My First Eleven

[MPittma100]

Many years ago (1978) I went to my local Yamaha dealer to buy a 1978E. They had one in stock. The dealer had just gotten it in and was using it as a demo. He had ridden it a couple of hundred miles. I asked when the next one would be there. He said this was the only one they were getting? I politely told him "get off of my motorcycle". I rode it home. I remember loving the bike but not the color. I felt like the bike would look great in black. I returned to the dealer on one occasion to get some touch up paint. All they had was a "kit" that consisted of base coat - clear coat. I declined.

Had the bike for 3 years and moved to Atlanta (still here). About a year later I decided to paint the entire bike. Found a great painter. He painted it and did all of the pin stripes. Clear coated over them. Paint job was awesome - better than Yamaha. And yes, the bike was now black. Also replaced all of the Yamaha (plastic) emblems.

Couple years later, I decided it was (unfortunately) time to sell. So I did. First thing the new owner did was - you guessed it - changed out the perfect factory exhaust for a 4 into 1 "performance" loud one. I wonder if he still has the old one? LOL

I have not thought about that E for some time until the other day when my wife found an old picture of the bike. I took a picture of that picture (a little fuzzy) and am posting it here. "Those were the days".

[IanDMacDonald]

Reminds me of Jame's "Balck Beauty".

[Prisoner6]

Memories

Aah, yes, bike nostalgia ...

I know the feeling well, Mike ...

It makes you feel both happy and sad at the same time. I feel the same way about an XS400 Special I purchased new back then.

Wish I still owned it ... great memories on that bike. Seller's remorse is a terrible feeling!

That E looks great in black with the perfect factory pinstriping ... thanks for sharing that, Mike!

[jetmechmarty]

I still have the XS650 I bought new 32 years ago. I need to ride it, but I'm happy it's still with me.

[MPittma100]

Aah, yes, bike nostalgia ...

I know the feeling well, Mike ...

It makes you feel both happy and sad at the same time. I feel the same way about an XS400 Special I purchased new back then.

Wish I still owned it ... great memories on that bike. Seller's remorse is a terrible feeling!

That E looks great in black with the perfect factory pinstriping ... thanks for sharing that, Mike!

I have had an XS400 offered to me recently. It is in poor shape. Looks to be mostly there. It is in a barn. A real barn find. Have not gone after it yet. Price is right. It is free!

[madmax-im]

Nice throwback memories Mike...I was the original owner of my XJ1100 for its 1st 30 yrs...thought i was done when i sold it in 2012 but that didnt last too long...LOL I had '78 XS400 too..tough old bike and fun around town but do not take it anywhere out of town...its a POS mirrors vibrate at 50 mph so bad they are useless to see with...your hands will go numb in 50 miles...its a tall bike for 400 and it gets 70mpg ...top speed is all of 70 maybe 75...and it feels like it will disintergrate at any moment....

[MPittma100]

Pit Bike

Nice throwback memories Mike...I was the original owner of my XJ1100 for its 1st 30 yrs...thought i was done when i sold it in 2012 but that didnt last too long...LOL I had '78 XS400 too..tough old bike and fun around town but do not take it anywhere out of town...its a POS mirrors vibrate at 50 mph so bad they are useless to see with...your hands will go numb in 50 miles...its a tall bike for 400 and it gets 70mpg ...top speed is all of 70 maybe 75...and it feels like it will disintergrate at any moment....

Sounds like it would make a good pit bike at the race track.

[madmax-im]

Sounds like it would make a good pit bike at the race track.

yes it would...like I said it was fun around town but beyond that and you have exceeded its design limitations for speed and comfort...

[XJOK2PLAY]

Wow, Mike! Cool!

Look how shiny that engine is!!

Swweeeeettt!!

That one's so clean it would make Bohn jealous! LOL!

[Prisoner6]

... I had '78 XS400 too..tough old bike and fun around town but do not take it anywhere out of town...its a POS

My XS400 Special was a 1980 model.

I know I have a bit of nostalgia for the bike ...

But I have to say that riding that little Special gave me some of the greatest riding pleasure and fondest motorcycling memories of my entire riding life.

Definitely not designed for LD rides, but I did take it on a few short trips back then, along with riding the wheels off it locally, both commuting and just for fun.

It excelled around town ...

And it had no problem taking me down the freeway at 70 mph (I think I weighed about 150 lbs. when I bought it new off the showroom floor).

I put nearly 40,000 mi. on that Special ... all I did was recommended maintenance, and never had one problem with it. Definitely not a POS ...

[madmax-im]

Marco you forgot to add...YMMV...

[Bergman16]

i LOVED my red 400. My roommate had the 850 Special which I inherited when he left Hawaii (where I went to school).

For a short time there I lived in Waikiki, dated a former Miss Maui, had a 1969 Austin Healey Sprite, and the two Yamahas. That was fun...

[Prisoner6]

Marco you forgot to add...YMMV...

You're right, Ben!

Now that I think about it ... I used to average almost 75 MPG from my XS400 ...

YMMV ...

[Prisoner6]

... For a short time there I lived in Waikiki, dated a former Miss Maui, had a 1969 Austin Healey Sprite, and the two Yamahas. That was fun...

I'll bet I can guess which of those was the most fun ...

[TopCatGr58]

Well, you know what they say, that a motorcycle is the "second" most exciting thing to put between your legs!

T.C.