78 XS11E Forks

[remccool]

I am having some "weird" stuff happen on corners, it feels like the whole front end is suddenly loose or something. I'm not sure it it's my forks or just the fact that I weigh over 320 lbs and trying to ride like I did when I at 220. I have a Saddleman seat on it right now, and that seems to put my weight a little farther forward than I am used too. I am getting the original recovered and will use it in the furture.
Back to the subject, is there anything I should do to check the forks and triple tree.... They are tight (as far as I can tell by putting the bike on the center stand and using a floor jack on the front of the frame to lift the weight of the bike off of the frontend and then trying to move the forks around to test for play). Should I try heavier oil?, new springs?, an air assist type fork setup (I believe later models of the XS11 had this option), Any one who can help with some info, it would be appreciated.

[mro]

I'd check basic stuff first

Tire pressure set on the high side for the weight?
How old are your tires?
Did you check front wheel bearings when you had it up?
Change fork oil?
Adjust rear shocks?


Do you have a fork brace?
There are "progressive" fork springs available and I've heard that they are pretty good and help handling. Take a look at the "tips" section on this forum.

Take it out to a nice clean parking lot where you don't have to worry about getting run over by a cage. You can then do some turns and watch to see whats happening up front.


mro

[remccool]

The tires and tubes are new, less than 1 month and 600 miles, I had the mechanic at the local shop check the bearings and he said they were still in good shape. I haven't done anything with the fork oil yet, I have never changed fork oil before, so I've been reading the discussions on that (mostly about getting the threads started) and I haven't checked anything on the rear shocks (they look like they are probably the factory originals). Thanks for the help. I'll check the items on the list this evening. I just wasn't even sure where to start. I'm trying to make sure the bike will hold up for a few days of highway riding in April. Lots of little things to get finished (and this one big one).

[mro]

Not the last word

Normally not the first either.

XStremely XSive refers to my attitude, not my XS1100 “expertise”.

TC is a big guy and has the experience on these bikes. I'm just learning, so you need to take my ADVICE with that in mind. Very good info one this site.


mro

btw
do you have a manual???

[remccool]

Got a manual with the first XS11 I bought in Dec. (which is the 2nd XS1100 I have owned, but the first of the 2 I have now, if all goes well, the 2nd will be trike in as few months). Everything I have tried to find in it hasn't been in it. But I haven't checked it for the fork oil, I'll do that tonight. Thanks again!

[webbcraft2150]

If tire pressure and condition is good, bearings not sloppy and triple tree clamps are tight and the tubes are even in the clamp, its gotta be an internal problem with the forks. I suggest pulling the front wheel off and try to compress each fork tube seperatley. See if the resistance is the same, if not, could be wrong oil level, old oil sludge plugging some of the ports inside the fork leg. Losta threads on pulling the forks apart, not a hard job. Clean everything, refill with correct oil and see if it goes away. Hurry, you have a month to get er done

[randy]

McRich,

If you've got the owner's manual and trying to service with it, you're pi$$ing in the wind. You need a SERVICE manual.

[TopCatGr58]

Sometimes the tail wags the dog?

Hey Mike,

I'm tall, but I'm not that big at all, I'm actually at Remccools earlier weight of 220-ish! What the others have already stated sounds right. New Springs, new possibly heavier weight fork oil, and a fork brace should help to stiffen things up front!

However, many times it's the rear end "hinge" effect that can wag the front!

and I haven't checked anything on the rear shocks (they look like they are probably the factory originals).

Check your rear shocks, there is a dampening adjuster ring, IIRC, 1 is the lowest/least amount of dampening, 4 the highest. Sit on it, and bounce up and down to get a feel for how easy/hard it is to get it to bounce. Then change the setting to the highest, and bounce again to see if you can notice any difference. IF NOT, then the dampening effect has probably worn out in the shocks, and new ones are probably in order.

Also, have you noticed that the rear end rises a fair amount when you hit the throttle? That is also a sign of reduced dampening affect! I was able to use the el cheapo Monza style from JCW, also available from BB, MikesXS, Partsnmore, but with your additional weight, you might find them lacking? So..you might need to invest in some that are a little better grade. But if a budget is hitting you and you want to get it going to ride, then the cheap ones will probably be okay, as long as you are SOLO!
T.C.

[remccool]

I will have to replace them (the rear shocks), the right one just seems to be taking up space and not doing much else. I still haven't got the forks off yet.... where can I get a Service Manual? I see lots of manuals on eBay, but they look like what I already have, an Owners Manual. Maybe I'm not looking in the right places. I really do appreciate all the help y'all are giving me, kinda reminds me of when I was riding Nuc Subs, everyone onboard was willing to help out when they could (on or off the boat).
And the old commercials used to say "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" ..... That just shows they didn't meet any XS11 riders! (for those of you who don't remember those commercials, they were a long time ago ... late 60's early 70's). Thanks again for all the help!

[LoserShoes]

Just an off chance suggestion, make sure that the front calipers are free, if one is hanging slightly with dual disks, it make the handling really strange.

Steve

[webbcraft2150]

Dennis Kirk, Chapperall and JC Whitney all sell service manuals.

[prometheus578]

"Ze Book auf Instruktions..."

Clymer, Haynes, or a Chiltons are the manual makers you should be looking fer. Or the Yama SERVICE MANUAL, not the owners manual.

[remccool]

Clymers is a lot better than what I had. It at least has enough for me to get through the basics (and more). The fork oil came out like molasis. I am glad I read about how to get the threads restarted on one of the other XS11 discussion pages, I'll be doing that tonight with any luck.
Thanks for all the help!

[remccool]

Thanks for all of the help over the past few days. I found multiple problems with the frontend. The oil mentioned earlier and then after I took the fairing, front wheel and fender off the right fork almost fell out.... LITERALLY ! the fender was appearantly holding it in place more than the clamp bolts! I started to loosen the clamp bolts and found they were hand tight only and just a slight pull on the fork and it dropped out! I must have lucky stars following me around, I was riding this bike out through the Texas Hill Country several weekends in a row. I checked what I could on the left fork to make sure it wasn't bent from holding the load (and at 320 (+) it was carring quite a load). It seems straight and not gouged or damaged. I changed the dust covers, visually inspected the tubes, all looks good. I followed what was written in another group about getting the threads started and after 15 minutes or so on the first on my hand was feeling raw and sore so I used a 7/8 socket (couldn't find my 22mm) did the backwards turn until it felt like it settled (hard to tell) and then turned normal and it went staight in, the second one was a matter of seconds.
Again, Thanks for all of the help!

[Pat Kelly]

I wonder if the "mechanic" you took it to left the pinch bolts loose when he checked the front end. That is, if he checked them at all. That should have been fairly easy to spot.
With a maual and the help availabe here you should be able to perform almost anything needed on your bike.
Just curious, is you bike older than the mechanic that looked at it?