Looking for owners in Denver CO area

[CaptonZap]

Howdy,

I would like to talk to any owners in the Denver CO area and compare notes on a few issues concerning xs11's
I have an 80G and have a few questions as to what is normal, and what isn't as far as it's operating characteristics.
You can PM me, or reply to this thread.
Thanks, CZ

[Smash]

I'm in Denver, my girlfriend has an XJ1100 we just picked up and are "refreshing," but I know little about the bikes particulars which is why I'm here.

[CatatonicBug]

I would like to talk to any owners in the Denver CO area and compare notes on a few issues concerning xs11's
I have an 80G and have a few questions as to what is normal, and what isn't as far as it's operating characteristics.
You can PM me, or reply to this thread.
Thanks, CZ

What is it about Denver that makes it important? These bikes act the same no matter what city you're in... That's what this whole forum is all about.

[prometheus578]

Denver, the "mile high" city

Having a bike that was set up at sea level... changes in altitude can mean changes in fuel mixture. Thinner air.
Was just in Denver area last month... first coupla days always have headaches due to lack of accustomed oxygen.
As a bladder of fact... when the army transfers you to Ft. Carson, they give you a month or so to get acclimated to the altitude before they give you a physical fitness test.
Soda "tastes" funny as the carbonation releases early in your mouth, not in your gut where you can burp or fart it out later. (It's like drinking warm soda all the time)

High altitude stories:
I always had to carry spare plugs when riding out there to visit. Thin air means rich mixture which means fouled plugs.
As I got closer to Colorado, the air molecules in the brake fluid would 'boil' out and my rear brakes would get spongy. (Front brake system, being vertical, the bubbles would just work their way up and escape through the master cylinder res., but they'd form air pockets in the horizontal rear system)
Minute air bubbles in my freshly re-lined fuel tank expanded, and pulled the liner material away from the tank walls. That air-filled blister displaced what fuel I thought I had and left me walking across the desert looking for a gas station.
Just as bike manufacturers have "California models" (emissions), they also have "High Altitude Kits" that owners can buy with different sized jets and such.

[motoman]

Can be true and can happen I guess. I bought my Venturer new in Durango Colo.(6512ft.elev.) where I lived then, rode it some ten years there and everything went UP from there cept if going south and that was never much of a drop down to 4,000ft. Literally rode that horse out the showroom door and it WAS with the stock jetting. I was told that if it gave me any issues, to bring it back and they would re-jet it...........well, never went back, never had a carb sync. or any adjustments for the ten years I rode it there. Two up back then riding the "double-nickels" speed limit and most of the time "pushing" it to some constant 60mph speeds constantly got 40-43mpg and up at 8000ft. and above would make a little black smoke if it pulled down on the hills and I waited too long to downshift and would pull clutch and snap the throttle a couple times to clear it out. Besides the slower speeds, I think the fuel then was a bit better quality, hence the decent mileage. A few occassions it would get 48-50mpg two up if conditions were favorable. That same bike today having 110's for mains, everything else the same and stock gets me bout 37mpg one-up at a constant 65mph. Think the added speed/rpms and the fuel quality adds to the lesser mpg aside from the age of the scoot now. With that jetting, it DOES run more "free" up at those 10-12ft.elev. with no loading up and black puffs. Seems the CVC carbs do a pretty good job with the radical elevation changes I can choose here just as it did in stock jetting form 30years ago. I think Proms case would be an extreme.......not the norm. Just my opinion, and I believe that living in western Colo. all my life and doing scoots of all sorts, street and dirt for some 40+ years qualifies as an example. Non CVC carbed older bikes dirt and street the jetting/altitude issue is definitely an issue with black or fouling plugs. Timing advance or lack of also may become an issue to get everthing working properly together. Again, just a bit of my past experience living at higher altitudes and dealing with mechanical motor issues.

[Ken Talbot]

What is it about Denver that makes it important?

His profile doesn't show it, but I think the issue is he is IN Denver, and would like to meet face-to-face with another owner to get a better read on his issues. The forum is good, but it is still not the same as live.

[CaptonZap]

His profile doesn't show it, but I think the issue is he is IN Denver, and would like to meet face-to-face with another owner to get a better read on his issues. The forum is good, but it is still not the same as live.

Thanks, Ken, you got it.
My question is about some gear noise. Is it normal, is it liable to cause internal injuries, (bikes, not mine)? Where is it coming from?
And the best way I know, without tearing everything apart and looking at the parts, is to ask other owners if theirs makes THIS noise when they ride this speed and gear.
The more answers I get, the more I can feel good about the decision I make about what to do about it. (That sentence has about two too many abouts.)
And the jets in this 80G are 110 straight across, which is stock, and they look to be, if anything, a bit lean. So the CV's do a good job of adjusting for altitude.
Anyway, back to waiting for some replys. CZ

[motoman]

+1, Thanks Ken for clarifying before I got too far off track. Sounds like "live" as you said would be the best way to know if anything unusual is going on or if it just the normal middle drive and final drive noise/wine. I have noticed being around an XJ on occassions that they do have an engine wine that the earlier XS's don't have. Capton, from what you say, your main jetting should be fine. Rest of jetting should be fine stock also. There are several XS'ers in your area, and a couple are fairly savvy on these scoots,Sid comes to mind and a couple others can't think of right off hand. I would locate someone with some merc stix and sync the carbs and set idle mixtures. When they get a little out of whack, it's more noticable here than at sea-level. With the YIC, the procedure is a bit different than on the 81 and earlier XS's. Cam chain adjustment is another commonly neglected thing as alot of folks, if they didn't buy it new don't know about that either. Not sure what the miles are on it, but valve adjustment is another thing commonly overlooked. Both these maint. things neglected WILL cause more noise. Not being there listening to it makes it kinda hard, so just throwin out a few VERY important maint. things that seem to commonly get neglected, mostly from not knowing. Cam chain adjustment is external and takes less than 5min. to do, but if not done correctly, can be the worst 5min. ever bending valves when it is turned over afterwards. If you don't have a manual, download at the bottom of CatotonicsBug's sig. would be advised, plus lots of info already exists on the site here. At these higher altitudes, follow Ken Talbots setting idle mixture by ear when you get that far. Color-tune not so good as it may have a "flat-spot" midrange at around 3000rpm being on the lean side. These carbs are a bit sensitive getting the different circuits to work in conjunction with each other throughout the rpm range....just a bit frustrating at times......but once you get them dialed in, just put gas in and ride. Rode mine the first ten years from new.....changed oil and put gas in....never touched a thing, cept did the cam-chain adjustment every 3000miles like I was shown when I bought it new. At that time, I was still into the 2-stroke moto-X thing, so the multi- cyl. scoots and four-stroke wasn't really my thing to be wrenching on.......and never having to was definitely a plus having the XS Venturer. You'll find like with most anything else mechanical the previous owners either didn't know, or if they thought they did some things ended up FUBAR'ed. Good luck and ask away.....only stupid question is the one not asked....