Your Introduction to the XS/XJ1100

[kjohnson]

My introduction to the XS/XJ1100 was somewhat in a round about way, so I'll jump back to the beginning of my motorcycle career. Trust me it isn't that far.

In the summer of 2007 my cage (after putting many $$ and many hours into it) had an oil pump failure. Yes the pump was new. Any way, I didn't need the cage at the time anyway, could walk to work in under 15 min, but the desire to go places on the days off was getting to me. Yes I could take my truck, but it isn't fun to drive (except off-road) and is just too big for most parking lots. Plus it doesn't really have any soul. So back to the point, my wife's uncle had a XS750 triple sitting under a tarp that he really didn't care to keep. Was the first person to bring him $500 got it. So I took it home, got it running with new gas and carb rebuilds, took a motorcycle safety course and got it on the road. It was about a month after that, I had gone to the local nut&bolt shop to do a pickup for work, and a guy came in and asked me if I wanted another one. I told him I was tempted, but would have to consult SWMBO first. Two weeks later I brought it home and started working on it. This spring I ended up throwing a rod on it and had to replace the motor.

Now I just have to fix a bunch of wiring, paint the tank, install the center stand etc... It is running and I spent most of my time on it this summer, somewhat neglecting the XS750. I hope to get both these plus the latest addition to the stables tip-top this winter if possible. The priority is a strip to frame on the XS750 as it has some rust that needs to be fixed ASAP.

[Bigfoot]

My first bike was a Honda 185 Twinstar that I had rescued from a shed where it had sat for 13 years. I paid $200 for it. I got it running in fairly short order and putted around town on it for a couple months. I quickly learned that I needed something bigger. I was chatting with a neighbor and we got on the subject. He told me that his son had a bike in his garage that he was looking to sell and would take $200 for it. He said he thought it was a yamaha or honda cruiser around 1000cc. I told him I would take it and bought it sight unseen.

The first time I saw it, I loved it. Turns out it was an XJ11 with around 8500 miles on it. It needed what you would expect for a bike that had been sitting for at least 12 years but all the work was worth it. As soon as I had it running I sold the Honda for $600. I love the bike and don't see myself ever parting with it.

[rlundy]

Like several others I rode dirt bikes as a kid, specifically a 1974 Honda XL 100. Had that from 11 until 14 and my dad sold it to pay my first car insurance premium when I turned 15 (South Carolina let you get a "day only" license at 15 back then).

I have been in MC dealerships several times since 1986, had a hard hankering for the early 90's Honda nighthawks and came very close to buying a GB500 (have you seen what they ask for those things these days? Wow!), also flirted with a Harley in the early nineties. SWMBO is a diehard motorcycle hater, which made it hard. So the last 20 years I've wasted man hobby money on boats mostly.

On a lark I picked up a drop-ship 150cc chinese scooter in August-and promptly found out that Florida had decided anyone getting a MC endorsement had to take the MSF course. Riding around on the little rebel 250 brought back all the basic skills I had as a kid, and I knew the scooter's days were numbered. That is a great course BTW.

When I decided to start looking for a "project" (SWMBO's term for junk I drag home) I first focused on '70's CB750s-but found out that everyone seemed to want one from the prices junk was fetching. Found this website (a good website is the key to a successful pastime) and started looking for XS Eleven standards. After a few false starts (I think Cobia bought one I was after in West Palm), I found a '78 E in Macho Maroon in the sticks east/north of Orlando. Looked like it had been taken care of for many years, then left outside for last 5. Was able to get it running (not right, but running) after a little electrical tinkering and am now focused on getting it ridable, brakes, elec, fluids, tires-if I can get 1000 miles on it in the next year I'll think about stripping it to the frame and taking care of rust and cosmetics. Its actually in pretty decent shape-even came with the original took kit and owners manual and a file of parts & service receipts going back to '93. It even still had its original seat cover which is just barely holding together. 19K on the odo.

I first saw a bike just like this in 1978 at the local yamaha dealer in Myrtle Beach SC while a buddy's mom was getting some parts for his dirt bike. A full dressed version with the yamaha fairing and everything was right in the center of the floor-absolutely gorgeous. Never forgot that Bike and now I've got one.

