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Hi All,
Wanted to introduce myself and my bike. I bought this '78 XS1100E in the Columbus OH area last summer in somewhat rough but running shape. I've been learning all the ins and outs of these wonderful bikes over the last year and getting my XS1100 in tip-top shape.
The bike has 24k miles currently, it came to me with buckhorn handlebars installed (I swapped over to standard style), an RC Engineering 4-1 exhaust with a rusted out baffle (repaired and repacked), some older Dyna coils and wires, and that awesome green paint job. It has '80 carbs on it from what I can tell so I've been tuning those in, runs sweet but with a low rpm stumble and plugs still show fairly rich. I suspect it's the 120 main jets I have installed, I may have the more tapered "Special" needles so I'm trying 110 mains next (stock 42.5 pilots, stock airbox and filter, baffled 4-1 pipe, mixture screws turned in all the way to .75 currently). The bike also now has Galfer stainless front brake lines that I really love, and a period style luggage rack and backrest. I've done the pickup coil repair that I found thanks to this forum. Currently dealing with a somewhat slipping clutch as well, tried adjusting but I think the plates need replacement.
A bit about myself: I started riding when I was 15 years old in 2004, fixed up an XS500C that I got without a title and totally thrashed for $50. With a new cam chain and some other work, the bike ran great and I rode it across the US and back in 2008 along with my brother on an '81 Seca, and three other friends ('73 TX500 with single piece head swap, '78 KZ650, '81 CX500 Custom). We started in Ithaca NY and rode out to San Francisco and back, all on back roads, camping in tents. I've owned a bunch of different bikes since then, a number of Suzuki GSes, KLRs, etc, but the old Yamaha XS bikes just really speak to me and feel "right."
I just read Bob Jones' book and am really excited to finish up my XS and put some miles on it this season!
Wanted to introduce myself and my bike. I bought this '78 XS1100E in the Columbus OH area last summer in somewhat rough but running shape. I've been learning all the ins and outs of these wonderful bikes over the last year and getting my XS1100 in tip-top shape.
The bike has 24k miles currently, it came to me with buckhorn handlebars installed (I swapped over to standard style), an RC Engineering 4-1 exhaust with a rusted out baffle (repaired and repacked), some older Dyna coils and wires, and that awesome green paint job. It has '80 carbs on it from what I can tell so I've been tuning those in, runs sweet but with a low rpm stumble and plugs still show fairly rich. I suspect it's the 120 main jets I have installed, I may have the more tapered "Special" needles so I'm trying 110 mains next (stock 42.5 pilots, stock airbox and filter, baffled 4-1 pipe, mixture screws turned in all the way to .75 currently). The bike also now has Galfer stainless front brake lines that I really love, and a period style luggage rack and backrest. I've done the pickup coil repair that I found thanks to this forum. Currently dealing with a somewhat slipping clutch as well, tried adjusting but I think the plates need replacement.
A bit about myself: I started riding when I was 15 years old in 2004, fixed up an XS500C that I got without a title and totally thrashed for $50. With a new cam chain and some other work, the bike ran great and I rode it across the US and back in 2008 along with my brother on an '81 Seca, and three other friends ('73 TX500 with single piece head swap, '78 KZ650, '81 CX500 Custom). We started in Ithaca NY and rode out to San Francisco and back, all on back roads, camping in tents. I've owned a bunch of different bikes since then, a number of Suzuki GSes, KLRs, etc, but the old Yamaha XS bikes just really speak to me and feel "right."
I just read Bob Jones' book and am really excited to finish up my XS and put some miles on it this season!
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