How far would you trust your 11?

[11Rider]

Hi guys, I'm just wondering. Once you have gone over your bike from top to bottom and ironed out as many issues as possible, how many of you would take your 11 on an extended road trip? I'm talking about out of state, an overnight or two type of trip. I know these are well made, solid machines, but the parts are still over 30 years old - including rubber parts. I'm asking this because I really like my 11 and don't want to (can't) spend the $ on a newer touring oriented machine. When the opportunities arise to take a road trip I want to have a cerlain level of confidence in my bike. Your thoughts???

[natemoen]

Lots of guys take it on several day/week trips. Some go cross country, there is even one guy that's planning a several continent trip.

[DGXSER]

If you take the time to check, repack, replace all the bearings as needed. Do ALL of the maintenance items listed in the manual. And go through the brakes, since your after the extra confidence, I'd buy rebuild kits and go through all the calipers and both MCs. Check compression if you have not so you know your engine is good, check/replace the cam chain. I'd probably suggest the auto cam chain tensioner, more for reliability with no stripped fasteners to worry about and no leaking end issues.

Do those things, and I'd say an over night or two trip should not even give you pause for concern. After going over my current XS from fame with an engine and wiring harness back out to a full complete bike. I am very confident it will go where ever I want to take it.

[Lamric]

Hi 11Rider,
these bikes will do an immense number of miles, they are excellent touring bikes and comfortable too.

But the only way to prove this to yourself is to get out and ride

[11Rider]

You guys are confirming what I was thinking. I'm going to do a systematic "once over" this spring and hit the road

[jeffe]

I take mine on at least one week long trip every year. 1500 to 2000 miles. I've also used mine to qualify for the 1000 mi;e in one day ride for the Iron Butt Association. Did 1160 miles in 21 hours, Never missed a beat. The only problem was I never sent the paperowrk in so I am going to do it again this year sometime.

[nikonyamaha]

With 95,000 miles on the clock, I rode from Dallas, TX to Columbus, OH; a 2000 mile round trip, no problems. A year later I qualified in the Iron Butt Saddle Sore 1000 (with the stock saddle no less) and it is my daily commuter at 70 miles round trip. I agree with with everyone, address problems as they arise, maintain the bike and it should give you plenty of trouble-free miles.

[Tarheeltriple]

I trust my 1100 all the way to the crash site.

[wingnut]

and then you would still ride it home.

[sam6942]

I bought mine off a guy (who'd had it gone over by a mechanic friend of his) a week before I left Seattle for San Diego. Odo hit 33333.3 the other day and it still purrs!

[skids]

I take the tools with me and an extra spark plug and fuel filters, some length of fuel hose, window wash, and the fix-it manuel. You will get to trust your machine if you maintain it yourself. I have all three of mine on long road trips.

[79XS11F]

First season I stayed in my end of the city, second year I would go anywhere in the city and do day trips involving 2 to 3 hundred miles. Third season i would go anywhere. The bike never let me down so it was not a bike thing, it just took some time for me to gain true confidence in the bike.
Rob

[tinman905]

First season I stayed in my end of the city, second year I would go anywhere in the city and do day trips involving 2 to 3 hundred miles. Third season i would go anywhere. The bike never let me down so it was not a bike thing, it just took some time for me to gain true confidence in the bike.
Rob

So we can expect to see you at XSNorth now that you have true confidence in your bike.

[rpgoerlich]

Been readying the Venturer for a road trip to Michigan once it warms up there. It's my daily rider now and I've put on 3500mi since the rebuild last year. I still need to do a final drive swap on it, change out the rear tire, tune it and I should be ready to go.
All three that I have road worthy, I'd jump on any of them and do it.

[strom]

I would ride about 2000-5000 miles to make sure everything is OK.

Then - like stated before - ride it to the crashsite, then call a friend to ride it back home while they patch you up.

The damn things are less likely to break than the new stuff. You got 30+ years of testing vs... few months of the new bikes.

Just make sure there arent any weird "repairs" in its history... "well oiled" comes to mind from Dragonrider (www.lifeisaroad.com - click road stories, its in there).

Also check out tech tips - what to look for in a neglected XS.