[Jerry]

Had several bikes when young, starting with a Honda Trail 90. Worked my way up to mid-size for the time (450 - 550cc) then got married, had kids, stopped riding for a while. Got back into riding around 1995, back into smaller bikes (350 - 400 cc) but got a job that required commuting 152 miles a day. The '82 Yamaha 400 Maxim I had at the time wasn't cutting it. Had seen a few XS1100s, decided I liked the XJ1100. Found an ad posted (in jest) on this site. I was in Wisconsin, bike was in Maine. I bought it, rented a trailer and brought it home. That was in 1999. Paid $650.00 for the bike. Best purchase I've ever made.

[Hideki]

I knew nothing about the XS1100 when I found mine. My better half wouldn't let me get a sport bike, so I found the next best thing classic super bike.

[Shuriken]

I was looking for an upgrade to my XS650 and saw an XS11. Posted a question somewhere about what the difference was and someone said something like "tire burning, a** hauling power." Therefore, when I saw a used one and took a test ride on it, I took it easy. The power difference over the 650 was incredible. Felt like going from a lawn mower to a cadillac.

[foreda]

My history

I started out in 1970 with a used Kawasaki (67 I think) and shortly there after the Kawasaki 350 Tripple came out and I bought one. Shortly after that I bought a 1970 Kawasaki 500 and almost killed mysef (drum brakes, not a good idea on a fast motorcycle). Then in 72 I bought the Kawasaki 750 sold it a couple of years later and bought the Kawasaki 900 Z1, terrorized the roads on this for a while then sold it (kid on the way!) I was a model citizen until 1978 when I bought the Yamaha 750 Tripple, did not like it too much and I bought the XS1100. In 79 I bought a XS 1100 Special to keep the standard company. Sold the Special (2nd gear sucks), kept the Standard because it ran circles around the Special. Thought about buying a Harley, it was only a thought. I wish I still had them all!!

[Bowtied]

Had my first introduction to an xs1100 just this past summer actually (yeah i know i'm a noobie to the xs'). Anyways, it happend cause my mom and step dad have a kawasaki 2000cc (big mamba jamba) It's like an 08 or 07. Anyways, they have it and go riding all the time but no one to ride with. So my stepdads cousins brother in law was selling an xs1100 special for 1300$ and in great condition. So we went and looked at it and bought it. Took it in had the fairing pulled off of it carb's synch'd and some misc stuff tweaked and redone wiring and vacuum stuff mostly cause the bike sat in a shed the last 20 years. But it runs like a stripped assed ape now! And i'm only in it for about 1800$ after the shop bill and other stuff i've bought for it.

But i finally started putting the miles on it when my real dad and my uncle got a bike too and then my aunt got a bike. So now we all go riding about 100miles a weekend on old route 66 and hiway 77 etc etc. So now i'm in love with my bike. And it wears out my dads 750 honda and my uncles sportster but my aunt on her 250 rebel gets the jump on me! hahahaha i'm kidding!

So yeah i love it and for a first bike it's a blast! It's funny to see people sit on it tho cause i'm 6'1 190lbs and i sit comfy on it but my girlfriend sat on it and at 5'5 she could barely reach the ground. But she loves the queen seat on it! hahahaha.

So yeah it's been fun but now it's to cold to ride so maybe it'll get warmer soon! I hate winter!

[oldyam80sg]

I had bought a car when i was in high school and after having that for 1 year the engine threw a rod.I had a KZ 400 as my first bike and a XS 400 as my second bike.I had both of those for like 2 years.Anyway the car went into the shop and i borrowed my Moms car.Since the car was under warranty,i received a check for $1800.00 for the cost of rental and related fees.I gave my Mom $200.00 and with the remaining money went to a Suzuki dealer.The GS1150 ES i wanted to buy,the dealer told me it needed work and for $200.00+ the cost of the bike $1800.00 they could fix it.I saw the XS1100 and i said what about that bike?They said the owner could not afford the payments and the bike needed nothing and was $1500.00.SOLD.I remember it was quite a step up from having a 400cc bike but in the end and 2 ex-wives later i still have it.I know when i bought it it was already 5 years old but i didn't care.

