79 xs1100 special grab bar

[dewibp]

This will no doubt be a laugher but I need a rear grab bar for a 79 xs1100. Anyone have one for sale?

[LoserShoes]

If your bike uses the tubular bar like my 80G does, and I think it does, good luck, and if you find two, let me know. I've been looking for two years, and the two I saw on ebay both went for around $100 after a vicious bidding war. I'm thinking about bending up my own.

Anybody know why these are so rare? Did the bend/break easily? Were they perceived as ugly and trashed?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Steve

[MAXIMAN]

Yeah well I just bought a '79 Special yesterday. When I got home last night there was a grab bar on ebay. I needed it.

When I placed my bid their stupid server locked up or something. I placed a bid for $100. But the it never went through after about 3 or 4 minutes of of no response from the ebay server I finally got a message the auction had ended. I was livd.

But the grab bar only went for $33. So the buyer got screwed. Ebay's a mess. They need to revamp the way things are bid on.

Anyway if anyone has a '79 grab bar I'm in the market for one also.

Cody

[dewibp]

I was on the losing end of the $100 bidding war! That was totally nuts but I made him pay up. Then last night on ebay there was one that went for $30 and I missed it!!!!

[dewibp]

I went to bed with a $30 max bid as it was only at $10 or $11 and thought I would get a bargin! Woke up this am and I lost out by a couple dollars!!!

[John]

The 79 uses a round bar grab rail, and the 80-81 uses a rectangular, cast aluminum rail with the tail light attached at the rear of the seat. Are they really that hard to find?

[dewibp]

The 79 xs11 sp seems to be a problem. I see the aluminum ones for the later models on ebay quite often.

[LoserShoes]

And the 80 G has the round on too. The 80SG has the aluminium one. Go figure.

Steve

[MAXIMAN]

That's right...the 80 and 81 standard has the same bar as the '79 Special.

John - I have found several at salvage yards already. They ain't cheap but they are available. OZ Cycle Salvage in Kansass quoted $135 for one.

[dewibp]

FINALLY got a grab bar bought on ebay last night! Anyone have an idea how we can be sure we are not bidding against each other on items like this? PS- there is another one coming up in a couple days that has a luggage rack clamped to it. Looks like it is okay yet or so the guy says.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Dew,

Are you sure it was the right grab bar. I've seen a couple posted, that look very small, and I think they are only for the 78 with that INTO the seat mounting??

That other bar showing the rack/backrest is NOT part of that sale, he states that they are being sold separately!!

If you do a search on the Other Forum "Members Lounge" for "whos who on ebay" you find many posts of folks describing their ebay handle!

IF you have several days before a bid ends, you can send a message to the bidder, and inquire if they are fellow Xsives!

T.C.

[andreashweiss]

Grab bars are rare because they would break when people would try and lift the bike onto the centre stand. The correct way involves using the frame as a lift point under the seat. The grab bar is for the passenger to hold onto.

[dewibp]

Well it sure LOOKS like what I need??!! I also emailed the guy with the cobbled up back rest/grab bar and he says the back rest is just clamped on and will come apart. I plan on keeping an eye on it too. I had some luck tonight with my "creation". I will post on my other thread my sucess story.

[dewibp]

Well another lesson learned. The grab bar I bought LOOKS like it should fit on a 1980 xs1100 G model and not the special The one I bought does not have the kick up about where the trurn signal is located. He listed it to fit a special so will contact him.

[Winterhawk]

www.merriamcycle.com or www.xseleven.com. Who knows how much.