Xs1100f

[Ridinhi]

Hello,

I cannot believe I have found a site dedicated to my old bike. WOW technology is great.

I just bought a 1979 XS1100F........for $500.

It has 35,000 miles on it and ZERO oil leaks, bad needles and seats in carbs or anything problematic except brakes.

The guy I purchased it from had it in his garage for ages without use. He stopped riding it because the front caliper locked up on him.

I nearly ripped my back pocket off taking my wallet out.

I am not kidding....it is in great shape and I started it before I left his place. NO rust.

What should I be careful about other than general maintenance sugggested in the Cymers and original owners manual?

Thanks
James

[DiverRay]

Read through the Tech Tips, on the left side of the page. It will give you a lot of information about the bike.
I would start with getting rebuilt kits for ALL the bakes. Calipers, masters, and new stainless brake lines. Put in new pads, at least for the fronts as well. The rest is change ALL fluids, including middle and final drives. Put on NEW TIRES, as age will make them BAD, as in handle badly and possibly blow out from bad sidewalls.
New plugs, a K&N filter in the airbox with about 6 holes drilled in the bottom center of the box, and your ready for the next 10 years.
Welcome to the site!!
Great price for the bike, mine was $600 needing work.
Ray

[TopCatGr58]

A NOT SO NEGLECTED XS!!

DiverRay beat me to the punch,

While you have the rear tire off replacing it, pull the rear differential, and grease the driveshaft splines, that Zert fitting does NOTHING to get grease to the splines!! ALso grease the splines you find when you pull the rear wheel where it fits into the differential. DRAIN ALL OF THE FUEL, and then put in fresh with a dose of SEAFOAM....tuneup and carb clean in a can!!

PLEASE, PLEASE, READ ALL OF THE TECH TIPS, maintainance, repairs, mods, misc, etc.!! Then, do the timing chain adjustment, the engine side clutch slack adjustment. Don't forget to change the FRONT FORK OIL!! Get the battery charged and load tested, depending on how old it is, might be better off just getting a new one. Check and clean as needed ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL connections! Will help ward off those electrical gremlins. Check the condition of the fuseblock and fuses, the OEM fuseblock corrodes and the tangs break easily, a replacement better one is available and cheap....see the tech tip...hint, hint!!

T.C.

[Ridinhi]

Well so far I have:

Removed the carbs and cleaned
Drained tank
degreased engine completely (looks new)
Adjusted chain adjuster
replaced battery
checked all electrical for operation (radio works fine), cigarette lighter works fine, signals, NO headlight.(bad bulb).
The brake reservoirs are bad, cracked. I need to replace all the lines because I am sure they have not been changed since Noah and the flood.
The tires are trashed.
I am missing the crossover pipe clamp and bolt.
I plan to remove tires and check axles, shaft drive.
I had a seriously hard time removing the bolt tube on the filter. Some redkneck used pliers on it before so I will need to replace it.

I plan to get it running and enjoy it this season, over the winter I will rechrome all of the original parts and paint. I am not sure what color.

Someone put grade 8 bolts on the wind screen, what was original?

[Ridinhi]

One more thing. There is no air box, someone put small individual K&N filters on each carb.

Probably due to the altitude. I notice a little richness on the original Bosch plugs. I may need to rejet, or it could be the totally nasty air cleaners.

[TopCatGr58]

Well,

You're well on your way to a reliable and fun ride!!! Just an FYI, the headlight doesn't come on until the engine is running, there is a capture diode and relay that waits until it senses a charging current, and then latches the relay and turns the light on! SO...if you were only checking it without running it, then that's why it wasn't lite!?

The oil filter bolt is available from Partsnmore.com, as well as JC WHitney, and others! OR you could just weld a larger nut to the end of it!? I am working on getting my Spin On Oil Filter Adapters back into production once I get my 3 in 1 Mill/Drill/Lathe machine figured out and all the parts I need!!

Checking the Electrical gizmos is not the same as checking the connections!!

