Sayin' Hi!

[Wolfpaws]

Just wanted to say hello to everyone since I'm new here and all.

I recently picked up a 1979 XS1100 Special (my first bike!) and absolutely love it.

Of course, it's not all good stories either. The day after I got it registered here in Kansas City, I was on my way home from work when some lady on her cell phone drifted into my lane and pretty much ran me off the road. Thankfully I wasn't hurt but the bike took some damage. I ran into someone on eBay parting out their XS1100 (same year as mine in fact!) so I managed to obtain parts to start getting everything fixed.

This forum will be a HUGE help, because I'll be honest - I'm a mechanical retard. I can handle computers, electronics, and things like that, but when it comes to bikes and cars...I'm at a huge loss. So I'll beg forgiveness ahead of time if I come across as REALLY incompetent - because, well, I am. I have a friend that's really helping a lot when it comes to the repairs so that should hopefully work out well.

The laundry list of what I'm needing to fix:
replace handlebars (done)
replace clutch handle (done)
replace clutch cable (done)
replace front turn signals
replace rear turn signals (not completely necessary since they work, one's just a little bent and I'd feel better if I replaced them)

The headlight housing's a little bent too, but it looks like it's welded to the frame, so I don't know how I'd even go about fixing/replacing that. I'm thinking of trying to gently bend it back into place if that works. Although seeing as to how the turn signals connect in, that might be kind of hard to do.

So anyway, that's my (probably entirely way too long) introduction.

[DGXSER]

Welcome!!

I know the feeling. I had my 11 about two months when I laid it down. Fortunately I was in wet grass so not much damage, but it did bend the turn signal mounting bolts and the headlight ears and headlight housing.

First off, get a manual. Go to a local cycle shop and you can probably find a Clymers on the XS11, I did at least. That will help alot as to figuring out how the pieces fit together. From what you described, you bent the ears that hold the headlight. The front turn signals, on the specials at least, bolt through the ears and actually mount the headlight housing to the bike. The other mount is underneath the light. You did not indicate how badly your turn signals got trashed, mine just bent the bolts, which are shoulder bolts that thread into the turn signal stem and then get a nut on the other end. The bad news is, the "bolt" is hollow. I made a new one with some allthread and drilled it out, then retapped the thread for the metric size. It all turned out nicely for me. To disassemble, start by removing the two screws that hold the headlight on form the sides, it will all start to make sense after that.

[CatatonicBug]

Welcome to the site!! You say this is your FIRST bike?? As was recently told to another guy here today (as was told to me last September), be very careful with the power of these things. They are HEAVY (as you probably realize already) and have the ability to jump out from under you if you blip the throttle to hard.

As for advice and knowledge, you are definitely in the right place. Don't worry about not being a total gearhead yet. You'll pick it up over time, and you'll learn a ton doing it. Definitely get a manual. I'm pretty sure my copy applies to the '79, but it's worth a shot. Plenty of folks on here with lots of experience, so don't be afraid to ask any question you might have. Somebody will have an answer for you, usually within hours. There are a few guys on here who specialize in parts, so a look at the "Parts for sale" area will get you much better deals than any local parts store. If the part you need isn't listed, just ask, and it will probably appear rather quickly. There are a few online stores with parts for these bikes as well. Good luck, and it's good to know you (and your bike) survived your incident.

[Wolfpaws]

Awesome, I appreciate all the help! Yeah, have a manual in PDF already but the one listed here is MUCH nicer (as in, in one document whereas the one I have is each page as a separate file). This'll make finding things a lot easier!


DGXSER:
Yeah, looks like the left "ear" around the headlight's the one that got bent - and therefore the left turn signal's bent down at a fairly good angle. The bike looks like it has lazy eye, really. *laugh* There's a bit of a gap around the headlight just due to things getting bent, so I wasn't sure how those flanges/"ears" can be replaced, just because they look to be welded on. The actual stalk portion for the turn signal holds up pretty well, although the right signal doesn't seem to operate at all (so going to replace both and see where it goes - got the parts for really cheap and they came in a pair, so it won't hurt anything to swap it out and see).

[CatatonicBug]

Awesome, I appreciate all the help! Yeah, have a manual in PDF already but the one listed here is MUCH nicer (as in, in one document whereas the one I have is each page as a separate file). This'll make finding things a lot easier!

