My xs11 chop/build

[RJFort]

I know some of you don't like chops, but I do, so I will try to detail my progress here.

When I first picked her up. 1979 XS1100 Special

[RJFort]

First day of tear down. Main reason for today was to free up the frozen front brakes. I got that taken care of rather quickly so I decided to start taking parts off that I did not want on the bike.

[RJFort]

2nd day of working on the bike. Wanted to get the tank off and get the carbs off to clean them and line the tank. Want to make sure the fuel system is good before I try to start her.

It was a nice day here in CT, for February. Was almost 60 degrees so I decided to get her some sun if I was gonna take her top off.


NAKED!!!





Time to take the carbs out.









Apparently we are not the only ones who like this bike. The chipmunks love it. Found acorns and other stuff in the battery box, under the seat, and on the engine under the carbs. Hope there aren't any chipmunks in the engine.

Hope you like the pics.

[Nightengale]

keep it up

are you doing a kick start on your bike? i have been thinkin about putting one on mine

[RJFort]

I plan on adding it on. I am probably going to grab one from Tom Clisham here on the forum, as my bike seems to have lost the original, but I want to make it a fixture on the bike, so it will take a little work. No worries though. You probably saw my posts on chopperhack. I joined there when I saw you post about it the other day. another cool site. I saw your bike, I like where you have gotten so far. I am having fun learning and doing bit by bit. good project. Good luck to you on your build and look forward to speaking with you more about it.

[Nightengale]

hardtail??

are you doing a hardtail or keeping the shocks? when doing your build remember slow and steady, dont try and rush it.

[RJFort]

I plan on hardtailing it. I am searching for a good welder as I don't weld. Wanna learn, but still would not trust my welds enough to put my ass on it. Think I am gonna talk to Tigman and see what he can do. He is not far, just up in Massachusetts. Don't mind paying for quality but dont want to get taken either, so shopping around and looking for suggestions. no rush. I have a bike to ride already, so I will take it easy. Thanks though.

[b.walker5]

I plan on hardtailing it.

....and another one bites the dust.... bike or kidneys, take your pick.

[RJFort]

I am sorry to all you purists if chopping a bike or this bike bothers you. I can appreciate your passion for your bikes. I can appreciate creative criticism or a little bit of jabbing. what I have a hard time with is the downright obliteration of anyone wanting to do something creative or different with THEIR bike. I personally like to make anything I own MINE. I do not want something that anyone else has. If I restore my bike to original then I have a bike just like 100 of you. I can respect your opinions and there are ways for you to get them across without making people feel like they don't belong here. This is an XS1100 forum, and regardless of what I do to my bike it will always be an XS1100. So I am hardtailing the bike, so I wont have questions about which shocks to use. I am not digging on the post before me, that one was actually kinda funny. It just reminded me of some of the other post I have seen killing people for wanting to customize their bikes. I personally have an affinity for the old school look and feel of a bike. I just can not afford to build one from the ground up or get me an old one from the 50s or 60s. I paid $250 for this bike and dont even know if it runs yet. If I did not buy this bike it was going to the scrap heap. I saved this bike. I am not as partial to this bike as most of you are. this was an inexpensive means to my ends, as it is with several of us who are building something different than the norm. I am sorry if this insults your sensibilities, but not everyone sees things the same way and that is what makes sites like these great. We get to share our view on something hopefully without too much aggressive criticism. Joking is great. Just remember that sometimes things do not translate as well in text as it would if spoken to someone. As I went through some of the threads here I came away from them feeling like whomever was being attacked. I appreciate your views, I really do. Just please appreciate some of the others that are different than your own. Thank you. Have a great day guys, and continue to joke around.

[natemoen]

I agree with the "its your bike do it your way". In regards your last post, you say you want to learn, then instead of paying someone to weld for you buy yourself a decent welder and learn. If the member near you knows how to weld I bet he would help you learn. Once you know how then the possibilities are endless. Possibly even hidden suspension, hardtail look with suspension comforts!

I would suggest though not completely destroying the frame. You may want suspension at some point, don't eliminate it as a future option for yourself or a future owner.

As to negative comments, what do you expect? You show up on an enthusiast website for a single bike (not a maker or style or anything a single bike) and say I just bought this complete bike and now I am going to chop it up. Again, what do you expect? Are you getting support, yes! Of course you are going to have to sift through negative comments from pissed off enthusiasts. Get over it, ignore them and move on. Don't completely blow them off though, they will still help and make useful suggestions.

[madmax-im]

Ad nauseum........... What the hell do you expect from the majority of folks here who are intent on preserving these bikes?...you couldnt pick an XS650 or 750 or 850...which they made millions of... no you gotta chop an XS1100...personally I think this sucks and am getting tired of seeing this here...

[TomB]

This is an XS1100 forum, and regardless of what I do to my bike it will always be an XS1100.

I thought that too, I had the error of my ways explained to me. I now own a "once was" an XS1100 based special/bobber/chop/cafe bike

But hardtailing?? really?? I guess you ride gently then. They had swing arm rear suspension in the fifties and sixties too ya know, it'd still be old school with a swing arm if you do the styling right. I guess you'll be putting drum brakes on it and crappy headlight and charging system, and junking the electric start, and any other things that make it rideable in modern conditions. Oh and cutting off two cyclinders to make it slow. Thats old school, go for it.

[RJFort]

I do want to learn to weld, but with the amount of time it would take me to get good enough and to afford the proper machine to get enough penetration in the steel I would have a rusty hunk of metal in my friends garage. I would be willing to weld tail light brackets or somehting that. Something that my life would not immediately depend upon if it breaks. I can turn a wrench but never had the opportunity to learn all the deeper aspects of building a bike. I fully intend on learning how to weld a little.

As to the negative comments, I am ok with some negativity. It is part of life, but the extent to which I have read seems a little excessive, borderline insulting. I get it that you may not like a chopper, just don't chastise me for my choices. Say your little piece and leave it at that. As to what did I expect when I joined I wanted open mindedness as everyone's tastes are different and a little support for my project.

I will be posting the parts that I am not putting back on the bike for all of you to choose from. Better that someone get use out of it than throw it away.

I wont reply to anymore posts about negativity, as that was not the intent of that post, I just wanted to try to avoid too much being directed at me before it came.

[RJFort]

I guess it was a mistake for me to post on my progress. Thanks guys. Have fun.

Mods please lock this thread.

[trbig]

???? You sure seem awefully sensitive and worried about some comments for a rebel type that wants to go their own way in life and do things their own way.

You had some people that liked what you were doing, and some that didn't. You can concentrate on the haters and go run off and pout, or you can keep posting and ignore the haters. It's your choice.

I would like to add, though, to your comment about doing an OEM restore on one of these bikes and making it look like a hundred others. Doing an outstanding restore to original would put you into a very small elite few, and none of these restored bikes ends up looking like anyone else's. Too many colors, seats, tanks, lights, wheels, brakes, etc.. to chose from. Just chopping one doesn't make you an artist or visionary, just as restoring one doesn't. There will people that don't like what you've done to the bike no matter which route you've chosen. I usually hate chop jobs, but love what Dabubble did to his bike. Many colors or choices done in an "OEM" restore, I sit and wonder WTH they were thinking.

So... run off, or man-up and keep posting. That choice is nobody but yours.