I cant believe the list price in 82!

[OpFlash]

Hey there I just came across the list price for an xj1100 in 1982 $4999.00 WOW but hey I feel really good now with my xj's purchase. Ill definitely tell my friend thanks now for selling her to me! ok ill tell you guys $800.00 big ones! I know I feel so lucky and by the time im done ill probably be close to 13-1500 dollars invested on this awesome motorcycle. I have to say though that id be in big trouble if it wasnt for this community. thanks for all the help! ok now how much did you guys pay for your bikes and what shape/condition were they in when you got em and what did it take for you guys to get em running again and the cost???

[Shadow]

Well I paid $690 Cdn for mine, needed front master cylinder, clutch cable, seat, new fluids and some lens covers. so that was about $200.00. Then it surprised me a little while later when the clucth blew out that was another $400.00, then a year later the rear brake siezed that was another $200. Now this year it's carb holders are toast and so is the valve cover gasket so another $120.00 This has been all over the course of 3 years. Now she needs some severe cosmetic work and I should technically replace the mufflers. I don't regret it since I couldn't afford a motorcycle any other way, and I'm quiet happy with the ride and performance of this beast.

[ajvot]

$300 for the bike and 2 boxes of parts that were supposedly for the XJ. It was missing most of the XJ only pieces. Just found out that the carbs and headlight assembly are not for an XJ, but I've tracked those down. All together, I will have around $1200 invested. Not bad for such a fun ride.

[KevinL]

I just got my XJ a little over a month ago, $500. I had to replace the fluids, throttle cable (had electical tape on it holding it together), air filter, petcock rebuilds (they were leaking) and I still need to fix the 2nd gear problem, but I'll wait until this winter to do that, for the time being I just bypass 2nd gear.
I still need to get the seat replaced, probably order that this month.

overall, $500 for the bike, $200 for the road trip to get it, and ~$200 in parts so far, with about another $200 to go, not bad!

Kevin

[Jerry]

And if you look up an inflation calculator, you will get something that looks like this:

"What cost $4999 in 1982 would cost $10141.15 in 2005."

I paid $650 for my Xj in 1999, now have around $1,500 in it with fairing, lowers, luggage, progressive fork springs, ss brake lines, fork brace, throttle lock, AGM battery, Diamond seat, fuse block, Jardine headers, other odds and ends not counting routine maintenance things like spark plugs, brake pads, air filter, speedometer and control cables. Throw in the custom trailer hitch, trailer, and camping "stuff" I use on longer trips and total investment gets closer to 2 grand. Ain't life great?

[beechfront]

XS #1 - $500. perfect running condition when i got it. ~17,500 miles. i went ahead and did a lot of unneccessary work to it to make it what i considered "dependable" for long trips. work included:

new carb boots, new handlebar controls, new 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th gears, painted frame, new air filter, different seat, used vetter hardbags, new progressive shocks/springs, new wheel bearings, carb rebuild, new octopus. total = well over $1000. wow. i never really sat down and added that stuff up before. Since purchase the only needed work has been re-wiring the coil wires & new front master cylinder. other then that, i have not had any problems and i've got around 39,000 miles on it now.



XS #2 - $400. don't know how it made it the two block drive from PO's house to mine. work so far includes:

new carb jets (leftover from before), replaced 160mph speedo, new battery, reworking of exhaust, replace clutch cable, replace bad clutch (work in progress), replace 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th gears (leftover from other bike - first gear was shot due to clutch not releasing properly), and i think i'm going to have to re-do the pickup coil wires again soon - musthave done something wrong the first time.

[OpFlash]

Wow this is soo cool really great hearing your stories on your bikes! it seems mostly all these bikes need is a good tune up and some tlc and theyre good to go. just started her up again today havent had the time to do the tune up stuff yet but i have all the parts ready to go. waiting for the weather to warm up a bit first but im very anxious to ride!

[John]

$500 rat in '91. 150 hours of resto work, and about $1000 in parts, new and used. That is when I discovered that some parts from other XS models will work on an XS11.

