XS11's forever?

[tommystinson]

Just wondering what our rabid group of enthusiasts might think of having no other bike for their lifetime. Would you be happy with it? Are there other similar bikes out there now that you feel justify monthly loan coupons for x years? (I'm assuming no one has a loan for an XS!!!) If not the XS, then what?

[fusionking]

Bang for the buck I think the XS rates at the top of the list......but when I get rich then that's another story!!!

[beechfront]

i love it, but if money were not an object i'd probably be driving something else. V-Max maybe?

[tommystinson]

I like the v-max, but it's a little long in the tooth. Yamaha needs a replacement. 15 years is kinda long to make a bike, unless you like Harleys. I'd love to see a v-max successor, but for now the Yamaha Warrior or that retro Kawi 1100 standard motorcycle (not sure of model) would be tops on my list.

[xswilly]

I've owned my XS since 1978
bought it brand new
I haven't owned another street bike since
just different dirt bikes
and i see no other reason to purchase a different bike
the speed of the xs is more than i need
and the comfort is good enough

it would be nicer if the parts were easier to get

[jayklink]

Money aside- the XS would be in my collection of bikes. But if I were limited to one, I would probably go Italian- Guzzi, Ducati or Aprilla.

[Bud Manley]

Vrod's are cool, but I've always wanted a fat boy. XS is fine for now. I don't ever see myself being rich enough to pay harley type money for a motorcycle

[Steve Linderman]

XS 1100's Forever!!!

HEY, Wait a doggone minute!

Do you mean to tell me that sombody built ANOTHER motorcycle?
I must of missed something...what kind are they building now?

Don't tell me that I've WASTED a whole lifetime riding and maintaining Yamaha XS 1100's...when I could of just went out and bought a NEW one!!!
That really grabs my gears
what a waste of time...
what?...I didn't hear what you just said...oh you mean those CHEAP little things that are NO longer with us
THOSE AIN'T MOTORCYCLES 'least not where I come from.
Ask yourself this...how many SUZUKI Owners groups do you know about?
The Kawie guys got a couple (usually KZ guys) the Honda guys got the Wing and the inline fours (CB's) and the CBX ( OOOHHH!!)
Line 'em up BOYZ read the print the CBX drags an anchor when it comes to the XS 1100.
But I know that the XS (in ALL it's incarnations) has Owners groups ALL over America...
Can't say that about a VULCAN...now can you...what about those LTD's...or GS ANYTHING!!!

If somebody told you that they make another Motorcycle...They LIED
If you have to "lay on it" then it's a BED...if it spends most of it's life in the shop, it's a SUZUKI...if it keeps blowing the motor it's a Kawasaki...if you know of one in some guys back yard, it's a HONDA... if you can no longer afford things like your house then it's a Harley...but if you see one going down the road (usually fast) and the people (or person) on it is smiling (or laughing) Then it's a YAMAHA...and if it's going REALLY fast it's probably a XS1100.
And if the rider is "dragging his feet" that will be Jason
HUH? Jeremy
Put aside all the crap others keep telling you...they just want you to sell them your XS11...or "get stuck" like they did.

I'm gonna take my Grandkids(when I get some) for a buncha' rides on our XS 1100's...that way I will know that they will have been on a REAL Motorcycle...at least once in their lifetime

Oh and buy the way...how much do you want for your "OLD" one

STEVE

"mirabile dictu." "mirabile visu."
"wonderful to be told" "wonderful to be seen"
A quote from Julius Ceasar after riding his XS 1100
(yes they even had 'em back then)
They were called XS 1100 AD.'s

[Rhyno]

its the one bike i can say ill ride forever its got class its got style its got balls my 1981 xs eleven is great

[strom]

Steve, ever heard of Moto Guzzi? :P

LP

[Bob]

Love my 79 XS, best bike I've ever owned....but....if I had my druthers....I'd druther have a Moto Guzzi. Boils right down to this....PO didn't take care of this bike. Seems like every time I fix something on it, something else goes wrong. But until I can afford a new bike...I'll keep on keepin' on with my XS....any other bike I would've taken a sledge hammer to by now. And if I can't get a Guzzi, I'll stay with Yamaha.

[Jeff]

I've never owned anything but Yamaha. My other bikes (though I considered them nothing more than playtoys) were all older Yamaha 2 stroke Enduros.

My 78 Standard was my first REAL motorcycle. It sat for about 4 years out behind a local pawn shop. I remember my reaction the first time I saw it a couple years ago when the shop owner (who I now work for) had it out front. My first impression was that it was about the biggest, ugliest, blockiest thing on two wheels I had ever seen. Then again... about that time..... I thought that a Harley Sportster was the ONLY bike to have. Here in SE Idaho... there are only 2 types of bikes seen..... Harleys and Crotch Rockets. I had a fixation for a while about buying a Buell which is of course nothing more than a little of both.

