New to XS11, how hard will this be to fix?

[trbig]

Good gosh, people!

Get an alternator cover, build that broken chunk up with some JB Weld.. all you need to do is keep the water out... and ride the thing.

Don't you realize how many bikes are out there running around with chunks gone there? As long as it isn't all the way into the cae where it won't hold oil... and even then you can fix it.

A guy is looking for a cheap bike, and you guys have him buying a new motor already. Sheesh!


Tod

[trbig]

That being said... figure at least $200 for tires, $50-$75 for a battery, $40-$50 for an alt. cover, another $100 at least for oil, plugs, brake fluid, dielectric grease for the electrical connections, JB Weld or some type of putty, etc.

If you can get the bike for free.. you MAY be able to get a running bike for $500.. but that's assuming nothing goes wrong.. which is doubtful on a 31 year old bike.

I think your budget is going to be too tight.

Tod

[Sojourner]

Well, I did ask for their input.

That being said, I'm looking forward to Saturday. Of course we're supposed to get a foot of snow Friday night, well if you believe the weather man anyway. If I had it all to do over again I think I'd go into meteorology. It's the only job I know where you can be considered good at your job when you are right only 40% of the time. But I digress.

Provided the bike has a title, the crank doesn't wobble, and the guy is willing to take $200 or less, then I guess I'll be an XS1100 owner. I'll just have to figure out how to get a bike with two flats out of a muddy backyard (or a foot of snow!) and onto a pickup.

So do I have to keep it stock to stay in the good graces of this board? I'd hate to turn it into a bobber and loose all of this input/help.

[trbig]

It will be your bike... but the overwhelming majority here like a good stock bike. BUT.. the overwhelming majority won't be the ones riding or having to look at your bike like you will.

Tod

[Sojourner]

Well the tank is going to at least be custom! No emblems aside from an Ale8 logo, a KY Colonels logo, or a Square and Compass.

I got to admit, I sure like the looks of THIS XS1100.

[Ken Talbot]

I'm just looking for a CHEAP bike (SWMBO says $500)

You'll certainly be able to get this one for less that $500 - probably around $300 or $325 if he's asking $350 OBO.

The real question is how is SWMBO going to be when you spend a couple hundred more on new tires (honest, honey, this is just to keep me alive so I can look after you), another hundred or so on SS braided brake lines (honest, honey, this is just to keep me alive so I can look after you). As long as you have a lucrative pop bottle collecting enterprise under way, the hundred or two for fresh oil, oil filter, air cleaner element, brake fluid, and battery should all stay "under the radar". If the tank is bad, you might also have to take on an early morning paper route.

Go for it!

[Geezer]

If the rust isn't too bad, you can repair that missing chunk with MarineTex. It can be found at most boat shops and is flat amazing (but not cheap.) The so called black MarineTex cures to a gray color that isn't too far from the color of the case.

Geezer

[xs11bobber]

If SWMBO is saying $500, I don't think this particular SF is the one for you. You can find decent "parts bikes" if you watch for them. I found one needing tires and a battery for $300 last year. I recommend keeping a close eye on craigslist pages in the tri-states here and also watch ebay and check your local free-ad paper. Found one in a smaller local classified paper just needed a TCi for $600. So maybe you can get SWMBO to negotiate a little lol.
We'll have to hook up for a ride this summer if you can get things worked out. I've got some parts I could probably help you out with as well. I've got 2 SFs and then I've got a parts E and another working E.

[Sojourner]

Maybe I need to define "running". If it starts and I can blip the throttle, even if it dies right afterwards, then to my wife it's running. SS brake lines, hell even brakes for that matter, don't figure into the $500 budget. Tires that hold air would go a long way to help calm her down but in the end it's firing it up that'll put her straight. She's just happy to have me around the house. The kids play in the yard, she gets some sun, while I make sun tea and twirl wrenches on the back driveway.