Yeah, I did that. I got them all separate, and used Adobe to combine them into one contiguous document, to be printed double-sided, like it was meant to be. I printed it and 3-hole punched it and I keep a copy in a binder in my shop.

[Wolfpaws]

Yeah, I did that. I got them all separate, and used Adobe to combine them into one contiguous document, to be printed double-sided, like it was meant to be. I printed it and 3-hole punched it and I keep a copy in a binder in my shop.

Thanks a lot for doing that! This may make it a bit easier to research why the starter button doesn't seem to be working after swapping out the handlebars. My friend didn't replace/disconnect any wiring and just moved the control cluster over onto the new bars along with the throttle, so not sure why it suddenly won't start now - the button does nothing.

Oh, another quick question for anyone in the know - I received a new fuel tank from the same guy on eBay - and was wondering if there's a way to take the cap off so I can use my current one (and the same key) on the new tank - I don't have a key for the other one.

[DGXSER]

Hard to say as to why the signal or the starter is not working, All the wiring for the bike seems to go through that headlight assmebly, so you could have cut a wire in there and shorted something out that did not show up until you twisted and pulled at the wires while swapping things out, or for the turn signal just pulled the wire to that turn signal loose as they just push together, no latch, or just a bad ground as the grounding wire is attached at the bolt holding the turn signal on. Like I said, pull the headlight out and alot of this will become much clearer. And alot of what we are guessing about will reveal itself more than likely.

My healdight had gotten pushed to the right side of the bike a good 4 inches, enough to cut into the wiring harness where it went through the housing and cut the main power wire shorting out the main fuse. I did some splicing and soldering and taping to repair the damage and so far al is good. Both turn signals had the droops due to bent bolts. The headlight ears are welded to sleeves that slide over the fork tubes between the triple trees. So to remove them you have to pull the fork tubes. For mine, I did most of the "body" work with a c-clamp and blocks of wood. For the headlight housing I took a piece of hard wood and cut an arc through it the same dia. as the headlight housing and then used it as a clamp with the c-clamp to reform the housing. for the ears I used flat wood to reform them to the right shape. The turn signals I just straightened or replaced the bolts as previously explained. After I finished by repairs I would say that unless you knew about it or were lookin pretty close, you would be hard pressed to see any of the damage.

Never pulled the gas cap before, but it must come off if it went on. Sure was not molded to the tank and doubt it is welded in place.

[DiverRay]

On the Specials, the fuel cap CAN be lifted by looking at the front of the cap, and pushing the latch back to clear the pin. If you look at your tank when open, you will see the latch on the cap, and the pin on the tank.
Two small phillips screws will remove the cap, and you are done. The other optin is to remove the key assembly from the cap, pull all 4 springs and slides, and replace the assembly. this will allow you to open the cap with ANYTHING. Can be good or bad, depending on where you park the bike.
Welcome to the site! and remember, Use the HORN if you even THINK someone does not see you!! It may make a lot of car drivers mad, but they WILL SEE YOU!!!

[fredintoon]

Pulling the cap

- - - Oh, another quick question for anyone in the know - I received a new fuel tank from the same guy on eBay - and was wondering if there's a way to take the cap off so I can use my current one (and the same key) on the new tank - I don't have a key for the other one.

Hi Wolfpaws and welcome,
Open the gas cap on the old tank that you do have the key for to see how the cap comes off and how the latch works.
Shove a hacksaw blade or similar flat strip of metal in from the front of the replacement tank's cap to spring it open.
Grab your trusty crosspoint screwdriver and swap the caps over.
It is also possible to dismantle the caps and swap the locks over if one cap is nicer than the other.
While you are in there, how's the rubber seal? MikesXS has new ones. If you are new to MikesXS, he only sells parts for XS650s so don't tell him it's for an XS11 even if it is the same part. There's a crapload of common parts to the entire XS series even if MikesXS don't want to know.
Take out the 3 screws that seem to hold the rubber seal in and toss them, they do nothing. Dismantle the cap and remove the metal strip the seal is fixed to. The seal's metal core is held from the back with a C-ring. Remove the C-ring to change the rubber seal.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Wolfpaws,

Welcome, congrats on your acquisition, sorry about the oops! First question of business, have you already taken an MSF course? If not, get thee to one ASAP!!! Next, look up in the Member's Forum a thread I posted last year about YES WE ARE INVISIBLE...just search "invisible", you'll find it!

