New member in Utah.

[UtahXS]

I am a new member to the forum, and a new owner of a 1980 xs1100.
I got a smoking deal on the bike because the guy I got it from didn't know what he had, and didn't know much about bikes.
(I traded a $300 pistol for the bike)
Here are some photos... (At least I think I added the links correctly)
The bike is in much better shape than I was expecting when I went to pick it up. He had sent me a blurry photo, but it looked much better in person. He said it didn't run, and had been sitting for a few years... After lurking on the forum for a few days, and reading posts, I went out to see if I could get it running. I had to replace the main fuse... (That I wouldn't have known was there if it wasn't for the forum)... And it started right up... Even with the old gasoline in the tank.
After draining the old fuel, and changing the other fluids, it runs really good now. I just have to find some mufflers for it, and I will be good to go.
I'm missing a center stand... And a couple of small pieces here and there, but other than that, I think I came out ahead with the deal...
What do you think?

[motoman]

Decent looking 80Special!.............and theirs a whole lot of 'central Utah'?........but can't be that far from ya......and I do ride up to S.L. alot just for the ride and the grin.......welcome to the forum, madness and obsession. A nice lightly tinted shield on the front would draw to bikes nice looks IMO.

[Iron Duke]

for the price

nice looking XS Im sure you came out ahead

[GLoweVA]

NICE!! much better looking SG than the one I got for $600.

Search the forum and you may find either stock pipes or some suitable replacement ones like Harley slip ons.

Go thru and check the compression and check the timing marks and you may want to adjust the timing chain tension, or just put in an ACCT.

Welcome to the Madness!!!

[Aches n Pains]

Best forum on the web. You can't go wrong for $300 and you can't go wrong with this forum.

Aches

[fredintoon]

I am a new member to the forum, and a new owner of a 1980 xs1100. - - -
I just have to find some mufflers for it, and I will be good to go.
I'm missing a center stand... And a couple of small pieces here and there, but other than that, I think I came out ahead with the deal...
What do you think?

>
Hi Kris and welcome,
I think you did good, I paid a lot more for my XS11SG in far worse shape.
You gotta do more than find replacement mufflers, you gotta connect them to the headers' sawn off ends.
Typically the mufflers rust out while the headers are still good and as the exhaust system is all welded together you have to use a hacksaw to remove the mufflers.
Depending how far forward you have to cut to get back to good metal, what's left may not be suitable to connect to a slip-on muffler.
Weld a muffler shop adapter and pipe stub onto the header to get a round end that fits in your choice of slip-on.
Paint the welds and unchromed parts with black BBQ paint.

[UtahXS]

Thanks for all of your replies.
I know I lucked out with getting a bike in such good shape for so cheap.
The mufflers were cut off by the previous owner... It looks like there should be enough left on the ends of the headers to add new mufflers...
I have been looking for some Harley mufflers to weld on.
I'm hoping that I can find some for cheap, and that they will weld on without too many issues.
I will still have to find a center stand, and I hope it will still mount on ok, with the HD mufflers... We'll have to wait and see.
Eventually, I plan on customizing the paint... I haven't decided yet which way to go with it though.

[tcoop]

Welcome from Northern Utah! You gata be carefull buying these bikes is addicting. If you get the muffler off a Sporster the center stand might fit.
I got a set off a cruser, they work great but the center stand is only on when I need to work on it (the 80 LG that I gave my daughter). Ignore the dog eaten seat.

The only bike that I have that started out looking as good as yours is my son's 81 SH the rest looked something like this;


but I did get two bikes (the 80 G and the XJ11) from that deal.

By the way nice looking bike. Still some riding season left get out and ride that thing (after making sure it's safe that is).

[GLoweVA]

Coop, I like that extension bracket for the muffler. LOL

Kris, Search craigslist and Ebay for the harley mufflers. You can find them dirt cheap as those guys take off the stock ones for something 'better' and then they have to get rid of their old ones.
I picked up a pair of sportster ones for free one day. I just haven't had the need to put them on yet.

[CaptonZap]

I would advise that you figure out a way to attach the mufflers without welding them on, Someday, although Hardley mufflers are thick and well chromed, they may rust out, and you can only cut mufflers off so many times before there isn't anything left to weld to. Unless you do a butt weld, and in that case, "Never mind".
CZ

[skids]

Harley sells some real good muffler clamps. You can buy pipe adapters/extenders at autozoze or the like. (You would need 4 clamps for dual exhaust.)