79 Xs1100sf

[van]

Hi

I'm just south of the the Atlanta area.
I have an opportunity to get a 1979 Yamaha XS1100SF with a faring for $500. its in pretty good condition and it has less than 50K miles.
It needs a new battery and the Carbs need to be cleaned out but I think that's about it. This to me seems like a great deal to get a another bike to go into the stable.

Because I know absolutely zip about this bike I will read up in the FAQ and other web based info here and I would also like whatever info you would like to add as well.

Thanks from your most resent new-bee

Van

[tinman905]

Go for it , you can't take the money with you when you're gone and whom ever dies with the most toys wins. $500.00 isn't a lot to spend on a XS1100 .
There are some people out there that pay that just to have their bike serviced . I drove 7 hours for my second 80 Special and have no regrets and with gas and the price of the bike it was more than $500.00. I think you already know what you should do haha!

[DiverRay]

Van,
If you do get the bike, plan on going through the carbs YOURSELF. It would probably cost you $300 to have a shop go through the carbs, and my guess is they STILL would NOT be correct! Read all the tech tips, spend an afternoon and clean them up yourself. I would also plan on doing more with the bike to get it into "proper" riding condition.
Welcome to the site!

[van]

Originally posted by tinman905
I think you already know what you should do haha!

Tinman,


Yeah, you got me pegged.

The bike is a 1979 black XS1100SF with a fairing and...... "new" tires. Well, we'll see. I need to spend a weekend tearing it down and inspect it all.

Once I get the bike road worthy, it will be a commuter bike to help take some of the load off of the SUV (AKA the GL1800 Goldwing).

Thanks in advance for all the help that you all will give.

Van

[van]

Originally posted by DiverRay
Van,
If you do get the bike, plan on going through the carbs YOURSELF.

But of-course.

[i]I would also plan on doing more with the bike to get it into "proper" riding condition.
Welcome to the site! [/B]

Thanks! I plant to do just that.

I'll be using the info here in a big way.
thanks again.

Van

[skids]

You might want to perform a compression check.

[stoked]

Guess you won't be able to tell if it has the second gear issue since it's not running. But maybe the owner will be honest and tell you if there is an issue with it coming out of gear.

And don't give up on the carbs, I clean mine fairly often. They seem to be very sensitive to the slightest amount of crud. Since rigging some online filters on them however about three weeks ago I haven't had any issues. The issues were leaky carbs when petcocks left own and rich run conditions. I should probaly check the filters though, they are probably getting gunked up. These old tanks can cause issues.

[van]

Stoked,

The guy that is selling me this bike is a guy at work.
I trust him to the N'th degree. He's a very honest person and if there is an issue then he doesn't know about it.
I need to learn more about the 2n'd gear thing.

My primary bike is my GL1800 and this bike (XS1100SF) will be a project bike and end up as a secondary bike to be use when the Wing is down for maintenance or when I just don't want to ride the Wing.
I know I said that the bike has less than 50K but I believe that it is much less than that. I just don't remember what the owner told me.

When this Bike was built I was 21 and the Super bike craze was in full force. The XS1100 was the bad ass of it's day topping the KZ1000 as well. I guess I want to recapture a part of the past with this bike.
I'll be checking in with you all with a report on how it turns out and for help when I need it. May I count on you guys and gals to assist in rebuilding the past?

Van
(An old fart that loves to ride)

[fredintoon]

Only $500?

Hi Van,
the price of fairings is so high that yours came with a free bike. Be happy and ride safe.

[fredintoon]

"new" tires

Hi Van,
ask your trustworthy buddy how old those "new" tires are. Also there's numbers on 'em that'll tell you when they were made and there has to be a link somewhere on this list to tell you how to decode that number. I bought a low mileage '80 a while back that still had the factory tires on it. The tires looked perfect but they had gone as hard as wood and were horrible to ride on.

[trbig]

If you look close at the tires, there will be a 4 digit number stamped (Melted) into the sidewall somewhere. The first two digits are the week it was made. The second 2 are the year. If it's more that 4 or 5 years old, the rubber can start breaking down. If that's the case, I would buy new even if the others "LOOK" new.


Tod

[Dennyz]

Your biggest risk is that the Wing may not get ridden much.

Good find and good luck.

[van]

UP date on the 79 XS1100SF

The tires are 3 years old. The owner used the term faring when he should have said windshield. So, there is no faring, its a windshield.
I spoke with Scalded Dog and was told of an oil test to see if the gas has not drained into the oil.

Still, for $500 the sounds like it should be a good deal.
Scalded Dog will be going with me to check out the bike before I commit to the deal.


Asta Lavista

Van

[fredintoon]

Go for it!

Hi Van,
only a windshield eh? So you got a $100 accessory on a $400 bike that has good tires but lacks a battery. It's still one hell of a deal. (I paid Cdn$1,000 for an XS11SG with no windshield ((it did have the world's ugliest handlebar fairing, it's still hanging in my garage)) no battery and two baldies)
If the PO has been pulling 2nd gear wheelies all the time the 2nd gear dogs may need fixing but that's doable. Likewise, if you could afford to pay to have the carbs cleaned you'd buy a far newer and costlier machine. All the data you need to fix the XS11 can be dug out of this list.

[van]

Re: Go for it!

Originally posted by fredintoon
Hi Van,
only a windshield eh? So you got a $100 accessory on a $400 bike that has good tires but lacks a battery. It's still one hell of a deal. (I paid Cdn$1,000 for an XS11SG with no windshield ((it did have the world's ugliest handlebar fairing, it's still hanging in my garage)) no battery and two baldies)
If the PO has been pulling 2nd gear wheelies all the time the 2nd gear dogs may need fixing but that's doable. Likewise, if you could afford to pay to have the carbs cleaned you'd buy a far newer and costlier machine. All the data you need to fix the XS11 can be dug out of this list.

Fred (and all of you others too),

This web site, the info and its people are just great. I'm a new-bee with lots of issues but the doctor said that I'm getting better. Bu Da Ump Bump! All I need to do it get another bike.
Any way, I called a local XS11 rider here on the South Side of Atlanta, Scalded Dog.
Dog has graciously accepted a request to go with me to check out the bike. He also told me of a sweet little trick of testing for a leaking carb with a stick and a lighter. Dip the stick in the oil and try to light it. Sounds like a good trick to me.
I'm really not to disappointed about the Fairing because my garage has a car and 2 other bikes in it. I think I can get another bike in it but it will be a tight fit and a bike with out the fairing is better for me at this point.
All will become clear, I hope when we get to see the bike.
I was told that the bike has not had any problems with 2nd gear.
I aslo asked about ht e milage and the owner said it was aboiut 50k miles.
Well, you are now up-dated with what I know about this bike. The bike still seems llike a good deal to me so if all is in order when we look at it next week then I'll be an owner of one of the first big bore super bikes of my youth.


Van