Okay, you're a GEEK , hope you've checked out the TECH TIPS, FORUMS, LNKS, and other places on here with lots of info for you and your mechanic friend? Aside from your owner's manual, Yamaha provides an online parts FICHE reference with nice exploded views of every section of the bike, check out the LINKS to find it. The headlight ears are are NOT part of the fork tubes, they slip over the upper fork tubes and are held in place with the upper and lower triple trees. Once you loosen the turn signals, and possibly even remove them, you can swivel the ears around, and get ahold of them to bend them back into shape gently, they are thin, try to bend once, or they can crack.

With regards to your starting button problem, a question, are these bars CHROME or painted black?? If black, then you'll need to scratch them a bit where they clamp to the triple tree clamps, and where the handlebar switches are bolted to them. The starter button is a GROUNDING button, it completes the starter solenoid low power switch by grounding the wire to the button housing, which is grounded to the bars, grounded to the clamps, grounded to the frame. If they are chrome bars, then you may need to take the switch housing back apart, clean the contacts inside the button switch, they can corrode.

After a spill, the bulb's filaments in the turn signals can get broken due to the shock/impact. Did you take the lens cover off and inspect the bulb?? You say you have obtained replacement signals, these were OEM old stock, right? Be sure to take lens cover off, inspect bulb socket and grounding wire for corrosion, clean as needed. The front signals ground to an Eyelet/washer that is secured to the stalk.

There are several special maintanence procedures that keep these machines running well, but if they are done incorrectly, can lead to severe engine killing damage....ie. cam chain tensioner adjustment.....READ THE TECH TIPS, and make sure your mech friend does also!!! Again, welcome, have fun!

[DJinNH]

Just wanted to say hello to everyone since I'm new here and all.

I recently picked up a 1979 XS1100 Special (my first bike!) and absolutely love it.

This forum will be a HUGE help, because I'll be honest - I'm a mechanical retard. .

Welcome to my world.

...and to the board as well.

Don

[Wolfpaws]

Awesome, thanks for all the advice!

Yeah, I took an MSF course - did that before even LOOKING at getting a bike - so all's good there.

The handlebars aren't black - they're pretty much the same as the ones I had (just not bent out of shape now!) - but I'll take a look and see if any of the grounding elements aren't in place correctly...wasn't sure how all that worked. Really, the work I've been doing is mostly "swap X part with non-broken Y part" - but I figured there was going to be a few hiccups along the way. The closest bike repair shop does not have a very good reputation (everyone's told me to avoid them like the plague since they'll break more than they fix) so I've been trying to do what I can with my friend's help.

This is all a lot of good advice and I really appreciate everyone's help!

(And you can bet going forward I'm laying on the horn if anyone's not paying attention!)

[John]

The handle bar switches are not grounded through the bars as previously mentioned, but actually have a ground wire attached inside the switch housing. It is a black wire. You may have disturbed the wire or it may have been unwittingly removed from it's attaching point. I have worked on a few of these, and was able to work the starter button with the switch split open and just dangling from the wires. BTW, the left side is the same way, it has a ground wire for the horn button. Check all the connections in the starter switch assembly, as it has to bent about to remove/install the button.

[Ivan]

Paws,

There are quite a few guys in or around the KC area with XS11s. They should be willing to help. I am about three hours away and have several parts. I have spares of most everything you listed. I am very reasonably priced. Id rather see a scoot on the road than a part in the shed.

If you get truly stuck, let me know. One of these weekends, I can ride up to KC and help wrench your scoot. I am pretty good at electrical as well. I was certificated in all three domestic automakers electrical training, and well, I just "get" electrical stuff.

Besides, it will be a good excuse to see my sis and nieces, and bro inlaw.

[Wildkat]

Well... now that you got the crash part out of the way... you can enjoy the riding part after the fixing part... Usually, we do the fixing part... then the riding part... then the crashing part... but it's always good to shake things up a bit...


ANYway... welcome to the board!