Topic: Bought an XS1100

[dbbrian350F]

Picked up this beauty tonight

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[grcamna2]

The full touring ride Yamaha,nice 

[MoMo]

Very nice!  I looked at buying a Maxim Midnight Special 1100 but the owner had cafed it so I passed. I enjoyed riding and working on the 1100 when I worked at Riff's Cycle Center "back in the day">>Larry

[dhall57]

Now that's a fairing Bike looks almost new.

[ekpent]

That does look super clean, must have been from a long term owner. How many miles on it and is it a runner right now or a mild project. 'Back in the day" they were the fastest thing on the road for a year or two. Main thing to watch out for is making sure it still has a 2nd gear. I like that body style much better than the later cruiser Maxim.

[grcamna2]

What are your plans for that XS1100 ?

[Lucien Harpress]

Wow.......  a nearly all-there 78/79 XS1100 Standard?  That's a rare thing indeed.  My first bike was an 80 XS11, and I absolutely loved it.  Hated to sell it, but it just wouldn't stay fixed.

But when it was good, it was GOOOOOOOD.  I agree the Standards look much better than the Specials.  Consider me jealous.

[Stev-o]

Good bikes, my brother had one.  Was just slightly faster than my Kaw 1000.

Will look much better once you take all that "dead weight" off!

[grcamna2]

dbbrian,
Did you get the bike running yet ?

[mrfish2]

Welcome to the Xcessive club 

I've got a '79 standard model as well, almost to the point of getting it back on the road.

[Bankerdanny]

Damn, you're going to need all that power to push that through the wind. It looks like it is 50% bigger than the Vetter SS on my GoldWing

[ken65]

Gee that looks in good nick, somebody loved it.  Good looking bike . All of it.

[dbbrian350F]

Thanks for the nice comments.
The bike has 46,000 km or about 29,000 miles.  (its Canadian).  Bought from second owner who had since 2009 after looking for some time to find one.  He said the original owner kept it in his kitchen.   

She runs fairly good, but I'm finding little things that are helping to improve that.  Took it out for a scoot around a few blocks - it was fun.  Next week I hope to have the safety certificate and insurance so I can get plates.

I am not a fan of the fairing, but won't change in a hurry, will give it a try before removing.  I appreciate it was part of the bike originally.   Besides, I will need a headlight, ears, turn signals etc. to remove it.  Looking into finding the parts.   Will keep the fairing and trunk with the bike even if removed.

Been doing the servicing and getting to know it.  Will keep it stock for sure.    A couple more pics for fun.  I feel fortunate to have it, especially for $1k Canadian dollars!

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Brian

[ekpent]

MERCY- $1000.00 CDN = $773.00 USD-  I would have been all over that also. Kind of have one of those on my bucket list for the 'Big Dawg' collection.  Sounds like its getting a good 3rd owner 

[MoMo]

773, highway robbery. You are the proud owner of one of the best Yamaha's to come out of the 80's.  Keep the fairing, you'll enjoy the comfort from it on those long rides....Larry

[Stev-o]

I am not a fan of the fairing, but won't change in a hurry, will give it a try before removing.  I appreciate it was part of the bike originally.   

Fairing was not part of the bike originally. Aftermarket...

[grcamna2]

They may have sold it that way from the dealership.. I like how the paint is integrated and in such nice condition. 

[CycleRanger]

They may have sold it that way from the dealership.. I like how the paint is integrated and in such nice condition. 

Yes, it's genuine Yamaha acessories, probably installed by the dealership.

Btw, you stole that at under a grand!

[grcamna2]

I like it better than a Honda GW 

[dhall57]

This Yamaha is a very nice bike. Like I've already said it looks new, but the large fairing is a little to much for me. Of course it could always be removed. It has some big shoes to fill to be better than a Wang though

[Lucien Harpress]

I like it better than a Honda GW 

I agree, not even in the same category.  The Goldwing never even came close to matching the performance of the XS11 until the Naked Standard 1200, and even then Honda dropped that after one year.  You're basically comparing sport bike to tourer at that point.

I agree with ditching the fairing, but only to get the bike closer to its roots.  The bits on the front end are probably going to be hard to find, if only because 90% of the XS1100 parts out there are for the (IMO) uglier Special models.  Your bike, of course.  I hear they make wonderful touring bikes as well.  Just keep an eye on that second gear.

Yeah, you stole it.  Especially with that exhaust.  You could probably sell that piece alone for more than you paid for the entire bike.  (But please don't.  That entire bike as it is is one of the most beautiful examples of the XS11 I've ever seen.  Get it running, than just ride it.  It's what it deserves.     )

((Definitely VERY jealous.))

[Bankerdanny]

I haven't ridden an XS, but I owned a '77 GL1000 for 2 years (and a Yamaha FJ1200 for 2 before that) and it was pretty damn fast. Not quite my FJ (too fat), but not far off.

[dbbrian350F]

Weird....I received 4 emails this morning from admin@sohc4.net saying there were replies to the thread. 

So since I'm here.....Thanks again for the comments.  Forgot to mention the guy also gave me the hydraulic lift he used to roll it sideways into its garage parking spot, and an old helmet he had.  Bonus.

I now have my plate, and ready to ride (legally).  She passed the safety without needing a thing, although close inspection of the front tire might have been a show stopper.  Its a '08 and showing a few fine cracks in the groves.   

Yes, I believe the fairing is dealer or factory installed, as there are not 'ears' in behind to hold the headlight  bucket without the fairing.  There are chrome tubes on the forks between the triples.   I have been chatting with someone on xs11.com about buying the parts from him that I need for the swap, so it appears possible to find them.   I will ride with the fairing until I have parts at least, which will give me a chance to see how I like it.

I took the trunk off in order to get the seat off, and I like the bike without it.  But it will be handy on a multi-day trip for extra undies      easy to put back on.....both the trunk and the undies.

Here she is without the trunk. 

[grcamna2]

Looks good  I'm real happy for you that he gave a hydraulic cycle lift to you !  That's a Huge bonus.

[mrfish2]

I have been chatting with someone on xs11.com about buying the parts from him that I need for the swap, so it appears possible to find them. 

Wouldn't happen to be Andreas would it? If so, he's a great guy to deal with and has every part you could need. He's kinda like the Bill Benton of the XS11 world haha.

[bill440cars]

      Just happened on this, while browsing, in an attempt to catch up and that is one Fine Looking Ride Alright And a Bargain to boot.    I have had the urge to try and get an XS1100, for years and thought I had one coming, but the guy wanted more for it, than I could afford. So, I just had to let it go.    Wouldn't have been as hard to walk away, but I just had to take it for a test spin, you know?    Hope the efforts put out on this one, will be posted here. 

[Don R]

 My brother had an 1100, it was the best non Honda he ever owned. I've removed the trunk and bags but left the fairing and lowers on my new to me 78 gl1000 and so far I like them. I did remove the fairing on my old to me 79 gl1000, the idea being to sell it naked since I didn't have luck selling it dressed up.