Why the Devotion to XJ's?

[motoman]

The heat to own one of these was still on when i bought this one in 81 at the ripe age of 29........Overall, still was 'badest' two-wheel ride out there......and in tour form. Made for lots of fun doing LD touring rides. Nutin' out there touring would even come close to hangin' with it two-up.......U youngins' missed all the REAL fun factor......being able to pull quickly away from anything on two wheels on the open road.....and trust me, seeing a disguised full dress boat rollin down the slab, many tried........wasn't happening.

[BA80]

The heat to own one of these was still on when i bought this one in 81 at the ripe age of 29.........

Damn.........your old.......

[cywelchjr]

I drooled and then a very clever dealer sent me a 'free' publicity poster. I persuaded my dad to be my guarantor and, like only a 19 year old would do, bought it on credit $75 a month...in 1979! I must have been insane! Why my dad allowed it, I do not know. Fortunately, 6 months later, as the payments began to bite, it was stolen (in Amsterdam) and the insurance paid off what I owed, with enough left over to buy a Norton Commando. Awful...but... at least no repayments!

Yes, the CBX, even at the time, struck me as being a bit silly in concept but superbly engineered. The Kawasaki Z1300 was, IMO, ugly as hell!

Like Greg I had to wait till I was about 51 before I got mine, after having drooled over them in 79 and 80 as well as scratching my head over the CBX1000 (couldn't figure out why someone would WANT an engine that wide ). Now I've got it, with the Vetter fairing, bags and tailtrunk that I love (I've had the fairing on other bikes, never gotten the bags or trunk before, only soft bags and luggage racks), but I always wanted a full dresser XS11, and when I found this one ALMOST there (fairing and soft bags) I jumped on it, and when I found it had the mounting hardware for the bags already on it, all I had to do was find a deal on bags, and then a trunk. The rest is history, and brutus will be passed down eventually to my son or grandson.

[madmax-im]

Cant speak for others but like Motoman...am an original owner of my XJ...just had it out today for the first time in a few months. Loved the bike when i saw it in the showroom and love it now and its 30 yrs old...here he is...

[James England]

How could anyone ever question devotion to bikes that look like that?

[JosephM]

Fantastic

That may be one of the prettiest I have ever seen.

[BA80]

I demand equal time for the XS.



Put this fairing on last fall for a trip through Arkansas. Never took it off.

[crazy steve]

I bought my first '78E new in June of '78... it was the FASTEST production BIKE in the WORLD! Need I say more?....

The CBX was only a rumor at this point, and I've never been a Honda fan anyway. The CBX later became known for not delivering on it's promise; a good-running XS could take one...

Still have that one too...

[James England]

I bought my first '78E new in June of '78... it was the FASTEST production BIKE in the WORLD! Need I say more?....

The CBX was only a rumor at this point, and I've never been a Honda fan anyway. The CBX later became known for not delivering on it's promise; a good-running XS could take one...

Still have that one too...

The CBX was known to be a bit temperamental on carbs... I mean, with 6 of them, what do you expect? There were stories, possibly just myths, that dropping one on its side, stationary, could bend the frame. It wasn't the world's first 6 cylinder either, I think? Wasn't there the Benelli Sei?

I do think the CBX looks nice though, especially without the front cradle that other bikes have. The swingarm is notorious and looks like it's off a 250cc.

They are fetching a lot of money here....at least $7,500 for a good original example. The later ones, with monoshock and plastic bits all over, don't fetch anything like the money that the first ones do. I looked into buying one last year but, when I looked at the BHP and the possible expenditure just to keep one running (never mind restore),I decided not to bother...

[madmax-im]

Thanks for the + comments guys and Greg's XS is a set up really nice as well... So there wouldnt be any doubt about keeping this as intact and original as possible.. right? only mods done were either to improve performance or function... replacing parts that were no longer available thru the OEM like my exhaust by kerker.

[bikerphil]

So there wouldnt be any doubt about keeping this as intact and original as possible.. right?

Ben, just don't make a dirt bike out of it and ding it all up.

[motoman]

I demand equal time for the XS.



Put this fairing on last fall for a trip through Arkansas. Never took it off.

Even with old age and treachery Greg, still like that scoot with the fancy riveted soft cases and side-outs..........just keep the seat stacked up with a load..lol.....and old age and treachery....well, you know the rest.....

[BA80]

Everyone always gives me a hard time about how much stuff I carry but when they need something guess what?

Plus, I've ALWAYS got clean underwear in case of an accident.






Old age and treachery......................................... ..RULES!!!!!!

[jwhughes3]

mostly old age

In Greg's case

John

[jetmechmarty]

Yamaha invented the Special. It was introduced in 1977 as a XS650 and XS750. Everyone ended up copying it. When I learned that they were done, I had to have one. I bought a new XS650SK in 1983. I still have it.