First Bike...XS1100 Standard..Need some advice.

[samuelwaldman]

I just bought an old salvage '79 xs1100 Standard. This is my first motorcycle ever so I'm basically just reading the manual and googling things I don't understand. I'm well aware this is not a beginners bike, and I'm not a mechanic, but we can worry about my safety later.
I took off the fairing, saddle bags, replaced the headlight and turn signals*, cleaned the carbs, bought a new horn**, changed the brake fluid and oil, replaced the petcocks and the battery. So it runs now, big improvement from when I first bought it. Still doesn't idle well without the choke fully out and I have trouble moving it in neutral.***

* - I have no idea how to read the wiring diagram. I bought the headlight bulb and the turn signals aftermarket. The bike has a long plug that originally went into the front fairing to connect the the tachometer, speedometer, clock and the built in signals. How do I connect them?

** - Do I have to take off the Gas tank to replace the horn?

***- Is this a hard bike to move in general based on it's weight, I'm just not sure if I'm scrawny or if the brakes are dragging.

Also I'd like to know how to change the seat, right now I have a touring seat for 2 and I'd like to replace it with a solo seat . Does anyone know how to do this.

Thank You for all your future help.

[WMarshy]

Welcome to the site. These bikes are heavy but they should roll fairly easy. Not sure about the condition of your bike when you received it but you probably need to disassemble the calipers, front and rear, and master cylinders, and clean them. What ya find with the calipers is the pistons will rust right where the oring is and the piston wont release. There should be some tech tips for rebuilding the brake system. Good luck!

[XS1100 Newbie]

First of all you have yourself a great bike. We like pics! Depending on how long it has been sitting, there are a number of things that must be done, and checked. Somewhere on here is a list of things to check on a newly purchased bike. You say you cleaned the carbs. If you did not tear them down completely and clean, the more than likely the enrichment circuit (choke) did not get clean. All calipers, and both master cylinders should be torn down and cleaned the brake system is notorious for being dirty and hanging up, thus the cleaning. Usually you will not need any new parts, just clean everything well. There are helps for most everything on these bikes on here. Go to the repair, and mod sections and search. Ask any questions that you want, none are dumb. We all help each other here, and there are some pretty wise people here. WELCOME!

[Redshirt]

Congratulations on your xs1100!
I started with zero experience and ended up doing extensive electrical work on my 79special.
The wiring diagram, once understood, is simple. Each wire is color coded to the bike. If you see a green line coming from something on the diagram, there should be a green wire on the bike.
Do note that the exception to this is when dealing with fairing wiring. in many cases the fairing (such as Vetter Windjammer series) has its own wiring diagram and it would be necessary to consult that diagram and match wires as needed. I had to figure out bike-to-fairing wiring myself and put alot of time into it.

Identify the fairing type. If you have a data plate on it, please let us know what it says. Im going to say it is likely a Vetter, but I could be wrong. A pic of it posted here and we could help.

[DGXSER]

First off Welcome to the madness of owning an XS11!!! One is always just the beginning!!

This is my first motorcycle ever so I'm basically just reading the manual and googling things I don't understand. I'm well aware this is not a beginners bike, and I'm not a mechanic, but we can worry about my safety later.

Ont he subject of your safety....Please take the MSF basic rider course if you have not. It is an excellent course and can usually be taken fairly inexpensively.

I took off the fairing, saddle bags, replaced the headlight and turn signals* I have no idea how to read the wiring diagram. I bought the headlight bulb and the turn signals aftermarket. The bike has a long plug that originally went into the front fairing to connect the the tachometer, speedometer, clock and the built in signals. How do I connect them?

Most fairings have a wiring harness that connects into the factory wiring harness. So you may need to follow connectors back and see if they connect into other connectors. I see your using aftermarket pieces, but almost all headlights are universal on the three prong connector. And the signals on these bikes use bullet style connectors you can get at almost any auto parts store, so you can make your after market stuff connect to the wiring harness points. The tach, and speedo is usuaaly the stock ones with the fairing going around them, may need to see pics to see what your dealing with on that one.

cleaned the carbs, bought a new horn**, changed the brake fluid and oil, replaced the petcocks and the battery. So it runs now, big improvement from when I first bought it. Still doesn't idle well without the choke fully out. - Do I have to take off the Gas tank to replace the horn?

For the horn, no you shoudl not need to take the tank off for the horn(s). They typically bolt to a bracket that gets bolted to the frame. Wires are down under tha tank. again, bullet connectors here.

