My XS1100

[thumperjsa]

I finally am getting a chance to show some pics of my bike. This is just after getting the Yamaha saddlebags on it.

[John]

WOW! Deja Vu!

You engine looks just like mine! A real thing of beauty! I like the work on the fins. It's like looking at my bike in a Standard version.
The rest of the bike looks nice too. Well done.
You know, the more of these bikes I see, the more it amazes me what great shape we tend to keep them in. Most of the bikes that have pics posted, look really nice. You'd never know they were over 20 years old.

[sixtysix]

Watch those tops, they tend to fly off if not latched AND locked, the design was changed in 80 to a hinged top since so many of them disappeared. I tried a wire on mine but a copper wire just snaps, you need a thin steel cable.

[thumperjsa]

Thanx for the advice sixty six. I should look into that. I just went about 700 miles with them on last weekend. I kept having this feeling to reach down and m aking sure they were still there. I would hate to lose one on the road.

[chevy45412001]

emmbaressed

dang you guy's are incredable,theese machines look totally awsome. Makes me not want to go to a rally in fear of being kicked out for a crappy looking bike.

[prometheus578]

Bike looks so-so. Lawn... I don't like, either.

(Jealousy rears it's ugly head once again)

[thumperjsa]

There are a lot of hidden uglies the pics don't represent although I did not photoshop them. Like you can't see the dents and dings in the tank on the right side front that I don't have the talent to remove nor the leather repairs I have done to the seat which hold it together but when you look at it, you can see the repairs. Not to mention all the engine work I need to do still like valves and rings that I don't have all the talent I need to do. I am running with compression as low as 100 in two cylinders. And my valves are way to tight between the shims and the cam lobes. I hope it is not because they are set in the seat more than they should be.

I am trying to get over the fear of tearing down the engine. But O don't know if I trust the local bike shop to do any better than I can. Worst I can do is put it back together wrong and all the valves or break a few pistons. Not too scary.

As to the lawn, I can't take much credit for that either. My wife works for a landscape company. I do computer work for them, they do landscaping for me. Fair trade as I like to call it. Although I still have to cut my own grass.

Thanx for the compliments though. It does make me feel better about the way it looks.

[prometheus578]

Geez... took my cracks seriously!

Yeah, and here in the great Pacific Northwest, I never mow my lawn as it's all moss.

As for the dents and the dings, was a post several weeks back discussing how to remove some but just 'Hot Glueing" a wooden pole to them and giving a quick yank. (heat the glue with a hair dryer when done and pull off)

As for the low compression, could just be the tight valve clearances that you mentioned. (provided that the tight clearences are on the low compression cylinders)

HHmmm.. just re-read your post. I hope that you mis- wrote, mis stated your valve clearance problem. You wrote that :"MY valves are way too tight between the shims and the lobes."
The lobes are usually referred to as being the "Bumps" on the cam shaft, and measurements are taken when these are facing AWAY from the shims. I hope that this was what you were doing.


Bike shops usual give the tear downs, and the work on older bikes to the least experienced guy, as the "High Speed" mechs don't make any money offa this type of work. So you're better to do it yourself. ( I know... I'm the least experienced in the shop!, but I love the older bikes)

Everything you need to know is covered in a Clymer's or Haynes manual, whatever, and there's always the wealth of experience available here.

(I use this site to do my homework)

[thumperjsa]

Didn't mean to confuse. I meant the bottom of the lobes where there should be some clearance.

I had a dream a couple of weeks ago about taking the head off and doing the work myself. I don't recall the outcome of it though as to whether it was a dream or a nightmare.


I can take just about anything apart. It is the putting it all back together the right way... If I could just get that part down.

I have the clymers and the Yamaha service manual as well. So I have the documentation. I just lack the experience. How do you get the experience except for by doing the work.

[prometheus578]

experience

Doing the work yourself is the only way to learn how to do it, and sadly, also the only way to learn what NOT to do, (but it always goes quicker the second time around.)

[jazzrat2000]

Looking good, John! Sorry I didn't get there today... I just bought a set of bags and a fairiing, I hope it will go on as nice as yours has ...

[thumperjsa]

Yes, I saw the fairing you got. I was going to bid on it myself until I saw it was you.

So I let it go. I got my eye on another auction. I really want to get a nice fairing to go along with the rest of the bike. The plexiglass windsheild is nice, but a fairing would be nicer.

[Materi]

Great looking bike

Man, what a great looking ride, dude. I don't know about the lawn either though... , I was just thinking this morning as I gazed upon my own dusty, brown wind blown lawn how nice it would be to see some green. Thanks for sharing.

[sermn8ter]

Nice bike

Bike looks sweet. Did you order the bags from somewhere or get them in an auction? I really want some bags for mine, but I want some that were made for it, not some I have to make fit. I like the plexiglass windshield myself, rather than the whole fairing thing. The fairing makes it look a little bulky and unweilding to me, but to each his own. Either way, they are good looking bikes. Mine is in the paint shop right now, then after that a new seat, new 4 in 2 pipes, and hopefully some bags, then I'll take a break on it for a while. It never really ends though, does it?

[jazzrat2000]

looking really great, John! any time in the next couple of weeks to give me a hand with my shims and maybe bags? the bike is running weird, it bogs down big timne after 10 minutes... I am going to try some different coils this weekend to see if that is the problem...