Advice needed

[gibcott]

Hi all,
I own a 1981 xs1100 special that has not been operated in a few years although I did drain the carbs and gas tank prior to storing it. I bought it thinking I wanted a old school powerhouse but after a few miles decided it was just to big and heavy for me. It has been garaged but is a bit rough visually. I have decided I will never ride it again and it needs to go to make room for my KLR with DMC enduro sidecar.
My open question is what is the best way to sell it. Do I part it out, sell it as is, get it started once again (should not be too hard) or simply haul it to the nearest m/c junk yard?
I will answer any questions to the best of my ability.
Bob Gibson
Hamilton, Montana

[crazy steve]

If you can get it running decently, that will at least double it's value if the cosmetics are reasonably good. Typical values are $1-1.5K for a 'nice' running bike, non-runners will usually max out at about $500 if the cosmetics are good and it's complete. Originality counts too; non-stock exhausts/seats/etc generally don't help value.

Try posting it in the 'bikes for sale' forum here (with pics; they really help) and go from there....

[DGXSER]

Truth be told, if the chrome is in decent condition on the parts, it is worth more in parts than as a whole bike. That being said, I prefer they get sold as a whole bike.

Running bikes are always going to fetch a lot more than a non runner.

Simplest and quickest way to get the best money is to get it running and sell it as a whole bike.

Yard will give you maybe $50 for it.

[BA80]

Hi all,
I own a 1981 xs1100 special that has not been operated in a few years although I did drain the carbs and gas tank prior to storing it. I bought it thinking I wanted a old school powerhouse but after a few miles decided it was just to big and heavy for me. It has been garaged but is a bit rough visually. I have decided I will never ride it again and it needs to go to make room for my KLR with DMC enduro sidecar.
My open question is what is the best way to sell it. Do I part it out, sell it as is, get it started once again (should not be too hard) or simply haul it to the nearest m/c junk yard?
I will answer any questions to the best of my ability.
Bob Gibson
Hamilton, Montana

Contact some members near you, one of them may be interested. Here's some located near you.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6321

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6317

[Prisoner6]

Please don't just send it to the junkyard - if anything, at least let the XSives here take a look at it;

Show us the bike in the "For Sale" forum - someone here just might be interested!

You can always part it out later if that is the only option left ...

[fredintoon]

Hi all,
I own a 1981 xs1100 special that has not been operated in a few years although I did drain the carbs and gas tank prior to storing it. I bought it thinking I wanted a old school powerhouse but after a few miles decided it was just to big and heavy for me. It has been garaged but is a bit rough visually. I have decided I will never ride it again and it needs to go to make room for my KLR with DMC enduro sidecar.
My open question is what is the best way to sell it. Do I part it out, sell it as is, get it started once again (should not be too hard) or simply haul it to the nearest m/c junk yard?
I will answer any questions to the best of my ability.
Bob Gibson
Hamilton, Montana

Hi Bob,
Gawd knows at my age I ain't got the bottle to ride my SG solo any more.
Rather than sell it off you could build the XS11 Special into a high speed sidecar rig for use on roads where your enduro rig just won't go fast enough to keep up with the traffic.

[mack]

This site

is primarliy here to help riders preserve these mechanical wonders. None of us like to see them torn down and sold as as pieces. If you can get it running, as Steve said it's worth more. If you can't, post it here and ask for help from a member close by. I would urge you to give it another ride before you pass it a death sentence. These are wonderful bikes and probably the most versitile of any bike you'll ever get a chance to ride. If I was closer I'd take it off your hands but I already have four bikes and one wife. Next step is five bikes and no wife.

[gibcott]

Thanks Guys,
Lots of information to process. I will be digging the bike out from several years of accumulated stuff at the back of the garage as soon as we get a few days of consecutive sunlight. I will post a few pictures and a classified advertisement with a low "as is" price. As the spring progresses, I may try to fix it to the point of riding it for a bit.
As a note to Fred, setting it up as a hack is one of my daydreams and that may come true, who knows. It is the only way I could ever really enjoy riding it again as I never recovered all my strength after cancer surgery.
Sorry for the salvage yard crack, I was feeling a bit down last week. I would give it to the kid next door before a yard got it.
The only reason to break it up would be to help resurrect several other worthy bikes.
Thanks to all who responded,
Bob

[gibcott]

Pictures and Classified

The bike has seen the sun for the first time in 3 years. I rolled it out of the garage today to take pictures.
I posted the bike on the local Craigslist at $600.00 and priced it to our members classified at $400.00. http://missoula.craigslist.org/mcy/4390405637.html I posted it to craigslist to be able to show you all some pictures. I will answer any questions or take specific pictures upon request.
Bob

[jetmechmarty]

It's pretty. I expect it will go fast.

[Garagamus]

If it were closer to Great falls I'd probably pull the trigger on it, (...because my wife says I should have two projects taking up the garage of course (don't ask her, she'll pretend like she would never say that....bi-polar is my guess)). I'd still have to figure out how to import it into Alberta, but my other one was a good find for under $500, would probably be well worth it.

[BA80]

Man, take a drive through the mountains and go get it.

[Radioguylogs]

It's pretty. I expect it will go fast.

...in more ways than one!

[Cobia]

Hi Bob,
I was wondering about your comment regarding the bike being too big and heavy for you, now I understand. I'm not a big guy and have normal strength and moving these 600lbs. bikes around can be a bit taxing especially if either of you lose your balance.
But I assure you that once you get going down the road that weight of the bike disappears. For old technology, these are very well mannered machines. Balanced to the point of being flickable given the right speeds.
Any way, enough of this. What I'm trying to say is, get it going and give it a chance. I don't think you'll regret it.
Get well and get strong.

[gibcott]

Bike sold

Thanks to all. I sold the bike to a Missoula local with lots of big bike time who was looking for a project bike. I turned him on to this web site. Look for a new owner in Montana. He is an industrial electrician with a mechanical background. I feel confident he will treat the bike with the care it deserves.
Thanks again to all who took the time to read my posts.
Bob