Does it bother you?

[sparkfly88]

Just curious, one of my main hobbies is preservation of military weapons, and when I see someone totally modify and "improve" a historically significant weapon, turning it from a 1000$ collectable, to a 100$ truck gun... It bothers the heck outta me.


On topic of bikes though...

When I see photos of frame modifications, to totally change the xs1100 from what it was designed to be, it bothers me as well, because here I am trying to return my bike to its glory, I see photos of hardtail mods n chopping, bobbing. Etc.

I know the saying is that it's theirs, they can do what they want with it...

But does it bother you seeing what I feel is mutilation?

The bike isn't an insane historically significant item, but maybe I feel this way just because of my other hobby??

What do you think?

[kjohnson]

to me, it is really up to what the owner wants to do and what condition they are starting with. for my XJ11, i was missing numerous parts and there was some damage to the tail end. that pushed me to making it a solo cruiser. If it was a 100% complete bike in good shape, she'd be getting a near concourse rebuild. I would only update electrical connections and fuses. minor little things.

[donebysunday]

Oem cost prohibited

If it was up to me OEM but since it is up to me I can't afford it. Small upgrades over time are great and as things show up and an improvement to looks or function fit in the budget I'll do it. I like to make changes that can be un-done if desired. Those that want cut and weld, fine with me as said your choice and in some cases a must. Better to keep it on the road than part it out and the parts they don't need I might need. Anyone have any parts they don't need ? ? ?

[Mojo75]

my xs11 was a non running chopped up mess when I got it. The frame was already hacked apart and the bike was nothing more than a pile of parts sitting in a corner. It will never be OEM again but it will be ridden again. If it had been close to OEM when I got it I wouldn't hack it up but a bobber, custom hardtail or any other form is better than a pile of parts rusting away anyday!

[sparkfly88]

I have an app called instagram.

Not sure how many are phone savy.

But if you search for xs1100 in the tags, what you get is a wide assortment of chopped up bobbed bikes.... Idk Why they are still called xs1100 when the only thing original is the engine.

[Crusty Snippets]

Stock or not

Well the first thing I did was get rid of the original bars.
I had a 53 Bentley, right hand drive. The head lights dimmed the wrong way.
And they were not very bright, so I changed them to halogen, but the battery was positive to ground, so I switched the battery to negative to ground.
The old bias tyres were not up to the chassis, so I put on radials. The engine had case hardened liners on the top half. That stuff deteriorated, so I put in cylinder sleeves.
Was it stock, it looked like it.
What about a 32 Ford. Some keep them stock, others hot rod them.
It has always been that way.
The Manx Nortons are still being developed, they now make around 65hp, and they use modern tyres.
Guy owns the bike, let him do what he wants.
I also have a 41 Ford tractor. It has a 12 volt battery and alternator.
Ford themselves made an upgrade to the hydraulic oil.
And I have an electronic ignition to install.
I am not using an 8088 computer anymore either, and darn my boat had a petrol engine in it before the diesel went in.
I just love some of the new technology, but I also enjoy much of the past, like Beethoven.
Unkle Crusty

[TomB]

I understand where you're coming from, and as said already if I had a standard bike I would strive to keep it that way.

Over the last few years I've been riding and restoring as parts came along a Euro 5K7 Sport model, the frame had been hacked badly by a previous owner and badly corroded which took me weeks of welding and grinding to bring back to standard. At the other end of the scale I seriously smashed a 2H9 back in '86, still had the bent frame with the idea to do something with it, it was that badly crushed I ended up monoshocking it, its now back on the road so to me another XS1100 back on the road.


Tom

[FJ111200]

Only modded XS11's interest me.
But at the end of the day if you've got an XS1100, original or modded, that's fine by me.
You meet the nicest people on XS1100's.

[DGXSER]

I prefer them in stock form, just because I think that is how they are most functional. And it does pain me to see the folks who start off like a bullet cutting, hacking, chopping, and throwing off parts toward their supreme chopper / bobber of all time, aiming to change an XS11 into the OCC Black Widow bike or some other contraption. Only to get done cutting hacking and throwing to the point of no return, and then decide to sell off their newly created master piece....in progress.....for a small fortune of course. Mostly because they usually got a nice condition XS11 for free or next to nothing, that I could have nursed back to life as a good condition rider, but all is lost now. As I have said before, cudos to those that complete the project and even ride their creations!!

Now if there were only ten XS11s left int he world and someone took a mint condition pristine bike and hacked and chopped on it, I might feel a little more concern over it.

[motoman]

I prefer them in stock form, just because I think that is how they are most functional. And it does pain me to see the folks who start off like a bullet cutting, hacking, chopping, and throwing off parts toward their supreme chopper / bobber of all time, aiming to change an XS11 into the OCC Black Widow bike or some other contraption. Only to get done cutting hacking and throwing to the point of no return, and then decide to sell off their newly created master piece....in progress.....for a small fortune of course. Mostly because they usually got a nice condition XS11 for free or next to nothing, that I could have nursed back to life as a good condition rider, but all is lost now. As I have said before, cudos to those that complete the project and even ride their creations!!

Now if there were only ten XS11s left int he world and someone took a mint condition pristine bike and hacked and chopped on it, I might feel a little more concern over it.

+1........well put!

[TomB]

+ 1 more.

The bike I monoshocked (avatar) was wrecked in a road crash. I have an XJ1100 which I'm slowly gathering the correct parts for to bring back to OEM condition.

I like em all, they're all good, but I agree, its heart breaking seeing an original bike being hacked up.

[Old Red]

I hate to see a nice stock bike cut up, but if it’s a basket case I can live with it. What really bugs me is someone hacking one up and then stopping in the middle of the build. I do like to up grade; better brake, suspension, bars, seat, lights, luggage…… I love riding it more than looking at it.

The Other Earl

[Nightengale]

ride

i think if you get a neglected bike and bring it back to life, no matter how it looks, at least it is back on the road and not sitting there rusting to disrepair. i made a hardtail bobber out of mine and ride it almost everyday and have ridden it on a few long distance rides and would not change a thing about it. and now i have a custom motorcycle that i built myself, and didnt break that bank to do it. i have right at $1000.00 invested in my bike including the cost of the bike. all this to say no matter what it looks like, its still another xs1100 on the road.

[Tat2demon]

I like them all. The only thing that really makes me upset is seeing one that someone started to chop up and either messed up so bad that its not recoverable or they got tired of it and never finished.

I think mine looks fairly well modded now but I haven't done a single thing to it that cant easily be changed back to factory. Its all bolt on stuff.

[skids]

Yeah, I have modifications on all of my bikes. They all worked-out well. I ride every one of them. Old antiquated components, modernize them! Who can stand the buckhorns on the specials? You have a wreck and want to experiment with? Fine. Completely part it out if it turns out bad. You have a runner but think you can part-it out for more money? OK, if you part-out the whole thing you can save some bikes, but you will lose money and I'll bet you junk the carcass before you sell all of the good stuff. Eventually, these bikes will all but disappear.