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**bikerphil** · 03-18-2009, 08:49 AM

A few things you must have: TCI, pickup coils, ignition coils, alternator, voltage regulator, starter solenoid.

A few things you could get rid of: Reserve lighting unit, tip over switch, headlight relay (light will still work), turn signals, self cancelling flasher unit.

This is just a start. HTH

**fredintoon** · 03-18-2009, 10:40 AM

Originally posted by JC FC View Post

- - - was curious to what components i MUST have to run the bike. - - - the diagram is pretty simple to follow just need to know how important everything is before i start cutting up my harness. - - - the reason I'm asking is because I'm going to bobber this bike, - - - and I don't really need everything that the bike has stock. going hard tail, want to keep the electric starter, the head and tail lights, tach and speedometer.

Hi JC and welcome,
to me, the XS11 wiring is a f***ing rat's nest of useless complication and meaningless mystery modules. Let me suggest that rather than cutting into the existing main harness to modify it you start over and scratch build a new simplified main harness.
About the headlight auto-on feature. With the advent of headlight always on laws the mfrs put that circuit in so the starter didn't have to share battery power with the headlight. Absent that circuit and the headlight comes on with the ignition so the battery has to supply headlight + ignition + starter and could have difficulty powering all three.
And my personal hobbyhorse, going hardtail is daft.

**dbeardslee** · 03-18-2009, 10:59 AM

And my personal hobbyhorse, going hardtail is daft

No doubt. That's gonna be a real kidney puncher. Might be OK with a sprung seat, but I have no idea how you would mount one on an XS. Handling will probably suffer as well - wouldn't want to hit a bump in a turn though.

**crazy steve** · 03-18-2009, 11:21 AM

Originally posted by fredintoon View Post

....to me, the XS11 wiring is a f***ing rat's nest of useless complication and meaningless mystery modules. Let me suggest that rather than cutting into the existing main harness to modify it you start over and scratch build a new simplified main harness.
And my personal hobbyhorse, going hardtail is daft.

I'll agree with Fred about the complexity of the XS wiring. But I will disagree about the advisability of scratch-building a new one. I've done this on bikes out of necessity (PO-hacked harness) and it's a PITA. Take your service manual (you do have a manual? Get one before trying this...) and educate yourself on the function of all the various electrical components before you start removing any. The simple solution is to unplug the exterior items you don't need and just 'hide' the unused ends.

And if you go hardtail to lower the bike, aren't there issues with u-joint wear and driveshaft lubing?

'78E original owner

**JC FC** · 03-18-2009, 05:51 PM

Might be OK with a sprung seat, but I have no idea how you would mount one on an XS. Handling will probably suffer as well

i was planning on getting a spring seat. as for mounting it...im sure i can weld something together to make it work.

And if you go hardtail to lower the bike, aren't there issues with u-joint wear and driveshaft lubing?

honestly, i dont have a clue, i dont see why it would. im not going to extending or make the frame shorter. im just going to weld bars where the suspension is bring up the back tire enough so that im not dragging with the stock exhaust on the ground. i have taken off the rear fender already to achieve that. but i dont see how it would affect the u-joint or drive shaft.
then again, i dont really know much about this bike.

going hardtail is daft.

may i ask why you think so?

**DGXSER** · 03-18-2009, 06:49 PM

Fred is renowned for his opinion that hard tails are not very practical (I'm being polite where he may not be.) What I believe Fred is getting to, is that the first bikes were hard tails, and after many years, and many operations to replace the mangled kidneys and to pull your jewels back out of your stomach from getting pounded up there with every bump, we discovered swingarms and suspensions to soften the ride. Don;t take this personally, not intended to be at all, but some would suggest that wanting a hard tailed bike is kinda like asking for the sand paper like toilet paper when you got a case of the runs. Yeah you can do that, but why the heck would you want to?? Some people just like that kinda stuff.

If you like it, go for it, I am interested in why you want a hard tail. I certainly understand and can go along with the minimalist approach to a bike, and the desire to have a low riding bike. However, if I ever get the opportunity to build my own bike, I would opt for the "hidden" suspension for the minimalist look with the comfort.

