First post here. A little about my XS11

[Slow Hand]

Hey, guys. I've been reading here for a short while and finally got around to getting registered. I picked up my 80 XS1100 a couple weeks back. It was set up as a cruiser with a Vetter fairing, trunk, and saddle bags. Not my style at all! It did have a new battery and a set of Dunlops with less than 100 miles on them. Te bike has 26,000 miles on it. After reading a lot of good posts about how great the XS11 is, I figured it would be a fun one to modify to my taste.

Here are a couple of pics right after I got it home







This is a good example of the look I like




Looks like its mostly stock other than seat and bars so I figured I could handle that myself! I stripped off the touring stuff and started off by buying a new headlight and a set of clubman bars.


I also started working on the rear cowl with a piece of sheet metal duct work.





I had some tubing bent already and so I shortened up the rear frame rails and looped them together.



I transplanted the turn signal mounts off of the original frame rails, trimmed down the inner fender and started heavily on the bodywork. I was having troubles with the metal cowl so I ended up fiberglass ing over the metal. I had it all smoothed out and prime red and hit it with a coat of red from a spray can. It looked great. I decided to hot it with another coat so I knew I'd have plenty to wet sand out. I must have missed my window for decorating because it wrinkled up like crazy! Now, I get to strip it back down and start over. Since I was pissed about that, I decided to to be productive and made a tail light/tag mount. I also added some spacers and longer bolts to lower the factory gauge cluster about an inch. Here's some pics of it...













I took it out for a quick spin around the neighborhood tonight and it seems like its only running on all four cylinders part of the time. It's pretty damned quick when she's hitting on all four! It needs paint finished and a few other minor things and it'll be ready for the road. I decreased it a little today and it was the first time I had it out of the garage since I started working on it, so I had to snap a few pics of its stance. I'd like to get it a little more forward leaning, but not sure if I want to jack up the rear end. I'll ride it like this for awhile and see how I feel.








Eventually I'd like to get a 4-1 header and a standard tank. Maybe a set of rear sets sometime in the far future also.

Let me know what you think!
Doug K

[Courtney]

Looking good slowhand! Your paint prob may have been an inconsistency with lacquer and enamel not playing well together. Keep that stock exhaust system handy for trading or whatever, it looks to be in good shape and people are always looking for them.

[BA80]

Sorry but I've GOT to say it. That was a beautiful SG.

Another one bites the dust.

[Slow Hand]

Sorry but I've GOT to say it. That was a beautiful SG.

Another one bites the dust.

Sorry dude! The PO wasn't too happy about it either but after I paid him for the imr, he was a lot less upset! I ended up selling off all the stuff to another XS owner for 1/6 of my purchase price. Good for me and for him!! So, while mine is a tourer no longer, there is a new one soon to be born!!

[BA80]

No offense intended. It's your bike.

It just makes my heart sad to see another one that won't continue as it was intended.

Case in point; you never see one that's been modified for sale other than for parts.

[DiverRay]

I know some here don't like it when you take a bagger and strip it, but it's YOUR bike. The work looks good, and as Courtney said, keep the stock pipes. You will probably find that the bike is quicker with the stock system than with ANY available new system. If you find a set of "standard" switches and master cylinder, the wires and brake lines will look better with little work on your part. Stainless Steel brake lines will give the brakes a much better feel.
Welcome to the madness, and I like the Star in the background.

[natemoen]

I probably agree most with BA but hey, it's your bike.

Welcome to the site. I am in Indy too (just moved here 2 weeks ago) need someone to show me where the good riding roads are!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there,

I see that you have the handlebars inverted. A little trick to lower the front without raising the rear is to slide the fork tubes up in the triple trees a bit. You'll have a limit of how far you can do that because they will hit the bottom of the handlebars. Others have used the CLAMP ON type bar/grips that clamp onto the upper fork tubes, so without the full bars in the way, there's a bit more room to slide the forks up in the TT's, thus lowering the front frame a bit.

