XJ11 as a first bike?

[Parr8hed]

usually not hard at all. If you upgrade to a more performance oriented pipe, like a more free flowing one, then you will have to do some carb work. If you simply switch to a factory pipe or a factory styled pipe then you just unbolt one and bolt up the other. Sometimes you may have to do a few modifications to get them to fit. I refer to it as "clearancing", or "massaging".

[trbig]

It sounds more like a ploy to get you to jump at it to me. There doesn't look like there could be too much wrong with that bike besides sit- itis, and it looks like it did that somewhere covered. Try to negotiate the price, but if you can't, $1200 still isn't a bad price from the looks of it. You may still have to stick a few bucks into it, but you can do that at your leisure. Sure beats the ^%$# out of bike payments!


Tod

[trbig]

One other thing.... if you go to a different exhaust.... just send the stock mufflers to me. I'd be glad to throw 'em away for you!


Tod

[xj11john]

No doubt about it, someone (maybe me) would gladly exchange a performance 4 into 1 for your stock pipes.

[xs650mike]

As long as the pipes aren't rusted out from the inside, it's just a cosmetic issue. They may clean up a bit or you can just sand 'em down and paint 'em with header paint. These bikes usually like the stock pipes and intake unless you want to go through the trouble to re-jet the carbs which is a trial and error thing until you get it right.

BTW welcome to the club, you're now a Vice President!

[mro]

newbie to ride?

New to riding anything? Go to nice secluded parking lot. Practice SLOW turns/figure 8's. Also practice stopping. Got to know what/how the bike and you respond. You don't want to get surprised on the street



mro

[xs650mike]

Good advice. Actually it's a good idea to get something old, cheap and small just to get oriented. I've taught quite a few people to ride on my XS400 and I've lent it out for people to take the DMV test on. You should jump on that XJ though (good deal), you could learn on that but consider looking about for something smaller too as a temporary learner so you could learn the control functions without taking a chance on dropping the XJ. Most of the time when bikes get dropped it's at low speed or while parking!

[GNEPIG]

Most of the time when bikes get dropped it's at low speed or while parking!

.. or while drunk

hey Mike, you told me i was Vice President,

[tab1324]

first bike

I bought my XJ 2 years ago as my first bike. I'm only 5'-8" so the height was a bit of a stretch for me. The power is adicting to a new rider and I think I'll have a hard time stepping down to anything smaller.

The slow speed stuff is true as well as the rear brake thing. My brother (an experienced rider) suggested once I was used to riding for a few months that I try some slow speed stuff in an empty parking lot, standing up on the pegs. I thought he was nuts until I tried it. This is not a substitute for counter-steering but it teaches you balance. When in a tight U-turn, I slide my but to the outside of the turn and always look to where you want to go - not where the wheels are tracking. Always countersteer.

Good luck - hope you can snatch it up!

Tom B.

[xs650mike]

Originally posted by GNEPIG

.. or while drunk

hey Mike, you told me i was Vice President,

In charge of what?

[turbopete]

Always countersteer.

You cannot turn a bike without countersteering. It's just not possible. California superbike school have a device that proves it.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Turbo,

I believe what Tom was saying was that he should NOT try to steer it at speed by JUST LEANING, as what many newbies think they need to do, WITHOUT using the countersteering technique!?

You CAN turn one, albeit very slowly just by leaning, but yes, Countersteering is the only true safe/reliable/effective method!!
T.C.

[locdogg]

Gaaaaaaaaaaaghh I was just ready to go over there and check the thing out and he decided not to sell due to "sentimental value"! Turns out it was his dad's bike and he didn't want to part with it. C'est la vie.


Oh well, it's sort of a buyer's market around here in Detroit due to all the economic hardships in the auto industry, so I expect more bikes on the market soon. I do really appreciate all your advice though, both xs/xj related as well as general motorcycle tips. I'm not going to let this little set back hold me down though, I'm keeping my eyes peeled for good ride!

[trbig]

No Problem LOC.

Just keep looking and feel free to buy anything out there..... as long as it's a '78-84 XS or XJ!!

Good luck. Once you feel that wind in your hair... look down and see the road just beyond your feet... the noises and smells so much more intense than in a cage... the underhanded wave from every other bike (XSept half the Harleys)... it's addictive.
I wave at everyone... and if they don't wave back, it's real easy to just curl up all but one finger while it's out there!

Tod

[xs650mike]

Originally posted by trbig
... the underhanded wave from every other bike (XSept half the Harleys)... it's addictive.
I wave at everyone... and if they don't wave back, it's real easy to just curl up all but one finger while it's out there!

Tod

Everybody waves in these parts except guys with apehangers.