Eureka!!??

[John]

I'm not sure if this topic has been bounced around for while, but I was just looking around in Mikesxs.com, and I saw that he had the gold fuel tank badges for $36 a set. Next, I went to yama's web site and compared the the P/N of the 650 SG badges, and the xs11 SF badges, and they had the same base P/N Only the pre fix was different. The P/N for the 650 is 2MD 24161 00 00 and 2MD 241622 00 00, left and fight sides. The P/N for the 1100 is 3H3 24161 00 00 and 3H3 24162 00 00, right and left.
Whadda ya think? Same item? Anybody try this already? Did it work out ok?

[fredintoon]

close but no cigar

Hi John,
Having both an XS650 and an XS11, plus a spare tank or so, I tried that very swap.
Guess what? Although they look identical the badges are not quite the same size. The XS650 badges have a shorter mounting screw centre distance and that 1/4" will prevent a bolt-on swap.
You'd have to decide if epoxying them on then living with the irrimovability was worth the hassle.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[John]

Thanks Fred. Is there any way to relocate the screw holes, or will that interfere with the letters?

[strom]

No screw holes on my tank... so... other than mount holes... any other differences?

LP

[fredintoon]

fitting the badge

Hi John,
it's that the badge screw holes are surrounded by moulded-in bosses that help the plastic from breaking when the screws are tightened. You'd have to built little epoxy bosses where the new screw holes had to go. Then you'd have four screw holes showing so you'd have to epoxy the old ones shut and dab 'em with black paint.
OR
Make 2 badge-sized plates from 1/8" thick aluminum sheet, form to fit the tank, drill & c's'k two holes in each to suit the XS11 tank badge screws, paint to match the tank and tap two holes in each the right spacing for the XS650 badges.
OR
Make an end-run around the problem by Bondoing over the badge brackets, repainting the tank and installing the generic self-adhesive 3 tuning fork badges that the Yamaha dealer sells for $4.50 each.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[fredintoon]

OR, do this

Me again John,
Mr Stupid must have been driving my brain for my last post.
The XS650 badge holes are closer together than the XS11 ones.
See if you can tap two extra (M3?) holes into the XS11 tank's badge bracket and bang 'em straight on.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[John]

Actually Fred, I have thinking about a design inspired by the band Yes, and the artist Roger Dean for my tank and side covers. They have a sort of a flying ship logo on some of their album art. Uriah Heep has it on a their Roger Dean cover art (Demons and Wizards, and Magicians B'day). I believe the piece in question is called the 'Cosmic Cruiser'. I think it would look awesome on a fuel tank. My wife would like to try her hand with her airbrush. I have a spare tank so I won't be off the road while she works on it. I would like to attempt a big gas tank project like Dennyz's before I turn SWMBO loose on it. But right now I have the Foster Child project in the works, and it's getting warmer...