Your Introduction to the XS/XJ1100

[DiverRay]

June of 1977 I sold my 750 Honda four, and put a down payment on the "new" Yamaha XS1000 that would be out in September. Went all summer without a bike!( I had a 1966 442 Convertable at the time)
First week of September, got a call from the dealer. " I have good news and bad news for you" he said. "The good news, your bike is hear, the bad news, it's NOT a 1000!!" Yamaha fooled everyone, including the dealers, and shipped out the XS1100. I went on down to the shop, and spent the next two nights putting my bike together from the crate and boxes. I ordered the "full dress" model, minus the rear box, as I didn't like the look or size of it.
Put over 36K miles on the bike before I sold it to support my "new" toy, a 1974 1/2 Jensen Healy...

[egleaves]

Two summers ago I found myself traveling across town (40 mile round trip) to get to the job site everyday. This was about the time gas prices where really starting to climb and I just couldn't afford to keep feeding the '87 4x4 Suburban I was driving. That thing had a 40 gallon tank, and it needed it to quench the thirst of the fuel injected 350 under the hood.

I decided then I was going to get a two wheeled vehicle. At first I thought an 80 mpg Japanese scooter sounded like a good idea, but after looking at a few and seeing how small and cheap they are I figured that would be signing my own death warrant.

After coming to my senses I decided I would be better off with a real bike, but something with a small engine, for fuel economy. I was looking very seriously at a new 250 Kawasaki, while having a hard time swallowing the price, when I saw an ad in the local Cycle Trader selling a Yamaha 1100 Special for $1600.

I liked the price so I went to look at the bike.

I liked the way it looked so I rode it around the block.

This was my first time ever riding a motorcycle.

When I came back from the test ride I could see from the look on the PO's face that he could tell I was inexperienced, but he was still eager to sell. I went home to think about it and do some research, and that is how I found this site. After learning a little about the bike I had just ridden I knew I wanted it. I went back the next day and rode it home.

[Ivan]

well, TBH, my XS11 is my first bike, that I have really ridden.

I did have a couple old dirt bikes that never really ran when I was a youngster.

At one point, I had a friend that was moving away and gave me the title to his 850 special, which was in the shop. Being young and drunk most of the time, I squandered that opportunity. But I really loved the lines of that bike, and have been on the look out for one ever since.

Time and evil women kept me from getting a bike, until I married my current wife who is sweet and beautiful, and said I could get a bike "when the time is right". I guess she figured the time was right when I laid on the ground and flailed about crying like a brat in the checkout line who didn't get any candy, when she said "Let's think about it"

Suffice it to say, I got the XS, and SWMBO hasn't left me yet.

[Poprock]

Always liked bikes, but never owned one till '04 when I bought a XJ 650 J. The Maxim was a great bike, but it's little and I'm not. Meanwhile, Maximan, my riding bud, brought home the bike that would become Godzilla, and I was impressed. Later, he bought The King of Kong, XS1100 SG full dresser, restored it, and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. A friend bought the Maxim, I got Kong, and he's a great bike. So I credit Maximan for maximizing my motorcycle experience, opening the door for me to ride one of the great ones.

[theduke]

i grew up in the country, on dirt bikes and enduros all the time. could pretty much fix any two stroke. then i moved to the city and didn't get to ride near as much. always wanted a street bike, but didn't want something small, cause i'm a big enough guy, and also wanted to learn about 4stroke bikes. so i went looking for a project bike, and found it on craigs list. he advertised it as an 84 virago, or something, and i went to tulsa to look at it. it was the biggest pos i'd ever seen. it had been sitting for ten years, uncovered with fluids in it. the seat was chewed up, the tank was rusty, and the wheels were black, not chrome. and there was about 12'' missing from the #1 header pipe. he said his wife got pissed at him and hacked it out herself. doubtful. i gave him $250 for it and hauled it home in the back of my brother's truck. yanked the front cruising fairing off, and started cleaning. but when i found the serial number, i knew from previous experience that it wasn't an 84, because there weren't enough numbers. found out it was a 79xs11f, and was stoked. i knew a little bit about the xs and have loved the history i'm still learning on this bike. i intend to keep it forever.