[TopCatGr58]

Well.....I got mine only slightly used (15 miles ), was an 81SH, got it in 83 from guy who bought it from Navy Exchange system in Japan, but he never licensed it while in Japan, just fired it up in the back yard for 2 years. I got it for same price he paid for it 2 years earlier....around $3,200 IIRC. Brought it back to US, drove it for 9 years till 1st and 2nd gears crapped out. Parked it regrettably OUTSIDE UNCOVERED, was going to get back to it soon! Life, financial problems, etc., and 9 years later, after my father passed away, I finally got the gumption to get into it, and I had found the old Yahoo XS11 group and links to Ken Talbot's pages on fixing the Tranny!

Poured another $2,500 into it with Big Bore, tires, seat, forks, and various other functional and cosmetic parts. That was 4 years ago, have made it to several rallies since then. It's not a daily ride.....saving it for the fun times, keeping the mileage wear down, built a homemade trailer for it, another $600! Just added the Diamond Plate Toolbox saddlebag conversion, about $150.00 worth of parts. And I'm not done futzing with it, yet!

[xswilly]

bought mine new in 78
paid 3400 dollars for it
still have it

[MAXIMAN]

Gee I feel like an idiot. I bought mine last year and paid $2500!!!

But then it was a very cherry 5800 miles. And honestly been worth every penny I paid.

[2fast]

Hey Maximan,
Don't feel bad, I paid $2500 for mine too. That was in 1981, still riding it. I did pour a good grand or so into it recently to fix the carbs, tires, brakes, forks and a few other items......hey, nothing is free...

[ratbyk]

Prices in Yesteryear

Can't comment on Yamaha's prices in the late 70's early 80's but!
June 20 78, paid $2850 for a 79 CBX. The first one released in Canada. Late Aug 81 paid $3195 for a heavily discounted 81 CBX-B with factory fairing and integrated saddle bags. (original list had been $3995) Kept it until 92. Sold it for $2500 with 120,000 kms on it. Sept 82 paid $5400 for a Suzuki 1100 Katana. One of those low grey land sharks. Original list had been $5995.
All prices were in Canadian dollars at the time.
Oh, ya and in late 84 bought a Honda XL600 with end of season discounts for $2400. Original list had been $3195.
Oh, how times have changed. Used CBX's around here lately have been going for $3000 to $5000 dependent on condition and stupidity of the purchaser. Saw a mint low mileage 79 CBX on eBay last week go for$15300 US.
If you have a good low mileage XS keep it up. Spend money on it and enjoy it. If you don't wreck it or wear it out you should get your money back.
Anyone have a good low mileage XS in the NW I could ride home for about $500. Seriously looking. Tee Hee
Ken/Sooke

[RUSH]

I bought my xs11 in '92 for $900 from the second owner who had never ridden it. It had 12,000 miles on it. I took it to Seattle Cycle Works to have the carbs cleaned for $200. After that it was a new rear tire, rectifier and pickup coils. I did all that work myself the first year. I dont remember the cost of all that but Im sure it was more than $200. My biggest mistake was the next spring taking the bike to the "DEALER" they jammed the pilot screws into the carbs and broke them off in 2 carbs. It took me 2 years before I was able to find some used carbs and swapped out the bad carb bodies and got the bike back to perfect running condition. Around '94 I had the front brakes start grabbing and spent about a month cleaning the lines, calipers and finally the master cylinder before that was solved.I had the seat recovered in '96 for about $260. Replaced the front and rear tires $400. Just this year Ive rebuilt the petcocks $20, replaced all the fluids $30, new front tire $200, new speedo cable $15. My other costs have been all the riding gear that I've done without for the last 13 years. New boots, riding pants and jacket, rain pants and jacket, heated liner $830! Wow!! Thats the first time Ive added that up.
Installed some driving lights $30 and new headlamp $40. LEDs in the brake lamp $20 and new bulbs throughout $10.
Now if the bike makes it through this big trip in May I plan on retiring her and having all the paint and chrome redone. Im not even going to think about what THAT is going to cost, but shell deserve it.

[RUSH]

AND A TKAT fork Brace! $40! Well over 3 grand so far. but if you figure that the bike has only 34k miles and is over 28 years old its not so bad.