please help

[1st bike]

way stupid question. I have an 1980 xs 1100 special as my very first bike. i need to change the oil (do it all the time in my car) but i need to make sure i have the right oil plug. where is it located on the bike?

[b.walker5]

Welcome aboard. Centre front of engine, at the bottom of the filter housing. Drop the complete housing and replace your filter as well.

Find any post by Catatonic Bug and click the link in his signature file. Will take you to his website where you can download a manual. Dont worry if the manual isnt for your specific model as the engines are are the same throughout the range (apart from some minor tweaking for performance and epa bs between models)

[Ken Talbot]

Just to clarify - when you drop the filter housing, the crankcase drain plug is still a bit lower, on the left front corner of the crankcase cover. See part # 18 in this view:

[1st bike]

Ken,

Thank you so much!!! This is perfect! My next purchase (after the filter and oil) is going to be an owners manual! the schematic was awesome!

Thanks a ton!!!

Jeff

[DGXSER]

Welcome to the Forum Jeff, I would strongly suggest you add to your shopping list the MSF safety course. Strongly recommend it for any rider, but especially first time riders.

[1st bike]

oh for sure!! it is winter (almost) here in the mid-west, so my plan is to work on the bike over the cold months, when i can't ride, and get into an abate course when the first one is offered in the spring. the last thing i want is to become a statistic! Thank you for the info and concern, any and everything is appreciated!!

[DGXSER]

Hey Jeff,

You may want to add to your profile where you are at, I am also in the midwest area. There is a group of us here in the region that get together for a ride or two a year and also help work on each others rides.

It will also help alot if you put the year and style/modle of your bike in your signature. The answer to some questions will depend on that information.

[1st bike]

Cool!! i'll work on the profile, i live in indiana, and would prolly be interested in a ride once i get used to riding and get my bike up and all. for the record it is a 1980 XS1100 special. hope it still has some years left in it!

[DGXSER]

What part of Indiana? I travel through most of Indiana on Business from time to time.

How many miles are on the old girl? Most will go at least 80-100k miles. Sometimes it takes ALOT of TLC to get them back up to running condition.

[1st bike]

middle-ish part. and she has 25,500, about. when it ran yesterday, it ran great! same for the day before. went through all the gears smoothly, stopped, all the electrical works (lights, turn signals, etc...) i thought it was decent, so maybe it is the battery....i am hopeful.

[DGXSER]

Sounds like your starting form a great platform for a good bike or even a great one. It is funny how often you find them with about 25,000 miles on them. Another XSive was over today and made that comment when he saw mine had 25ish on the clock. He is the original owner of his 80 special.

[1st bike]

i really hope so, this bike has great bones for what i want, and i can salvage most, if not all, of the mods i want, and do the cables and wiring right it should be cheap (by comparison, i don't want new, and i don't want chrome, kinda the rat rod look, but in great shape) and fun fun fun

[CatatonicBug]

No need to pay for a manual. Just click the link in my signature, and download one for free. The XS was my first bike too, and the MSF course is definitely the way to go. It's a heavy bike, so take it easy. Use the winter months to practice riding, and you'll have enough experience in the spring so the little 250cc bikes the MSF classes provide will feel like toys.

[1st bike]

amazing!!!! thanks for the link to the manual, you saved me like 5 days in purchase and shipping and 30 bucks! thanks so much, i am so so so glad i found this site and all of you guys!! and it is heavy, but it is gonna be sooooo sweet when i get her to where i want her to be. i love the pics on your site, your bike looks great!

[CatatonicBug]

Thanks. You'll find that you'll likely save plenty of money if you ask here first, before you purchase anything for your bike. Sometimes people have extra parts laying around for cheap, or sometimes just the cost of shipping. The advice available here is incredible too, and anything you can imagine doing to your bike has likely been done before by members here.

Ask, and ye shall receive!