new 78 xs1100 owner

[myles2go]

i recently purchased a 1978 xs1100 as a first bike. i am a big guy and feel comfortable with the weight. (of the bike)

Anyway I have read through your forums as much as possible looking for info on the following, any help would be gladly received.

Due to the age of the bike has anyone ever noticed or heard of instances of frame fatigue, or cracked welds? Also, anyone heard of failures in the metal of the steering components or welded components within.?

The frame looks solid and well made and probably is better than a newer bike.

[LoserShoes]

Really shouldn't be a problem, but if you are concerned, take to an automotive machine shop and have it magnifluxed, shouldn't cost too much.

Steve

[Pat Kelly]

Aside from accidents, the only real problem area on the frame is behind the upper rear shock mount.
Looking at the design, all the weight of a passenger and/or luggagerack/trunk is cantilevered behind this point.
Sometime in the future I'm going to make some struts to go from the rear of the rack to the plates the hardbags are mounted to.

If you don't have a luggage rack or seldom carry stuff or passengers then there shouldn't be any problems.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Myles,

Welcome to the gang!! I have heard of a few stress fractures, but only due to Xsive amounts of stresses ie. the rear fender support arms cracking due to very heavy tailboxes and the repeated flexing from road bumps. ALSO, recently a fellow with a sidecar rig had both down tubes fracture completely apart, again appears to be due to otherwise abnormal types of stresses!!

I had a front ender with a cage in '86, had a shop rebuild my front end....forks, etc., but recently found out that the frame was bent at the steering neck! Drove it that way for another 6 years till 1st and 2nd gear failure in '92, didn't rebuild till 2000, have driven it till now. Recent investigation has smalll rust lines around the reinforcing plates around the steering neck and upper and downtubes, but has held up just fine.

So you should be able to fix it, and ride it for many a year to come!
T.C.