My XS11's back on the road

[BuickWildCat]

Hello All,
I've had my XS11 either in my garage or down in my basement for about eight years. I finally got around to getting it up and running again.
Frozen brake calipers, spooged up MC's, rusted gas tank, rotted petcocks, gummed up carbs, messed up fuse box and all the usual maladies suffered by a sitting motorcycle.
An owner not thinking it would take as long as it did to get it running again who let the reformulated gas turn into some kind of alien liquid in the tank and carb bowls.
So I just started taking it apart one night in the basement. Three weeks and about 100 hours later I was riding her again. She seems to be much more cold blooded now than I remembered but once warm, hang on.
I don't know what color I want to paint her so I just used primer with a clear coat for now. I kind of like the look so I might try to find a metalic automotive paint close to this color.
I'm going to try and post some pictures I took on my cell phone and downloaded to Photobucket. I didn't use my good camera and I can't download pictures directly to my PC from my phone. So I had to e-mail my pics from my phone to my PC. Not the fastest way for sure.
You all have been a great help to me without you even knowing it. I spent my hours reading the forums and checking the different logs during time I've been working on it.
Thanks,
Mark

[ddragon63]

you ever want to travel to WA state I'll figure out how to put my XS motor in my basement and you can lock yourself down there and paint it looks great my man!

[BuickWildCat]

Thanks Don

It took me a few hours, cans of degreaser and a bunch of tooth brushes to clean that sucker ;-)
I may be out your way someday. My niece lives in the Seattle area.

[ddragon63]

there is a few of us out here... Crazy Steve lives closer to Seattle than I. I'm about 150 out of Seattle, about 15 miles north of Portland, OR. I'm hoping to meet some of my own out here soon.

You ever make it out here you'll probably pass thru me on the way to Seattle. Look me up you ever make it out here... we'll go for a ride up to Mt. St. Helens. and you can look into the crater

[crazy steve]

You ever make it out here you'll probably pass thru me on the way to Seattle. Look me up you ever make it out here... we'll go for a ride up to Mt. St. Helens. and you can look into the crater

Ah, take him to the Ape Caves.... that's way cooler!

[BuickWildCat]

I was at St' Helens about eight years ago when we moved my neice to Seattle. I couldn't believe the destruction. It must have been hell on earth that day.

[Shockman54]

wow, great job on the bike, i really like the black and white... what paint did you use on the engine? clearcoat after?

[Joab]

Wow...great job on the bike! So much to aspire too...

[ddragon63]

Ah, take him to the Ape Caves.... that's way cooler!

The Spirit Lake Hwy is a great road... But I do have to agree... if you wanna see something really cool, pack a lantern, and warm clothes and go to the Ape Caves... it might be 90 outside, but it will be 50 when we get inside the caves...
The road is not all that great once you get off the main hwy... but oh well... Lava Canyon is another 10 miles from there. Now that is Cool!

[ddragon63]

I was at St' Helens about eight years ago when we moved my neice to Seattle. I couldn't believe the destruction. It must have been hell on earth that day.

I was 1 when it blew... I just know it in pictures... But I get to look @ it, as she sits, every day from my front porch.

[Joab]

I have never had much of an interest in visiting WA, but listening to you guys talk...

[ddragon63]

I have never had much of an interest in visiting WA, but listening to you guys talk...

I have tried many many times to leave this state... I left twice. and returned. When your a few hours from and type of environment you could think of, its hard to leave. Ocean, mountains, desert, and plains all right there. And if you like snow?... most snow fall of anywhere in the lower 48 happens in the Cascades. theses a ski resort in any direction you can point. The Cascades are beautiful to ride during the summer... Oregon's not bad. I like to vacation down in Sunriver. You'll see pics end of june from my bike trip down there.... AHHHH

Ok we are now off track!

Bike is looking good Bud, can't wait to see what you pick out for paint. I'd just paint it silver or black so that engine shines

[crazy steve]

I was at St' Helens about eight years ago when we moved my neice to Seattle. I couldn't believe the destruction. It must have been hell on earth that day.

I live about 85 miles north of St Helens, and heard it blow at my house. I was very lucky, I wasn't in the ash fall path, all I got was a light dusting. Spokane got hit so hard that it looked like midnight at high noon. And that ash was nasty; the state patrol used up about 40 cars before they could fit some giant auxillary air filters about the size of a footlocker onto their cars. The stuff was so fine that it would go right through a paper filter and eat a motor in about 200 miles...

[Aches n Pains]

Wildcat

What did you use to paint your engine? Looks great.

Aches n Pains

[BuickWildCat]

Shockman54 & Aches n Pains

Thanks,

I used Rustolium high temp black with Rustolium high temp Satin clear coat.

Next time I'll use Mercury marine engine paint for the engine. I used that about 28 years ago when I painted another XS11 but I forgot abut it util a buddy of mine reminded me about it after the fact ;-)

Today I mounted these lights under my tail light