It's alive... Sort of

[leggman1]

Finally got around to putting the tank and seat back on my 81 xs1100 special. The new o rings above the petcocks worked as I have no fuel leaks now.
It started and after a brief warm up I went down the road a piece and It sure does run good but I have a few questions / issues.
1. The headlight does not work on low or high. All the other lights work fine.
2. I have no instructions as to how the petcocks work as in do I use the handle of the petcock to indicate or the top of the handle??? So when the bike is parked and I want the fuel off does the long handle of the petcock go to "OFF" or the mark on top of the handle?? Hope I make sense?
I eliminated the octy and joined both front hose fittings with one piece of 1/4" fuel line. The back ones cross over with little inline filters and hook to the carbs. Right petcock to left two carbs etc.
The bike runs great but I am definitely not happy with the seating position. I am about six one tall and the seat seems way too low and forward for me to be comfortable.
Thanks for the help so far
Dave

[donebysunday]

Finally got around to putting the tank and seat back on my 81 xs1100 special. The new o rings above the petcocks worked as I have no fuel leaks now.
It started and after a brief warm up I went down the road a piece and It sure does run good but I have a few questions / issues.
1. The headlight does not work on low or high. All the other lights work fine.
2. I have no instructions as to how the petcocks work as in do I use the handle of the petcock to indicate or the top of the handle??? So when the bike is parked and I want the fuel off does the long handle of the petcock go to "OFF" or the mark on top of the handle?? Hope I make sense?
I eliminated the octy and joined both front hose fittings with one piece of 1/4" fuel line. The back ones cross over with little inline filters and hook to the carbs. Right petcock to left two carbs etc.
The bike runs great but I am definitely not happy with the seating position. I am about six one tall and the seat seems way too low and forward for me to be comfortable.
Thanks for the help so far
Dave

You will need to do some testing to see if power is going to the headlight.
The factory petcocks get the handle towards the setting you want.
The stepped seat on the later bikes pushes me to far forward too. I switched the 81 special seat for an 80 special, one of the most comfy ever on any bike. You could go forward controls to get even more room.

[bikerphil]

As for the headlight, find the headlight relay under the tank near the ign. coils, unplug it. Jump the red/yel and the blu/blk wires in the harness connector and see if the headlights work now with the key in the on position. If so, you can either leave it that way (no harm) or replace/repair the relay.

[skids]

You will need to do some testing to see if power is going to the headlight.
The factory petcocks get the handle towards the setting you want.
The stepped seat on the later bikes pushes me to far forward too. I switched the 81 special seat for an 80 special, one of the most comfy ever on any bike. You could go forward controls to get even more room.

Be aware that there is a right and a left side petcock handle and they are definitely not interchangeable for standards.

[skids]

It has been a long time since I removed all of the headlight relays in my standards, but they don't allow juice until the engine starts turning. It is a "latching" relay type meaning once they do turn on, they stay on until the key is switched off again.

[leggman1]

Tried it with the engine running and nothing. I will try to look at it in a couple of days when I get off work.
Thanks

[leggman1]

Found it,All it was was a bad fuse. I pulled the fuse from the accessory terminal and the headlight works now.
Now all I have to do is paint the tank and get a seat that is not so butt ugly.

[DiverRay]

Now all I have to do is paint the tank and get a seat that is not so butt ugly.

But isn't it going to have your ugly bu..... Oh, never mind. You left the line, so I added the stinker.. Glad you are getting it sorted WITHOUT spending a lot on it!

[leggman1]

Butt ugly

Now that the bike is running I would really like to make it rideable. With the stock seat and handlebars it is by far the most uncomfortable thing I have ever been on. I am six foot one and My legs cramp before I can get out of the driveway. Help!

[skids]

Now that the bike is running I would really like to make it rideable. With the stock seat and handlebars it is by far the most uncomfortable thing I have ever been on. I am six foot one and My legs cramp before I can get out of the driveway. Help!

Yoga will help? Haha. Get some highway pegs for your crash bars, if not, get crash bars and highway pegs.

[red bandit]

Buy 3 more seats. Stack all the foam on top of your seat.