Motorcycle Forum / General / Yamaha / August 2003

Basically here’s my question: “Even though you love your
XS11/XS11Special, how loyal (Read: $$$) are you willing to invest before
you cut your losses?”

I purchased this SF from the original owner and I love the bike. It had
not been ridden in several years but was exceptionally clean w/23K
miles. It needed work to make ready for my dream of making a
cross-country trip and I was determined to restore this bike to its
original glory. Besides, this bike looks cool and I look cool on it :-)

From a small metric motorcycle shop I had the carbs rebuilt to the tune
of $300, a new tank installed ($450), and replacement of the  “rusting ”
fuse-block, and its useless fuse-holders.

When I picked up the bike I found this idiot simply cutout the
fuse-block and soldered the wires together (I later replaced the
fuse-box myself). Needless to say he was just as useless in cleaning the
carbs but he did replace the tank – I should have sued this bozo.

I took the XS11 to a “Japanese Bike Specialty” shop with instructions to
clean the carbs and secure/test the fuel supply system. This adventure
cost me several hundred dollars and seemed to work for a while, with
intermittent “clogging” of one of the carb jets,  – until a float stuck
and dumped gas into the crankcase.  I did not realize I had
"gas-in-the-crankcase" until it almost instantly began to smoke like a
chimney.  When I removed the tank I also discovered “his” solution to
the fuel-flow problem was to cutout the “octopus”.  This bozo had the
audacity to die before I discovered his antics.

I then had the engine completely rebuilt (the 1100 is now 1200cc). North
Hollywood Yamaha said the cylinder walls were “glazed” like porcelain.
In addition to the engine, they installed steel brake lines, and other
touring/safety goodies to the tune of $2500.  They did GREAT work and
the bike was running fine – until recently when the floating ‘crud’ in
the carb managed to find it's way back into one of the jets. Now the
fuel jets are so clogged that it will only start/idle with the choke
out.  Damn!!

Mototcyclecarbs.com wants $400 to rebuild carbs (+parts) and $150 for
two replacements petcocks (so as not to use an “octopus”) and maybe fix
this stupid fuel problem..

So, for a bike that is worth $1K on the open market, I’ll have invested
over $6K in restoration costs (not to mention the po;ishing, goodies,
and emotional investment) for a bike I wouldn’t trust to get me across
town, much less across the California desert.

So, I’ll ask you XS11 loyalists, when does your “loyalty” surrender to
the crass economics of the situation – and you say “good-bye” and spend
your remaining $$ on a new modern dependable bike - or should I invest
in Motorcycle Repair Training - suppose they allow women to attend?

Thanks for listenting to me vent..