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**81xsproject** · 06-18-2006, 08:49 PM

I had mine about .5-.75 inches through the trees. I was smashing my 4-1 and rubbing my case gaurds more than it was worth so I put them back. It would work better with stock exhaust.

**cafexs1100** · 06-18-2006, 09:16 PM

Wow, .5 inch isnt alot, maybe Ill just see what the bike looks like with the cafe bars before moving to clipons.

I know Im going to have to get a firmer set of springs in the front, thats next. Im hoping the lack of springiness will help reduce the possibility of bottoming out or rubbing. If I have to get a different set of forks, im moving onto a bike that allows for a larger back tire. Or just go hardtail, haha.

Id really like to lower the hell outta the bike, almost to where if I hit a bump I lose the oil pan.

No, Im not going to buy a Harley so please dont ask, haha. I like jap customs better because they were not meant to be customs, but when you do customize them, they look the part.

**81xsproject** · 06-18-2006, 09:32 PM

Well, like I said, with a 4-2 you could probably do a lot more. I only bumped the exhaust over speed bumps and things, and I only put my case gaurds down on low speed, hard corners.

**81xsproject** · 06-18-2006, 09:37 PM

I was cruzing the site in your signature and saw this Hardly in there and had to see. When I looked closer, the front wheel, shocks and disks look like they are off an XS?

**GNEPIG** · 06-18-2006, 10:07 PM

.. 77 XLCR, those are stock items for that model, Harleys shot at an early cafe racer ..
..cafexs, i think the name/category of motorcycle you're shooting for is the bobber. the cafe bikes are intended to be great handling bikes, not slammed/hardtailed.. but hey, choppers/bobbers are cool too. use your imagination, fix it up how you want, its your bike be proud. and when your finished post some pictures here and show it off

.. this is a great site, made possible by great people with great imaginations.

**MAXIMAN** · 06-19-2006, 06:51 PM

Re: Any Cafe Racers?

Originally posted by cafexs1100
Has anyone made a cafe racer out of their 1100?

YEP! I have several friends that ride Harley's. A few Saturdays ago I raced every one of 'em down to the cafe for a cup of coffee.

Wasn't much of a race though.

**Geezer** · 06-19-2006, 06:58 PM

Re: Re: Any Cafe Racers?

Originally posted by MAXIMAN YEP! I have several friends that ride Harley's. A few Saturdays ago I raced every one of 'em down to the cafe for a cup of coffee.

Wasn't much of a race though.

You're the only one that got the term "cafe racer" right. It was originally a British derogatory term for squids racing from cafe to cafe. To get away from that term they're now called "sport bikes."

Denny Z has the nicest sport style XS11 around and I'm patterning my 79 resto-project after it but without rear sets or clip-ons. I'm taller and more beat up and I can't ride is a sport crouch for very long.

Geezer

Geezer

**cafexs1100** · 06-19-2006, 08:23 PM

Denny Z? Where's the link to that bike?

I tried my cafe bars, but the forks are right in the damn way, so I have to use clipons - I found this out while testing out the new bars in the handlebar slots today, and Im glad I didn't move the instruments over to the new bars or I would have done all that work for nada.

The next thing is cutting down the headlight bracket so that the clipons fit in neatly, or just getting another bracket so I dont have to cut anything. Though if cut, the bracket might even ensure a proper fitting and result in less movement downward due to pressure on the clipons. Its not supposed to slip, but theory and reality are many times different.

The onto the seat, which I hope to do myself - Im a serious penny pincher, but so were those broke ass riders back in the 60s. They just turned their bars upside down, DONE.

Im thinking serious rat bike here. In NYC, if you don't own a rat bike, you dont own any bike because someone would have stolen it within 2 days of putting it on the road.

**cafexs1100** · 06-19-2006, 08:52 PM

One more thing, does anyone know if the angle of the head on the engine to the flat ground makes a huge difference? Say I lower the front forks so that the top of the engine head is now at ground level vs a stock 5-10 degree backward angle. Im not sure how the oil drains, I would imagine a little bit but if you're going up a steep hill, who'se to say it wouldnt cause the same damage. Comments?

**MAXIMAN** · 06-19-2006, 09:01 PM

Re: Re: Re: Any Cafe Racers?

Originally posted by Geezer
I'm patterning my 79 resto-project after it but without rear sets or clip-ons. I'm taller and more beat up and I can't ride is a sport crouch for very long.

Geezer

Geezer

Me neither. That's why I bought a ZRX1200. It has a riding position very similar to the old standards...but it handles and runs like a modern sportbike.

**Geezer** · 06-19-2006, 10:50 PM

Re: Re: Re: Re: Any Cafe Racers?

Originally posted by MAXIMAN Me neither. That's why I bought a ZRX1200. It has a riding position very similar to the old standards...but it handles and runs like a modern sportbike.

I got a test ride on a ZRX1200 when I was at a bike shop chasing parts. I'd love to get one but by the time I can afford it, I hope I'm not so old that I can still get my leg over it. A big surprise was the Eddie Lawson replica ZRX1200. I didn't think younger riders remembered Fast Eddie.

Geezer

**Luxury** · 06-20-2006, 12:02 PM

Originally posted by cafexs1100
Denny Z? Where's the link to that bike?

Some pics of Denny Z's bike in this thread

**caferacer** · 06-20-2006, 02:20 PM

hey out there i have took a full dressed 1980 xs 1100 out of the junckyard and turnd it into a cafe/ streetfighter in my small toun no body likes it but 9 out of 10 people ride harley i did it in my drive way in 7 months not cunting the motyor work and paint

**50gary** · 06-20-2006, 03:29 PM

I'm working on my "NEW " 1978E setting it up for what I'm calling sport touring. Cafe on a 577# bike is asking a bit much? The first thing I noticed even before buying one was the "Harley like" rake angle 29.5 for the standard, ouch and the accompaning very long wheelbase, 60.8" again, ouch. The next roadblock is how high the steering head is set in the frame. I'm sure I won't do it this summer (riding time in Mi is precious) but when the snow comes I'll cut the front end off and shorten and lower the mentioned steering head and de-rake it to about 25 degrees. This will quicken the steering and shorten the wheelbase by about 2 full inches and put alot more weight on the front end. A 17" wheel and tire are a must to get good modern tires. I weighed the standard XS11 wheel/tire combo it's a whopping 39.5# A major project for sure, although I've not done an XS11 I have done this to another bike. For right now I cut up some old pull back bars and made them into Clubman type bars. I really like the standard tank and it's big too. "Works shocks" one inch longer. The other major hang up is the narrow shaft drive swingarm, not much room for a wider wheel and tire. What is the widest? I'm calculating a 140/7017" but that wheel at only 2.50" ouch again. I already have a small fairing that I got off ebay, now to fabricate a mounting bracket. So much to do, so little money, that's the real ouch!
Cheers, 50gary