New guy - pic heavy post

[Fix]

Hello all, I just purchased my bike and wanted to start out my first post here with pictures and questions.

As you can see, she needs some TLC, but she runs (rode her home).

I believe she's a '78 XS1100. The vin is 2H7002320. 37k on the odometer.

Throwing myself on the mercy of your collective knowledge, what should I check right away that are known problem areas?




















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[DGXSER]

Hey Fix, Welcome to channel 11!! Congrats on a nice looking 78 11. I'd say that is what it looks like to me.

Only thing I see right off non-stock is the fairing and the front rotors. It does not look nearly as neglected as many others that have shown up here. So you are in pretty good shape. There is a thread under the FAQs at the top of the page called "What to look for in a neglected XS" (I think it is there). Check it out, lots of great info to look over and suggestions for things to do to get the bike in great running order.

[oldyam80sg]

Hello and welcome!How did it ride home?If the bike has it i would take a look at the pick-up coil wires.They do break.Also i would take out the spark plugs and see what they look like and go from there.

[Fix]

Thanks fellas,

I'll check that FAQ, there's a lot on this site and I haven't skimmed the half of it. She rode home nice, although it seemed to idle a bit rough (which might be because the bike hadn't been run in a while), even at 70 it seems to have power to spare. My wife followed me home in the truck and said that when I hit a good bump in our fabulous Michigan roads the rear hopped to the right a little. Not sure if that's indicative of anything in particular.

Thanks again, and glad to be here!

[wa407mpp]

If it hasn't been ran for a while you may need to clean the carbs and while your in there check to see if the jets have been altered, it looks like the exhaust has been altered, extra holes drilled in the back around the outlets. Other then that just check it over good and fix the problems as they come up.

[DGXSER]

The PO on my bike also drilled out the baffle area of the exhaust ends liek that (well similar, smaller holes but more of them). I am running stock jets all the way across and it tunes nicely.

I would start by throwing a some Seafoam in the tank, mix it in with the gas good then let it run a few minutes to make sure the seafoam gets into the carbs and let it sit overnight or even a couple days, then run the bike and see if it clears up.

As to the back end hopping, well, depends on the shape and direction of what you hit. Could simply be the way the road was formed.

[wa407mpp]

I was saying, if he does the carbs to take a look at what he has for jets,or any other modifications just in case the p.o. made some changes. Some p.o.'s have been known to do strange and unnecessary things,and not always for the good.

[DGXSER]

Some p.o.'s have been known to do strange and unnecessary things,and not always for the good.

Amen Brother....Amen!!!

[Fix]

I would jinx myself by saying he didn't seem like that type of guy, but I'm not THAT type of guy.

Thanks guys.


By the way, is it normal for the bike to be calling me out to the garage at 11pm at night? I can hear it whispering to come and tinker...



must



resist

[WMarshy]

How would one measure the jets, will pin gages work?

P.S. Nice bike

[MrOzz]

How would one measure the jets, will pin gages work?

P.S. Nice bike

If you look at the top of the jets you most likely will be able to read the number.

[DGXSER]

Most of the jets (well, all I have seen so far, but that is not alot) have the size written on them.

With his being a 78, IIRC, the pilot jets are still 42.5 at stock (I think that is consistent across the board for factory jetting) and the mains would be the larger ones which I thought started off at 137.5. Now these numbers are for Mikuni or similar jets. I think the Dyno jets or others use a different numbering scheme and will differ in number for the same size jets. One of the true carb geniouses (not me!) will probably tell me where I am all wet on those sizes before long.

[wa407mpp]

You left the garage? why? all you need is a full cooler, a bucket, and a warm blanket and you all set.

[oldyam80sg]

Spent many sleepless nights in the garage fixing the bike when i was younger.Seems back then sleep was second,bike was first!

[WMarshy]

Thanks for the tip, I just got my bike and I hear it calling out like Fix's. I dont want to turn this post into another carb thread but I really have not torn into any carbs at all, and have been trying to read up on carbs in general. I could not find a post that siad how to tell what size jets they are. I did read 137.5 is stock for '79, mine has a 4 into one and is "gutless" because it's so rich. It just breaks up all to shzit if I open it up too far. Makes it tame... Thanks again.

Wade