slow". I practiced the course over and over. I even slowed the idle down to the point that the engine was just "chunk chunk chunk chunk". More like a slow ride on a bicycle.

I was worried about the "slow" comment.

Passed the written in a breeze and then to the riding course....

Down through the cones around the circle without getting outside the lines back through the cones without getting outside those cones and repeat in the oposite direction....

I just about crapped when on the second time through the course I got outside the painted lines for the last three feet.

I stopped the bike and put down the side stand and watched the Tester writing like mad on the test sheet. Thought I had screwed the pooch right at the end.

About 15 seconds later he looked up and said, "I've never seen anyone do that that slow".

If the practice does nothing else it will give you a better sense of balance on your bike.

My advice is practice with and take the test on a small bike.

Good luck and congrats on the first ride..

Rodger

[bigray03]

Just take your time.

Your not gonna become an expert rider over night and your health and life is the most important thing to keep in mind. The first acutal motorcycle I ever rode was a run down 250 honda that we found laying on its side in an old abandoned house in the woods down a dead end road. This thing was a blast. we were about 12 yrs old with nothing but time and not a care in the world. we played trial and error with this thing until we finally got it going. I really wish I had pics of this this thing. for anyone who knows about 250s, they are not but a couple of hundred lbs. at most and a few feet long. Much like a small dirt bike and thats exactally what we used it as. Hahaaa. The kicker here is that at some time in this bikes life, someone tried to make this thing a chopper style bike. There was a springer style front end which someone extended and raked out by about 4 feet. big bubblegum welds on the forks holding this thing together. When I say this was a home done job, wow. It really really was. How this thing never cracked apart and killed us while riding this thing on the road to the nearest mud hole or muddy gravel road I'll never know. we rode this thing like this for a couple of years just killing it until we got a little older and got into cars and girls, but damn was it so fun. my first real road ready bike I bought after the 250 , dirt bikes, and 3 wheelers, was a honda 1100. weighing out at almost 700 lbs, and plenty power what a beast compared to anything I ever set to the streets before with. After learing riding technique on the 12 ft. wheelbase 250 the honda 1100 was as if I had been riding for years and have ridden since. I know this story helps you none, I just made me LOL thinking of it. Good luck. Ride long, safe, and hard. and take your time learning. I have seen very bad things happen to people over the years who buy these big muscle bikes not having a clue.