New Guy

[jimbyjimb]

Hi all! My name is Jim and my base is Seattle, Wa. Just bought a real clean 1980 XS11 and have put 20+ hours on it in the last four days... Looking forward to schmoozing and browsing the site! I'll try to get some pics of the bike up. I have to clean it and put it away until another window of sunny weather opens up for all of us in the rainy N.W.

[Wildkat]

Welcome aboard!

[DGXSER]

Welcome to CH 11 Jim. Here in the overly snowy midwest, we'll take your rainy problems happily!! Glad you got to enjoy the bike that much already!

[DiverRay]

Welcome to channel 11!! There are a few owners up in your area, so you may find someone to ride with. I get up that way about once a year for family, just not on the bike every time.

[CatatonicBug]

Welcome to the forum! If you need a manual, it's a free download from my website (linked in my signature). If you need parts, we have a resident used parts supplier in your neck of the woods (andreashweiss), along with a few other folks. We do like pictures, so show us what you've got!

[DenyP]

Hey Jim, Welcome to the site!

Deny

[jimbyjimb]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_llzBrVSsmr...1600-h/086.JPG


There's the best pic I have at the moment... At least until the sun comes out again anyways.

Thanks for the welcomes and the down low on parts and the manual. I was actually just about to order a Clymer! You saved me some bucks! I'll probably be contacting the parts guy, I need a turn signal switch. Only the righties work and no bulb or ground issues I can find. I haven't ridden for only a day and I'm already broken-hearted. I don't have the juevos to ride in the rain anymore, had an accident three years back that makes me paranoid in the rain. Plus, dropping such a fine old musclebike would be a sin. I'm very excited to get to know some people and wrench on the old gal.

[fredintoon]

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_llzBrVSsmr...1600-h/086.JPG


There's the best pic I have at the moment... At least until the sun comes out again anyways.

Thanks for the welcomes and the down low on parts and the manual. I was actually just about to order a Clymer! You saved me some bucks! I'll probably be contacting the parts guy, I need a turn signal switch. Only the righties work and no bulb or ground issues I can find. I haven't ridden for only a day and I'm already broken-hearted. I don't have the juevos to ride in the rain anymore, had an accident three years back that makes me paranoid in the rain. Plus, dropping such a fine old musclebike would be a sin. I'm very excited to get to know some people and wrench on the old gal.

Hi Jim and welcome,
That's one pretty bike, my XS11SG ain't nowhere near that shiny.
For a sure-fire way to not lay your treasure down on wet roads hit the "search" button and type in "sidecar attachment".
While 'Bug's freebie download is a great resource, an actual printed manual sometimes works better.
And what's $22.50 + postage these days?
Did you check the flasher bulb's wattage? Less than 27W in both bulbs and they come on but don't flash.
MikesXS left control can be bought new but it don't have the 4-way switch. It may be your only option if you can't find a used one.

[crazy steve]

...I don't have the juevos to ride in the rain anymore, had an accident three years back that makes me paranoid in the rain. Plus, dropping such a fine old musclebike would be a sin. I'm very excited to get to know some people and wrench on the old gal.

Ah, another web-footed Wa****onian! There's a few of us here (I'm south of you, 30 miles east of Oly) and if we get a few more on this side of the mountains we'll have enough for a get-together.

And I quit riding in the rain years ago; these other guys don't realize we don't get that nice warm rain, ours is too-often cold/nasty. Besides, ride in the rain and you'll have to clean all the road film off that pretty Special; 10 minutes in the rain will wipe out a whole weekend of cleaning...

'78E original owner

[crazy steve]

Ah, another web-footed Wa****onian!

Oh, that's cute; the censor won't let me spell the whole word!

'78E original owner

[xs11jack]

All Right,

great choise of bikes and coming here is a source that is unbeatable. That bike is really good looking. If anything has ever happen to a XS11, some one here knows how to fix it, inprove it, and make it look better! You are like most of us here, we get nervous when we get more that 10 feet from our rides.
Ole Jack

[CatatonicBug]

Very nice ride you've got there!! Expect some envy from the rest of the crowd around here.

I'll probably be contacting the parts guy, I need a turn signal switch.

Have you taken the switch apart? It's full of tiny moving electrical parts that get corroded over time. If you open it up and clean out the corrosion, you may find that it works just fine!

While 'Bug's freebie download is a great resource, an actual printed manual sometimes works better.

The idea is that you print it out and take it out to the garage with you. I edited it so it works great when printed double-sided. Most printers can handle that nowadays, even if you have to put the paper back through again to do the second side.

[jimbyjimb]

I actually did take it apart already, but I might try it again for practice value and to see if I can get it working. To be honest, the first time I was in a fat ole hurry to hop on the thing and roll. 60+ degrees and sunshine in Feb in this country is RARE! Now that its doom and gloom I'll give it more effort. The switch has actually actuated the left signal twice in the last four days, so I bet I just didn't do a good enough jorb. It helps that I only ride in the day too. Left hand signals are easy enough. I never believed the "crash trauma" stories until it happened to me. Summer nights I'll do, but other than that nights and slippery conditions aren't worth it. I have a beautiful fiancee to worry about!

[cywelchjr]

The idea is that you print it out and take it out to the garage with you. I edited it so it works great when printed double-sided. Most printers can handle that nowadays, even if you have to put the paper back through again to do the second side.

That's what I did with it. (both of them actually) and they came out pretty good. I did go through a full set of ink cartridges printing them out though. Nice thing is, my new canon printer does double sided very nicely, so I just had to start it up, and when it got done I 3 hole punched them and put them in a loose leaf binder.

[ManitoulinLad]

Man alive thats a nice bike - I just can't believe what great condition some find these ole bikes in, & to be able to ride it right away - what a thrill. Mine was a rust bucket when I got it. Great for you that you can still ride the odd time right now. - Dan