A Death in the Family...

[Steve Linderman]

Hey Everybody!

Sorry 'bout the Title...but if I've learned one thing 'round here... it's that the stories with X-citing Titles...get read more (go-n-check!)

The sad part is that there IS going to be a 'death' in the family...
My Great Grandmother used to say "good CAN come from bad"

So let me tell you a bad/good...sad /happy story...

Santa Claus arrived at my house this past Thursday 9/23/04, and with him was his lovely wife, Laura (Mrs. Claus)

And behind his sleigh...on a trailer...was this poor, sad, rejected & unwanted XS 1100!!!

It had been 'ebayed' and looked like a skeleton...a once proud machine...now reduced to a mere shadow of it's former self

Shod with matching (K491 Elite 2's) Dunlops, front & rear indicated (to me) that she had once been appreciated by someone...but now...

Here's the REALLY sad part...
I abhor this insidious practice of 'cannibalism' in order to survive...ripping the life from one machine..to let others live...is only postponing the inevitable...X-tinction!

And as many of you can attest to...as the pile shrinks...the prices rise to way past ridiculous...and this contributes to people saying things like "to-heck-with fixin' it"..."I'll just tear it apart and sell the parts on ebay"
Then they throw away what doesn't sell!!

There's at least two people on there (ebay) now who've said "I bought this bike just to part it out"...and "email me for parts requests"

Now I find myself in the untenable position of having to 'put down' another machine...but here's the really HAPPY part...

I'm doing it for a friend...one who will love & cherish this 'organ donation'...and from this death...life will be created!

And this isn't just your 'ordinary' run-of-the-mill type friend...this is a guy that's (practically) all alone out there!

So it is for this noble cause that I ask for a 'moment of silence' as I will administer the final blow to this once proud machine, Tuesday afternoon around 4:00pm.
I'll pull the motor from this 1979 Yamaha XS 1100 Special...and (unfortunately) one more XS 1100 will be gone...and with it...a small piece of all of us

Every cell in my body says "you could be riding it in three days, just put some of those parts you've got laying around on it"...every wife in my house says 'If you try it...Strom will be the SECOND mad-at-you person"

And she wasn't smiling when she said it...

So it is with these happy thoughts in mind that I will draw my sword (tools) and carry out this task...then I will crate up the motor...and prepare to ship it to SLOVENIA
Where happiness and good tidings will abound!

And one more XS 1100 (motor) will live a long and fulfilling life...bringing joy to it's 'new' owner!
As a Motorcycle!...not a legend car, or some other incarnation.

If that were the case...I WOULD put the parts back on...because Molly NEVER could catch me...on an XS1100!!

Besides, I've heard that K491's are pretty good wet weather tires!

Oh...and by the way Strom!
Santa says you've been good...he just didn't have the time to drive to Slovenia...his flying sleigh is getting prepped for a circumnavigation of the globe!
So he left it up to his 'helpers' the Xs 'elves'

"spes sibi quisque, spectemur agendo"
"Each man must rely upon himself, let us be judged by our deeds"
( Julius Caesar cir-350 CE)

[strom]

Well... don't be that sad. There is plenty of parts there to revive another XS. Maybe. What bout bent frames and stuff like that.
A guy here was asking bout a fuel tank off a special. OK, I know there isn't one on this bike, but.... what do you know what the future brings.
I hope you took some photos... at least to put on your garage door.
OK, and I'm curious too

LP

[crunchbird]

I haven't been keeping up on this. Will this motor run?

[Steve Linderman]

One can only hope...

Hi,
In answer to the question from crunchbird...

The story was...a friend 'found' an XS 1100 in Minnesota...since he's a GoldWing rider/owner...he had no use for it...

The bike had 22K on the ODO and he sold some parts to other XS'ers (even me! ))
He then "ebayed" what he could.

After it was 'picked over' he decided that selling the wheels, forks, motor etc...and other heavy stuff would be more trouble than it was worth (he works for the Post Office, and did not want to spend his off days mailing stuff! )

Then I told him about Strom...and his 'prediciment'...so my buddy offered the motor for the "cost of shipping"

I then told the story to this Bunch of X-sessives
And just like clockwork...some came forward with offers of help...and in total donated $220.00 to defray costs!

(Privacy concerns prevent me from disclosing names, or amounts )

And I think that has something to do with the Canadian IRS

So then my friend was innundated with thanks/congratulations (by this group!)

Then he was gonna' bring it out on his way to Alaska...but didn't (to big of a detour)...then he was going to bring it out to Rexburg, Idaho and meet me before/during/after the XS 1100 Rally in Gallatin/Bozeman, Montana (Aug 1st, 2004)

But he couldn't get the time off...

So then he was going to crate the motor and send it out...so I 'suggested' to the XS'ers that we should take the time to thank Bob...now that it was 'over'

And once again...something 'strange' occured...(I personally think he was tired of us bugging him )

Then I told him that I would treat him to a BIG steak dinner when we got together the next time.

Then all of a sudden...he got the time off!
So he said "I'll just drive it out to you"!

From Elk River, Minnesota...to Western Washington State!!!

All for a steak dinner!

HOW 'BOUT THAT MR.FUNG!

So I gave him $100.00 in gas money (from the fund)
And I treated them (He & his Wife) to lunch!

We visited (for hours)...and then they left for Mt. St. Helens
They had to be back in Minnesota by Monday...

Now for the motor...as I said...Bob is a 'Winger and didn't care whether the engine ran or not...he didn't want or need it...from the looks of it...it should run...I'll compression test it (for fun)

But the motor is (technically) a "FREEBEE" and from where I come from...one NEVER looks a gift horse in the mouth

And I'm sure that Strom can/will utilize EVERY part of it!

And since the guy who 'donated' it had NO reason to 'feed us a line' instead of driving two thousand + miles (roundtrip) to GIVE it away...he could have just thrown it away!

Ironically after he 'promised' it to us...several people approached him in an attempt to BUY the motor...and to Bob's credit...he said NO!

Because BOB is a MAN of his word
And I'm his witness! (Strom will be soon)

So in answer to your question (finally )

"Will this motor run"?
WITHOUT A DOUBT

"Ignotum per Ignotius"
"A thing unknown by a thing more unknown"
(Latin, saying about confusing explanations cir-250 CE)