here comes trouble

[BZ]

Hello~

They call me BZ and this is "The Mutt" named because it is a mix of many parts off of this and that I was told by the previous owner. despite the way it looks this bike is very solid just... ugly I picked this ol thing up for $500 and the only parts it needs is a front tire and rear turn signal to be road worthy



1980 XS Eleven (H?) Vin:3H5001023 47K miles on the tack

I don't plan on dumping a lot of money in this bike because it is my first motorcycle and (knock on wood) if I wreck it I do not want to be out a lot of money. BUT I am in the market for a new seat and a few little things here and there. I also want to know what are common issues and the best place to find replacement parts other than Ebay, I dislike ebay.

[jjz28]

Looks like a pretty good bike, just needs a seat. I am new myself as I only had mine a year. Make sure you check the oil and it doesn't have gas in it. If the petcocks fail and your needle valves stick, you will get gas in oil. These bikes also have a 2nd gear issue wich mine doesn't have yet with only 14,000 miles on it. I rode my xs750 a couple months before this bike and the xs1100 is a Beast compared to it. If its your first bike, be VERY careful these bike accelerate very fast and don't stop near as fast. good luck and be careful. Take you a Motorcycle safety course too.

[DGXSER]

Congratulations on the bike BZ!! And welcome to the crazy train of XS11 ownership.

If you look in the FAQ section there is a thread on what to look for in a neglected XS11. A lot of goof thing to look for if your bike has been left to sit for months and or years.

If your bike has stayed ridden pretty consistently, as it seems perhaps it has, then the main things that need attention are the fuse box and perhaps the first and or second gear issues.

For the fuse box, the old glass fuss and the clamps that hold them are often broken but can appear to be fine. The fuses can create a lot of electrical issues that are hard to track down. TopCatGr buys in bulk and resells to the members a replacement fuse block that uses newer ATC style fuses. Personally, it is the FIRST thing I do to any XS11 I work on. Saves me chasing my tail tracking down electrical issues. And while your in the lectrical aspects of the bike, take some time to open, clean the connections thoroughly, and then seal tha back sides with di-electric grease on every electrical connection on the bike, there are a few behind the fuse box panel.

For the gears, if you hit the throttle hard in first or second and it feels like the gear is skipping, or your sitting on a machine gun, then the first and or second gear issue has struck your bike. But, there is a somewhat challenging but certainly doable repair on the site. And it is relatively inexpensive.

[fredintoon]

Hello~ - - - They call me BZ and this is "The Mutt" - - -

Hi BZ and welcome,
as with meeting girls, good rubber is an essential for safety and that front tire looks kinda bald, eh?
And it don't matter if you've been a dirt bike rider for decades and drive semis for a living, if this is your first road bike fer Chrissake take a rider's course.
You may not know that motorcycles are invisible to 95% of other road users and the other 5% want you dead.