[CatatonicBug]

I have wanted a bike for years. Never owned one, never ridden one. My ex always told me that there was no way I would ever get one. Good riddance. SWMBO started to show a tiny bit of flexibility in the idea last year, and so I started the begging and hinting and all that stuff. I ended up with a bit of a cash windfall this fall, and I was actually told that I could get a bike! So, I dug into craigslist. One of my neighbors recently got a 49cc scooter, and I got to take that around the block. It was fun, but I knew I needed something that would take me ont he freeway. My other neighbor is a big harley guy and recently bought his lady a little 250cc thing. I got to sit on it and that really got my blood going. He warned me that the 250 would be good to start with, but even she would get tired of it after a year or so, since it was so small. I knew that I would have one shot at getting a bike, and there was no way I would be able to "upgrade" at any time in the next decade. So, I decided I needed to start with a larger bike. I was looking for anything really, but when I saw this 81 Midnight Special online, and they only wanted $500 for it, I just had to jump at it. The PO had received it when she bought her mobile home, and it had sat in the shed since she moved in. She said it was just too much bike for her. It didn't run, as it had sat for over 1.5 years, and she had lost the key for it.

Well, I took it home, and with the help of the folks on this site I have managed to get my first bike running. It still needs a bit of TLC, but what 30-year-old machine doesn't? I definitely hope to hang onto this one for many, many years.

[mitch]

xs11

In 1978 i bought a new Kawasaki ZR1 it was the fastest bike you could get at the time (Well thats what the salesman said ) . Only prob with it was the hinge kawasaki installed in the frame. You could get in trouble real fast in a turn if you were too aggressive. My cousin bought a new 1980 XS1100 and proceeded to smoke my ZR1 in takeoff....long hard straights,top end and turns . Gawd that pissed me off. Right then i knew i had to have an XS. Sadley that never happenned till i bought my XJ in 2002. Now i got a fat and lazy 1500 cruiser i like it our personalitys match! im fat and lazy too lol.
Doug

[madmax-im]

Always liked bikes, but never owned one till '04 when I bought a XJ 650 J. The Maxim was a great bike, but it's little and I'm not. Meanwhile, Maximan, my riding bud, brought home the bike that would become Godzilla, and I was impressed. Later, he bought The King of Kong, XS1100 SG full dresser, restored it, and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. A friend bought the Maxim, I got Kong, and he's a great bike. So I credit Maximan for maximizing my motorcycle experience, opening the door for me to ride one of the great ones.

Didn't 'Zilla go to a guy in NJ? I have been looking for it ,but havent seen it anywhere.I came within a hair of buying that bike

[Poprock]

That is correct. Zilla is or was in NJ. The new owner is a collector and a dealer who buys bikes and ships them to Africa and other places. That's all I know. Maximan had done everything but a turbo or nitrous to Zilla. It left his hands as perhaps the finest XJ on this side of the pond. If not the finest, it was certainly the most highly developed one, and it was all very well furnished and finished. Kong isn't quite like that.

[xswilly]

as a teenager growing up i had all sorts of dirtbikes and enduros
the best enduro i had was a dt400 yamaha, so i was fond of yamahas.
even thro i had owned hondas and suzukis also

i wanted a 4 cylinder and i wanted a 1000 and shaft drive
i turned 19 in 78, and had been working at my first job for almost a year
honda had a goldwing which was more touring and not as much performance.
i subscribed to some bike mags, and kept my eyes open.
when yamaha announced the xs11, i knew thats what i wanted.
it took me over 3 months to secure a loan, as being 19 and never borrowed money before, it took awhile, the dealer wouldn't even let me try the bike until i could prove that i could pay for it.
so the day i tried it out i had the check in my hand and took it home that day. the biggest bike i had ever ridden before that was my 400 enduro
on the way home from the dealer i pulled out to pass my dad, he was driving a pickup with a 350 v-8
he saw me pull out and he stomped on it
i went passed him like he was tied to a tree, when i pulled back into my lane i was over 100.
a month latter i got caught by the state police 90 in a 45
after that i slowed down some.
and i still have that bike. i've had to do alot of repairs but she still runs and still goes like crazy

[madmax-im]

That is correct. Zilla is or was in NJ. The new owner is a collector and a dealer who buys bikes and ships them to Africa and other places. That's all I know. Maximan had done everything but a turbo or nitrous to Zilla. It left his hands as perhaps the finest XJ on this side of the pond. If not the finest, it was certainly the most highly developed one, and it was all very well furnished and finished. Kong isn't quite like that.

