Potential new project

[James England]

Thats crazy eh, why would someone mount it upside down....James, how come the ignition box is mounted so far back compared to a Special ?

Ot happens quite a lot. If you trawl the net for XS1100 images, it pops up again and again. It may even partly be due to the very popular Haynes manual photo which shows the upside-down rail!

I think maybe back in the day, a Japanese assembly worker had too much sake the night before work and then zoned out in a pachinko parlour until the small hours. Then, off he goes to work the next day, like a hungover zombie...and puts a rail on upside down. It's the very bike that Haynes used for their manual and so, an urban legend began...XS1100 grabrails are mounted upside down

Re the TCI...on the European models, it bolts to the rear fender and sits under the rear seat nacelle/cowl. I suppose it's there because the space is available. It's well protected from rain there too...one never sees them crudded up or anything.

Where do they go on a Special??

[Prisoner6]

Re the TCI...on the European models, it bolts to the rear fender and sits under the rear seat nacelle/cowl. I suppose it's there because the space is available. It's well protected from rain there too...one never sees them crudded up or anything.

Where do they go on a Special??

James,

In the U.S., the '78-'79 Standards have the TCI mounted the same as you mentioned ... to the rear fender, covered by the rear tail cone/cowl.

On the '80-'81 Standards, and all model years of the Special, the TCI is mounted directly under the seat (the seat pans have a "scoop" in them to accommodate this).

[xs650man]

Ot happens quite a lot. If you trawl the net for XS1100 images, it pops up again and again. It may even partly be due to the very popular Haynes manual photo which shows the upside-down rail!

I think maybe back in the day, a Japanese assembly worker had too much sake the night before work and then zoned out in a pachinko parlour until the small hours. Then, off he goes to work the next day, like a hungover zombie...and puts a rail on upside down. It's the very bike that Haynes used for their manual and so, an urban legend began...XS1100 grabrails are mounted upside down

Re the TCI...on the European models, it bolts to the rear fender and sits under the rear seat nacelle/cowl. I suppose it's there because the space is available. It's well protected from rain there too...one never sees them crudded up or anything.

Where do they go on a Special??

James,Its mounted on the plastic section of the rear guard ( fender ) under the seat,

[Prisoner6]

... Tut tut here's one

That is just so WRONG!!

I can't imagine how anyone would think that is the correct way to mount that rail ...

By the way, your bike is looking great!

[James England]

That is just so WRONG!!

I can't imagine how anyone would think that is the correct way to mount that rail ...

By the way, your bike is looking great!

Thanks Marco! I've kept a record or bits I've sold and bits I've bought. I daren't do a reckoning........ Last time it was $4,000! This time it may be less because of the stainless exhaust I sold and the cheaper price on the new exhaust. Gulp...I still daren't work it out. I actually made a profit last time although it worked out at 10 cents and hour for labour....

I'm on the prowl for a few niggly bits......the plastic trim that goes round the front weld of the fuel tank and four of the clear or white plastic caps that fit onto the carb fuel screws, so if anyone has any available please do PM me!

[James England]

Here we go again...

[TomB]

I have a theory about the Haynes picture, they completely strip and rebuild a bike, I think the picture is of the rebuilt bike and THEY refitted it wrong.

The other theory is that the dealers did it when the bike was new, and they regularly fitted the speedo/tacho wrong - above the top tree, leaving a big unsightly gap between them and the headlight.

[James England]

I have a theory about the Haynes picture, they completely strip and rebuild a bike, I think the picture is of the rebuilt bike and THEY refitted it wrong.

The other theory is that the dealers did it when the bike was new, and they regularly fitted the speedo/tacho wrong - above the top tree, leaving a big unsightly gap between them and the headlight.

Yes, I've seen the headlamp thing before on one bike. I wonder if Haynes went as far as removing the rail when doing the book though? Either way, it crops up a lot, eh? The rail fits perfectly into the holes the other way up.

[Prisoner6]

Here we go again...

"It's like déjà vu, all over again" ...

- Yogi Berra

[MaximPhil]

James,

In the U.S., the '78-'79 Standards have the TCI mounted the same as you mentioned ... to the rear fender, covered by the rear tail cone/cowl.

On the '80-'81 Standards, and all model years of the Special, the TCI is mounted directly under the seat (the seat pans have a "scoop" in them to accommodate this).

Unless the PO put a different seat on. Like mine in which case it has to be stuffed in the tool box
Phil

[MaximPhil]

Thanks Marco! I've kept a record or bits I've sold and bits I've bought. I daren't do a reckoning........ Last time it was $4,000! This time it may be less because of the stainless exhaust I sold and the cheaper price on the new exhaust. Gulp...I still daren't work it out. I actually made a profit last time although it worked out at 10 cents and hour for labour....

I'm on the prowl for a few niggly bits......the plastic trim that goes round the front weld of the fuel tank and four of the clear or white plastic caps that fit onto the carb fuel screws, so if anyone has any available please do PM me!

Hi James,
I saw the plastic trim under fuel tank in a list from Andreas.
Phil

[Mathh]

I just got an email from Heinz Wyes regarding the stainless exhaust. He can deliver it for 930 euros, prices are the same for both systems. That is ex shipping. Still looking for the original producer though.
@ james: I think he only speaks German, maybe that's why he did not respond to yr emails.

[James England]

I just got an email from Heinz Wyes regarding the stainless exhaust. He can deliver it for 930 euros, prices are the same for both systems. That is ex shipping. Still looking for the original producer though.
@ james: I think he only speaks German, maybe that's why he did not respond to yr emails.

I emailed him in German, actually! We Europeans can be linguists when we want....

Mm.....960 Euros and then delivery extra is rather more than I paid through the middleman! I can imagine it would be a nightmare for a non-German speaker if anything went amiss. I'd stick with Bjorn.....

[James England]

German repro blinkers

I received the reproduction indicators from Germany yesterday and thought I'd post a few pix just in case anyone out there ever wants any. These cost less to buy and have sent to me from Germany than to buy them in the UK. I would say they are every bit as good as OEM and entirely authentic looking. They are chromed metal, not plastic. They come complete with bulbs and the lenses are really nice...shiny and a nice colour, not the faded, foggy look of OEM lenses that have sat around for 30 years.

I got these connected up today and they are flashing fine. I bought a replacement flasher unit, 3 prong, supposedly for an XS1100 and it just didn't work! So I ended up putting the original two prong one back on and the flashers worked immediately....

Onwards and upwards.....

[natemoen]

Do they make the front turn signal brackets to mount onto the forks too?