New to me XS1100SH

[DGXSER]

Just bought it tonight. Starts and runs great, no second or first gear issues. I am not to keen on the replacement seat, but will live with it till I can find an original.

Only issue besides typical carbs need adjustment is front brakes. Runs fine, but they grab and squeak at a spot or two in the revolutions. Warped rotor is my guess. Not sure how to figure which one without taking them to a shop to get turned. Figure I should rebuild calipers also. Not sure where to find the parts for reasonable price. Dealer can order them but $55 each just for the seals.

Would post a pic or two, but do not see how to.

[bikerphil]

Georgefix on eBay has the rebuild kits. Don't know if the rotors can be turned (stainless steel), but you'll find them on eBay from time to time, or member Andreas has used parts. Welcome!

[Cobia]

Welcome DGXSER

Bikerphil beat me to it. Georgefix on ebay is reasonable and delivery is quick.

[DGXSER]

Here Goes

Trying to attach photos






Also hoping to repaint or remove the "blackout" someone put over the YAMAHA and ELEVEN SPECIAL emblems.

[Bigfoot]

Congrats on the bike and welcome to the site. Tons of information here and people always willing to help if you have any problems. Check out www.partsnmore.com. They have caliper kits for around $14.

[latexeses]

Greetings and welcome.

There is no need to wonder about something here...Just ask...Someone here knows the answer or knows where to point you to find it.

Might look at this for the badges if they won't clean up.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...threadid=19774

Rodger

[TADracer]

Yep, nice bike

Nice machine.

Your problem might not be a warped rotor at all. My special did what yours is doing after I replaced the front pads. What I found out was that the long bolt up through the caliper was slightly bent (both sides). I noticed that when I was removing the bolt to see what the deal was that the rotor would rock slightly from side to side as I was unscrewing the bolt. If this happens then getting the caliper lined up well with the rotor is almost impossible. I went to the hardware store, got a new pair of high strength bolts with new nuts, etc. and replaced them. Problem was solved.

[XSPastor]

Don't know if the rotors can be turned (stainless steel)

The rotors can be turned. You just have to take them to someone that knows what they're doing.

[Ivan]

If indeed you find the rotors to be warped, let me know, I owe a favor that I was told to pay to some one else. I have some rotors.

To find out if they are warped, use a travel indicator (dial indicator) mounted to the fork some where, and read the runout on the surface left by the pad. Not too sure about motorcycles but .002" on cars was pretty standard for acceptable runout. It had to get past about .015 before the pedal would pulse.

FWIW, my front brake squeaks incessantly. I have put the anti squeak membrane on the back of the pads, made sure all the rattle clips are in place, so I think I need to get new pads and see if they will help. Although the squeaking brakes just add to the effect of awe when you out gun some guy with a $12000 "chopper".

[DGXSER]

Thanks for the warm wlecome and great advice. I Know what I am doing this weekend.

Now to find a good dial indicator. Sears has one for $9, but that seems like a get what you pay for sort of thing. Front brakes on a bike is the last place I want to take chances.

[DGXSER]

Cleaned the "spooge" hole this evening and bled a little bit of fluid out of the calipers. It is not clean for sure. Going to clean the calipers and Will be pumping all new DOT 3 into the system this weekend.

After cleaning but before riding, front brakes grabbed noticably at certain points in tire rotation. After riding about 1 mile round trip, (its dang cold here) can barely tell they rub.

[DGXSER]

One down another found

Cleaned the "spooge" hole this evening and bled a little bit of fluid out of the calipers. It is not clean for sure. Going to clean the calipers and Will be pumping all new DOT 3 into the system this weekend.

After cleaning but before riding, front brakes grabbed noticably at certain points in tire rotation. After riding about 1 mile round trip, (its dang cold here) can barely tell they rub.

One other issue I discovered is the fuel petcock. It was turned to prime always. I turned it off to make sure I don't dump fuel into the engine when it is not running, turned to ON and the bike starves for fuel. Set it back to prime and all is well. Is this a sign of needing to rebuild the petcock?

[XSPastor]

Cleaned the "spooge" hole this evening and bled a little bit of fluid out of the calipers. It is not clean for sure. Going to clean the calipers and Will be pumping all new DOT 3 into the system this weekend.

After cleaning but before riding, front brakes grabbed noticably at certain points in tire rotation. After riding about 1 mile round trip, (its dang cold here) can barely tell they rub.

One other issue I discovered is the fuel petcock. It was turned to prime always. I turned it off to make sure I don't dump fuel into the engine when it is not running, turned to ON and the bike starves for fuel. Set it back to prime and all is well. Is this a sign of needing to rebuild the petcock?

Either that or someone switched the right and left label plates...

[Ivan]

the $9 indicator will work fine. it isn't rocket science. You could do the same thing but taking the rotor off and laying it on a flat surface and using a feeler gage. Glass is the most flat surface common folk have. If you have a granite surface table, you probably have a dial indicator.

[fredintoon]

Hi DGXSER,
does your newly acquired bike still have it's "octopus" (central vacuum operated fuel valve) Those over-complifexed gadgets are notorious for not working properly &/or being hooked up all wrong. Some say they only need TLC but I'm with the "toss the thing and remember to turn the gas off" school. Further to what Ivan says, a $9 dial indicator would not do for professional machinist's work where it's in use every day because it'd wear out in a month. But for the limited use it'll see in the average bike owner's home shop, it'll work just fine. If it's the same deal as I see in Princess Auto, also get the $9 magnetic base that goes with it.