How many daily drivers?

[dontlikeoc]

As some of you may know, I am working on an XS1100 Special now. A new fuse box, carb work, tank rust removal. More work to come.

I am curious to find out how many of you out there use an XS11 as a daily driver, or moreover, as the only transportation? Do I expect a dependable 30 year old bike once it comes back to life?

Other than the electric, what are the common trouble areas to look out for?

[jeffe]

From March to November mine is a daily rider. I have a work truck that I am allowed to take home but leave it at work so I can ride back and forth. I also have taken it on 2000 mile week long trips down into South Carolina and thru the Smokies. These trips were either solo or with the wife riding with me. The bike shows 56k miles but for the first year I had it running the spedo cable was broken. So add maybe 6 to 7k more milesThe bike had around 25k miles on it when I got it running 4 years ago.
What I had to do to get it running
Reline the tank
Professional carb cleaning[I have awfull luck with carbs]
New pick up coils
New Reg/Rec-the one from Geezer
Redid the brakes and front forks,also new used front rotors
Batteries, tires, tune up stuff

[cywelchjr]

I pretty much ride to work every day all year round. I try to get out for a bit of a ride at least one weekend a month, AND I hope to make the Yosemite ride next summer now that I got what seems to be a good engine in there. I've got over 80k on the clock, and I figure it's just getting warmed up.

[tuoraey]

I live in So. Calif. close to Alhambra. San Dimas. I have owned my 78 XS for five years now, never thought I would enjoy it so much. After cleaning off a inch of dust and paying 750.00 new tires, clean out tank, clean out carbs, sink carbs and a battery I was off and running. I haven't had any trouble so far, and have put approx. 10,000 miles on since then. Doesn't seem like alot unless you know I ride it everyday I can to work and live only 1/16 mile from my shop. So I guess I take a few small rides now and then during the day while working, Don't tell the wife.
These bikes seems to keep on ticking , I think your going to like it when you get it all finished.

See you out there maybe,,, Bill

[Elevener]

If I didnt have a work truck supplied mine would be a daily driver. Its all I use now for everything else..

[dontlikeoc]

Thanks for your quick responses. I needed them to keep my spirits up about restoring tasks and $$$ I am spending. Sounds like your XS's are going strong.

Mine is supposed (lost title) to have 40,000 mi on the engine and frame. I push started it to run on the day I got it (all gauges lit). But it died at a gas station two blocks away (No gauge lit).

Now, de-rusted the tank and re-painted it. The shop is replacing the fuse box and cleaning the carb now. After that, I will play with it talking time.

[ross]

rebel devil history...

hey there dontlikeoc.....trust me if ya do the work, she'll be a beast that will be worth the sweat in smiles and envy of others.....yea, it's a pita to get the carbs set up, but one ya do, make sure you are wearing your depends...hahahaha....had mine for 4 years or so, did the carbs, repaint (rattlecan back to almost the orginal colors with gold pin stripe)....other than that, tires, brake pads, cables, and other normal wear and tear parts.....drive 22 miles back and forth 2 work each day, bike nite on friday (when weather permits)....she still gets respectable nods and look overs when i take her to bike nite....ride on the weekends, and whenever the mood hits....not afraid to just jump on and ride to where ever......even jump on her with the swmbo and rode 265 mile one way to akron, oh.....didn't even know if she was gonna make it, but she got us there and back no sweat.....i would take this bike anywhere....only had to push it one time 2 work over a dead battery (trust me battery dies = push!)....and actually this summer, it was my sole transportation as i had 2 vehicles down in the driveway......right now i have about 37k on her and she is still kickin hardleys a**es......have done a couple 6k summers and as long as you do the maintainence, she should be a very good bike for years to come....heres a pic of mine below and hope this helps.....ride hard & ride safe....ross

[trbig]

One: Go get it out of the shop and do the work yourself. There's nothing that can't be done on these with some help from in here. A few specialty tools like a synch gauge are needed, but those will all be cheaper than just one trip to the bike shop.

Two: Dependability is what these bikes are known for. It will require a bit of upkeep and adjustment, but there's several people on here with over 200,000 miles on the motor. This is in a timeframe of bike history where most other bikes were wore out and ready to be rebuilt at 50k miles.

