Hi- new owner of XS1100.

[MaximPhil]

Hi Throttle Jockey,
I see you are our NEWEST member and likely to stay so as wecan not accept any new members until th "Meteor shower" of spammers passes. At this rate you could reach Guru staus as the newest member
Phil

[crazy steve]

I'll second the 'take it all apart and clean it' on the brakes. If the bike was stored in a reasonably dry place, just doing this will usually solve any brake issues. Like 'bug said, make sure you pull and clean behind the seals as that's where many problems are. Most cases, you won't even need any parts. If you run into rusty/pitted caliper pistons, those probably should be replaced and look very closely at the seals. Make sure to clean the imfamous 'spooge hole' in both M/C too.

Make sure you blow the brake lines/hoses out; don't want any junk getting into your fresh calipers...

[ThrottleJunky]

Will do guys. I will go completely through the entire brake system. I'm kind of working my way through this thing. After the brakes are done I want to take it for a spin and kind of clean the motor out on the road- you know, the old Italian tune-up. I'm sure the front forks are going to need some attention, too.

PS- Yeah, Phil, I found out about the spammers as I had a hard time registering. I'm happy to have been accepted.

[natemoen]

Another thing to lol at is the steel line in the rear brakes can rust on the inside. Mine had clogged from rust buildup. Just something else to check.

[ThrottleJunky]

Well, I completely rebuilt the front brakes, but I've run into a problem with the rear. It seems the piston is stuck on, and the wheel is completely locked up. I cannot pull the caliper off as a result. I have tried everything. Most of the fluid is gone. I don't know if I should pull the whole wheel off and try to deal with it, but it is frozen solid. Any suggestions? I already attempted the suggestions in the "brakes frozen" section.

[bikerphil]

Did you remove the screw from the left side of the caliper that holds the pads in place? The caliper won't come off otherwise.

[ThrottleJunky]

I also found out the clutch is not disengaging when the cable is pulled. I took off the side cover, and the cable is actually pulling the lever up, so I'm a little stumped, but I'll delve into that after I finish the brakes.

[ThrottleJunky]

Did you remove the screw from the left side of the caliper that holds the pads in place? The caliper won't come off otherwise.

Yes, that was one of the first things I removed. The pads are just stuck on full because the piston is locked up.

[bikerphil]

Well then, I'd remove the brake line and get a pry bar and go at it. Good luck!

[ThrottleJunky]

I tried a pry bar and everything, and I finally just took a hammer and gently beat the crap out of it, and it finally came.

[bikerphil]

Nice, now the fun part of getting the piston out. I've heard a grease gun works well for super stuck pistons.

[cywelchjr]

Yeah, although if it was still hooked up and you could get fluid into the rear MC, that MIGHT work best, but from the sounds of how the system is that might be a long shot, but it would be the first thing I would try. Of course if the piston is that stuck, it might be too corroded to save.

[cowboybob998]

date code

I should mention that I have not adjusted the fuel/air screws on any of the carbs. I did bottom each out, counting the turns, then returned them to their original positions. They vary wildly, from 1 1/2 turns out, to more than 3 1/2. I need to read more about synchronization before I get into fine tuning these things.

The brake system needs attention. The piston on the front brake control is stuck in, so I may have to rebuild the master cylinder. The fluid was absolutely vile. It was dark brown and chunky, so I'll bleed the system tomorrow. The rotors look excellent. The Dunlop tires were brand new but flat when I bought the bike. It's a shame but I think I should replace them for safety reasons. I'm just worried that the rubber has deteriorated.

check the date code on the tires, a branded 3 0r 4 letter code on one side of the tire, the last one or two numbers is the year it was made, they say dont run tires over six years old no matter what they look like

[crazy steve]

....they say don't run tires over six years old no matter what they look like

'They' are lawyers, and that six year figure is correct if you live in Phoenix Arizona or a similarly hot sunny climate. If you live somewhere cooler and the tires haven't been exposed to the sun constantly, they can last considerably longer. Use your head; if there's signs of weather-checking, yeah, you should replace them, but just because they're six years old doesn't mean they're bad...

[cowboybob998]

i have run ol tires around town here when working on an ol bike, but i aint getting out on the hyway unless its got new tires on it, those date codes are a good deal in my book.