This will start a real fight

[XSokieSPECIAL]

So, what kind of oil do you guys use?

Scented baby oil..............gets to be a mess when you squeeze it out of the scented babies though...LOL

[SFerinTEXAS]

I need to start the octy fight in another thread. Strongly prefer it myself. Rebuilt the petcocks on the XJ and did not put it back on yet and the front pipes are not capped. Have it stored in another location and worry I will find the tank drained on the floor when I see it next.Ment to turn the valves to off but can not remember if I did.

[Bigfoot]

How did you like those Dunlop 404's??

I wouldn't put those on an enemy's bike, (Why ruin a perfectly good bike?) I use Shinko 712's.

What air pressure works best for you John?

[SFerinTEXAS]

What seat have you got?

What seat have you got?

I have an oe but its been recovered and stretched so tight it hardly dents in when you sit on it.And so slippy. Thinking about doing my spare in neoprene (old wetsuit). Seen some Jeep seat covers made out of it.

[jmnjrpa]

About 72Lbs


38 in the back and 34 in the front (just for now cause I got a leaky air fork).
These Elite 2's seem to run there pretty good, but there are no real twisties in the city.

[SFerinTEXAS]

Bars, octy OK Tires

Got about 15k 4years on E-3's on the SF. I know they may not be the best all around grippers but for quality and mileage and price that's what I put on the XJ.

[jmnjrpa]

I wanted

The RWL of the elite 2's but next time around they will have been on the shelf too long.

[joceiphus]

My 404's took me all the way to the crash!

[fredintoon]

I Love My Buckhorn Bars. To all the new special owners, Try em ,you might like em. Everyone who tells new guys to dump them should make it clear everyone doesn't share their opinion. It's just your opinion.I have mine. something about cold dead hands comes to mind. Thank You

Hi SFer,
so were you born with little stubby arms and wrists at right angles to most folks' or were you the victim of a horrible accident?
Seriously though, it's not a matter of opinion but of ergonomics.
If the rototillers are a good fit for you, don't let the fashion police persuade you to swap them.
But for newbies, you won't find the "perfect" bar without you try some different ones first.
When I bought my XS650 it had rototillers and during my first ride I thought "These bars gotta go!"
I went from Eurobars (too low) to CB750 bars (too high) to GT750 bars (just right)
When I got my XS11SG, it had XS11 Standard bars on it.
Kinda OK but swept back a little too much.
I swapped by GT750 bars onto it and while the angles were fine the bars were too low.
Swapped the GT bars for the CB750 bars.
The seat height and bar reach on the XS11 are different enough to those on the XS650 that the formerly too high CB750 bars are now just right.
So it ain't how it looks, it's how it fits and just like buying shoes, you gotta try them on to see if they're comfortable.

[T99Ford]

Buckhorns could work...

Upside down!!





Sorry, I couldn't resist. I got rid of my buckhorns a long time ago in favor of progressively lower bars. Clip ons below the top tree might replace the clubs next...
Stock seat, recovered. The Ace bars are not great for comfort, though...

[fredintoon]

I need to start the octy fight in another thread. Strongly prefer it myself. Rebuilt the petcocks on the XJ and did not put it back on yet and the front pipes are not capped. Have it stored in another location and worry I will find the tank drained on the floor when I see it next.Meant to turn the valves to off but can not remember if I did.

Hi SFer,
if the taps were left on and the gas ain't on the floor, check the oil level. It may have run in there.
My XS11SG had been de-octo'd by one of it's several POs.
I looked at the rat's nest of pipes that an octo would need and capped the taps' prime outlets instead.
The octo decision became moot when I swapped to a Standard tank with it's vacuum operated gas taps.
Then the bike began to start on 2 with the other 2 kicking in later
except when I switched the taps to "prime"
Start on prime and all 4 kick in right away.
I have swapped the right and left gas tap levers to bring those taps to full manual operation.
I reckon if I can't remember to turn the gas off at need I should turn in my licence.

[Crazcnuk]

Ok, now I am confused

I thought the buckhorns were the stock bars on specials?

Or am i getting the standard and special mixed up?

I have 3 different bars on my various XS's.

The 78E has almost flat track bars. You have to lean way forward to use them.

The 79SF and 80SG have bars that curl over and almost point down, I thought those were buckhorns. (Big horn sheep?)

The 80G has bars that come up then one bend outward, very wide bars...(Texas Longhorns?)

[xs11lover]

I'm really trying to leave the bucks on my special. I always think I should like them, then rip them of after a few rides.

[barberad]

Thinking about doing my spare in neoprene (old wetsuit). Seen some Jeep seat covers made out of it.

That has to be one big wetsuit!

[Ivan]

The one thing the buckhorns did real well was give me the feeling that the grips would slip off on rapid acceleration!

I guess that's why they were ok on those old Hogs? LOL.