As to the idel with choke issue, sounds like it is time for round two of the triple clean process. It is necessary and critical that you pull out all of the jets and clean the small passages REALLY well. See a thread with the title "Carb Cleaning 101" by Wildkat. Do a search for that title. Make sure you get all the small passages really clean. The idle jets and idle passages are the smallest, not runnign without choke is a sign of those being partly clogged. Now of course, the bike will need some choke until it gets warmed up, and these are big engines so they do not warm up in a minute or two sitting on the driveway. May take riding a mile sometimes.

I have trouble moving it in neutral. Is this a hard bike to move in general based on it's weight, I'm just not sure if I'm scrawny or if the brakes are dragging.

The bike itself is heavy, but it should roll pretty easily. You can always try just removing the calipers from the disc, hang them with wire or such, and see hwo it rolls then. If it is all but impossible to get the calipers off the disc, or the bike rolls much easier with them removed, then you need to clean up those systems as suggested. If it were my bike, I'd clean them anyway just to be sure. Stopping is MUCH more important than going!!

Also I'd like to know how to change the seat, right now I have a touring seat for 2 and I'd like to replace it with a solo seat . Does anyone know how to do this.

Well, the seat pulls off by two bolts under neath it, loosen them and slide them forward the seat will pull off. But, there is no stock solo seat for an XS11. You will need to make one or buy somethign you can make fit. Look around for threads here on Bobber or Rat projects folks have made of their XS11 bikes. XS11Lover has done a few that look pretty good and use a solo seat, he may be able to give you some ideas on how to make that happen for your ride.

[crazy steve]

For the horn, no you should not need to take the tank off for the horn(s). They typically bolt to a bracket that gets bolted to the frame. Wires are down under the tank. again, bullet connectors here..

Don, on the '78-79 standards, you do have to pull the tank to get the horn off... it's the only model like that.

For checking wiring, look here: http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...roubleshooting

You'll still want a wiring diagram, but the above will help you make sense of it. DO note that the headlight wiring as shown on the '78-79 Standard wiring diagram isn't altogether correct, so follow the guide.

[samuelwaldman]

Photos

www.Photobucket.com/leftyxs11

Kindof in reverse chronological order.

Another question: where is the vin number located. I bought this at a scrap yard with no title, I'd like to run the vin, see if there is anything wrong with it that would stop me from getting a title.

[XS1100 Newbie]

Should be on the side of the front frame neck.

[mmaddix]

I am a new motorcycle rider too and my first motorcycle is a 79 standard. I've been riding for about a month and this forum is awesome for help. Good luck with everything.

[DGXSER]

Don, on the '78-79 standards, you do have to pull the tank to get the horn off... it's the only model like that.

Very interesting Steve. Who would have thunk that something as simple as the horn mounting would have changed from one model to another that drastically, and that in all the time I am here I would not have seen anything on it before. We all learn something new every day.

[foreda]

www.Photobucket.com/leftyxs11

Kindof in reverse chronological order.

Another question: where is the vin number located. I bought this at a scrap yard with no title, I'd like to run the vin, see if there is anything wrong with it that would stop me from getting a title.

I hope you did not soak the whole carb in the carb cleaner bucket. You amy end up having to change the butterfly seals.

[natemoen]

Why you decided to smash the fairing to pieces instead of just unbolting it is beyond me.....was a nice Pacifico to fairing to start.

I would suggest working on the title before putting to much time, money, and effort into it.

Yup hopefully you didn't ruin the seals by soaking them in the carb cleaner. Also, soaking.the carbs like that is not a replacement for actually manually cleaning the passages out.

Also, what is your location? May be someone locally that could give you a little hand when.needed.

[DGXSER]

Frpm the looks of things, the carbs were supported up to keep the shaft seals out of the dip.

The stock gages are on the bike, just still has the shield from the fairing setup around them. Should keep the same connectors.

Mostly alot of wiring to be done. And yeah, not sure why you hate fairings so badly, but you could have sold that one for probably a $100, if you ha dnot tore it to shreds that is. But, iff you got $100 worth of therapy out of shredding it, so be it!

[samuelwaldman]

You can't see it in the photos, but there was a huge crack down the side of the fairing, and the screws were rusted so severely to the nuts that I had to rip parts of it off. Trust me, my first instinct wasn't to spend four hours tearing that fairing off.

[tom clisham]

wiring

I didn't see it mentioned above, but that long wiring harness from the fairing gets eliminated. Jjust unplug it & discard it. Every place on the bike where it's connected are your connectors for lights, etc. You'll need your test light if you can't figure out the wiring diagram.