Sad Story, My 1st XS1100

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

My current bike is my 2nd XS1100. I wanted one since 1979 when they came out. I found an 80 Special in NY on Ebay a few years ago that looked real nice, bought it, had it shipped to a shop in Texas close to where I lived to have it gone through before ridding, as I was working 80 hr's a week then, Was "told" it had a knock and needed rebuilt. I spent three weeks in my spair time and bought online every part, rings, rod and main bearing, prime and cam chain, seals, gaskets, clutch plates, SS hardware, brake kits, fork seals, etc. About $1,500.00 in parts Two days before I was going to pick it up, got a call, my bike was DONE



The tech had finished installing everything, went for a test ride, and was working on the final adjustments when the shop owner went to lunch, when he cam back, my bike, and part of his shop was on fire Firemen putting out both, tech driving off to never return Now that all those parts are getting hard, if not imposabule to find, wish I could have saved at least the motor, think it went to salvage yard

[DGXSER]

That would totally suck. If it helps to drown your sorrows in someone else's misery, I know a fellow XSive who had one XS11, went through all matters of torture ended up replacing the engine, the engine he got used that was supposed to be good needed a new valve, oil pump gear, tranny gears repaired, and a few other odds and ends. Just we were getting that one running decent, he bought a second one, 79 full bagger. Had both on his front porch and was working on one, it caught fire, burnt up not only both bikes, but burned his house about to the ground. He no longer lives there, and I bet no longer stores his bike on the front porch.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Vacuum plug

Must be useing those "non fuel proof" vacuum plugs to cap off the petcocks on these

[tom clisham]

That would suck bigtime

A long time ago (long,long time ago). i had a 56 chev 2dr with a 265 small block, 2bbl, 1 exhaust etc. I found a 57 station wagon with a power pack 283 that was wrecked with low miles. Had it towed to a local speed shop. dropped off the 56. I didn't have a garage then. lived in apt. my tools fit ina carry bag.
Speed shop calls 5 days later. Ready.
Go in . Starts & sound unbelievalble. Used the SW exhaust, duals, but with smittys. My car was a 3 spd & was converted to floor shift. cool! I paid the man & turned left out of the shop onto main drag.

Went one block. Old girl in a Buick Roadmaster bloews stop sign & t bones me. totaled the 56. ONE BLOCK!

[tom clisham]

page two

There was a gas station on the corner.. where the tbone happened.
The owner comes over & says " I've got a 6 cyl 56 2 dr with a blown engine sitting right over there. I'll swap it out for $150.00. clear title. ( I TOLD YOU IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO) I said do it.
Found out the 6 cyl chevys then had heavierduty fron springs than the v8s because the 6s were heavier.
The guy swapped the whold drive, exhausts, floor shifter & my new tires, & gave me the title & got rid of the wreck for $150.00. ( I TOLD YOU IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO!)

OK. It was 1962
& they all lived happily ever after.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Very Cool!

You have been around the block I am told I am getting older, but as one XS member says in his ID, Your not old, till you sell the bike Gas, Grass or Ass was the "GET a ride" saying in my day. The way things are going in the US, it may be "Come back to my place, I have food and water"

There was a gas station on the corner.. where the tbone happened.
The owner comes over & says " I've got a 6 cyl 56 2 dr with a blown engine sitting right over there. I'll swap it out for $150.00. clear title. ( I TOLD YOU IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO) I said do it.
Found out the 6 cyl chevys then had heavierduty fron springs than the v8s because the 6s were heavier.
The guy swapped the whold drive, exhausts, floor shifter & my new tires, & gave me the title & got rid of the wreck for $150.00. ( I TOLD YOU IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO!)

OK. It was 1962
& they all lived happily ever after.

[Lonerider62]

If you're like me, and I think a lot are on this forum, we could tell many tales of how catastrophe struck but we came out smelling pretty good by accident. One thing us "Old Farts" can say is that we got to live the good life. Not too sure how many more will be able to genuinely say that. I thank my lucky stars and my power that is greater than myself that somehow I made it through and have a 1980 XS1100SG to get greasy with.

[natemoen]

Had a 32 Chevy pickup that I got for free from an uncle. It was a 1.5 ton truck, all I wanted was the cab and forward body parts. Stripped it all down had it and the big block Chevy 348 I was going to be using stored in a small shed at my parents. My dad decided to burn through the trees around our farm to clear the underbrush like he always does every couple years. Well it was real dry that year and those shake shingles on that shed were ready to burn, as well as everything inside.

still have all the parts. Body panels are VERY warped, engine block now has a nice crack down one side and the aluminum piston are a blob of aluminum with wrist pins and rings in it mounted on my garage wall.

Some day.....

[tom clisham]

Nate:

You must be older than I thought if you were going to use a 348!

[BA80]

348s ran pretty good, lots of torque but you couldn't put a cam with too much duration in them or the valves would hit each other. The were angled towards each other kinda like the XSs are.

[natemoen]

You must be older than I thought if you were going to use a 348!

28, I just like the unusual and that w head is beautiful, and I am a traditional hot rodder at heart.

[tom clisham]

348

I had a 348 in a 53 ford business coupe. I know it well. 3 dueces, again 3 spd on floor. Was a real sleeper. Oh well, can't bring those days back

[natemoen]

I had a 348 in a 53 ford business coupe. I know it well. 3 dueces, again 3 spd on floor. Was a real sleeper. Oh well, can't bring those days back

Before all that happened I was getting ready to buy a 6 duce intake for it, would have been more of a PITA to tune than the 4 carbs on these bikes but it would have been awesome!

Sorry, we are getting totally off topic.

[DGXSER]

A very good friend of mine had an 84 Cutlas he took to a shop in Northern Kentucky to have them install a 454 HO engine in it. Now, he and I had swapped out the 231 for a 350 that had been milled to 12:1 and had a huge holly on it. It ran 12 sec 1/4 miles in an AMC pacer prior to finding a home in the Cutlas. Well, they sold him a 454 and put it in, and he drove it home and wondered whyt his thing was so dang weak. Well, it was a 454 marine engine. He took them to court and everything, judge said his tough luck. Soooo, he decided to make lemonade out of the lemon, and since it had 7:1 compression he but a blower/supercharger on it. Well now he was running low 11s consistantly, and now and then would break into the 10s with it. So he took it to a tuner to have them fine tune it to try to runt he 10s consistantly. Well, they blew up the engine, put a rod clean through the block. So, back to court, and once again he is SOL. So that is when the Cutlas got the 502 Ramjet installed. He never let another shop work on that car..EVER!!!