First post here. A little about my XS11

[jjz28]

You right with the done right and I have only seen a couple that were done right. If its truly done right, there will be some money in it with quality parts and paint. I might café my 750 later on down the road when I can afford it. I could do it now but I want it right not like most I have seen. That bike looked really good as a dresser. I don't like dressers and I like the cafe's better but if I did café one it wouldn't be an 1100. I like that tail piece you made. At least you don't have a lot in it. A paint job will cost that around here.

[Bonz]

I think the cafe bike is best done with a solid mechanical machine as the basis, but not one in great visual shape with all the trimmings. The one in this thread was a keeper, so hard to come by anymore. HOWEVER, it is looking nice thus far with what you have done!

[BA80]

I may well have pumped 3.9 or 3.95. The point is, I was running on what was left in the bowls. It was getting dark and I was starting to believe I was going to get stuck. I don't remember the indicated miles, but I do remember that I had gone farther than I thought I could.

I'm keeping that tank on there, just because I like the way it looks! I'm a big fan of the Special, be it a 650, 850, or 1100!

Yup, 100 miles is about as far as I want to go in one sitting anyway. I've only had a problem once with the Special tank volume. Fighting a headwind and miscalculated and ended up out of gas in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma. Maximan saved the day though, he lives there.

[Zeston]

I was recently handed down a 79 XS Special that is in great physical shape, but needs lots of internal love, I think most people here know what I mean*carbs* etc.
I love cafe racers, and really all styles of bikes for what they are or what they are not.

I see the interest in taking an XS for the awesome power that it represents and utilizing it for another purpose because hey, when running right it is a Bad A$$ bike.
In my opinion, people get passionate about this topic in these forums because people that know this bike from first hand experience when they were new 30 some years ago are mostly against chopping, and enthusiasts that are getting into our sport, or just love to get creative (which is great) see a cheap bike with awesome power plant and it is a perfect donor.

So, the problem is that for the most part the only folks that want one like it was back when they first landed, already have one! Leaving the rest to fate...

Funny twist of fate, I'm restoring completely to stock. My Dad, who owned it from new keeps saying, "you should add this, you could add that..." To me, stock is perfect. When they landed stock 33 years ago they were perfect. I am proud to say I'll own a bike that was perfect 33 years ago!

If the darn things would increase in value as the years go by then maybe less would get modified!?

Honestly though, they make Awesome looking cafes/ bobbers too!!!! Good luck with the project!

[jjz28]

The more I think of it, I guess the xs11 would be a good café because of its size, or power really as my 750 has the same frame. But as someone else said, they were a big guy and so am I 6'4 and 250pds, the 11 would probably be a right fit for a café. If I found one with the frame already cut, I would do it but not with one that could become stock again without welding something back on.

[Slow Hand]

That was very well put! I appreciate saving history, trust me, but I think theres a big difference between this bike and an original Norton, Vincet, or Indian. I bought the bike with intentions of selling my V-Star to raise some cash for another project. My plan is to do some quick visual updates an get it on the road ASAP. If I fall in love with it, I'll probably do some more serious work over the winter. For now, I want to enjoy riding it!

I looked into the engine issues last night and found that three of the four leads from the pick up coils were split!! I'm amazed it was running as well as it did! I'm thinking of splicing in new wires from the coil side of the small clamp to the motor side of the bigger clamp, that way it'll be new wires flexing and not stuff solder joints. This makes sense to me; any reason not to do it that way?

Thanks,
Doug K

I was recently handed down a 79 XS Special that is in great physical shape, but needs lots of internal love, I think most people here know what I mean*carbs* etc.
I love cafe racers, and really all styles of bikes for what they are or what they are not.

I see the interest in taking an XS for the awesome power that it represents and utilizing it for another purpose because hey, when running right it is a Bad A$$ bike.
In my opinion, people get passionate about this topic in these forums because people that know this bike from first hand experience when they were new 30 some years ago are mostly against chopping, and enthusiasts that are getting into our sport, or just love to get creative (which is great) see a cheap bike with awesome power plant and it is a perfect donor.

