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  • #1

    Glad (and honored) to be back ...

    After a long absence, I am very thrilled - and honored - to be back to the XS-11 group! I see a lot of familiar old (as in long time, not as in "we are") friends. Lots of new (to me) folks, too.

    I stepped away from the XS for a while ... explored a V65 Magna ... but the XS-1100 has always been the bulldog. So I got another one. (Thanks, Jinxie!!) Thanks to everyone who kept the site running and to whoever taught it to remember my birthday all these years

    I look forward to going back into the learning mode as I bring my bulldog from the beauty it already is, to total awesomeness

    Take care and God bless all ...

    - Neil X
    '81 XS1100S(J?)
    Not yet named ...

    -Grace before those I may help,
    Humility before those who may help me.
    -Neil_X
    Indianapolis
    '81 XS-1100SH
    Not yet named

    -Grace before those I may help.
    Humility before those who may help me.
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Welcome Back Cott....Errr....Neil!!

    BTW, 81 model year is the H models. So you have an SH.
    Life is what happens while your planning everything else!

    When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

    81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
    80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection


    Previously owned
    93 GSX600F
    80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
    81 XS1100 Special
    81 CB750 C
    80 CB750 C
    78 XS750

    Comment

    • #3
      Which did you think was quicker? The magna or the xs. I would say the Magna, I rode one a while back and think it has more bottom end, not much. That is what I was looking for when I found the xs11. I think they are too skinny though and the v4 is a pita to work on.
      Jeff
      77 XS750 2D completely stock
      79 SF XS1100 "Picky" stock with harley mufflers

      Comment

      • #4
        Hey neighbor!!!

        Thanks, Don ....

        Heh - I wouldn't mind being any of the Sweathogs ... Kotter included. Thanks for the help on the model ... I didn't *think* there was an 1100J but I should have known. The XS I joined this group with was a SG .... I'm getting old, plus I've slept a night or two since

        I'm very anxious to start working on my new toy ... the tach doesn't work, but neither does the neutral light or the low fuel light ... I'm betting the plug is loose in the headlight housing or disconnected completely ... it'll be my first project

        Thanks again Don and God bless ....
        -Neil_X
        Indianapolis
        '81 XS-1100SH
        Not yet named

        -Grace before those I may help.
        Humility before those who may help me.

        Comment

        • #5
          which is quicker ...

          Originally posted by jjz28 View Post
          Which did you think was quicker? The magna or the xs. I would say the Magna, I rode one a while back and think it has more bottom end, not much. That is what I was looking for when I found the xs11. I think they are too skinny though and the v4 is a pita to work on.
          I would have to say for me the V65 (Magna) was a bit quicker than the XS especially when rolling on the throttle at the higher gears ... but then, that was my mileage and I wonder if I'd have the same notion if I was comparing the V65 to, say, a 79 XS standard (or whichever one had the larger carbs). It might have been too close (for me) to call. But my '85 Magna was noticeably quicker than my '81 XS Special. PS- the only maintenance item that was easier on the V65 than on the XS was the oil changes. As you said, everything else was a big pita!

          Cheers and God bless,
          -Neil_X
          Indianapolis
          '81 XS-1100SH
          Not yet named

          -Grace before those I may help.
          Humility before those who may help me.

          Comment

          • #6
            Hey there Neil,

            First, I fixed your signature. Secondly, the 79's don't have larger carbs, they just had larger main jets, but that was because they shared the fuel supply with the pilot jets via a tunnel between the jet towers. The later carbs fed the pilot and main jets separately but directly from the float bowl, so the mains didn't need to be as large.

            There are a few large white harness connectors BEHIND the main fuse panel that are the ALT connectors..our tachs get their signal from 1 of the legs/phases off of the ALT, not from the ignition coils, and a failing tach can be an indication of a non-working charging system. But it can be non-working for a variety of reasons...first off is corrosion in those large plugs..some have found the plastic plugs melted from the heat generated by the resistance! Start there, along with ALL of the other connections for the harness....inspect, clean, dielectric grease to help remove these potential gremlin locations. Will need to pull the tank/seat, and the Reg/Rect, the wires that are grounded there to the frame, contacts with the frame, etc.. Also the engine to frame ground behind the engine below the carbs, at the starter as well as the battery to frame contact point. It's been suggested to run an additional grounding cable from that engine to frame ground to the battery ground cable.

