This slope isn't just slippery, It's also darn near vertical...

[Orange4]

Sooooo. I may just have bought the 79F's older sibling today. A '78 but this time she runs. She's a little weather beaten but not abused, 33000 on the clock. Pics later...

Ya gotta have at least two. Right? Right?

I think I may be developing an XS eleven problem but it's a happy problem.

[IanDMacDonald]

I keep telling myself I don't need another one, especially with all of my other bikes. If I do get another, it will be either a '78 stock, or MNS.

[rdmcguy]

three... or more

You got to have at least three!
Your main one in whichever style you enjoy most ....bagger, café..
#2 opposite of #1
#3 the one you take parts off of in order to not have#1 or #2 not running.
which leads to #4 -5-6 .....
The more the merrier

[James England]

I'm a serial monogamist with bikes (and women). For some reason, I can never cope with more than one at once and feel better lavishing my love, affection and money on only one at a time.....

[MarkD]

Agreed, James. But, part of me wants a Special, too, as well as my 79F.

[Orange4]

It has a vin that does not show up on the table; 2H7 100XXX.
It is registered as a 78.

[fredintoon]

I'm a serial monogamist with bikes (and women). For some reason, I can never cope with more than one at once and feel better lavishing my love, affection and money on only one at a time.....

Hi James,
in a perfect world a man would have 4 wives:-
Tall & elegant to take out on social occasions.
Intelligent and ruthless to operate the family's business affairs.
Kind and nurturing to raise the children.
Big & burly to scrub floors and do the heavy lifting.
But in this far from perfect world it's a lucky man who's wife agrees that he can own motorcycles.
At least four that are plated and road-ready:-
Big long distance tourer.
Sport bike for track days.
Nice classic for Sunday rides and rallies.
Dual purpose for trail rides.
Race bikes, antiques and works in progress in addition, as time & space allow.

[Prisoner6]

I keep telling myself I don't need another one, especially with all of my other bikes. If I do get another, it will be either a '78 stock, or MNS.

My sentiments exactly, Ian - I'd really like to find a nice '78E or a Midnight - because I need one ...

OK, maybe not

[MPittma100]

Only One

I'm a serial monogamist with bikes (and women). For some reason, I can never cope with more than one at once and feel better lavishing my love, affection and money on only one at a time.....

Hi James,

One woman is not a bad thing, but you need to span your horizon just a little and go for a second, third, fourth, or maybe even a fifth XS1100. Then you will reach your goal of living happily ever after. LOL

[Orange4]

This is becoming a pattern with me. I bought the Auranthetic electric minibike and had a second within a month. Exact same situation as with these XS' too. First one didn't run and had no papers, the second ran but had papers. First one I souped up, the second was left stock. Spooky coincidence.

Now I need to look for that Vincent Black Shadow and do it all over again...

The pleading/reasoning at the time I bought the Auranthetics was so the wife could have one too. Same situation this time but she wants a smaller bike so anyone with an extra XS650 around, let me know.

Turns out it is a 78E. Has the right colour, carbs and tubless rims.

I'm a lucky man, wife and bike wise.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Orange,

The 78 didn't have Tubeless rims, did you mean to say TUBED rims??
If it has tubeless, then someone did a nice swap of the rims so that you could have/use tubeless!

Yeah, I'm a one horse jockey myself...but it was mostly because I am "LAZY", and don't want to have to work on another bike once I have one that's in running condition! I do have a few parts bikes laying around, and a 79SF that could possibly be resurrected if I got ambitious....and I now have a 19 y/o step-grandson that has moved into the area since he got stationed at Oceana Naval Base in Va. Beach, and he's expressed an interest in getting a bike. We recently sold him our 10 y/o Hyundai SantaFe since Swmbo got a new job and so we got her a new little car..Chevy Sonic...~30mpg vs. the barely 22 mpg of the Hyundai. He was able to get it financed thru the Naval Fed. Credit union, only charged him $2K for it, worth a bit over $3K, but we were the original owner, so we knew it was well cared for, will be reliable, and I can help him work on it, etc.. This way he gets to build his credit without having to make car payments for years, and can also get cheaper insurance.

So...in the spring "we" may get to actually work on the bike bringing it back to life, and if so I'll definitely post a build thread. This will also give me a chance to make all of those VIDEOS needed to try to put together some sort of DVD type service manual....or at least to be able to post them to You Tube for folks.

T.C.

[Brent]

2

Sooooo. I may just have bought the 79F's older sibling today. A '78 but this time she runs. She's a little weather beaten but not abused, 33000 on the clock. Pics later...

Ya gotta have at least two. Right? Right?

I think I may be developing an XS eleven problem but it's a happy problem.

2? Yes. This is the only way to be objective on the Standard vs Special question. (of course the particular model you have IS the best.) Objective folks in the know say "It is all good."

And for the rare occasion when you are working on a bike and must go get more parts, You need another bike to ride to fetch parts. I do not know how I ever got by with just one.

[Orange4]

Hey Orange,

The 78 didn't have Tubeless rims, did you mean to say TUBED rims??
If it has tubeless, then someone did a nice swap of the rims so that you could have/use tubeless!

Yes. I did mean tube type. At least the rear is. The front is a tubless type. The tires are both tubeless (and treadless) on front and back so it looks like the rear was converted to tubless.