Interchanging parts

[bchaffin]

I just bought a 1980 xs 1100 standard and was wondering how hard it would be to swap the square gauges and headlight for the rounds off the specials. Do they mount up the same or would it take some modifying.

[WMarshy]

Welcome to the forum. Read here first.

[fredintoon]

I just bought a 1980 xs 1100 standard and was wondering how hard it would be to swap the square gauges and headlight for the rounds off the specials. Do they mount up the same or would it take some modifying.

Hi bchaffin and welcome,
like Marshy sez, you can dig all that data out of the list search function.
But here is a reader's digest version:-
You can swap in a complete Special front end. But you will then be stuck with the Special's Weird Harold front brake calipers so I'd say don't do that, swap parts instead.
The ears are different because of the Standard's wide rectangular headlamp. It's most likely easier to shorten the Special's ear tubes than to tinbash the Standard ears straight.
I think the gauges & signals should drop right on.
Note that the Special's front signals don't have running lights in them.
Note that the Special's tach has a red "low gas" warning light in place of a fuel gauge that won't work with the Standard's fuel tank sender.
You will need to swap it for a thermistor sender from a Special tank which has to go in with it's wires pointing forward or it'll be upside down and won't work right.

[bchaffin]

Thanks, I wanted to get rid of the big akward square lights and gauges and thought this would be the easiest route.

[TomRodgers]

Hmp...big awkward to some may mean "mean gnarly and nasty" to others!!!

[crazy steve]

Welcome to a fellow 'standard' owner! Yes, I'm partial...

To me, those square lights and gauges is one of the things that sets the XS apart from all the other bikes out there; there's no mistaking a XS 'standard' for anything else. Yes, they may be a bit of an acquired taste...

You may have trouble finding those parts, and as was pointed out, it's not a 'simple' bolt-on. And that big square headlight throws out a lot of light, so if you ride at night much you may be giving up some illumination.

But that's just my opinion...

'78E original owner

[justme1100]

I just replaced my headlight on my XJ1100 with a square one, the old round one was squished, damn tree, but I think they both put out plenty of light with the right bulb. I am planning on a higher watt bulb soon. I did drop my head light by flipping the mounting ears, moved my gauge cluster forward and down a little. I will have to get a pic to post. I will admit that the round light was a little better as far as beam spread on the road and it too was on those flipped ears. I use 2 L.E.D. bulbs in my tail light. I bought the L.E.D. lic. plate bolt lights and those light up my plate which adds quite a bit of rear visibility, they give off a blueish white color on my white plate. Directionals are coming next. To be continued...