            The fuse block is another faulty place....I resell replacement ATCO style fuseblocks at COST to help folks get their fuseblocks in order, see the FOR SALE forum, parts section, then parts/services by members sticky thread, post #10, payment and prices are current, just got a new batch in stock ready for shipping.

            Next, with the bike running, check the voltage at the battery at idle, and then again at 2500 rpm, should rise to ~14.5 volts which will indicate that charging system is working...if still ~12 volts, then further diagnostics will be required to determine why it's not charging.

            IIRC, the V65 is a V-4 engine, more torquier than an inline 4, Yamaha figured that out also=V-max engine!

            T.C.
            T. C. Gresham
            81SH "Godzilla" . . .1179cc super-rat.
            79SF "The Teacher" . . .basket case!
            History shows again and again,
            How nature points out the folly of men!

            Comment

            • #7
              Work begins ...

              Thanks TC and others ...

              I knew *something* was different about the 79 carbs but at least I was close!

              Thanks for fixing my sig line, TC!! I have not gotten much past the "starts and runs" phase ... and also I rode it about 30 miles without problems. I can see some tattered conduit for some of the wiring so I know I'll be replacing quite a bit of it. PO says carbs were cleaned and rebuilt (boots look pretty good) and the petcocks were rebuilt. Exhaust is stock and doesn't rattle ... I may have done okay -- we'll know more when the headlight and gas tank come off

              The worst part about selling my old XS (Bear) is that I let my fork brace go with the bike .... Shouldn't have done that!

              Thanks again for all the notes and help. I'll get back to my old state of familiarity soon I think. Lotsa help here, that's for sure.

              Take care and God bless all ..
              -Neil_X
              Indianapolis
              '81 XS-1100SH
              Not yet named

              -Grace before those I may help.
              Humility before those who may help me.

              Comment

              • #8
                Sounds like your on the right path Neil. I get up your way periodically, so, if you need an extra set of hands or such.
                Life is what happens while your planning everything else!

                When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

                81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
                80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection


                Previously owned
                93 GSX600F
                80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
                81 XS1100 Special
                81 CB750 C
                80 CB750 C
                78 XS750

                Comment

                • #9
                  The reason most people come back to the XS is that the XS just has more character than other bikes. Even if you didn't know it, that was what pulled you back!!!
                  Ole Full of Character Jack
                  J.D."Jack" Smith
                  1980G&S "Halfbreed"
                  1978E straight job
                  "We the people are the rightful masters of both congress and the courts, not to overthrow the constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the constitution." Abraham Lincoln

                  Life is like a coin, you can choose to spend it any way you wish, but you can only spend it once. Make your choices wisely.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    It's in the blood ... apparently!

                    I really think you're right, Jack. Honestly, I really liked the "lines" or maybe it was just the "soul" of the XS Eleven ever since they were introduced. I couldn't afford one until the summer of 1985, when I bought my first SG. Bought it from a dealership, but the guy (I later found out) gave me an unbelievable deal on it. I had mentioned that I really enjoyed the V65 and the Norton 750 I owned ... and of course my old Super Glide ... but the XS has always been a "bulldog" to me and I never quite got that "growl" out of my head ... or my bloodstream!
                    -Neil_X
                    Indianapolis
                    '81 XS-1100SH
                    Not yet named

                    -Grace before those I may help.
                    Humility before those who may help me.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      TKat is STILL in the fork brace trade! Send him an email, or let me know i you need another one. I should be seeing him late July at the Cali Rally. If not, his shop is about 1 hour away.
                      Ray Matteis
                      KE6NHG
                      XS1100 E '78 (winter project)
                      XS1100 SF Bob Jones worked on it!

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Tkfb ...

                        Originally posted by DiverRay View Post
                        TKat is STILL in the fork brace trade! Send him an email, or let me know i you need another one. I should be seeing him late July at the Cali Rally. If not, his shop is about 1 hour away.
                        Thank you, Ray ...
                        Yes I need one ... I need to send him a note (I found his website). I loved the one I had on the SG - and I'm not even a "nuthammer"!!

                        -N
                        -Neil_X
                        Indianapolis
                        '81 XS-1100SH
                        Not yet named

                        -Grace before those I may help.
                        Humility before those who may help me.

                        Comment

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