Help with an unlikely choice

[Mendizale]

Hi there,

So, I'm presented with an unfortunate situation--my XS11 is my main means of transport, and he's acting up. Having acquired a job in Olympia after 8 months of spirit-crushing failure, I now get to commute to and from Seattle (~70 miles) once a week, and about 20 miles a day to and from work. I think the carburetor needs a good cleaning (with valve clearance checks, colortuning, synching, etc), and maybe some other things...he's just riding a bit rough these days. Also, a short section of my daily commute is over a really bad (read: pot-holed, muddy, and pondy) forest road that is taking it's toll (tonight I tipped despite best efforts to avoid it).

The dilemma: As my primary transport, I can't take it to the shop. Due to carburetor/motorcycle repair virginity, it would take me a long to go over. I also work long hours, so I don't have the time for either venture. What are my options? I can keep him and wait till I have time to fix it (1), while also trying to get a dual-sport something or other that's better on gas to ride daily and take the forest road pounding (2); or sell it (3) and then do (2) with the money; or find someone around here (W. Washington and this forum) to help me expedite the repairs (4); or some other assortment of things (....n....).

Any thoughts are welcome. I don't want to sell him, but I might have to in order to finance option (2).

Thanks,

Mendizale

[DGXSER]

As for the carbs, you can try running some seafoam through them. This is a big heavy street bike though, and it will never be as good at the logging road as a dual sport.

[ddragon63]

as a fellow web-footed Washingtonian I have to commend your effort to ride all the time. But I do have to ask... How do you not own a car? riding on days when it rains 3 inches has got to suck!

As for your carbs...
Get a can of seafoam... only use half the can @ a time... it will do wonders on the inside of your carbs.

[crazy steve]

Riding one of these on the local logging roads is just asking for it IMO....

Back in the day I ran mine for a time (as only transportation at the time) on logging roads, and this was during the dry season. The XS was a white-knuckle handful even then, riding on these roads when it's gooey is a guarantee you're gonna go down unless you put knobby tires on it...

[cywelchjr]

+1 on the seafoam, and having lived a portion of my life in Tacoma, just across the sound from Seattle, while I road most of the year, I still had a car for the occasional days I couldn't ride. That said, one of the site I'm on we have a term for what your doing, and I do it sometimes too (not lately though) it's called dirty landbargin, which refers to taking a large heavy street bike onto dirt surfaced roads that they were not intended for. A lot of guys do this intentionally, and take pictures and brag about how nasty the roads they can navigate on their heavy street bike. Part of it is knowing the balance of your bike, if you have any luggage making sure it's properly balanced on the bike, and LOTS of practice, and GOOD tires with good tread. Oh, and good smooth technique on dirt roads.

As far as the carbs though, if their running at all, the seafoam has a good chance of cleaning things up, the stuff is amazing. It won't always work, but I've seen it work when I thought it wouldn't.

But no matter how hardcore you are, I can't see how you could NOT need a car at least some times. Save it for only the worst weather, but there are times when taking two wheels is just not practical, I've been there, so I know.

[James England]

Sell it.

The XS1100 is an older bike and not suitable for the use to which you're putting it. With the best will in the world, the XS1100 can be pernickerty on a tarmac road, never mind dirt tracks. It'll soak up money as you try to get things right, then you'll be constantly addressing problems caused by bone-shaking bumps... electrical problems as bits try to drop off, maybe even cracked welds on the frame etc etc. Plus dirt and filth.

These are old-ish, classic bikes, meant for road use. It's the wrong bike for you and you'll be wasting your money struggling to keep it going with the use you're putting it to.

Since you asked........

[b.walker5]

Ok, since no one else picked up on it, most of your performance issues would be solved by referring to your bike as a 'her' instead of a 'him'.

Females can be cured with flowers and chocolate, which results in smiles and sex, males need lots of beer and cigarettes which results in lots of coughing and hangovers.

[ViperRon]

As for keep or sell it is a personal decision you alone have to make as many of us understand clearly that what you can afford to do comes before what we want to do. I agree with all here seafoam the carbs. I'd want to keep the bike but would not continue ridding it on that road it will have problem after problem. I do suggest that you get better suited bike to travel the back roads as even a car/truck will be beat to death on the dirt road. The XS will sooner or later dump you and it doesn't mater if its a little mud, worn in tracks, or worse loose gravel you can get hurt badly at low speed no mater how good you think you ride.

