FREE! XS1100 CafeRacer project need help.

[MPittma100]

A Few

There are very few fans here of turning the 11s or the 650s into cafe racers. Reason is that most end up for sale as unfinished projects or parts bikes. Just an FYI.

[IN_XS]

seems your build is a righteous concept for the cafe of a huge beast !
I've seen a few pics of successful cafe builds of these big bikes. Only thing the size and weight, well there are those that race so it's possible.

BY THE WAY WELCOME !!!!!

OH AND PLEASE, PICS OF YOUR BUILD AS YOU PROGRESS !
START A NEW THREAD FOR YOURSELF AND THIS BUILD.

P.S. That seat, Ostrich was it ? BEAUTIFUL !!!!!

Thanks so much! I've been reading this forum for years but haven't worked up the nerve to post until now. I truly would not have been able to do my project without this forum. I'll take your advice and post a thread on my project, that is as soon as I figure out how to actually post pictures lol. Thanks again!

[donebysunday]

78 se

This is the bike (XS650 special) I traded in on my new XS1100 SF . The owner of the small dealership (I had put a heavy silver flake emron on it) fell in love with it. He gave me $200.00 more than I paid for it and lowered the $ of the 11 $200.00 I could not say no.


These would make for a great cafe. Put low bars on, paint and a jacket style snap on bum stop to hump that rear of the seat. It already has front and rear disc brakes with room for another disc in the front. If you like you can put the akron style wheels on with modded front on the back and you have 19" front and rear. A 750 kit would be nice, there is a guy in Australia that has modded the 650 into 1100cc. Much more can be done
OK I quit.

[JasonG]

Nice bike ya have. Perfect base.

I just snagged some clip on bars and a new headlight bracket. I don't think I will be turning into a cafe racer it's just toooo big.. but ill be putting a Brat style seat on it and some clip on bars.. lowering it a bit. Just make it look less of an eye sore LOL! I will post some progress pics soon and a youtube link for some fun videos.

Cheers!

[hamjam]

A café racer (/ˈkæf reɪsər/ KAF-ray-sər or more commonly /ˈkæfeɪˌreɪsər/ KA-fei-RAY-sər) is a lightweight, lightly powered motorcycle optimized for speed and handling rather than comfort – and for quick rides over short distances.
Café racer - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Café_racer
XS11 lightweight??
lightly powered ???
handling ??? hmmm

[3Phase]

A café racer (/ˈkæf reɪsər/ KAF-ray-sər or more commonly /ˈkæfeɪˌreɪsər/ KA-fei-RAY-sər) is a lightweight, lightly powered motorcycle optimized for speed and handling rather than comfort – and for quick rides over short distances.
Café racer - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Café_racer
XS11 lightweight??
lightly powered ???
handling ??? hmmm

Relatively speaking, sure, it is almost a couple of hundred pounds or several hundred kilos lighter than an Electroglide and it kicks over just as easily:-

From motorcyclespecs.co.za, Wet Weight for 1978 XS1100 is 568.7 lb / 285 kg.

A 1978 Harley-Davidson shovelhead FLH Electra-Glide has a Wet Weight of 760.6 lbs/345 kg.

15 second Youtube clip:
Harley Davidson shovelhead FLH Electra-Glide 1978 80 ci 1340cc

[hamjam]

guess I'm really old i remember these as 100cc up to 650 japanese and british even a 125 cc yamaha twin plus BSA and Triumph etc 500 or really big 650s what is the significance of the 15 sec of a HD ?? never saw one as a cafe the whole genre of those were light and nimble which i cant even think of as a description of the 11 or the ultra glide mind you my 1600 Vulcan Nomad is more nimble at 772 lbs dry weight than my 78 E was and my Yamaha RD 125 looked like this http://www.racebikemart.com/adverts/...1343074572.php have fun

[3Phase]

A friend bought a crashed FLH and made it a cafe because it didn't need as many parts to get it running. He thought.
The heavy starter got deleted along with the stonkin' battery, like people do when they try to make the XS11 a cafe conversion.

The kick start video is because I like engines that kick start, like my XS11.

Here's another short kick start video with an XS1100. 26 seconds:-


XS1100 kickstart

[JasonG]

HeyHey,

I started a video series on my build.
Its called Project JohnyBrat! Checkout and follow along!

http://"https://youtu.be/oUC7Ab3CTaE...be/oUC7Ab3CTaE

Cheers!!

[donebysunday]

No go

heyhey,

i started a video series on my build.
Its called project johnybrat! Checkout and follow along!

http://"https://youtu.be/ouc7ab3ctae...be/ouc7ab3ctae

cheers!!

i can't get anywhere with this url ?
Maybe copy it again and then run it through tinyurl to get it trimmed down ?
Then try it before posting, make sure it works .

[JasonG]

Hey Everyone.


Sorry for the mess up!

Check this link should work


https://youtu.be/oUC7Ab3CTaE

Also check my gallery @

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index....at=69;u=111112

[skids]

Hey Everyone.


Sorry for the mess up!

Check this link should work


https://youtu.be/oUC7Ab3CTaE

Also check my gallery @

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index....at=69;u=111112

It looks like it has several chromed parts.

[donebysunday]

Aces

works great !
Many have turned out great starting with much less !
I find your build very interesting !
Don't cut anything just yet, get it road worthy as best you can and safety first .
Plan the work and could we all offer suggestions, please ! ?
Then pick your choices and run the idea through us meat grinders again ? ? ?
I bow to the experience of the collective over the suggestions of any single member !
Set that puppy free !!!!!
I know no thing nothing, nothing at all .

[puskrat]

Sorry Marty!

It's happened that trying to find a 650 to hack ended up getting a man on an Eleven and this site.

[puskrat]

Hey! Stop telling people to hack up XS650's! Go hack up a Honda!

It's happened that hunting hackable 650s has landed a man on an Eleven and this site.