1978 XS1100 First Ride.....WOW!!!!

[GLoweVA]

Ok He blew it out!

Yes, that is a shop vac hose, and I put it on the blower side, and just let it sit for awhile. I had used the cleaner to get the rust out of the tank and then rinsed with water, and used this to get it dry. Worked OK!!! So, I have beer and since the winter is coming http://jimphoto.freeprohost.com/01_02_09_snow.JPG I will have LOTS of time to work on the bike and drink beer. Come on over!!! I have two bike projects going, and am excited for the spring to come!!!

I guess i didn't read the words on the picture and assumed the worst.

Jim, I'd love to come by and help you with your project but I'm allergic to SNOW
Plus it's a little to far away.

Fred, it does/did have rear lights, they're just all the way on the back by the brake light.
See:

[jmacsuga]

Cleaning the Front Forks!!

I am spit shining the bike. Long winter, lots of snow, and well, you know the story. Anyway, while working on my '79, I am finding time for this little jewel. You might like the complete results, but I am in the process now of doing the front forks, and this is how far I have progressed so far. Go to http://jimphoto.freeprohost.com/Yamaha78

I purchased a 1979 XS1100 and am in the process of complete rebuild http://jimphoto.freeprohost.com/Yamaha and I was looking for a parts bike and lo and behold I found this 1978 XS1100E http://jimphoto.freeprohost.com/Yamaha78 and paid a whopping $300.00 for it. Cleaned the tank, cleaned the carbs, and took it for a short ride this week. WOW!!! I don't think I have ever driven a bike with this much power. I had a Motoguzzi 750 and thought that was amazing (1973 Ambassador) about 30 years ago, but this thing is scary fast!!! Started off slow, and then 2nd gear and goosed it a little and when it hit 3000 rpm, I thought it was going to go airborne!!! It is a great bike, and I am looking forward to getting the '79 going again. I plan to do some spit shining on this '78, and use it to trouble shoot some problems to fix the '79. Now I know why all of you like these bikes so much!!! I'm an Old Guy (66) and this is a little big for me (I weigh 160 lbs) and not as strong as I use to be, but man, is it FUN!!! I do have one question: When I turn on the turn signals, nothing happens, and just turning on the ignition, all the turn signals lite up. ?????.....any ideas???? Jim

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Looks great

That looks great. It looks like you are going to do a complet restoration Just a thought, you can get a bench polisher a Northern Tool and others for about $50.00. With all the polishing you have on these it will save your back as you can take alot of the parts to the polisher, instead of the polished to the parts Keep the photos comming, next season, you will be the MAN

[jmacsuga]

It is already mostly restored....

Thanks for the encouragement!!! This one is mostly restored. The engine has been gone through (I am going to verify LOTS of things for sure) and the bike runs strong. I am really just spit shining it in many places. 90% complete with just a few things that need repairing. It runs REALLY strong!!! The '79 is the one I am doing a complete restore on. Got the engine out yesterday. I also have a heavy drill press that I put the wheels in, so when I want to do something small, I can do it there. My '79 is under the thread "Purchased a 1979 XS1100???????"

That looks great. It looks like you are going to do a complet restoration Just a thought, you can get a bench polisher a Northern Tool and others for about $50.00. With all the polishing you have on these it will save your back as you can take alot of the parts to the polisher, instead of the polished to the parts Keep the photos comming, next season, you will be the MAN

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

79

My bad, I confused the two threads, the 79 was the one I was talking about, looking forward to seeing it done

[Shacknasty]

This guy has a bench-mounted polisher. Looks like he is on his way to shine up a couple of parts...

[anarchy18]

Wait till you really get the carbs clean, then get it sync'd and colortuned. It will feel like a whole different bike again.

BTDT...

Hiya! Colortuned huh? Whats all that about? I been riding this bike all summer and it just seems like she used to kick butt and now she feels old and wore out. You think its cause I just got used to her or do the things that you just mentioned need to be re-done every so often? I'm ready to give my bike some more power!!!

[natemoen]

Hiya! Colortuned huh? Whats all that about? I been riding this bike all summer and it just seems like she used to kick butt and now she feels old and wore out. You think its cause I just got used to her or do the things that you just mentioned need to me re-done every so often? I'm ready to give my bike some more power!!!

Yup you need to re-sync the carbs every so often and reset the idle screws (that is what he is referring to with the colortune, it is just a tool used to do that).

I would say these things need to be done AT LEAST once a year if not more often!

[anarchy18]

Yup you need to re-sync the carbs every so often and reset the idle screws (that is what he is referring to with the colortune, it is just a tool used to do that).

I would say these things need to be done AT LEAST once a year if not more often!

O kinda like the CarbTune Pro Synchronizer on Ebay? I bought that thing this summer and haven't had any luck with it, the readings just jump all around, cost me a whole $100 too!!!!

[natemoen]

O kinda like the CarbTune Pro Synchronizer on Ebay? I bought that thing this summer and haven't had any luck with it, the readings just jump all around, cost me a whole $100 too!!!!

Yup, that will get the vac sync taken care of. The reading are going to bounce around some, that's how the vacuum pulses come through the valves and there isn't much you can do about that. You did put the restrictor pieces in the hose didn't you, those help to dampen the fluctuations? Try to do the sync at 1000 RPM, if you can go lower that is good.

[anarchy18]

Yup, that will get the vac sync taken care of. The reading are going to bounce around some, that's how the vacuum pulses come through the valves and there isn't much you can do about that. You did put the restrictor pieces in the hose didn't you, those help to dampen the fluctuations? Try to do the sync at 1000 RPM, if you can go lower that is good.

Nope! Didtnt come with none of them. Just the Unit, 4 Rubber hoses, and cheap plastic screw on adapters. Bounces around so much I cant get her right!!!

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Gauge

My gauge came with 4 adjustable valves. I tried to show them in this pick from ebay, they are the the 4 "t" white shaped things sitting at the bottem of the gauge. They are just cheap plastic valves that you can turn the knob till the needles stop jumping around, should be able to get some at a hardware store cheap. I can't imagin trying to do it without them, hope this helps

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HONDA-CB350-CX500-CB750-GL1000-CARB-TUNER-VACUUM-GAUGE-/220891423328?hash=item336e27a260&item=220891423328&pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

[Ken Talbot]

Nope! Didtnt come with none of them. Just the Unit, 4 Rubber hoses, and cheap plastic screw on adapters. Bounces around so much I cant get her right!!!

Find some round plastic rod that you can jam inside your hoses. Cut 4 pieces approx 1/4" long, drill them with a very small bit (1/32 or so), and insert them into the hoses. Doesn't matter which end. This should solve your problem of wild needle fluctuations.

[cywelchjr]

Find some round plastic rod that you can jam inside your hoses. Cut 4 pieces approx 1/4" long, drill them with a very small bit (1/32 or so), and insert them into the hoses. Doesn't matter which end. This should solve your problem of wild needle fluctuations.

That or get 4 plastic aquarium air valves, they actually work pretty good and you can adjust them to get just the right amount of restriction for your setup.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Cy

+1 CY,Mine came with the plastic tubes, they help, but the vavles you are talking allow him to adjust the flow so the needles are almost still. Best way to get a good adjustment IMHO

That or get 4 plastic aquarium air valves, they actually work pretty good and you can adjust them to get just the right amount of restriction for your setup.