Nice Find

[COOL TOM]

Just bought a 79f xs1100 for $25 was sitting in a guys back yard about 10 miles from my house. Was asking him where i could find a frame to make a married mans chopper, he said i got a1100 in my yard if you want it for $25. When i saw it was a xs1100 i could not get the money out of my pocket fast enough. Bike is in real good shape, except someone took off the twist grip,clutch lever and bracket and other parts, handlebars are bare except for master cly, side covers are great. Bad problem is no title or keys. So will check with state to see about title and try to rekey the switch and gas cap to fit my xj key. Bike has not been rode since 95 so will need some special cleaning to get it running again. How do i get the gas cap open to rekey it? Serial # 2H7-022119 made 5/78 26000 miles on it. Also has 4 into 1 exhaust and oil cooler. Should have been there when i went to load it, kickstand buried to spring in the dirt and it was froze solid, temperature12 degrees and 4 inches of snow. Also all brakes were draging bad. Not one tool with me to dig it out or to free brakes. Was about 45min getting it to truck. Took 4 of us to push bike onto truck. Sorry for being so long winded but could not help myself when i found out what i had.

82 XJ1100 DAILY RIDE
79 XS1100F NEW PROJECT
81 XV750 NEW PROJECT

[81xsproject]

man that is awesome! Congrats, you said '79, but manufactured '78 which is it?

[bandet01]

nice find have fun getting it back on the road

[prometheus578]

Next time...

you find a derelect bike with frozen calipers, whack them once or twice with a 2x4. This vibrates the caliper enough to push the piston back in a little, freeing the brakes(till you accidently pull the brake lever and freeze it up again.

How do i get the gas cap open to rekey it?

Unless you're a good pick man(or even a poor one), good luck. I've yet to figger a way to pop the fuel cap on a standard. Oh, I'm sure that a custom tool could be made to slide under the cap to tweak the springed retainer, but you'd have to have the cap open to see what the guts look like to measure and design the tool for it.
And no, you can't stick baling wire, speaker wire or a zip-tie across the front and try to pull it back along the sides to pop the spring lever cause it hits the posts that hold the locking bar first. And a .003/.004 feeler gauge can make the bend at the front, but buckles and slips when it hits the locking cam. And eventhough the keyway doesn't have a back on it, don't think about trying to manuever the short end of your smallest allen-wrench in there and pulling back on it as it won't reach.
After 45 minutes of standing on a cold concrete floor wearing Sponge Bob slippers, I gave up, pulled the lockpick set out of the tool box and popped mine in under a minute.
I recommend that method.
(I hate these wild, late-night challenges I talk myself into)

[prometheus578]

you said '79, but manufactured '78 which is it?

Serial # 2H7-022119 made 5/78

According to the sidebar to the left(specifications), and then hit "Serial Numbers", it's a '79F. Manufacturers start making next year's models during the previous year.
If I 'member correctly, in September Chevy starts making it's models for the following year. May of '78 seems a little early to be making models for '79, but who am I to say.

[DiverRay]

If you can read the numbers of of one of the lock, let us know. between all the owners here, we may be able to match the number, and send a key out.
Ray

[skids]

The Special caps can be opened by pushing a screwdriver or flat metal object under the cap, depress the latch.

[fxrer]

What Skids said. Here's my post for Oct 2.
-----------------------------
You CAN open it without a key, at least on my Special (not sure if they’re all the same).

The locking mechanism is a pivoting hook which latches beneath a rod mounted to the tank. There is a small tab protruding frontward, just beneath the chromed outer top of the cap. When this tab is pushed backward, it makes the hook pivot off the rod.

I was able to use a small screwdriver and, while pressing down on the cap to relieve some spring pressure, I pushed this tab backward enough to release the hook and open the cap.

---------------------------------------

[COOL TOM]

NICE FIND

Thanks for the help on the gas cap, but how do you tell a Special from a Standard? Mine has the recessed square gas cap, looks like a 5 gallon tank to me with knee recess in it. Also what color was stock on this bike? Will try to get number off one of the locks later.

82 XJ1100 DAILY RIDE
78 XS1100F NEW PROJECT
81 XV750 NEW PROJECT

[prometheus578]

You CAN open it without a key, at least on my Special

Those tips only work for the Special, which has an exposed oblong gas cap sitting atop of the tank. The standard's cap is square, and sits RECESSED into the tank. The locking mechanism is under there... Out of sight, out of mind.(and also... out of reach)

[prometheus578]

"Tanks" "You're velcome"

Special tanks are streamlined teardrop. Standards are squarish, with the knee indentations. (and the difference in the caps)

[ccogswel]

Pull off the ignition switch and take it apart. There should be some numbers on it. If they are still readable you may try calling a Yamaha dealer and give them the number and get a key cut for it. I did this on my brothers XS1100. Didn't charge us a thing. It's worth a shot. That reminds me, I need to make me a copy of my key. Good Luck!

[prometheus578]

Take your spare key and hide it somewhere on the bike by strapping it to a wiring harness with electrical tape. (You may want to file down the head a little to reduce the bulge)

[mro]

prometheus578

Take your spare key and hide it somewhere on the bike by strapping it to a wiring harness with electrical tape.

not a bad idea, my just do that.


btw: do you park your bike out side?



mro

[xs650mike]

Motorcycle Locksmith

If you can get the numbers off the ignition lock this guy can cut new keys for you. http://www.motorcyclekeys.com/locksmith.html