Any1 chop/bob a xs1100? (seriously?)

[Bowtied]

I just acquired the tag and insurance for my 79 xs11 and i'm putten front fork seals in it this weekend. Now the question is i can't leave anything looking stock or looking like someone elses when it comes to my cars so what can i do to bob this thing? I was thinking chain drive assembly (with a kit from a guy on here) hardtailed with a solo seat and ape hangers. This bike won't be riden long trips very much and i'm young enough i can take the abuse a hardtail gives out (rode one of my dads old hardtails to school alot). But i was wanting to see some pic's of some of your chops you've done specifically to an xs11 preferably or to at least a xs style yamaha bike. I am thinking drop seat if it'll allow me to retain my factory shaft drive. If not i'll go chain drive. Anyways, just curious to know whether or not you guys have ever built one or found pictures of some old rat bikes, or bobber/chopper/bar hop bikes. If so post'em up. Thanks again fellas.


(i know it may not be the typical thing to do to them but it's my bike and i'm young enough it'll give me something to look back on and laugh about hahaha!)

[Montreux_Blue]

Like a lot of people would say on here, use the search tab up top.
Here are a few to get you started.
http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...ghlight=BOBBER

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...ghlight=BOBBER

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...ghlight=BOBBER

And my piece of junk!

[tarzan]

Hey Bowtie,
Yea there are some good pics of guys bikes chopped and bobbed on here .You just have to use the search engine.Search dabubble,he did a nice one.XSCHOP also .Just search bobber or chop.Thers lots of info here you just have to take some time and fish around.
And welcome to XS11. Rick

[Guy_b_g]

Just be ready to catch some grief from the members here over the "ape hangers"

[Crazcnuk]

Yes, way too many.

Poor bikes...

[lostsoul74]

theres plenty of them on here, and yep, lots will say search, but since I also originally came here looking for ideas when i got this one, assuming thered be a pic section like most cycle forums do with hundreds of custom pics in one area, only to find the one dedicated area of pics only had like 10 pics in mostly stocks, and searching here to find pics takes for ever adn a crap load of scrolling to see if theres even a pic or not, i'll be happy to help ya out. (not that i have anything at all against the site, it has a wealth of info and helpful gents, but personally i think hte pictures section should be much MUCH larger other then just stocks and the couple customs) This was an old full dresser, I'm also a younger guy so it wasnt my taste. For this I just pulled the fairing, got a cheap headlight off ebay, chopped 5 links off hte rear springs (had to use different springs because these ones on this model were tapered unlike my other xs's i've had) which dropped the rear about 5 inches. moved the rear fender foward, and a 25 dollar solo seat, slapped special tank on er and drag bars and a cheap paint job. I think i got about 8 hours time in labor, and maybe 120 bucks in parts (because it was a standard and not a special, if it was a special i wouldnt of had to get a tank, headlight, or labor with the wiring mess up front) Heres how this one turned out. Still want to paint the rear rim lip red and put a wide white wall tire on, that will complete the look I want. Perhaps even some red cherry bombs. I chose chop springs over a straight bar, it's still basically a hardtail, but with a "little" bit of give, not much, but any helps. Originally I too was worried about how far i could drop it without having shaft problems, and basically it's about 6 inches to equal the same angle when it was high, to low, anymore and I could possibly see shaft issues.




i found this pic on cardomain, which is what originally inspired me to go in this direction


but in my opinion, you can visit any xs site and view the galleries of all the customs, even if thier not 1100's they still started off with the same shape and style, i think 650rider.com that has hundreds upon hundreds of gallery pics of customs. here was my first chop, a baby xs, but you can see, same shape and style, just smaller, bought that one for a hundred bucks, and 120 in mods, got that nastalgic 60's look i was going for. looking back i'm not impressed, but back then i was happy considering i knew nothing about bikes.

[lostsoul74]

by the way, thats whitewall tire paint on the one, a good suggestion if you undecided for whitewall or not and need a tire anyways, i chose to spend 7 dollars first to see what it looks like before i spent the 200 bucks on one (though, that tire paint actually lasted pretty well). I've also yet to figure out how the cardomain guy got his brake/clutch levers down without using risers, mine hit, but kind of like the devil horns look I got, only took a minute to get use to them being at that angle. I also plan on forward controls at some point in time, got some harley sportster controls off ebay for 20 bucks, just got to chop em and extend to make larger, though if i recall, i almost got a set of controls from an xv650? (xvs? cant remember, it was a yamaha though) that had the brake cylinder on the controls which illiminated the whole issue of such a wide motor and running extensions off the existing brake setup. The mounting plates looked like they'd work out great. got to get some round instrument cluster too at some point. Lets see if i hang on to this one first though, got a kz900 drag bike in the for sale section that hasnt sold locally, may just keep it since it's already stretched and customed, just lift hte front and drop the rear, and slap some apes on her.

[lostsoul74]

[Bowtied]

Okay even tho i will hear alot of crap from the people on here about the ape hangers. I really like the look of them and would realy like to run a set on mine. And if i do decide to do that, where would i find longer cables for my clutch and brakes etc? Wires i can extend easily. Cables and lines not so much hahaha! Anybody know if they make longer cables for these bikes or if they know of any bikes with longer cables that'll fit say a 10-12 ape hanger bar? Thanks again fellas.

[psycoreefer]

Most everyone will recommend stainless steel lines if your replacing them, and almost any place that makes stainless lines will make them as long (or short) as you want them. You just have to specify the length and the type of ends you want on the lines. Most of the cost is in the ends so longer lines won't cost much more.

Motion pro will make custom length cables. Call em up and tell them you want cables for an xs 11 plus however many inches. Cost isn't much more here either.