The MC brake reserviors do age badly, but the innards may be in better shape than the outer sides. A short while back some aftermarket ones were found for the Standard Front, but they have since been sold out. Replacements are not available! So, you can either go with a complete aftermarket front MC, and find a gently used rear MC, or keep your old ones, ensuring that they aren't leaking and paint over them to cover the cracks?

The Pod Filters are usually okay for it, but check to see if they have a prominent lip that might be interfering with the inlet bell ports, could be constricting air flow and inducing a false rich condition!? See a recent post I made to a Jetting Question regarding a cheap adaptation for the Generic pod filters!

BTW, the upper "T" fittings for the carbs are Fuel Bowl vents, and they should NOT BE BLOCKED, you can "T" them together and then to a small filter, but not plugged!

Keep at it, you'll have it running before the snow melts!!
T.C.

[motoman]

Welcome Ridinhi!...............To solve difficult XS problems here is easy........the impossible just takes a little longer..........very knowledgable bunch here........

[Ridinhi]

I bought some parts today from Partsnomore.com. Good prices.

I purchased a filter bolt, float bowl gasket because one did not live thru the disassembly, 53mm air filters, starter button for $6 instead of the dealers $16, and a set of mirrors because the plastic on mine can be scraped away with your fingernail.

I wanted to ask if it is advisable to go ahead and swap the fuse block out to the better after market or is this a random issue.

I plan on running heated vest and gloves out here in Colorado during some of my riding season.

Another question is that every photo I see of an equivelant bike I never see the same fairing as mine. Was there many variations?

[andreashweiss]

I have one rear brake master cylinder(used) left. In good condition,lots of good rubber brake lines if you want used.Have some pretty good brake calipers as well for standard. andreas

[motoman]

Change out fuse block, Ridinhi, you'll be thankful later and for the 7bucks and an hour of your time, it's well worth the security knowing that bike isn't gonna crap on ya between somewhere and nowhere.(Murphy's Law). Ignorence was bliss........not now. All I needed on my 81H Venturer for all winter riding was a pair of Vetter Hippo Hands, and that was riding with temp. at 7degrees. All that extra draw puts too much load on the XS's charging system, creating another Murphy's Law for ya. Where bouts are you located here?.

[Ridinhi]

I am in Parker.

I removed the rearend and found that there was indeed little grease in there. I plan to service absolutely everything on this bike. I don't believe it has ever been serviced like it was suppose to be except oil changes

[skids]

With the heat wave today, you didn't need a stinkin heated vest! Hwy 105 through Monument and Sedalia is a scenic trip. Elizabeth to Kiowa is nice when it greens up, but coming back on I70 kind of sucks. Stay tuned...lots of good riding in Colorado is ahead!

Originally posted by Ridinhi
I am in Parker.

I removed the rearend and found that there was indeed little grease in there. I plan to service absolutely everything on this bike. I don't believe it has ever been serviced like it was suppose to be except oil changes

[Ridinhi]

My last bike was a 95 Roadking and before that I had a VFR800, TL1000R.

I've riden just about every road there is to ride from here to Zion National Park all the way to the Tetons.

My dad rides a 2005 FJR1300 well equipped.

I am not worried about the heated options until September. Right now I just want to get the bike trustworthy.

The only way to travel.....is on a motorcycle. Most people have not been lucky enough to experience it.

[motoman]

Good riding in Colo. Skids?..................Have known several small groups of crotch rocket riders from Texas and similar places that haul there bikes up here in enclosed trailers for two weeks just so they can have a taste of the best riding here in Colo.

[skids]

Oh yeah! The weather is cooperative. It is too early to make a trek across the mountain passes (for me) because of the fickleness of spring. I hope to do a trip from Denver to Moab and back through Nucla etc etc etc, from June 16 through 19, IF I GET VACATION APPROVED.

Originally posted by motoman
Good riding in Colo. Skids?..................Have known several small groups of crotch rocket riders from Texas and similar places that haul there bikes up here in enclosed trailers for two weeks just so they can have a taste of the best riding here in Colo.