Last year... I decided I REALLY wanted another bike and bought the old XS. I looked at it like taking home a mangy stray from the dog pound because "it was so ugly it was cute". Actually... it fit my style in that .... in that I am a guy whose favorite car was an AMC Gremlin. I spent a frustrating amount of time and cash wrenching on it and almost threw my hands up and walked away. Then one faithful day, with the mantra of "triple clean" chanting in my head, it all came together. I guess I had just gotten used to my old 1 popper, 1 carb days where if all the parts were on the bike... it simply RAN.

The epiphany came the first time I took the bike out for more than a quick jaunt to the cycle store in search of parts. I took the old XS out for a nice long ride though the mountains and for lack of a better way to describe it..... had a religious experience. I opened the throttle and babtised myself in the rush of crisp cool mountain air.

The best thing happened when I was at my neighborhood service station gassing up for a ride when a gentleman walked up and started asking questions about the old beast. I soon found out that I was in the presence of the PO. After fighting back a desire to pound on him for mistreating the old bike the way he had.... I just sat back and watched his jaw drop as he simply said.... "DDAAAAAAMMMNNNNN!". He was amazed that it looked that good and ran that good. I simply fired the bike up, pulled up the stand, blipped the throttle a couple times for good measure, grinned my best cheesy grin, turned my head and exclaimed "Your loss... my gain"...... as I rumbled away.

Every time I step outside and walk past my bike.... I can't help beam a smile and think to myself.... now THAT is one fine machine.
Every time I ride it, sitting proud and tall in the saddle (the only way one can ride a Standard), I feel all is right with the world. Every time I see a kid laying down over the tank of a crotch rocket getting squirrely every time they nearly let it get away from them or laid back wincing thru the bumps with their teeth rattling from the vibration on a hard tail Harley I can't help but think that is no way to ride a bike.

As long as I can keep it running well and turning heads as I cruise by.... I'll be ridding my old XS.

[sksxs1100]

I learned to ride on a friends CBR600 in 1992. That was the fastest i have ever been,155mph, My 78E was my first bike which i bought in 1997. It had sat for 2 years under a open ended shed. I knew nothing about working on bikes but I jumped right in, 2 years later she was up and running on the street again. It was a few years later when I found this group and have learned alot more about it since then.
I will probably never sell her because she was my first bike and always fun to ride. If I ever got rich, I would probably buy another bike to ride and play on while I send her to Bob Jones for a complete makeover. I love my XS and if I could afford to buy more of them, I would be picking up every 78E I could find.

LONG LIVE THE XS1100!!!

[Steve Linderman]

XS 1100's FOREVER !!

Hmm, Well now we're gettin' somewhere

I hope nobody takes me wrong on this one...it's not like I dislike other Motorcycles of ANY brand...let me give you a history lesson on me...
Born in '59 in Pennsylvania into a Military Family I spent the first 17yrs of my life moving from one Military Base to another.
I've lived in France, Germany,Texas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Lousiana, Nevada, Arizona, Kansas, Washington & California.
I have travelled to nearly All 50 States...and a Big part of Europe.

My Dad used to have a 1949 Indian (scooter) that I believe was called the "Cub" It looked like a Vespa...and it had a big basket on the front...my old man used to let us stand up front on that scooter while He'd go tearing around the neighborhood, with his goggles on in a big cloud of smoke, he reminded me of a WW2 airplane pilot.

Scared the heck outta' my Mom, Grandmother, and every other Female member of our very large Family who's child went for a ride on that old scooter...can't remember what happened to it...but I have pictures of me (at about 4yrs old) standing proudly on the deck of that old Indian...hands at the controls...leaning into the wind...with a semi-evil grin on my face...if they only knew...
My dad had 7 brothers and some were "mechanics" one worked for Parnelli Jones...and he rode a series of bikes...mostly Harleys
in the "off season" He taught me the world about maintenance and it's value.
Went to Germany for the second time in 1972 and by that time I was "into bikes"
So the next three years were spent "tinkering" on a succession of moffas' (German word meaning "MotorBike OVER 50cc" ) Mopeds were UNDER 50cc...and NO self respecting "biker" would be caught DEAD on one of those...so we had your Garden varieties of Kriedler, Zundapp, Jawa, CZ, ND, Sachs, Ossa, Honda & several more brands.
They all were basically the same bike...Honda 305 spin-offs

Usually single cylinder between 50 & 70cc with a VERY few 125's mixed in.
Laugh all you want...in Europe they RACE 50cc Cafe Bikes at OVER 100mph.