What is funny... is even though you're spending a bit of cash, it is a lot better than a bike payment, and for what comparative little you have into it, when you park it in a group of 20-30k dollar (Or more) V-twins, the people will come look at yours and say, "I remember THOSE! Those things are FAST!" Sure pisses off the bolt-on-chrome heads.

Tod

[TomRodgers]

I cant believe im about to say this but i agree with Tod !!!

Before my first XS ( about 1.5 years ago) all the bikes ive owned have been relatively new. I have wrenched on them, but mostly new stuff going on new bikes....hi-po parts and such.

Since purchasing Grey Ghost + Frankenbike, and "finding" BlackSunshine, the only tools i have purchased is a Colortune and Carbtune. Everything else is basic tools. I dont know about the rest of the folks here, but ME NO CAN AFFORD $75 AN HOUR TO WORK ON MY BIKE....plus parts!!!! hell....the time ive spent doing my own carbs, brakes, and tank would have paid for (if a shop did it) new carbs and a bunch of other goodies (which i have bought)!!!

The friends at this site will set you up on the know-how, and are WAY more than willing to dish out advice !!!

[dontlikeoc]

I am going to the shop today to see if I can bring the bike home if not too late.

[DGXSER]

The fuse box is pretty easy. I just did my fourth one last weekend. Took about two hours I guess including a run to the store for shrink wrap and cutting the bracket to make the wires run nicer.

The carb work, worse case, look in the services link on the site and there are a couple members who will clean and set your carbs for less than half what a shop will end up costing you. Don't mis take that, you CAN do them yourself, heck even I have gotten them right at least once. Just an option if they scare you to much.

[Unclefacts]

I ride every day there isn't snow/ice on the roads.

Life's to short to live in a cage.

[cywelchjr]

I cant believe im about to say this but i agree with Tod !!!

Before my first XS ( about 1.5 years ago) all the bikes ive owned have been relatively new. I have wrenched on them, but mostly new stuff going on new bikes....hi-po parts and such.

Since purchasing Grey Ghost + Frankenbike, and "finding" BlackSunshine, the only tools i have purchased is a Colortune and Carbtune. Everything else is basic tools. I dont know about the rest of the folks here, but ME NO CAN AFFORD $75 AN HOUR TO WORK ON MY BIKE....plus parts!!!! hell....the time ive spent doing my own carbs, brakes, and tank would have paid for (if a shop did it) new carbs and a bunch of other goodies (which i have bought)!!!

The friends at this site will set you up on the know-how, and are WAY more than willing to dish out advice !!!

I'll have to agree with that. The only time I have so far paid someone else to wrench on brutus was changing the rear tire, and that was because it was really thin and I would not have been able to get around to doing it till the following saturday (which was most of a week away) and they could do it while I waited (remove the tire, mount and balance and put it back). It sure was nice seeing that he had a slot that he took out of the lift to let him drop the rear tire out, but when I change my rear bearing (yes, the unobtainium one) this weekend I'll be doing it myself, I do find myself wishing I had a lift like the shop though, I think I have to remove all the vetter mounting hardware to let me raise the rear fender to get the tire out.

That said, I even changed the engine myself, and last weekend did my own carb sync, and it worked great. I would say, really, do your own work, you will REALLY appreciate the experience and you will love your bike even more for having done the work yourself.

[DiverRay]

I put about 20K PER YEAR on my bikes! The original "Daily Ride" had something break in the transmission at about 103K miles. I bought the bike for $1200 with 36K on it. I DID have to do a LOT of work on it before the first real ride, as the PO had a LOT of things wrong and bad on it. It took me on a 7,200 mile, 13 day trip June of 2006.
The second daily ride I bought from a member in the Los Angeles area, and I've been putting miles on it. I still have a carb issue, but I'm getting closer to a solution.
With the proper care, and you CAN do it, these bikes will go for a long time.

[tw1980]

Daily driver, only transportation?Don't I wish.Unfortunately it snows here approx 4 to 7 months out of year.So I have to ride in a cage more than I would like.

Terry