My fatherinlaws Bike

[AndyW585]

Hello

I found this site a few months ago and I like it a lot.
A lot of good information here.

I don't actually own a XS1100 but my 74 year old fatherinlaw does. He bought the bike new and he has loved it all these years. Now it has developed a few problems and we are looking for some help. He is not at all cumputer literate and actually won't go near one so it's up to me to try and find help for him.

Bear with us as we try to figure out what we are doing.

Andy W. and Jim N.

[AndyW585]

I would guess that you might notice that this is being written at 3 A.M. The fact is that I'm at work on a lab system computer and I have little time for extranious activities (like internet messages)
So I have to do this in little bits at a time.

As I said in the previous message this is about my wifes fathers XS1100. I personally have an '86 Virago 700. I like my Virago because of the styling but the XS1100 will eat it for breakfast as far as power and speed.

Jim has had this bike for nearly 30 years and never had a moments problem with it till about a year ago when it starting leaking fuel. I figured out that the vacuum fuel control valve on the engine had a blown diaphram and was causing the leak. I checked a number of places (even this site) and was unable to find a replacement for it.
Eventualy I rerouted the fuel lines and bypassed it. The bike now runs as well as ever but Jim can't get used to having to remember to turn of the fuel when he parks the bike. After all he didn't have to for nearly 30 years and he's over 74 years old and his memory isn't what it should be.
What i'd like to do is find out if there are replacement petcocks available that have the vacuum diapham built in that will fit this bike? If so then I can fix it so he can just ride and not have to worry about turning the fuel off and on.

[jetmechmarty]

Which bike are we working with? Is it a standard or Special. The fuel shutoff is different for each. The standard uses vacuum petcocks and the Special has a separate valve referred to as the "octopus valve". You may purchase a new "octopus" through BIKE BANDIT. I'm not certain about the vacuum petcocks.

You may also need to address the float valves in the carburetors.

[prometheus578]

If I read you correctly, I believe you have a Special, and not a Standard. Standards have vacuum petcocks on the tank, and the Specials have what's lovingly termed as 'the octopus". Do a search here on "Octopus". Many tips on how to repair, by pass, etc.
I only have Standards, so my knowledge of Octopi is limited.
But, also... where's the fuel leaking from? Airbox? Carbs?
Even if the fuel delivery system is faulty, the float needles in the carbs should stop the flow by themselves. If this is the case, new float needles are in order.

[prometheus578]

"Hey Marty...!"

Cut some of us "slow typers" a little slack, huh?
Yeah... what Marty said.

[fredintoon]

New float valves?

Hi Andy,
if you carefully service the carbs and replace the float needles & seats (which ARE available) pa-in-law's dodgy memory about turning the gas off shouldn't really be a problem. I got my XS11 Special when it's "octopus valve" vacuum shut-off had already been discarded and my early Britbike training kicked in to save my forgetful arse. What really surprises me is that a man five years older than I am still has the bottle to ride that 600+lb pig of a bike without my own assistance device of a sidecar to hold it up.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[Snow]

The leaking octopus can actually be repaired using parts from the petcock rebuild kits.

CycleRecycle has a special kit to rebuild both petcocks *and* the octopus:
http://www.crc2onlinecatalog.com/

Part number is # 5100, and is $27.95.

They also carry float needles and float bowl gaskets. From your description, I am assuming this is a Special.