**bobber** · 03-18-2009, 07:40 PM

jc

yo jc,i have a bobber.it still has shocks on.drive shaft is left the same.frame is cut to shorten it.then a single seat.the shocks are 11'' from the middle of the bolt hole to bolt hole.not sure if smaller than orignal.
differrent rear fender shorten.rides fine ,no caddilac, but hey its a bobber and i love it. my lights come on with the ignition not had any trouble startin the bike.no speedo,rev counter and idiot lights.the striped look.differant headlight than orig,to go with the look of the bike.
have fun with yours. oh and i say each to their own.

**crazy steve** · 03-18-2009, 07:42 PM

Lube/wear issues...

The sharper the angle a u-joint is run at, the shorter the life. On these bikes, when loaded the u-joint/drive shaft runs close to 0 degrees, with a 5 degree +/- over bumps. If you go hardtail and lower it, now it will run out of it's design range all the time. Will you get away with it? Maybe....

As to the lube issue, if you have a early bike with the zerk fitting at the final drive, you may be ok. If not, there's a splined joint in there that gets it's lube from 'slosh' out of the middle drive. Lower the bike, and the lube won't be able to run uphill and what's there will run out.

And the hardtail thing? Hey, it's your bike. But the first time you hit a bump/pothole while cranking a corner and the rearend steps out then high-sides you onto the road you may regret that choice...

Before you hack the frame up beyond restoration, put on some solid struts in place of the shocks, then ride it to see if this is something you REALLY want to live with.

'78E original owner

**JC FC** · 03-18-2009, 07:52 PM

lol, well what im going for is a naked looking bike, as naked as possible. and i really like the way hard tail looks. ive seen a bike that has done what i want to but keep the suspension..and i think it looks really gross. im pretty used to riding hard. another hobby of mine is drifting, and our cars are very VERY stiff, and we use them as our daily drivers aswell. so i think as long as i have a cushioned spring seat i should be good enough for me.

**JC FC** · 03-18-2009, 08:07 PM

ill let you all know what im plannig on doing, i want to cut the framebars off from teh back to where they connect, like this http://farm1.static.flickr.com/77/18...68329c.jpg?v=0
but i dont like the look of that with that strut there. so i was thinking to if i go hardtail, i could lower the bike. now i suppose i would use some shocks if i can find some that are short enough to get the bike as low as i want it.

the driveline is at about +4 to +8 degrees so its no that much of a change. i jsut want to keep it there lol

**John** · 03-18-2009, 08:28 PM

Concerning the lube issues

The drive shaft to final drive is only supplied by the grease fitting where the swingarm and final drive are bolted together. The grease fitting will not direct the grease towards the splines, that is why the splines should be hand packed every so often. There is no splash, or slosh lubrication in the drive line of these bikes.The drive shaft is actually dry inside the swingarm tube.
The XS750-850 final drive did have an oil lubed spline, but there was also an oil seal on the drive shaft on those that kept the oil in the drive splines.

**dbeardslee** · 03-18-2009, 09:04 PM

The other thing that happens with a hardtail is that, if you hit a bump, you move most of the mass of the motorcycle which can cause the wheel to loose contact with the ground. With the swing arm it's only the mass of the swing arm and wheel assembly moving, and the springs keep the wheel in contact with the ground (most of the time

).

**DGXSER** · 03-19-2009, 01:58 AM

If you can do the welding work, then perhaps look at the single strut/shock style that is the rage on all of the "chopper" shows.

**JC FC** · 03-19-2009, 08:28 AM

Originally posted by DGXSER View Post

If you can do the welding work, then perhaps look at the single strut/shock style that is the rage on all of the "chopper" shows.

actually, bobber showed me his bike Here and i actually like the way it looks. now i just need to find out what shocks i can get that will give me that look... lol

congratulations! lol you have wooed me from hard tail and quite possible saved me from seriously hurting myself lol

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Wiring Diagram XS1100

Wiring Diagram XS1100

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