Finally: 79sf Side Panels

[Shuriken]

Finally, I got a decent set of side panels for my 79sf. Of course, the left hand side panel lower tab is broken, but other than that, they are sweet. I had to outbid someone (probably some of y'all) up to about $60, but it was worth it to me because I've waited about a year to get the right ones. They make all the difference in aesthetics. Now on to the rest of the bike.

Now I just need a rear grab bar that fits.

Ben

[don07tncav]

Congrats Ben, your quest for them has been interesting!! A couple of grab bars have gone through E-Bay also.

[gaffer77]

Hi Ben happy new year!!!! hope i never need any panels !!!!

i bought a grab bar back in the summer for a 79sf off ebay ,paid about $12.00 for it ,well happy!!! i think i have only seen 2 of them on there like it most are the alloy one off the 80 onwards special ,i like the alloy but not sure it will fit cos the seat and light are different and im not changing those parts on mine as they are the reason for me having the sf ,

is there supposed to be a small chrome grab bar under the seat on the sf or are they just for standards ????

also my grab bar comes level with the seat is this right as well just seems a bit odd thats all ,i have got a different seat on it at the mo but the back looks pretty much like the original did

just thought id ask an sf enthusiast,not many over here you see very rare to see another so its hard you know

any chance of you posting a pic so we can see your bike at all

[Shuriken]

My 79sf as it is...

Another pic of the 79sf...

The 79sf and the 80g...

This is what the 79sf originally looked like...

I need the grab bar for a 79sf. I tried to get one and someone sold me a grab bar for a 78 or 79 standard.

True, there have been grab bars for the 80 models on ebay, but I'm looking for the funky hard-to-get one in the link above.

Ben

[gaffer77]

cheers Ben i just love pics of sf specials i managed to get the 79 special bar, looking at some pics i have in mags it is right (level with the top of the seat )i bought a sissy bar as well so i may end up taking the grab rail off and if you still aint got one i might sell it,
want to see how it all looks first,i like it without the sissy bar ,but my kids will be ready for a ride soon so need a sissy bar really

cheers for pics and good luck !!!

[gaffer77]

hi Ben any luck with that sissy bar?????? fetched a bit of money but id have still paid that for it!!!!

[Shuriken]

I would have, too, if I could have afforded it. It's just the wrong time for me to have gotten that. I simply didn't have $60 bucks.

Ben

[gaffer77]

nightmare!!!!!
i just got my seat pan blasted ,welded,fibreglassed and pop rivetted!!! and had my sissy bar pad reupholstered by a good friend ,i want some sort of yamaha badge to sew on to the rear of the seat as it had a metal one before and now it is lost!!!

what parts do you have for an sf????? that you might be willing to trade for the grab bar???? i am not convinced on getting shot of it but you never know ,i got to see what everything looks like first

like i said i need a patch before i put the seat cover on and after that i can let you know ,i know you had a parts bike before and just wondered if you had anything to twist my arm if i pay all postage costs for grab bar and the parts you may have ???

cant really tell what id want ,deffo want a new rev counter bowl (must be good perfect) need head light ears,oil cooler parts ,i like spares of anything really

anyway let me know and in a couple of weeks i will know if to part with the grab bar or not

see you

[randy]

Ben, so that was you last night? Should have known! I didn't bid on them, but I was considering getting them for speculation. I noticed that the seller had mis-listed them as for an XS100, so I thought maybe I could steal 'em.

Congrats. Too bad about the bar. If I come accross one, I'll snap it up for you.

Randy

[Shuriken]

Gaffer/Randy,

Sadly, I had to thin the heard and let the 78e go in the summer. It would have been a great parts bike to have around. The only thing I have left from it is a set of carbs with pretty much non usable diaphragms.

I've pretty much let go of my spare parts for XS's to put myself through school. I just finished a B.S. degree in Information Systems and Business. I haven't been able to get a "real" job yet, despite the degree and my experience, so I'm not sure yet if letting those XS parts go in exchange for the degree was worth it.

Anyway, I still have the 80g, but she's real tired now. The tank started to leak, one fork seems to have a lower leak, and it needs a rebuild. Easy stuff for me and I love the bike, but nothing happens when I don't have $$ to work on her. She's a great bike for the freeway, but if I ever get my 79sf to dial-in, I think I like the looks of it a lot better. So I don't have much need for the two bikes, and it's frighteningly close to the time in which I'll have to sell the bike to pay on the credit card.

That's pretty much why I couldn't bid $60+ on the grab bar and why I still don't have a good rear brake disc. That's pretty much all it needs to be complete, aside from TLC and cosmetics.

Ben

[gaffer77]

**kin hell mate ,lifes like that sometimes ,but i hope it comes right for you even the contemplating needs rewarding!!!!
i got redundancy looming at work and my bonneville may have to be sold ,not the xs tho !!!! something special about a 79 sf (sorry for the punn) the bonnie is great but its too much money for me to sit on ,maybe when im older and more sorted (hopefully) i can afford to have one sitting there ,

anyway with people you got over there someone will come to your rescue ,over here i think in a year ive seen 6 xs1100 sf models for sale ,so they are very rare as too are the parts ,so its a job on for me to get anything at a reasonable price you know !!!!

good luck mate do your best to hold on to the sf man theyre just heaven !!!!!

[hollywoodxs11sf]

You outbid me!!

Hey, man... it was me that you outbid for those side panels. My ebay handle is stylefreak.

It's cool, though. All I needed was a left side panel to replace the one I lost when I wrecked last month. I ended up getting a pretty good one for $48 with shipping. The lock tab had been repaired with JB weld, but it locks and seems solid. So, you got a set of side panels that you really needed and I got the one I needed and saved a few bucks. It worked out for both of us.

I bondo'd up the badge holes and painted it with that new holographic color-changing paint. I'm also smoothing the tank brackets out and painting the tank and my original Yamaha hard saddlebags in the same paint.

I'm also trying to get an original grab bar but can't afford $60. I've got a rear rack with a trunk box mounted to it, but it's rusty under the trunk and I don't like the looks of the bike with the trunk on it. I only ever put it on if I'm going out of town and I need the luggage space.

[Shuriken]

It's simple. When one modifies a vintage motorcycle, one should keep the parts! How many bikes have I gotten that were stripped of oem gear, which cost me hundreds $$ to replace! That has happened on every single one of my dirt bikes, and somewhat on my XS11's. Why is it that every bike I buy has original parts missing? Why is it that most of the 79 specials I've seen are missing the grab bar? Why is it that nearly every XS11 I've seen is missing the side panels?

Sorry for the bidding war. I went so high on those I didn't have anything left over to try for the oem grab bar....

The left hand panel on my bike of course has the broken tab. I've rarely seen them unbroken, and the one on my 80g came broken as well. I'd rather have a broken tab than no panel and an ugly view. ;-)

Ben

[randy]

Hey, hollyewood;

Don't take it personal, it's only business!. I consider all here on the forum friends, but i wouldn't hesitate to outbid anyone if it's something I really need.

Randy

[gaffer77]

yep you need the parts you got to bid man!!! thing is like Ben said were all after the same parts!!!

you guy's ain't got a clue what it's like over here in England trying to get sf parts!!!

don't spose you much care either!!

i got to say though mine did have perfect panels and tank when i got it which was a bonus,just shame on the colour ,but spose you can't have it all

my main prob was the seat and i need a bowl in perfect condition for the speedo (mine has a dent)

also want some fork dust covers if anyone can help????

also looking for the caps to cover the rear shox with the reflectors

and the frame and head light ear reflectors

any way good luck to everyone looking for parts and hope you all find what you need soon!!!