1981 XS1100 special

[NSXSER]

The Bel Ray is also synthetic. Bonus: it's red to make it easy to identify leaks.

I can get all the Bel Ray oil up here to, I have never used them. I'm assuming you like them? have you used there engine oil? the 20w50 MC-4T mineral

[cajun31]

Your comment on the carbs has me curious. On the 81 specials the carbs did not have a lot of adjustments available to them. Any way you can post pictures of them. You can do a search on this site concerning the Harley pipes. It has been done and reports were they were very pleased with them. The thing you have to watch on them is the year you get and baffles, converters etc... in the pipes.

[NSXSER]

Your comment on the carbs has me curious. On the 81 specials the carbs did not have a lot of adjustments available to them. Any way you can post pictures of them. You can do a search on this site concerning the Harley pipes. It has been done and reports were they were very pleased with them. The thing you have to watch on them is the year you get and baffles, converters etc... in the pipes.

Carbs are back on the bike, but I got the original owners and service manual with the bike, i think the needle has 5 different setting , extra lean, lean, standard, rich and extra rich. I think that how it was. but it matched the service manual for adjustment

I can get pis of the service manual

[cajun31]

That was the part that had me curious. On the specials the original carbs did not have adjustable needles. Why I ask about the pictures is to verify what you have. 110 jets sound right for special carbs but not for earlier carbs if that is what you have. Are you talking about part 33 on the diagram? Yamaha Motorcycle 1981 OEM Parts Diagram for CABURETOR | Partzilla.com. Check this maintenance tip. Carburetor Facts - Models and Jetting - XS11.club Forums

[NSXSER]

Yes that needle itself, at the top has different settings, like I say which also matches the service manual, and in that manual was also some original hand written papers from its original service from new. It was a 1 owner bike, always stored inside, I bought it from the original owner, he said it was all original, and I don't have any reason to think otherwise. the manifold boots were cracked and he siliconed them to keep it original

edit just checked my service manual, its the 1978 to 1980 manual, and it shows the needle positions, its 4 positions #1 lean #2 Rich, #3 standard and #4 jet needle , that matched the carbs in my bike

[NSXSER]

Here is the bike, I took the original bars off the bike, did not like them, those are off my 1980, I have a new set ordered for it though

[cajun31]

Beautiful bike. You should be proud. Very nice condition. Blowing up the pictures it looks like those are the 81 carbs. You can tell from the tops. With that said the needles in those should not be adjustable. At least from what I know they weren't. Someone else may chime in with a correction. The 110 jets are what came in them so that is fine. If the bike is running right I wouldn't be concerned with anything else. The service manuals on these bikes are all basically the 78 to 80 main text and most of what was in those areas is geared towards the standards. Then they would include supplemental information for the specific year bike you might have. I bought the service manual for my 1980 MNS when I bought it new and most of that manual is written for just that bike. All the other manuals I have seen were as I stated previously. You might want to get your hands on the SH supplement as it addresses specifics to your bike.

[DiverRay]

XS1100SH.pdf I do have PDF's of almost all the manuals. Some are large, and I no longer have dropbox, so that makes it hard. Send me a pm if you would like the pdf's, and we can try an work it out. These are FREE to all who need them.

[NSXSER]

Beautiful bike. You should be proud. Very nice condition. Blowing up the pictures it looks like those are the 81 carbs. You can tell from the tops. With that said the needles in those should not be adjustable. At least from what I know they weren't. Someone else may chime in with a correction. The 110 jets are what came in them so that is fine. If the bike is running right I wouldn't be concerned with anything else. The service manuals on these bikes are all basically the 78 to 80 main text and most of what was in those areas is geared towards the standards. Then they would include supplemental information for the specific year bike you might have. I bought the service manual for my 1980 MNS when I bought it new and most of that manual is written for just that bike. All the other manuals I have seen were as I stated previously. You might want to get your hands on the SH supplement as it addresses specifics to your bike.

Thanks man appreciate it, I'm very happy with the bike. when I found it I jumped on it, actually my son found it, he's a bike geek lol , but for up here in Canada a lot of bike don't make it 44 years, at least in this shape, and this original, so i'm assuming, but could very wrong, but I bet there is not to many in Canada this original and in the shape it is. I plan on Keeping it this way. it also had a windshield and backrest on it, I took them off too, I know the windshield is not from factor, but I never asked about the backrest, I doubt it was originally on the bike when purchase,maybe added at that time or added at a later date. The hwy pegs on it are cool though, on the top side of them there gold plated, with Yamaha on them, I never seen a set like that before in the style they are. Did the special addition come factory with those, or would they have been added later?

As far as the jets, you know way more about that then me, maybe he forgot at some point they were changed, maybe they came from factory like that as a mistake, or used in place of the other ones due to inventory issues. who knows, the only there thing I can think of, but not sure if this apply way back in 81, did they use different parts etc in the carbs for different countries.

[bikerphil]

It may have a Dynojet kit in it, if the needles are adjustable. They would most likely be stainless steel then.

[NSXSER]

It may have a Dynojet kit in it, if the needles are adjustable. They would most likely be stainless steel then.

Nope not stainless, they appear to be brass.

[NSXSER]

Hey guys I have another question, does anyone know if the u-joint behind the mid drive has a grease fitting on it under the rubber boot. I can't find out with the manual if it does or doesn't for sure, I assume not as I can't find it mentioned. I figure someone here will know.

[NSXSER]

Ok one more question lol, I just read/ skimmed through TopCatGr58 post about the 2nd gear fix. My son actually got me the 80 xs1100 special as a project for us to do. when he got it he knew 2nd gear was gone. I know he sourced good used parts to fix it, he did the take the engine out and split it job, replaced second gear or maybe even replaced the whole gear set I have to ask him, with new parts put it back together. engine tranny works great, we had it up and down the road, its just not quite road legal yet. I don't know if he saved the old gear set for sure, but from skimming TopCatGr58 2nd gear 3 part fix am I understanding it right the dogs on those gears can maybe be ground,cut down etc to mess together again and work without replacing parts?

[bikerphil]

Hey guys I have another question, does anyone know if the u-joint behind the mid drive has a grease fitting on it under the rubber boot. I can't find out with the manual if it does or doesn't for sure, I assume not as I can't find it mentioned. I figure someone here will know.

No grease fitting. It can be taken apart and greased, it's a royal pain though.

[DiverRay]

The U-joint does NOT have a grease fitting. It is the same as a Datson B210, IIRC. I'll need to look at my spares, as I do have a new part that works.
For the second gear fix, yes, it's the dogs that round off and skip. You can grind them down, AKA Dremmel fix, IF they are not too bad. Gears and all are heat treated for a hard surface, so the dremmel, if over done, weakens the gears.