[DGXSER]

plain luck

I got my XS11 by luck and to some extent with support formt his site, only no one knew it

I caught the bike bug at the age of 15. Went to a garage sale and a guy had a Honda 350 for sale, I think it was $250 then, but as I had no license I could not ride it, so he took me for a test ride. That was the start of my love for riding.

As shown in my signature, my first bike was a 78 XS750. Belonged to a friend that let it sit on the city street with no tag so they towed it and impounded it, he told me I could have it for the cost of the impound fees. I bought it sight unseen and it was a sight. Lots of stories from that bike.

Then I bought the 80 CB750 C, got that one cheap $800 in '88 but it was like new with only 4500 miles, lost that one a very hard way, another long story that requires beer to tell.

Then I bought the 81 CB750 C, that was used well and put away wet, not one of my best buys in life. Anyway, I wrecked into a car, see the story on the ATGATT thread.

So 20 years later almost, I got the itch bad for a bike and convinced SWMBO that it was a necessary item (She does not ride and has no interest), started searching CL and Fleabay and the classifieds, actually had reached agreement on an 81 XS850 special, but the owner had, lets call them, title issues I did not want to deal with. Then I found the XS11 on CL. That was when I found this site and investigated all the good bad and uglies of the XS11. Also when I caught a bit of the fever for the 11. After a few weeks of negotiations and waiting I got it. Guess I should have paid closer attention to the second gear issue though

[justme1100]

Was being impatient

I was looking for a big cc bike (1000 or bigger) rather cheap went one day I just went out and bought the first thing runnin (which it wasn't) and under $1500. I ended up with her for $800 and it took me a while to get the carbs working right as the PO had"worked" on the and re-jetted them way to much. I was getting about 2o miles to the gallon @ $5 plus per at the time. A friend just happened to have a few spare parts form one he owned years ago and it included a next to new carb rail. I bolted it on and she is now getting 30+ mpg. I put over 10,000 miles on til last Sept when a deer crossed owr path and a tree jumped out in front of us, only doing about 30 mph or less at the time. This spring while buying a parts car I started talking about the old bike I ride when the Farmer said I needed to see something in his shed, there it sat under a half inch of dirt another XJ 1100 in stock dress with an old Vetter fairing bolted on. $250 she was my parts bike and I have all the front end parts I wrecked along with exrta everything else. Looking forward to this warm weather and putting alot of miles on this year. Ride safe everyone!

[1st bike]

i had been looking for a car to work on. i wanted something to wrench around with and just kinda play. but then i figured out that a car was going to take me about 156,872 years to finish, based on work and kids and swmbo, and whatever else life puts in front of me, so i had always wanted a bike, and i started looking on craigs list. i saw this bike, but it was PINK. so i did nothing. saw it back up with a cheaper price about a week or two later, and still did nothing. talked with swmbo, and she said "whatever", which we all know you can't pass on, so i kept looking about about 3 weeks later, the price dropped to stupid level, and i bought it. well, i actually went to see it, and the dude wouldn't let me test drive it, so me, and some random guy, test drove a pink bike. pretty sure i am never going to live that down from my wife and friends, but i got a great deal and a SWEET bike. it is my first, and i finished painting tonight, so i shouldn't have to worry about the pink bike anymore.

[jimbyjimb]

I wanted a great starter bike, since I didn't have enough time with my first two Hondas to consider them such. The XS has a reputation for being a reliable and tough bike, inexpensive, and great for newcomers, especially in the 650 variety. Welp, 55HP isn't moving all 245 lbs of me too well, so I went to the 1100. Being a man large of size and strength I can handle a larger bike much easier than most, so I saw fit to skip a couple steps and go straight to the big boy. So far it hasn't been a problem. In fact, my former VF1000F was quite heavier and more potent than this machine. In any case, I'm finding the XS to be an easy to ride bike. Controllable, predictable, reliable and really cool looking. Some day I 'll get a Vmax to go with it, but I think I need a little more experience before I jump on a bike worth over 135hp.