Do not become a crippled up rider like many of us have.

[fredintoon]

Hi Mendizale,
use the XS11 to go home on weekends, use the 250 for the daily commute.
It's at least 200lbs lighter for a start.
BTW if it's oil in frame it's a '71. Differences between the 250cc Triumph/BSA are pure badge engineering.

[jimbyjimb]

Well, I live in West Seattle and could help you go through the bike provided we had schedules that lined up and you could ride it here.

I don't use a proper synchronizer, just a vacuum gauge. I don't see the need to a synchronizer as a decent vacuum gauge is much cheaper. Once you know how to sync you can do it in minutes anywhere with a 12mm wrench (tank bolt) and a couple flathead screwdrivers for adjustments (or if you're me a Leatherman). Idle adjustments can be done perfectly well by ear and by the bike's performance.

I have years of autmotive experience but am new to bikes so the basics aren't an issue. For specifics the board here kicks butt. I also only help people or do work on people's vehicles as a favor pro-bono, so if you take me up and you stop by some weekend or something keep your wallet in your jeans or I'll send you down the road. I'm not joking.

I would suggest making a list of things to check or that need to be done beforehand so we can be as thorough as possible.

Selling the bike, if you only want one for your purposes, might be a valid option but don' expect much for it. I routinely see local XS11's in good shape sell for under 1k. Mine was 1.7k four years ago but is in the best shape of any local bike I've seen aside from a MNS a local guy was selling on this board some time ago (drool).

I'd suggest, if you keep it, do as the others say and when you have time PM me if you want to try to get together to look at the bike.

[Lonerider62]

If you want a bike for the fun of having a bike then keep it but for daily transportation in an area that has plenty of foul weather and bad roads at that, get an inexpensive car. The only time I never had some type of four-wheel transportation was when I was in high school and even then my parents would lend me their car in the winter. I prestnly drive an 05 Focus ZX4 and it is getting better mileage than the XS Eleven and is a hell of a lot better in bad weather or bad roads. If I get really hard up I borrw my wife's RAV4. I'm too old to battle snow and bad roads on any kind of regular basis. If you do sell the XS, don't plan on having much for a down payment.

[jimbyjimb]

Also, if it's in your budget, keep an eye out for a BMW GS series. I'll be getting one later in the year for exactly the reasons you stated above. I want the option to tour all over the state and be able to hit some hairy muck. A good R1100GS can be had for around 4k if'n you could ever find one outside of Portland.

My XS is so beautiful and ALL original except for the coils I did and the grips I put on, so I treat it like a garage queen. I want a bike more suitable for daily grinding and light trail work/adventure riding. Plus the Special was telling me she's so lonely at night in the garage and needs a big strong manly German to keep her warm and cozy. The axis will be re-forming itself in my garage sometime soon, lmao.

Sadly I doubt that the American brands will be able to win this go-around. At least that's on my mind when I see a guy on a Hardly attempting to pass a diesel Ford with a fifth-wheel towing a trailer and repeatedly failing as I fly by him AND the Ford on my 32-year old motorcycle that I paid 1/8th as much for. Sad, really. Might win the kickstand competition for some but out on the road they just can't compete with decades old technology. God bless the Japanese.

[Elevener]

Forest roads, commute. A KLR 650 sounds perfect for you. They are cheap also(relatively). Then you can work on the XS at your leisure.

[GTXS1100]

I don't use a proper synchronizer, just a vacuum gauge. I don't see the need to a synchronizer as a decent vacuum gauge is much cheaper. Once you know how to sync you can do it in minutes anywhere with a 12mm wrench (tank bolt) and a couple flathead screwdrivers for adjustments (or if you're me a Leatherman). Idle adjustments can be done perfectly well by ear and by the bike's performance.

.

Can you give a procedure for doing this with a vacuum gauge. I just got my carbs together yesterday and i was worried about syncin them. I do have a good vacuum gauge and tools at home to do it if i just had the knowledge to go with it.

[tom clisham]

Check craigslist!

find yourself an old ford escort, chevy cavalier, honda civic, etc for a grand that runs good. With proper care these cars run hundreds of thousands of miles., & can be had for $1000.
Drive the cage to work & ENJOY the bike.