xs1100 more problems

[xsscooters]

Ok i'm starting to regeret buying this bike, The starter has went out its got a major shifting problem now everyone tells me to get rid of it it will be nothing but a money pit. Should i try to fix it i can handle everything but the transmission but i'm not sure about that. And from what i've heard that will always be a problem . My local Yamaha shop mechanic said run from it as fast as i can and he's been working on yamahas there for 30 years . I rode kz 1000's most of my life and they never had major problems like this should i keep it or take a loss and sell it?

[gaines]

Re: xs1100 more problems

Sounds to me like your mind is pretty made up. Unless you're going to enjoy fixing the bike up it sounds like you're better off selling it for parts.

[DiverRay]

The shifting was a common problem with the late '70's, early 80's BIG Yamahas. The trans CAN be repaired without splitting the cases or removing the engine from the frame. Go to the MAIN forum page, and look at the "Tech Tips" for complete instructions on the repair.
I did the trans on my daily ride, and it took just over a day. That was my first transmission, so it isn't that bad.
The starter can be another problem. If the clutch is out, (starter spins, engine does not), then the engine WILL have to come out and apart. Parts are still available, and if you don't mind doing the work, you will probably spend less than $250 to get it running well once again. That will be for trans and starter.
Just remember, The KZ's had a BAD problem with the cranks twisting, so every bike has it's own problems. I do know my '78 would out pull ANYTHING that was on the road.
Ray

[randy]

Just sell it. Make your dealer happy and put money down on a new one. See you in two years!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Scooters,

Yeah, your dealer wants to sell you that XJ1100 you saw there!

IF the starter motor just isn't turning, could be as simple as the solenoid, or brushes. Before you decide to part it, tell us a bit more of the symptoms of the starter!?

I had never worked on a bike tranny before I did my first repair job on my bike, fixed 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th gears all at the same time, and it's still holding just fine, wheelies and all!!

You've worked on 650's for years, I would think a "LITTLE" challenge like this wouldn't stop you! I've fixed two other XJ's trannies and did them both in a weekend each!

STAY THE COURSE !
T.C.

[mro]

Depending on problem and if you do the work yourself....
Could cost very little to repair.

(as long as it's not the starter clutch)
Starter not working?? Three bolts and it's out.
Check commutator and motor brushes. Could be one is stuck. Commutators, if "burnt" can be cleaned with "brush seater stone" if just dark, and ones that are just a little worse off can be cleaned up and smoothed out with fine sand paper.

As far as the tranny goes, depends on what’s wrong.
Most require labor and time to repair, then agin if something is broke could mean pulling the motor and splitting the cases.

"My local Yamaha shop mechanic said"

That's OK, I like to bad mouth Fords,
Found On Road Dead....Fix Or Repair Daily etc. etc...........
are the nice things I say about em...


mro
btw
just happen to know someone who probably has the parts you might need

[xsscooters]

starter

I have worked on 650's for years but thats a totally different motor. Ok here is what the starter does if the motor is cold it just sounds like its spinning if its warm it will turn over slow then eventually catch and start . I let it sit in the sun to warm up and it will start but if the motor is cold it just spins. Also first is totally gone now . I'm pretty bike smart how did first go out so fast when i test rode this bike it shifted fine and i rode it for awhile and it also started fine. I bought it on e-bay from a guy in Texas never bought a bike on e-bay before and will never again . The bike is clean and has a kerker header and new tires what do you guys think its worth ?

[mro]

I sorta get lost when people ask what XS's are worth.
Mine are worth big bucks

Wonder if someone could have put that fancy synthetic oil in your XS????

Was the clutch starting to slip???


mro

[xsscooters]

clutch

The clutch works fine it was stuck in neutral but i rocked it back and forth and it finally came loose . Never heard of the KZ bad crank problem . I had a 76 kz 1000 put over 50,000 miles on it and then made a drag bike out of it still ran great when i sold it. I always saw tons of kz's and gs's at the drag strip when i was into that but never any xs1100"s do you think it was because the transmission could'nt hold up to it .From what i can tell from reading past test the xs1100
had a clunky gearbox even when new . Thats a shame because in other areas this bike is sweet.

[mro]

There are a few drag XSes.

Chain drive makes other bikes a little more desirable for that particular application.

Has been done to XSes, but is involved and probably not the kind of mod the average guy would try.

As far as the street kz 1000, my hot rod XS would just walk away from em, showing them the back side of the shaft drive .


mro

[xsscooters]

kawaski z1r

Theres no doubt the xs1100 is fast i had a stock z1r back in 78 i raced everything in our area the only thing to ever beat me was an xs11 but that was one out of three times i would cream him off the line but he would pull me in 2nd and 3rd everytime the z1r definately had the top end on the xs1100 though .

[Ken Talbot]

So here's a question we need answered about your starter - what kind of oil are you using?

[HobbyMan]

Don't listen to everything you hear. The mechaninc is jsut too chicken sh** to work on it. If you must get rid of it, don't part it out, sell it to someone who can and will fix it. I get touchy when someone sells a fixable bike to be parted. What a shame. All of the problems you sound like you are having are managable. Yes, what oil are you using. sounds like your starter clutch is bad. The transmission seems like an easy enough fix. One final thing, if you thing XS motocycles are money pits, get a dog or a boat. Then you can see what I go through. I can't throw enough money at my boat to even make the fiberglass look good. It a 1997 Mariah Z280. Yeah, I could spend every night for a month just to get it seaworthy.

[xsscooters]

money pit

Lol i have 5 dogs i did'nt say it was a money pit the mechanic i know did . I have no idea what kind of oil is in it i just bought it. I'm going to put 10w 40 in it today see how that goes .

[xsscooters]

mechanic

The yamaha shop here has a policy not to work on any bike over 20 years old they don't want to liable for anything that happens to you if the bike causes an acident. The mechanics not chicken i talked to him about the dremwel fix you guys talk about. He said the outside of the gears are hardened steal and that if you grind it off they want be as durable.