Good Lord...I hope it didnt go to Africa!The very night before it sold I was talking to Cody thru PM's about my buying it,but I was about $2000 and a day short.Kinda sorry that one got away."Zilla ranks right up there with Bob Jone's bikes.
You all have some great stories!Regardless of our various introductions,we all share the common bonds of owning one of the finest production motorcycles ever made.Keep 'em coming..

[Larrym]

Better to give than receive.

Owned/maintained/repaired and rode lots of bikes as main transportation for school/work. 1/2/3 cylinders, 2-strokes/4-strokes, 450 cc upto 650 cc, all Japanese 'cept for one Triumph. (Never a Yamaha though...) Always adored the inline-4's but life kept them always out of reach.

Friend bought a Kaw 1000 Police bike and I did the 20K service for him. Would have done it for free just to have that upclose/personal access to such a marvelous machine but I remember charging him $100. He paid me by giving me an old Yam 650 twin with "carb" problems. Put Yam in back of truck and Xported to my skunkworks.

18 year old kid drove by as I was trying to figure out how to not rack my private parts every time I squeezed past the 650. He wanted to buy it as is. He didn't have any money but he did say he had an XS1100 he would trade for it. Took a drive out to look at the XS. 79 XS1100 STD. 4-into-1 had been crushed when PO had tried to navigate into someones back yard party and had hit a boulder. Bike had sat out in the rainy NW for 3 years and IMO was unrecoverable. Way beyond this kids skill level. Decided to swap just so he could have a fighting chance at having a working bike.

Gave the XS "recovery process" due diligence even though I was convinced it was a lost cause. Ended up the motor fired up and even sounded good using a mechanics stethescope. Moved on to the controls/electrical needed for a roadtest. First mile down the road I knew two things. 1.) Loved the inline-4. 2.) Positively hated the way it handled. It had a windjammer fairing and somehow just would not track in a straight line without "falling off." Tried to get used to it but gave up somewhere around 150 miles. Sold it and the next owner did some cosmetics, tires and whatnot. Saw it for sale for $1600 six months later.

Kid had included a second engine and boxes of spare parts in the swap. Tried to give these to next owner but he wanted nothing to do with it. He didn't even want the repair manual. (Bought it new and was quite "dog eared" by the time I was through with it...) All this stuff sat until present Special fell from the sky into my care.

[randy]

I first exposed myself () to the XS11 on a parts buying trip to a combo Yam/Kaw dealer in Brooklyn in '79. Went in for a points set for my '76 KZ400. Fell in lust, but i knew i couldn't afford it. Left with the points and an XS11 brochure. Ten years later, browsing the classifieds I saw a '81SH for $900. Went 60 miles to look at it and it was pristine, 4k on the clock. Guy was moving accross country, everything had to go. Lucky me. 10 more yrs and 36K later I sold it. Still regret it, but got back to my senses in '04. Y'all know the rest.

[TADracer]

Just timing, thats all.

Was at work one day in 1980 and walked into the kitchen at my office for some coffee. An aquaintance of mine asked if I knew anyone that might want to buy his water ski boat because he needed money. I said no but...do you still have your bike? Went to his house that evening and bought my 79SF for $1,000.00. The bike was only about 6 months old and had only slightly over 1,000 miles. Now almost 30 years later I am still hooked.

[Wildkat]

First experience was on the back of John's XS

almost 20 years ago... and then riding behind it when I had my 450 Nighthawk... got tired of being left in the dust so bought my FJ... During one of its down times... John brought home Foster Child...
Long story short... little by little, Foster Child turned into Something Special and went from being unwanted and unridden... to being my number one ride that I wouldn't trade for the world...
I LOVE this bike!