My First Post

[gene]

Awsome, I think I can do it in my sleep with your detailed explanation. I will give it a go tonight and let you know how it goes. Thanks for all the info.

Gene

[fredintoon]

Fuel range

- - - I love my special. True, it shifts like a Mongolian earth mover. And stopping every 100 miles for petrol is no problem, it just gives my old bones a chance to walk around and stretch. - - -

Hi Lee,
my beef with a pathetically small fuel tank on a bike that not only shifts like a Russian tractor but drinks like a Russian farmer is that in a tad over a hundred miles from the last fill-up I have to be at a gas station. Not at a scenic view or or an elegant restaurant or an ice-cream stand or a pub or any other place I might want to stop at. No. I'm forced to seek out some litter-strewn forecourt with nothing whatsoever to recommend it except that it has a gas pump. I have ameliorated the problem by fitting a Standard gas tank on my Special and by carrying a jerrycan of extra gas but I shouldn't have to eff around like that, installing a 6 gallon tank at the factory is all it would have taken.

[3Phase]

Just wanted to drop a Mid-Kansas "Howdy" to everyone.

Howdy, Lee! You got your square pants on for XS classes?

Thanks for all the info.

You're welcome, Gene. Have fun but, may I ask, "Why are you painting the final drive?"

I'm not trying to talk you out of painting but don't get too wrapped up in the technical details. Again, you can find and install another final drive for relatively little time, money and effort that won't need new parts or paint.

Also, if you haven't checked out the Tech Tips section, you can swap the XS1100 final drive for a XS750/XS850 final drive. You may or may not be interested but it's a cinch to put everything back to stock if you change your mind.

installing a 6 gallon tank at the factory is all it would have taken.

Fred, you've said more than a tankful there. I finally found one of those 6 gallon babies the other day but it was more rust and hole than tank.


Regards,

Scott

[gene]

The bike was in worse shape than it looked so Ive stripped it down and everything is either at powder coating or plating except for the drive. Looks terrible and is also black since it is a 81'. Looks much better silver. So I'm going to change it.

Actually looks good inside. No visible wear. I hate to take the bearings out, but I'll finish tommorrow. What's the chances of damaging #15 Bearing? Instructions show punching out at an angle.

What is the advantage of the 750 drive? I was really looking to put a larger tire, but the mod on this forum is pretty big.

I sure am rusty on these bikes. Thanks for all the help. I will check out the 750 mod.

Thanks Again

[DiverRay]

The XS1100 is about a 3.25:1 final drive ratio. The XS750/850 is about a 2.90:1 drive ratio. You loose a little bottom end, but the engine turns slower at speed, and gas mileage goes up. You CANNOT swap internal parts, but you CAN swap the complete assembly with just a little work. I did the swap on my old '79, and will be doing it on my current '79. I dropped about 500 RPM at 70 MPH cruise.

[DenyP]

WELCOME! Sounds like you will fit right in. There are a great bunch of people here to lend a hand with great expirance!!! Enjoy and prosper!

Deny

[3Phase]

The bike was in worse shape than it looked ... Looks terrible ... So I'm going to change it.

Got it!

Actually looks good inside. No visible wear. I hate to take the bearings out, but I'll finish tommorrow. What's the chances of damaging #15 Bearing?
Instructions show punching out at an angle.

Just take out the parts that are loose and don't lose them. Page 31 of
The Shaft Drive Manual
(Thanks, Randy and the folks over at the Yamaha triples site!) says to heat the housing to 150C/302F and use a punch to remove that bearing.

If you're determined, the bearing may still be available, Part# 93317-41510-00 for ~$17.00 online. If you enjoy painting gears and have a couple of dial gauges with jigs and you enjoy making special tools and fixtures: go for it!

I would not recommend it for a paint job.

What is the advantage of the 750 drive? I was really looking to put a larger tire, but the mod on this forum is pretty big.

I sure am rusty on these bikes. Thanks for all the help. I will check out the 750 mod.

As Ray says, it gives you taller gearing, dropping the RPMs across the board. The taller gearing makes the most sense for XS1100 Specials. The Specials use 16" rear wheels, the XS1100 Standards use 17" rear wheels so they already have a slightly taller ratio.

I put a 750 final drive on my bike, a Standard, and I haven't decided if I'm going to keep it. It definitely makes highway miles better but some of the essential essence of the XS1100 is missing and I find myself trying to downshift one more gear that's not there.

Try it and see if you like it.


Regards,

Scott

[gene]

I will definitely look at the 750/850 conversion. I seem to remember the bike reving around 4500 rpm at 60 mph which is a little high. 500 rpm with the right carb adjustments might be just right.

Again thanks so much for the info.

Gene

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Gene,

You say you want it to look silver instead of black! The FD casing is cast aluminum, IF the 750/850 drive you have/get is also painted black, I would think it would be much easier to remove the paint, and then POLISH the aluminum to a nice luster, see recent fork tubes thread! Might be less work and trouble than tearing the gears apart!? JAT!
T.C.

[gene]

Hey Gene,

You say you want it to look silver instead of black! The FD casing is cast aluminum, IF the 750/850 drive you have/get is also painted black, I would think it would be much easier to remove the paint, and then POLISH the aluminum to a nice luster, see recent fork tubes thread! Might be less work and trouble than tearing the gears apart!? JAT!
T.C.

Yah your right. It will probably look better also. How is the maintenance on polished parts? I never had anything done before.

[3Phase]

Yah your right. It will probably look better also. How is the maintenance on polished parts? I never had anything done before.

The final drive housings are kind of course; cast and painted. You could strip the paint and buff it out to put a 32.5 MPH (half-fast) shine on it. It would take a bit more detailing to get it really polished and keep it that way but it would look good.


Regards,

Scott

[foreda]

Powdercoating FD

Thanks Don, Too easy to buy a new one. This bike is a tribute to my Dad. I need to start posting photos. Its all apart and going to the powder coaters this morning. Plating parts are next.

Gene

As an alternative to Powdercoating you could use Aluminum Rim Paint. This is what I used on my 78 E Standard and works very well. It's pretty durable as well and with a coat of clearcoat, it looks great.It's called Dupli-Colour High Performance Wheel Coating.