I'm so sad! Poor lil XS! Poor lil ol' me!

[markjs]

Well it's the '83 KZ750H4, which is clean, very little rust, and low miles on it, and runs like new, or the dirty, ugly, high miles, gas guzzling XS Eleven, that has to go. Keeping both is not an option.

I like both bikes a lot, for different reasons, but I have to be practical and realistic.

My financial situation is dire, but as to why exactly, well that's none of your business. As I said though I haven't decided yet, for 100% certain, but here is my logic:

The proceeds of the sale will be to buy a beater POS, but running car. So long as the engine and tranny have some miles left in them to get me through the winter, it will be fine, as I am a decent backyard mechanic, and I have friends who can cover any bases I can't. Even though the XS has higher miles and is in far worse shape, it's worth more money. Add to that the fact that the little Kaw is MUCH more fuel efficient (don't know about you, but in my neck of the woods, it's going for no less than $310 a gallon). Factor in, that the Kaw is shiny and newish looking, has at the most 20K on the clock, more likely a little over 14K (speedo cable broke at 14K, and it was last licensed in '86), and purrs like a contented kitten, and has no mechanical need at all at the current time, save for that I'd like to re-gear it to my personal tastes (one advantage of sprockets and chains is that that can be done for peanuts).....Tell me, in my place what would you do?

Yeah I love the XS, but I love the Kaw too, not quite as much geared as it is, but a little love and mods down the line and I would be more than happy with the Kaw. I also, have an absolute knack for finding cool bikes that sat and rotted in a yard, woodshed or garage, and coming away with a great runner with a little TLC, and restoration, and it never costs me much, and I am sure, the world will never run out of fun restoration projects for guys like me.

Sorry, but I just really have a hard time justifying selling the lil Kaw and keeping the XS. Reality bites sometimes....

[Crazcnuk]

Heh, not knocking your decisions. We have no idea what your up to, and, as you said, it's none of our business. Just ramblings.

However, since you ask, I would sell the nice shiny 750. Not sure why you think the XS is more valuable, if it is in worse shape (looks wise) since that is all most people care about these days.

They are pretty close to the same age, but you should be able to polish up the 750, put a speedo cable on it and sell for as much as the XS.

I have a 1982 750 Virago I am selling, that is in the same boat vs ny XS. It's much prettier, lower miles and all that. But it's a 750. I, personally would much rather have the 1100 at home, and I don't really care what it looks like as I can deal with that later on.

As for fuel economy, are you sure the 750 is all that much better? My VT1100 shadow used to get very close to the same as my brother's KZ750LTD at between 35 and 40mpg. The xs is right in the same ballpark. If yours is not getting good mileage, that is another area that can be worked on.

Put it this way... If these two bikes were sitting at the lights, waiting for the green, which one would you rather be sitting on?

[markjs]

Well the reason I think I can get more for the XS, is because it's bigger, and a dresser, where the KZ is barebones, the XS is also very popular and more common and easier to get parts for. The Corbin seat alone is valuable. Also a lot of what you said about at the green light, which would I rather be on.

Factor in the fact that the KZ has issues too, such as missing one side cover (I "upholstered" a peice of cardboard cut to size and shape with a peice of a contractor bag and black duct tape, because thankfully the bike is all black, and it looks slick at the casual glance anyway). The starter button and kill switch are gone, and the bars replaced (spilled I think), so I routed everything to the momentary pushbutton starter switch I bought at the auto store, hardwired the kill switch on ( I know what a kill switch is for and in all my years of riding I have rarely ever used one, and never once needed one, besides, the ignition (key) switch is intact at least)....Well anyway, you get the point? But, if not, what I mean to say is the kind of people who would want either bike are a simillar lot. Either guys like me happy to have any running bike, and don't care about looks as much as function, or guys who like to fully restore these old beasts. Also remember the XS is almost car sized and they have a rep for going well past 50K if cared for. The KZ will likely need major work by 50K. Personally I just think the XS is a much more attractive, "fixer upper" prospect.

Right now, given the fact that the sale of either should get me a car, and a needed second mode of transpo, if I kept the XS, there is a LOT more money I'd need to spend just to get it running safely and acceptably by my standards, if you consider, that by having a car, I have no excuse to ride the thing in such a jury rigged state as I did all summer.

Then there is the fact that I need a bike just now that isn't going to tempt me to keep spending money on it. I am not as big on cosmetic restoration, as many are, but if I can spare some cash here and there I am a "junkie" and I will find ways to justify spending too much on making my ride nicer and nicer. Simply put the KZ is so close to "showroom quality", that even if I spend, it won't have to be near as much.

Also a couple major annoyances about the XS, is that I am a mere 5' 10", and short inseam, and the damn XS, combined with the extra tall corbin seat, is almost too tall for me to ride, and so damn heavy I have to back it up from off to the side of it lest I risk falling down and looking stupid tring to back it up on tippie toes, and if the bike is even unperceptably facing downhill, and I try to back it up from astride it, well.....fuggetaboutit! The KZ on the other hand is a breeze and low enough that I can flat foot it anywhere, light and easy to handle and not so top heavy. And lastly, the KZ is deigned for cornering, and has a low center of gravity, and it is safer in the rain, where the XS is top heavy, so powerful that in any slick condition, the back wheel likes to lose traction, and the XS has a kick stand that hangs so low that if you turn and lean hard you can bail it if you drag that to hard, and the pegs are even too low (a major failing that my old XJ750 had as well, is this common on all Yamahas?). It would be impossible to lean to hard on the KZ to where a peg would scrape, as it should be on any bike.

All and all, the more I mull it over, the more I realize, that I'd rather have the XS for the power and touring applications, and in a perfect world, keep both bikes, but all things considered, I can't seeem to escape the idea that the KZ is the "right now" ride I should have.

[Crazcnuk]

Of course, it's all up to you. If you don't like the XS, and want a smaller, more nimble bike, then the Kawi is likely the way to go.

For myself, I rode an '85 VT1100 for 14 years, close to 100,000kms. Then I traded it for a mobile home, which I now live in. The mobile home came with an '82 750 Virago, which I have been riding for the past 4 years or so.

While the Virago is smaller, lighter, more nimble, and all that jazz, it's still a 'little' bike to me. The next smallest bike, in my circle of friends, is a CB900C Custom.

I also prefer the decker, all the time. I find undressed bikes to be mere toys. They are fun for putting around, but you can't take it anywhere you may have to pick stuff up. The decker can carry a surprising amount of items. I used to deliver full computer systems, monitor and all, on my Shadow ( it had a windshield, Krauser luggage, and a trailer hitch). The fairing allows the bike to be ridden more of the year, and in worse weather, a big deal up here in the Great White North.

As for restoration, I do what I can, when I can. There is no schedule, or time limit. I do like to keep the mechanicals up as best I can, and function is more important than form.

But as always, each to his own, no one is going to say one way is right or wrong... well, they might, but just ignore em!

[dpotter58]

Wrong side of the country fo rme but I'd buy it for 6 if you were near. Good luck