As for fixing it up, I get play money every two weeks (payday), so I can buy things as I go. The $500 budget is just my play money portion of our income tax return. Budget took a hit this year since we're taking the kids to Disney this year and using the rest to pay down some bills. We're working towards paying everythig off so the wife can stay home full-time and be all Donna Reed. Don't know about y'all, but I'm all about coming home to heels, pearls, and dinner on the table.

[tbishop11]

Hey that's My Bike?

Well the tank is going to at least be custom! No emblems aside from an Ale8 logo, a KY Colonels logo, or a Square and Compass.

I got to admit, I sure like the looks of THIS XS1100.

Crazy I was reading through this post and clicked on that link and it was my Bobber, I really appreciate that, and welcome to XS11.com! I don't know if it helps but that bike your looking at is in about the same shape as mine was, except the broken case. But Like Tod says you should be able to fix it up pretty cheap it may not be a complete restore but a little here and there and it could be. I really respect the guys that take these Ol' beauties and bring them back to there original status. Well if you do get it good luck and don't worry there's pretty of experience and great advise here on Channel 11.

[Sojourner]

Twice now in this same thread that the world got a little smaller!!

You deserve the recognition man, that is one nice looking bobber you made for yourself. And blogging the whole transformation, it's a HUGE help. Hell I even took the second picture off that page and made it my desktop background. Showed the wife the CL ad and she wasn't too impressed. Showed her what I was looking to turn it into (showed her your bike), and she was all on board.

Can't wait to roll up to a Rev. Horton Heat show on this bike once I'm through with it. Thanks for giving me a blueprint/partslist to work from. And no worries, I don't plan on making mine a carbon copy by any means.

[tbishop11]

Sojourner,
Thanks again man! The Ol' Bobber is a lot of fun and surprisingly not as uncomfortable as it looks. As a matter of fact the other day I took it the shop that powder coated my wheels (A Harley Shop) and one of the guys took her out for a spin, when he got back he kept telling the guys that they need to start doing the metric bikes because it was so much fun. He couldn't believe how hard it pulled through every gear too. So as far as the quality of the XS1100's it's hard to beat they were built to last and Yamaha did a surprisingly good job with them. You know what else is funny that Picture is my favorite too and I've also got it as my desktop background, so when I read that it was yours as well I had to show my wife because I doubt that she would have believed that there's people out there just as weird as I am. I'm not too worried about being copied either I did the page in full faith that like me people would make there projects their own style. So once again buddy I hope it works out and good luck!

[Sojourner]

To double-back round to a previous question- is tere anything from a XS650 that would work on an XS1100? For $30 I can pick up carbs, bars, a wheel with tire, instrument cluster, etc. (see previous post of CL ad)

I'm not too concerned with drop-in ability. I'm more than willing to alter/bend/tweek/frankenbike when necessary.

[DGXSER]

To double-back round to a previous question- is tere anything from a XS650 that would work on an XS1100? For $30 I can pick up carbs, bars, a wheel with tire, instrument cluster, etc. (see previous post of CL ad)

I'm not too concerned with drop-in ability. I'm more than willing to alter/bend/tweek/frankenbike when necessary.

The front wheels I balieve are completely drop in interchange. Not sure the back will work though.

Alot of the electrical switches can be made to work, but it is not to tough to fix the ones you would have on this bike.

The carb bodies might work depending on the year of the bike/model of carbs. But the XS650 had two carbs the 1100 has four. Might be getting ahead of yourself on the carb issue, these may be just fine.

[fredintoon]

To double-back round to a previous question- is there anything from a XS650 that would work on an XS1100? For $30 I can pick up carbs, bars, a wheel with tire, instrument cluster, etc. - - -

Hi Sojourner,
Carbs differ in small details but might be adaptable.
ANY 7/8" bar will fit your top tree.
Front wheel is a drop-in (even the wire wheel but pre '77 calipers are dished wrong.)
Rear wheel is chain drive so no.
Speedo yes.
Tach no. (The XS650 tach is mechanical while the XS11 tach is electric.)
Fred Hill, S'toon.