Mono shock XS1100

[xschop]

sorry

Answer: I installed 2.9 gears into the xs11 FD hub. 1 small kink I am working on....

[81xsproject]

One easy answer to why a hydrolic clutch... Ever lose a cable a long way from home? I have and it sucks. Especially if there is no way to avoid traffic lights on the route home

[Dennyz]

XSChop Asked:

So are you going to keep it drive shaft?

Yes, I prefer shaft drive. I will have to track down a 2.9:1 FD. The R1 wheel is chain, but is easy to modify to take the drive assembly (like the FJR).

I am very excited about having a pair of 17" radials under my 'F'. Not to mention the R1 brakes and forks.

I can see it! Now I have to build it.

[xschop]

R1 wheel

So you have tried the FJR wheel to the xs11? AND the big question is WHERE did you find the DIVERSION 900 style drive hub or did you fabricate?....I will also correct myself. the guy in the U.K. used the Virago 1100 swingarm and FD. It would be a good setup for a monoshock because the swingarm is longer than the xs11 ....Are you going to put the monoshock behind the battery box?

[Dennyz]

I would like to find a FJR wheel, but they are not nearly as available as R1 parts. I only paid $100 (including shipping) for the pair of R1 wheels and tires I have. Since I have the tools to make major modifications, I can go with the cheaper parts.

I have a Vmax FD, which is the same housing used by many other Yamahas, including the FJR. The VMax and XS use the same drive unit (attached to the wheel). If I can find a 2.9 ratio in the VMax style FD, that would solve my FD ratio problem.

I will be fabricating my own swing arm. I am leary of altering the suspension geometery at this stag of modification. Just going to radials and stiffer suspension components should have a significant impact on handling.

[DiverRay]

Denny, I do know that the VMAX has aftermarket gears available for the FD. I got this from a VMax owner who has changed gears in his bike.
Ray

[Dennyz]

Thanks DiverRay, this is good info.

I will check out the VMax sites.

[xschop]

Cheaper source

When I was getting my final drive parts rounded up, my mechanic friend at yamaha told me that he had recently sold a couple of final drives from the older yamaha VENTURE to some V-MAX owners that wanted better gas mileage... You should also check out the FD from a 1100 VIRAGO because it is the same geometry as the v-max...but I don't know the gear ratio on those...chop

[Dennyz]

Mono Shocking the XS

I am thinking of using a linker type setup. Putting the shock(s)under the transmission. Since I don't use a center stand or have stock exhaust, there is some room down there.

I am looking at putting both shocks side by side on a link to the swing arm. If I keep the travel the same, the shocks would be just right. They are also smaller diameter than most monos, so ground clearance would be better. AND, lower center of gravity.

[xschop]

lower mono shock

That is the route I am going. I want to weld a swing-arm stiffener to the xs11 shaft housing and mount dual soft-tail shocks beneath the transmission...I was thinking lower center of gravity as well. I measured a ROYAL STAR swingarm, and that would need @ 1 inch shortening of the pivot shaft, but would put only a single shock beneath....just an idea....

[Crazcnuk]

Some years, '82 for example, the XV920 is a shaft drive.

I know this because I have an 82 XV750 and have often thought about putting the 920 motor into my 750 and 82 is the only year its a straight swap just because the 750 is shaft drive.

Personally, unless your out racing for money, I think the swap is a lot more work thatn it's worth, but hey, each to his own!

[79XS11F]

WOW these are serious mods but it would be real nice to be able to use a big rear tire to handle all the power these bike produce. However ... If we move too far away from stock are we not losing the bike so to speak?
Rob

[Crazcnuk]

Yes, but some people just have to tinker!

"Something in my head just tells me 'Be a mad scientist, be a mad scientitst!"

Don't do it Len!

One thing you may want to look at, in the rear supsension geometry, is that the XS1100 has a tendancy for the back end to come up, sharply, on hard acceleration. While you want the rear end to plant the tire as hard as it can, the back of the bike shouldn't 'jump' upwards. You may be able to overcome this with some attention to how the swing arm length differs between the original and some of the newer bikes that don't have this problem.

Personally, I don't hatchet any vehicle over 20yrs old.

[xschop]

huh

I thought the xs11 was designed to get rid of this "hop" by the reverse rotation of the crank? Someone chime in here, I know of two different ways to lengthen or shorten the xs swingarm length....

[Crazcnuk]

Not sure how reversing the rotation of the engine would affect the rear geometry. The tendency of any vehicle applying power in the forward direction is for the rear wheel to climb. This is countered by the design of the suspension.

I have a 502hp '83 Monte Carlo and we played around with this quite a bit. Stiffening the frame, boxing the rear control arms, changing the angle of the upper control arms, using differnt shocks, etc., in order to get the car to apply as much weight downward w/o lifting or dropping the rear end. Right now, with the drag slicks on and full throttle the car remains perfectly flat.

I assume this applies to bikes as well.

I haven't actually ridden my XS1100, to any extent, yet, but I get this from a friend who had one since they were brand new. He recently picked up a VT1100 Shadow, like I rode for 14 years, and his first comment, after a full throttle start, was how the shadow didn't lift up like his XS.