Looking for my Fathers Bike

[Skiniguy]

Hi, I'm trying to find my fathers bike. It's a 1980 Blue Yamaha XS1100 Special. He bought it new and owned it until around 2011. He passed it off to a friend and from what I was able to find out his friend sold it a few years later. This was in Massachusetts.

The bike had a luggage rack on the back and his gauges were busted from when he dropped the bike years ago. The blue color may have been custom. I don't know if any of that has changed since he gave it up. I was told it may have had an electrical problem when it was sold the last time.

I'd love to know if it's still around and what condition it's in.

Thanks

[DeanR]

Hope your search turns out well.

[MaximPhil]

Hi, I'm trying to find my fathers bike. It's a 1980 Blue Yamaha XS1100 Special. He bought it new and owned it until around 2011. He passed it off to a friend and from what I was able to find out his friend sold it a few years later. This was in Massachusetts.

The bike had a luggage rack on the back and his gauges were busted from when he dropped the bike years ago. The blue color may have been custom. I don't know if any of that has changed since he gave it up. I was told it may have had an electrical problem when it was sold the last time.

I'd love to know if it's still around and what condition it's in.

Thanks

Hi Skiniguy,
Pictures would certainly help. Your description matches many bikes out there. Names of the buyers and sellers also might trigger a memory in the group. Sadly electrical problems are something we have all had to deal with.

Phil

[Radioguylogs]

In case it helps...

Blue would have been a custom color for a 1980 Special. The factory colors were (a) Ruby Red or (b) Black-Red (red sparkles in black paint).

[mack]

serial number

do you have the serial number?

[ardvark1]

Are you not able to track it down by reg number or as mentioned serial number?

[Skiniguy]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I have been trying to find a good picture of the bike but have not been able to find anything recent. All that I found were some decent shots from when it was new.

It's good to know that the Blue was a custom color. That should help narrow it down. I know that the speedometer was busted. I think the glass was cracked and the needle was broken and it would just spin when you were driving. one of the arms that held the luggage rack on (if it's still there) was broken at one point and welded back together and painted silver (instead of chromed). That's all the details I can think of right now that would differentiate it.

I don't have any a registration or serial number for the bike unfortunately. IF I did I could probably trace it down at the DMV if it were registered or titled to someone else.

The bike was in Clinton, MA when my father had it. Not sure where his friend lived but it was in the same area.

I emailed a bunch of bike shops in that area but nobody that responded has seen it.

[mack]

number

If you can find the serial, there is a registration site that may show who the current owner is. Unfortunately not everyone uses it but you might get lucky

[Skiniguy]

Found the Number

It took 3.5 hours on the phone with the Registry in Massachusetts but I got the Vin (serial #). The number they gave me is 3J6003795.

Where is the site that I can look that up?

The bike may have been sold for parts if it was having electrical issues. The current owner may have never registered it.

Hopefully that will help. Please let me know if anyone comes across it. Even if it's wrecked or scrapped I'd love to grab the gauges or something off it to save.

Thanks for all the help guys.

[Jerry]

From Biker.net:

Model Code Serial # Year Color(s)
XS1100SG 3J6 3J6-000101 1980 Black Red, New Ruby Red

[Skiniguy]

Title information

I found a Vehicle history report site that worked with the serial number. (InstaVIN was the site)

It says that the vehicle was titled in July of 2013 in Massachusetts. Of course it won't say who titled it so I'm still in the dark. At least I know it was still in Mass in 2013 and not sold out of state.

[mack]

try this

http://micapeak.com/reg/bikes/XS11/