Hey all,
Doubtful many of you have, but I'm sure a couple of you have noticed I haven't been around lately. Why? I've been working on my newest motorcycle. It's a 1981 Yamaha XS1100 "Eleven Special", and for those of you who didn't see my threads a couple weeks ago about getting it, this is what it looks like:
Not MY bike, but the same year/model, looks identical, including the condition
Well, when I bought it, it had been stored for years. Only cranked once about 9 months ago, and had only been ridden about twice in the past 3 years. Motorcycles HATE THAT. So, it was in bad shape. Leaky diaphragms pouring gas everywhere, gummed-up carbs that had frozen themselves shut, dry-rotted manifold boots, screwed front brakes (which account for 2/3 of your stopping poweer), and worst of all, a completely modified fuel delivery system, which was much different from stock, and MUCH less practical. So, I have been working on it practically non-stop for the past two weeks, forsaking all other responsibilities. Well, I've been making good progress, and finally, this morning, at 5 am, it all came together. I finished rebuilding the carbs, and had the bike all put back together by 9:00.
OH MY GOD, HOW THAT BIKE DOES PULL! Hehehe. See, I drove it a few years ago when my best friend owned it. I knew it was a powerhouse back then (the name "Eleven Special" is actually derived from the fact that it will run an 11-second quarter mile), but I have gotten so used to my GS pictured here, that I had forgotten JUST HOW powerful the Eleven Special was! Well, I left the parking lot with my old GS habits, and almost found myself lying on my back on the pavement! See, I normally fully engage first gear in the parking lot, turn the corner slowly out onto the road, and give the throttle a good twist to get on my way. Well, when I did that with the XS this morning, the front wheel left the ground, and I almost lost my grip on the handlebars!
That's a good thing.
So, since this is one of the happiest days in my recent history, I thought I would gloat a little. It's really good when hard, hard work pays off in such a concrete and obvious way. That bike is solid as a rock right now.....back in stock condition (which it hasn't been in YEARS), and runs as smooth and hard as the day it was made. That, and there's not a leak to be found anywhere. It's come a LOOOOONG way, and now it's home.
Ricky
DesignDawg
Doubtful many of you have, but I'm sure a couple of you have noticed I haven't been around lately. Why? I've been working on my newest motorcycle. It's a 1981 Yamaha XS1100 "Eleven Special", and for those of you who didn't see my threads a couple weeks ago about getting it, this is what it looks like:
Not MY bike, but the same year/model, looks identical, including the condition
Well, when I bought it, it had been stored for years. Only cranked once about 9 months ago, and had only been ridden about twice in the past 3 years. Motorcycles HATE THAT. So, it was in bad shape. Leaky diaphragms pouring gas everywhere, gummed-up carbs that had frozen themselves shut, dry-rotted manifold boots, screwed front brakes (which account for 2/3 of your stopping poweer), and worst of all, a completely modified fuel delivery system, which was much different from stock, and MUCH less practical. So, I have been working on it practically non-stop for the past two weeks, forsaking all other responsibilities. Well, I've been making good progress, and finally, this morning, at 5 am, it all came together. I finished rebuilding the carbs, and had the bike all put back together by 9:00.
OH MY GOD, HOW THAT BIKE DOES PULL! Hehehe. See, I drove it a few years ago when my best friend owned it. I knew it was a powerhouse back then (the name "Eleven Special" is actually derived from the fact that it will run an 11-second quarter mile), but I have gotten so used to my GS pictured here, that I had forgotten JUST HOW powerful the Eleven Special was! Well, I left the parking lot with my old GS habits, and almost found myself lying on my back on the pavement! See, I normally fully engage first gear in the parking lot, turn the corner slowly out onto the road, and give the throttle a good twist to get on my way. Well, when I did that with the XS this morning, the front wheel left the ground, and I almost lost my grip on the handlebars!
That's a good thing.So, since this is one of the happiest days in my recent history, I thought I would gloat a little. It's really good when hard, hard work pays off in such a concrete and obvious way. That bike is solid as a rock right now.....back in stock condition (which it hasn't been in YEARS), and runs as smooth and hard as the day it was made. That, and there's not a leak to be found anywhere.
It's come a LOOOOONG way, and now it's home.Ricky
DesignDawg
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