I don't like full fairing touring rigs either. Nice that the parts went to someone that wanted and will use them, and at a nice price for them!

Running on less than 4 cylinders can be caused by many situations, just ask FRED! Clogged carbs, corroded ignition connectors, partially broken pick up coil wires, etc.! Once you get it consistently hitting on all 4, you may not be able to go back to your V-twin!

T.C.

[fredintoon]

Hey, guys. I've been reading here for a short while and finally got around to getting registered. I picked up my 80 XS1100 a couple weeks back. It was set up as a cruiser with a Vetter fairing, trunk, and saddle bags. Not my style at all! It did have a new battery and a set of Dunlops with less than 100 miles on them. The bike has 26,000 miles on it. After reading a lot of good posts about how great the XS11 is, I figured it would be a fun one to modify to my taste.
I also started working on the rear cowl with a piece of sheet metal duct work.
- - - - Let me know what you think!
Doug K

Hi Doug and welcome,
Yeah, a Standard tank will take you further. Swap in the Special's thermistor sender because the Standard's rheostat sender won't work the Special's low fuel red warning light.
As to the many reasons the bike don't always run on all 4, add:-
"thinking only running on 2 has gotta be an ign fault or dirty carbs and not running out of gas because the red light ain't on and then finding out the thermistor has failed"
If I'd taken the effort to build a bumstop I'd have Frenched the rear light and signals into it. Your stock rear lamp stuck where it is makes the bike look like a red arsed monkey.
And fit a TKAT fork brace, those things are golden.

[daveyg]

I like the look you've got there! If it were mine (or if I was starting my build over again for the 3rd time) I would keep the special tank. My Standard tank swap has been a nightmare from day one! Shoot some paint on it and ride her!

[jjz28]

I looks pretty cool but that bike is now worth at least 1/2 of what it was. But, if you plan on keeping it forever it doesn't matter.

[Slow Hand]

I looks pretty cool but that bike is now worth at least 1/2 of what it was. But, if you plan on keeping it forever it doesn't matter.

From the prices I've seen around here, I'd have to disagree with you. Cafed are hot right now and around here, folks who want a cruiser are normally looking at H-D's or at least newer wannabe Harley Jap bikes. As it sits right now, I've got about $800 in it and once it's painted and running right, it'll be worth at least double that if not more.

I'll ha e to see how I like it once its done, but I plan on keeping her awhile. I build bikes because I enjoy making them my own and I like doing the work myself.

[jetmechmarty]

From the prices I've seen around here, I'd have to disagree with you. Cafed are hot right now and around here, folks who want a cruiser are normally looking at H-D's or at least newer wannabe Harley Jap bikes. As it sits right now, I've got about $800 in it and once it's painted and running right, it'll be worth at least double that if not more.

I'll ha e to see how I like it once its done, but I plan on keeping her awhile. I build bikes because I enjoy making them my own and I like doing the work myself.

Agreed. If you can build a cafe bike and do it right, you can get a return on it. Doin' it right is the key. We're accustomed to seeing bikes on here that miss the mark or or look down right butchered. That's why you're getting grief.

[fredintoon]

I like the look you've got there! If it were mine (or if I was starting my build over again for the 3rd time) I would keep the special tank. My Standard tank swap has been a nightmare from day one! Shoot some paint on it and ride her!

Hi Davey,
only in North America would an 1100cc bike be offered with a gas tank sized to suit a lawn mower.
BTW, how could you possibly turn a simple one-hour swap job into a nightmare?

[Slow Hand]

Agreed. If you can build a cafe bike and do it right, you can get a return on it. Doin' it right is the key. We're accustomed to seeing bikes on here that miss the mark or or look down right butchered. That's why you're getting grief.

Oh, I understand!! I've seen horrible conglomeration a labeled as chopper, bobber, café, brat style, etc... Really, the Xs11 is on the big side for a real cafe racer, but I like the look and don't really do long road trips, so that's what I'm going this route.

I'm not saying mine will be top of the line, but I want to make a good looking, safe bike that will turn some heads.