Another new guy

[je2wheeler]

I too am a new guy to the forum and will soon be an owner of a ’79 XS1100SF come the first of the month. Just by the slimmest of chances, I found an implicate, 100 percent correct, unrestored, 30k XS11SF Special and the reason the owner is selling to me is he wanted to sell to someone who would truly appreciate and take care of his baby. In 1978, I was wrenching for Yamaha and I road tested the first XS11 and every one delivered or serviced for our customers in my then home town in Tennessee until 1981. Before the XS, I really wanted a GoldWing, But after tuning so many of our customer’s GL’s with two sets of points, condensers and using two dwell meters to get them just right, the CDI timing of the XS won me over. Plus the GL used a silly plastic plug you screwed into the crank/trans case to shine a timing light down into for the timing mark on the flywheel but with all the oil slashing around in the case, it was near useless and ended up setting the final timing statically. At the time, I was also starting a family and a business and I was satisfied with my ‘70 Honda CB 750 but I lusted for the XS11. By the time I was able to afford what I wanted, the XS/XJ11’s had made their run and Yamaha had moved on to other models. By then I had my GoldWing. Six years ago, my beautiful, loving wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and five years ago, I lost her. During that short time, I gladly liquidated everything we owned to save her and finally make her as comfortable as possible. Following the urge to do so, I have just recently re-subscribed to the local newspaper and the first issue I received, there in the classifieds was the 1979 XS1100SF for sale. I feel that my wife’s spirit was directing me to this place, this time and this XS11.

[DiverRay]

Welcome to the board! I do know what you are saying about the XS over the GL in the late 80's. I had the first XS1100 out of a shop in Gilroy, CA. Put the bike together myself, as the owner didn't have a mechanic at the time. I've long since sold that one, but I DID come back to the XS a few years ago.
There is a LOT of information here, if you look a little for it.
I'm sorry you don't have that someone special with you here, but it does seem as if she is still with you in some ways.
Where in Arizona are you? I used to live in Glendale years ago, and have family in Scottsdale now.

[Wildkat]

Wow.. that was very touching...

Glad you were able to find the bike and the forum...

Welcome aboard

[DGXSER]

Welcome to the board!! So sorry to here of your losing someone so obviously care so much about. Glad to see you will finally own the an XS11 though. As stated, there is so much info here it becomes addicting. I had never torn into a bike until I found this site, and now there is not much on an XS I have not or would not feel comfortable doing.

[CatatonicBug]

Wow.. that was very touching...

Glad you were able to find the bike and the forum...

Welcome aboard

Ditto... Wow... Quite a touching story.

Well, be sure to take plenty of pictures, and let us see your new toy when it arrives. You've definitely found the right place for help and camaraderie with these bikes.

[je2wheeler]

Thanks for the reply, home camp for me is a few miles outside of Yuma.

[je2wheeler]

[QUOTE=CatatonicBug;259457]Ditto... Wow... Quite a touching story.

Thanks, I'll do the best I can with pictures and all, if I can figure out how to do it.

[CatatonicBug]

Thanks, I'll do the best I can with pictures and all, if I can figure out how to do it.

Here's some instructions I wrote up on how to post pictures.

[DenyP]

Welcome to the club! There is a great bunch of folks here with unbelievable knowledge of our bikes.

Deny