[RODS454]

79f

Was working for Dallas County Sheriff in late 70's. Fellow officer had a Yamaha 850. Said he had a friend who had a 78 XS11 and had to sell it because it was pulling his arms out of joint. HAHA. That intrigued me because I was riding a Honda 450 at the time. It just wasn't fast enough for me. There was a Yamaha dealer about 3 miles from my house, so I went and looked. He had a 1979 XS1100F, Indigo Blue on the showroom floor. I had to have it. Got a loan from the credit union, and the bike was mine. I sold it around 1990 or so, and regret it to this day. If I ever come across it I'll try to buy it back. Can't mistake it with the custom paint. Unless of course it has been repainted. SWMBO bought me The Cruise Missle this last Christmas. What a suprise. Anyway, that is my story, and I'm sticking to it!
RODS454

[WMarshy]

its a family thing

Well, all you older guys have some cool stories about your first XS experience but I don’t see too many from the younger crowd, so I will contribute to that area. My first experience to the XS is quite unique; it came well before I even knew it had “an implacable, unrelenting presence and movement that bespeaks massive power lurking behind paint and chrome”, let alone before I even knew what a motorcycle was. June of 1985, my father owned a ’78E that he primarily used to ride back and forth between home and his farm. I was a new born, not even two months old when I had to go the hospital because I had jaundice. On the day I was supposed to be released my father was involved in an accident with his E. He was driving by the house to see if my mother was back from the hospital when he stuck the front tire between the rear duals of a dump truck. He walked away with a few stitches and mangled forks, which were soon fixed. Fast forward to ~’89, and here’s where it all happened, I was ~4 years old climbing on the back of Dad’s E to go ‘help’ milk the cows. It must have really made an impression on my brother and I because by the time I was ~5 we bug our parents to the point where they bought us a little 50 cc Yamaha YZ’inger dirt bike. Now fast forward past my teen years of owning dirt bikes and dual sports and stop at the spring of 2009. I was still a full time student in college but on co-op, (I graduate May ’10!, I’m in a cooperative education program where you take 6 months of classes then work full time for 6 months in your field of study called a co-op), had some extra money and started looking for a motorcycle. I came real close to buying a XJ650 but decided I wanted something a little bigger. I remembered the old use to have 1100 sumthin and decided to call him up to ask. Well a week went buy and after searching high and low on CL I finally found 2 decent bikes in the central NY area. I called the old man back to tell him what I had found and he asked if I wanted to go for a ride and pick up a pair of them. So, we went and looked at the first one which was a ‘79F with 14,000 miles. He was a good fella (reminds me of Psychorefer), he wanted $1550 for it but we made him an offer of $1500 and to hold it for a week and he agreed. Before we made the deal though my dad test dove it probably no more than 100 yrds to check 1st and 2nd gear and the guy was like…”what the hell’s he doing, get on it man” lol I said don’t worry he use to have one he knows what it’s all about. Once he got back with it the seller asked me if I wanted to try it so I calmly said HELL FREAKIN YEAH! To make the guy happy I got on it and wound out 2nd and proceeded to max out 3rd when I looked down and decided I better take’r back before I decide to never get off it again! Man what a rush, that turbine sound and the silky smooth launch of that bike made me fall in love with it instantly. I couldn’t believe it, I didn’t realize I capable of smiling that big, and the whole time I was thinking, I hope this one is for me! Fast forward through a 2 hour car drive and there we are looking at another ‘79F but this time it had 34K mi and hard bags, windshield, and backrest. The guy was firm as a rock and wouldn’t take anything less than $1500 but would hold it for a week. The rest is history; here I am a devoted XS lover, waiting to get my bike out this weekend for the start of the second best summer of my life! And there’s nothing better than riding next to my Dad on our XS11’s, ready and able to take on the world.

P.S. He still has that E, one day it will be back on the road, and it will be my turn to be the driver.