So whenever we got our little grubbies on a "REAL" Motorcycle we were in HEAVEN
My first Love affair was with a 1974 CB 750 K4 that belonged to a friend of mine who was killed in 'Nam.
It was the Orange one with that Famous 4 pipe stucatto...we wrenched on and rode that bike all over Southern Germany.
He even let me keep it at my house when he went into "the field"
I got "back to the World" in 1976...and My first bike (in AMERICA) was a 1972 Yamaha LS2 100 (baby R5 350)
I used that bike as a commuter...then traded it for a 1973 R5 350
(not RD) that 6 speed rocket got a redline swingarm...basani chambers...carb & cylinder work...sounded like three chainsaws (on Steroids) Got chased all over the UCLA & Florida Panhandle on that one.
Then it was a 1973 CB 350 FOUR...then a 1975 CB 550 FOUR Then a 1969 Harley "900 Sportster" then a '59 Harley Police bike (straight-leg frame, peanut tank) A Triumph 750 Bonneville, a BSA 500 single, Then a 1974 CB 750 K4 (yes it was Orange) then a 1964 BMW 500, then a '75 BMW R-750 and
then several more CB's (of all sizes)
I was Graduating High School in 1978 and my folks wanted to know what I was going to do with my life, so I enlisted in the ARMY (for after Graduation)

By then my kid brother was into bikes and I subscribed to several MC mags...one night after the JANUARY 1978 CYCLE magazine had come out...we stumbled upon the GIANT Ad about Yamahas' "NEW LINE" of Motorcycles.
I still have that Mag...and every time I look at it...
You guys know this part...
I see the MOTORCYCLE OF MY DREAMS...

After several trips to the Yamaha Dealer (and several test rides)
I came a breath away from putting my name on the line...but already being Enlisted and having no idea about my first duty station...the uncertainty of long term storage (and a kid brother around) held me back

So it was back to Germany...and then Life got really good...while there (18 months) I had AT least 5 bikes...most were bought for a "few bucks" from a fellow Servicemember who was scheduled to go home, and needed to "get rid of it"
I had a SIX cylinder LAVERDA...(go ahead and check) a 'coupla BMW's, several Hondas, AND (HEY STROM) a 1977 MOTO-GUZZI 850 Le-Mans (it was pick-up truck on 2 wheels).
I was all done with the Military in late 1981...so I headed home.
Needless to say the XS was gone by then...
My Kid brother was graduating from High School and he wanted to buy a "650 Midnight Special"
I "talked" him into looking at the race inspired (Kenny Roberts) SECA 750...he was waiting for delivery of another "Midnight" so we went down to the Yamaha Dealer in Ozark, Alabama...and when my Kid brother asked about the SECA...the Saleman said "for the same money, you'll be getting TWICE the bike...he rode it...and bought one!
Since 1982 I've stuck mainly to Honda inline 4's And SIX XS 1100's!! I have THREE NOW!!
WHY???
Go back and READ the January 1978 CYCLE...and you'll know why

Take it from a guy who basically grew up during the flood of Foreign Bikes...the XS ELEVEN was the APOGEE. (look it up)

From having your bones rattled apart on the British bikes...to wrestling an elephant around corners (BMW) and then having to "compensate" for every concievable defect possible(Italian.)
Including bad steering goemetry & poor brakes, no power (both in the motor and in the LIGHTING) BAD suspension, and just plain shabby construction.
OH... and by the way...steering "wobble" was COMMON on early '70's Bikes...
"bad shocks" DID NOT come out in 1978.
"Hinged in the Middle?" ride a Norton...or a BSA...you'll swear that you're on TWO bikes at once
And both halves want to go to different places.
The Yamaha was"IN A WORLD OF IT'S OWN"
Is it "Perfect" H*LL NO!
Can it be made "almost perfect"? H*LL YES!!
Why? because it "addressed" the "problems" of it's predessors...and it outran most of them while doing it.
Yea...I know ALL about the KZ 1000...and how it "unseated" the XS as the "fastest Superbike" only a few months later...but top speed isn't everything.
I kinda go for that "DEPENDABILITY" thing...
I know of one XS 1100 that has over 114K and another that has 85K...
Need I say More ?
Like the old saying goes..."when you find what you're looking for...stop looking for more"
which basically means "leave some for the other guy"
Well...since I only want one kind...there's plenty of the others to go around...
Just don't come cryin' to me if you sell...and watch some other guy ride off on "THE PERFECT MOTORCYCLE"
I would suggest that before you sell...take a picture of yourself standing by your XS 1100...that way your descendants can say "see not ALL my Ancestors were dumb" "at least ONE owned the Perfect Motorcycle"
ASTALAVISTA... ...BABY!!

[Robert Haller]

I love my XS11, my wife thinks I'm crazy the way I can just stand and admire my bike. I just wish it was less difficult to find parts and a good mechanic willing to work on it. Being a 24 year old bike, it does tend to require more maintenance. I wrench when I can but prefer to leave more involved procedures to someone that knows what they're doing (and has a good space to work in).