So, the problem is that for the most part the only folks that want one like it was back when they first landed, already have one! Leaving the rest to fate...

Funny twist of fate, I'm restoring completely to stock. My Dad, who owned it from new keeps saying, "you should add this, you could add that..." To me, stock is perfect. When they landed stock 33 years ago they were perfect. I am proud to say I'll own a bike that was perfect 33 years ago!

If the darn things would increase in value as the years go by then maybe less would get modified!?

Honestly though, they make Awesome looking cafes/ bobbers too!!!! Good luck with the project!

[natemoen]

That was very well put! I appreciate saving history, trust me, but I think theres a big difference between this bike and an original Norton, Vincet, or Indian. I bought the bike with intentions of selling my V-Star to raise some cash for another project. My plan is to do some quick visual updates an get it on the road ASAP. If I fall in love with it, I'll probably do some more serious work over the winter. For now, I want to enjoy riding it!

I looked into the engine issues last night and found that three of the four leads from the pick up coils were split!! I'm amazed it was running as well as it did! I'm thinking of splicing in new wires from the coil side of the small clamp to the motor side of the bigger clamp, that way it'll be new wires flexing and not stuff solder joints. This makes sense to me; any reason not to do it that way?

Thanks,
Doug K

I would suggest going a bit farther with the new wire. If you pull back the fabric loom that the wires go into, a few inches into that there is a factory splice where the wire changes from the flexible wire to a regular wire. Run your new wires all the way back to that splice.

Use a new wire that is also super flexible. Most here use multimeter lead wire as a replacement. Also make sure to seal the wires up nice and tight with shrink tube otherwise you will have trouble down the road if the bike gets wet.

[Slow Hand]

Gotcha! I pulled some of the woven loom off but didn't see the splice. I think I may have a set of multi tester wires with a bad probe. Sounds like a good use for it!

[natemoen]

Don't cut or destory the loom, just pull it back. You can pull it back far enough to get to that splice.

[BA80]

If you have to there is enough of the flex wire back in the loom to replace the wires that actually need to flex. I've done that before and replaced what I moved forward with just regular wire since it doesn't need to flex.

Most of the time the wire is broken right near one of the little clamps that holds it because that's where it bends the most. If you do a good repair and then slide the repair into the clamp so it is protected from movement it'll last longer.

I've never had a repair last longer than a couple years though. Keep an eye out for a good pair. They come up on ebay now and then where the seller isn't trying to make a living at selling used MC parts for $20 or so.

[Slow Hand]

Well, I got the three wires patched up tonight after work. I took the ie out for a little spin around the neighborhood and all I can say is Wow!! Definitely the fastest thing I've been on!! It'll take some control to keep from twisting hard on that throttle all the time. I guess ill get used to it pretty quick, but it sure is fun!

[BA80]

Quick and has a lot of torque huh?

[DiverRay]

Yeah, there has to be a reason most of us keep the XS, even when we may have a newer bike....
My BMW is GREAT for a long ride, but the MNS beats it hands down for the weekend "fun" ride. And the only 1,000 mile day I've done has been on an XS1100 Standard. So yeah, they can STILL put a pucker in your a$$ when needed.

[donebysunday]

Snick & snack

Hi Slow Hand !

I have some fun for you to try ,,,,,,,,,,, when I had my new 79 the shifting would make a loud snack but I learned I could control the throttle and shift just right and it would just softly snick into the next gear hardly making a sound.
Give it a try and see if you can travel so stealthily that no one will even know your there. I do this on my 81 sometimes just to see how quiet I can be.
Might want to try this and have fun in the opposite direction of going WFO

[Slow Hand]

I'll have to try that when I get it on the road. We've got a few roads not too far away that are little traveled, so I can go out and play some. I love to ride, but with family and other commitments, most of my mileage is just back and forth to work. Last year it was an 80 mile round trip every day. Right now, it's less than 25 round trip, so I don't get as much time in the saddle, but more time after work to play in the garage!!