side covers

[flyingdakota]

Hey guys!
I have a general question. I was planning to make some fiberglass, possibly some carbon fiber side covers for my xs11 and I was wondering would anybody be interested in a set if they turned out ok. I already have the molds made, all I need to do is start laying them up. I am just trying to see if there is a demand for them. I know that the plastic sucks and fiberglass would be better, and since I went through Abaris composite training it would be good practice to make them.

anyway let me know!

thanks FD

[Phyxius]

Welcome, FD! Drag up a rock and set a spell. Always room for another XSive here.

According to your profile, you have a '79 XS. Now if it turns out you have a Special, and/or the side covers will interchange from Standard to Special, then I would be most interested in seeing how your fiberglass covers turn out with the intent of getting a set for my '79 SF. Keep us up to date on your progress and best of luck!

BTW, if you have a '79, it's not a G. It will be either an S (Standard) or an SF (Special). Click on the 'Specifications' link on the left and it will list the model designations for each year.

[MAXIMAN]

flyingdakota

If you can make high quality side covers I'd think you could sell them easily on eBay. Especially if you could make molds for ALL the XS and XJ models. I think that would amount to only 3 basic shapes. The Special, Standard, and Maxim.

The only differences I can see were the way some attached. For instance the 79 Special covers had thin rectangular slots at the top that hung on tabs. The 80 - 81 Special covers had a round "snap on" type attachments.

Side covers are one of the most common parts that are lost off these old bikes...or any old bike for that matter. Bob Jones at Merriam Cycles in KC has molds ofr XS11 side covers. He gets about $200 for one cover!

I may be wrong about the different styles but you can look at them for yourself at the Yamaha webiste under the parts diagrams here: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/star/parts/home.aspx

May be some others will chime in here. I think you're onto something because side covers (as is all parts) for these bikes are getting harder to come by.

[Czekus21]

78=E, Standard
79=F,SF, Standard, Special
80=G,SG,LG, Standard, Special, Midnight Special
81=H,SH,LH, Standard, special, Midnight special
82=XJ
Other models built in other countries. Side cover mounting is a little different between the years and models. I believe there were many postings on a thread not too long ago about side cover mountings and interchangability.