Who Has An XS11/1100

[pa-powerstroke]

Found one locally and started looking into them some more. Listened to one run with straight pipes and fell in love with the inline 4. Anyone have one on this forum? I just bought a new truck so now isn't the time but Im beginning to think one of those will be my next project. Thoughts?

 

[weekendrider]

Jetmechmarty and Jayel would be the ones that come to mind first.

 

[gggGary]

Had one or two a few years ago. BIG solid old bikes. Heavy, uh did I mention BIG. shaft drive limits customizing some. No bad habits I know of. Shaft jacking but that's usually found at a level you won't push an old war horse to. Just the usual old bike stuff. So so brakes. Not for the short of inseam. 35 MPG maybe 40 on a good day.

 

[Mharrington]

I have one. They are very durable fast fun bikes. The biggest well known problem is the dogs on second gear round off and when this happens the bike will jump-skip in and out of second gear. If the damage is not too severe there is a "Dremel fix" which means grinding off the rounded metal and restoring a nice robust squared off edge. Its recommended to do the "Washer swap" as well. After this fix the consensus is the fix is better than the parts were new. Its a poor design on Yamahas part.

I purposely bought my 79 XS1100 because second gear is good. Looks like someone had the engine aprt in the past so maybe the fix has been done. I am capable of doing the second gear fix- just dont want to! Everything comes out the bottom. No need to split the cases.

When all is good the motor has power down low its competitors at the time did not. I really like my bike. Had it since 2009.

 

[ridgerunner1965]

i rode one extensively back in the mid to late 80,s. it was a 1100 special 81 model i think.

the thing was a torque monster in its day and few bikes in our area could outrun it.

ive heard the bitches about the brakes but i never had any when i was riding it. the second gear issue prob came about from guys doing 2nd gear wheelies all the time. if you get one with a good second gear and yu ride it sane it mite never be a issue.

the 1100 special still is one of my favorite vintage jap bikes. i would love to find a sound one and buy it.

 

[jayel]

1980 SG here yep big heavy straight line bullet bike, swapped a 850 final drive into mine, Drops the rpms about 500 r's thur the gear range, 1st 2nd 3rd gears now actually usable for something besides pulling stumps or 1/4th mile times, better gas mileage, 38 mph believe Fredintoon also has one