New member and the bike

[schooter]

Hello, my friend recently purchased a 1979 xs1100 midnight special for 800. it has sat for 2 years. it has 23XXX miles. it runs, and the carbs seem pretty ok. Its mostly origional except for the exhaust, it has some gay turnout exhaust, i really hate those. Anyway, this paint is nothing special, but it isnt horrible. the gold side coves are kinda bad, it has a rust spot on one side, but we're going to use backyard engineering and touch it up. the paint on the engine is decent, with some chips that we'll touch up. the carb boots are shot, we're ordering some used ones off ebay. we also are getting a new front tire, and spark plugs, oil, filter, etc. basically i'm doing all the work, my friend only knows how to work on his dads olivers, oh ya we're both in high school. did we get a good deal? are these midnights rare? in the end i think we'll have around 1100 into it, maybe up to 1300. the fork seals ought to be changes and it wouldn't hurt to have the valves check and whatnot.
oh ya, dothese bikes have problems with second gear? i would think so since the xj's do, my xj700's second gear is shot, kicking myself over it.

oh ya, and you guys are probably welcome to come over and buy the bike, this is my friends first bike, and he'll probably kill himself on it.

Anyone here from michigan?

[schooter]

adgsda

oh ya, what kind of grease do you put inthe final drive thing? my xj700 doesnt have a grease zerk, but this 1100 does, and will 80w-90 work?

[DGXSER]

There are a few Michigan members for sure. Hate to tell you but the midnight was not made until the 1980 model year. Perhaps a clerical error somewhere, or maybe it was just the first runs that came out in late 1979. The Midnight is certainly the least prodiced of the 1100s as I understand it. Weather or not you got a good deal all depends on what you want it for, and if it runs well.

2nd gear is pretty common to have issues on the XS11. But there is a good documented fix for it here.

If this is truly his first ever bike, never riden before, then please...please....take the MSF course first before he rides the beast. And depending on his size and ability and of course maturity, give some thought to this being a good choice for a learning bike. These bikes when running on all four are seriously easy to let it get away from you. I am not sure when a 6-700cc bike became a beginners or "girls" bike. 1100 cc is a BIG bike, and these bikes are geared and powerful. I'd hate to hear you selling the bike for his family because it got away from him.

There is a middle and final drive that take 80W90, the zirk fitting takes grease, but it does not get the shaft well really, should pull the drive off and grease it.

[cajun31]

You stated the carb boots are shot. Are they cracked all the way through or just the exterior. If not all the way through then just seal the them with plasti dip or silicon. Question, Are the spokes on the wheels curved or straight. Straight indicates a 1980 model and curved 1981. They only made the midnight 1100s for two years. I bought mine new in 1980. Be sure to read the tech tips on this forum. Go through the brakes and the carbs and change all the fluids. Depending on how much it takes to get is streetable would indicate whether the $800.00 was a good deal or not. As was stated these bikes are not for the beginner. Make sure your buddy takes a MSF course and respects the power of these bikes. Good luck.

[renegade_xs11g]

Anyone here from michigan?

Yeah, a little south of Jackson, Send me a PM if I can be of Help!

[fredintoon]

oh ya, what kind of grease do you put inthe final drive thing? my xj700 doesnt have a grease zerk, but this 1100 does, and will 80w-90 work?

Hi Schooter,
Yeah, 80W90 in the final drive and in the middle drive too. Full synthetic works best. The bike's toolkit should have a double-ended plastic dipstick to tell you the levels. If not there's a description someplace in the list.
The Zerk is supposed to grease the spline where the driveshaft joins the final drive but it don't work right. The grease gets gubbled onto the outside and none of it gets to the spline. You gotta remove the back wheel then unbolt the final drive unit to pull that spline apart and pack grease inside it. There's a little coil spring inside the spline socket, don't lose it and be sure to put it back. The spline don't need greasing very often, doing it each time you change the rear tire is about right.

[schooter]

l

alrite, thanks guys, it should be road worthy pretty soon.

We dont have a tool kit with the bike, at least we cant find it. so do we just fill it until it comes out the hole? thats what we do on my maxim and our shaft drive 3 wheelers.

and as far as carb boots go, i didnt want to take a chance, they're more wrinkled than John mccain's grandfather. eerrrr wait, they dont get wrinkles, they get cracks, oh well

[DGXSER]

Look in the tech tips area, there is a diagram to make your own dipstick for the middle and final drives. Shows the depth to the oil levels.

[Ivan]

If you over fill the middle and final drives, they will just burp oil out the vents when they heat up, and make spots on your engine and rear wheel, which can be taken off with a pressure washer. I have found the automatic car washes to be inneffective at cleaning the top of the transmission, and the under carriage wash tends to get in my nose a bit. Just use the pressure gun type.

OTOH, under filling the gear cases can lead to sudden destructive failure. (thih part is no joke)

[schooter]

l

is my avatar too bad, or is it ok?

[pete_s]

Very Bad, very bad, but I like it

[fredintoon]

Only this much.

is my avatar too bad, or is it ok?

Hi Schooter,
the lady seems to be riding a big single, right? It was my teenage dream, too; a hyper-mammalian bird riding a 16H Norton.
DON'T fill the middle or the final drives right up, that's a BAD idea.
Just for you, from Clymer's. Middle gear case takes 12 US fluid ounces (375cc), final drive case takes 10 US fluid ounces (300cc) of 80W90 hypoid gear oil.
List consensus seems to be that although synthetic oil can make your clutch slip it works great in the gear cases.

[ManitoulinLad]

Hey Schooter - I love your activar "don't change it man" it does leave me mezmorized through, & I was forgetting about the subject in the thread or does that really matter anyways? What was I talking about?

[trbig]

DON'T fill the middle or the final drives right up, that's a BAD idea.

OK.. and your opinion of this is why? Both middle and final drives have vents and as Ivan stated.. will simply burp off what's not needed.


Yes, there's a proper level to fill them and a dipstick.. and you will avoid the "Burps", but no real harm done to fill them up.


Tod

[Korr]

damn those boobs! I keep staring at them and spacing out ahhahaha! Oh shoot i'm sorry i forgot what i was going to say...