Handling

[James England]

Hi Folks. I keep reading about the XS1100's legendary bad handling on just about every page on the internet, old magazines etc. Then I read about wobbles and other bad things about the handling on the forum.

I've had 27 bikes of different makes, Japanese and British mainly. So I've experienced different sorts of handling in a variety of size bikes. I just don't get it about how the XS1100 is supposedly so bad on handling! All this 'wallowing into bends' talk etc. I'm seriously wondering if it's an urban myth!

My bike handles absolutely perfectly. No wobbles at any speed. No wallowing into bends. I can ride it one handed at 50mph+ with no waggling (not that I do it a lot...). I can tear into corners, and out of them, at good speeds. Throw the bike about. And so on. It never feels unsafe.

My brother had a Kawasaki Z1000ST which was abominable in handling. I had a Honda CB500T that was appalling. My Triumph Bonnevilles weren't so good and my Norton Commando was bordering on lethal in terms of handling. I really do know what lousy handling is and it certainly isn't on my XS1100. I have standard rear shocks on middle setting. New fork tubes and sliders with progressive springs on lowest setting. I have a Micron fork brace. I replaced the steering head bearings and swinging arm bearings. Wheel bearings are good.

I really don't know what all the negative stuff is all about. Am I either very fortunate or missing something? Or do I have poor judgement re handling?

[tcoop]

I was just thinking about this today. I have not had any problems with handling on my xs11 and I don't have a fork brace, everything else is stock. Not that I have ridden any sports bikes, but I have no problem with the XS11.

[Craigaboy]

Good thoughts. I am new to the xs11, but my bike had no dampening left in the shocks. It would bounce slightly on bumps and caused a little woble. That would be the case with any bike. Maybe some of the legend stems from all that power on tap - and people being used to less responsive motors?

[11Rider]

Ha! That's funny because one of the posts I was going to make was about how bad my 11 handles and if there might be something wrong with it. Mine gets into some kind of wobbly side to side bounce just by hitting a good size bump in a straight line

[DGXSER]

I only have a couple real comparisons. One is the 250 Nighthawk I used for my MSF course which of course was MUCH easier to toss around. The other was my CB750s, which I have to say seemed to take less thought or effort to get through the turns. But for a 650 lb bike the XS11is not like driving my F150 crewcab.

[jwhughes3]

no problems to report

once I upgraded shocks from old stock to 418 Progressive 12" shocks with a 230/270 spring rating...

I have a tkat fork brace but bought it to avoid potential problems with a windshield not that I was experiencing any issues - really cannot complain either.

This is on Great Ranger (80SG) - on Rising Sun there is a small bit of speed wobble above 80 but I really don't abuse it anymore because its a bit more neglected when I got it and did not want it to suffer so my riding style is much more sedate on the 78E. I have not checked above 80 since I replaced the mismatched shocks.

John

[jetmechmarty]

John,

Do you think I could get those springs for my new 412 series? I don't think I need that rate. I'm 235 lbs, my passengers are much less. I think my sag is too much with preload all the way up.

James,

Set up correctly, the XS11 handles fine. Even equipped stock, it's OK if the sag is set correctly. It benefits from better rear shocks and I think the world of the RaceTech emulators.

Late model, but you get the idea:
http://youtu.be/mK3flKxf41U

[skids]

Out of 4 of the xs11's I own, one was pretty "noodley". The TKat fork brace didn't solve the problem completely, nor did adjusting the steering head or replacing the front wheel bearings... Then I adjusted the trailing arm pivot bolts and it is now good.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Craigaboy,

Yeah, that loss of dampening is bothersome. I remember my stock 81SH and the rear shocks allowing a lot of rear end RISE with throttle input, like riding a bucking bronco. I think the early shocks had 1 way=compression dampening but not expansion dampening?? When I did my rebuild in 2000, I put on just some inexpensive Monza style shocks from JCW, same as Partsnmore or MikesXS, and noticed immediately the improved handling and loss of the bucking bronco!!

Rider, along with checking your rear shocks, you may also want to check the swingarm bearings tension/slack, but also the steering head bearings,clean, lube and set proper tension of the nut/clamp, not too tight or loose.

T.C.

[planedick]

It's because

There are many things involved in the set-up that can cause bad handling. Some that comes to mind is the necessity of loosening the fork brace, upper and lower clamps on one side of the tripple tree anytime the front tire is off. These are tightened in this order, first the axle nut then the axcle clamp by tighteneing the front first all the way and leave any gap on the back of the clamp, next is the fork brace, then the lower triple tree clamp followed by the top one. Then there is the play in the yoke bearings, swing and arm bearings.

I have learned most of these things the hard way and have experienced the things mentioned, although the axle clamp is factory recommended proceedure and doing it different will cause the bike to want to go left when you let go of the bars. Now the Pathfinder goes down the road straight when I let go of the bars so I can play with my phone or GPS....

[cywelchjr]

Mine wobbled pretty bad in corners when I got it. Then I changed the front D404 for a different front tire and the problem went away. I put XJ shocks on the rear and it got even better, and put the spitfire rear on and it got a little better. I'm hoping that it gets just that little bit better with the Conti Milestone that I'm getting mounted next week, but it's handling pretty good now, but yes, I did get that feel in corners, I think there are lots of little things that can add up to causing it, and if you get everything right it handles pretty good unless you REALLY press it hard.

[crazy steve]

James, the handling ills attributed to these don't really show up until you press the bike pretty hard. But when you do get to that point, boy, does it show up... That's the bad part; there really isn't much warning. Very well mannered, until it's not...

On smooth roads, you generally won't run into this. But do some at-the-limits cornering on less than flat smooth pavement (any slight whoop-de-do will do it) and it will upset the suspension and make life very interesting until you get it slowed. In and out of the throttle (causing the rear to pogo from the torque reaction) will upset them too. Now mind you, this was what I experienced when the bike was new (so you couldn't blame worn components for it), but there also weren't any suspension upgrades such as a fork brace or better springs. I wouldn't rate mine as one of the better handling bikes I've owned, but it's adequate if ridden within it's limits. A smooth riding style is helpful for best results too. You can't pitch these around like you would a bike with better suspension and/or lighter weight. My '93 Sportster, at 60 lbs less weight, bigger forks, and progressive suspension handles much more precisely compared to the XS. Even with all the upgrades, the skimpy fork diameter will always be the limiting factor IMO... which is why I'm swapping 41mm FJ forks onto one of mine.

[T99Ford]

Everything Crazy Steve said!!!

If you press the 1100, meaning dragging parts at 100+ MPH, you will notice poor handling characteristics immediately. And I noticed that these were influenced greatly by rider input (smoothness). The main thing for me was to commit to a turn, and concentrate on making it smooth. I could usually navigate well in that case. However, any variations in throttle, body position, or the like at full lean at 100 MPH would drastically affect handling. Most don't ride to that kind of extreme, so it is usually not a problem.

[Craigaboy]

With how smooth and powerful the engine is - I think it temps you to take everything faster than one should That's probably why such an elite group of individuals are drawn to the XS11 - navigating the corners with finesse and restraint. Not a bike for all those: "I've always wanted a motorcycle - cool that one looks like a spaceship and it has awesome graphics - I'll take it - how do you ride this thing???"

[yamahansolo]

Ridong through the mnts at high speed used to be horrible on this bike. I got the racetech emulators and it flicks with ease. Fells like the bike is 100 pounds lighter.
I think the standard was the main one with front handling issues due to the front axel only being bolted on one side and the cradle clamp on the other.