XS 2 excess (xsryder)

[xsryder]

Hi all,
My handle is XSryder but my real name is Wayne, and I am just nutty about the big old Yamaha.
My life changed forever when I first rode an XS1100, and only kick starting the beast is more exciting than riding it. Undoubtedly there are faster, more powerful, lighter, better handling and way more economical bikes out there, but the Yamaha really does it for me.
My bike is the proverbial "transformer". In it's two wheel trim, my bike is superb. I only ever run Avon Super Venons, sorry guys.....but there is no other match for the big ole Yamaha. The exhaust started out as a standard Cycleworks 4-into-1, but extensively shortened and fittied with a homemade un-wrapped baffle, the sound is awesome.
Rear shocks are after market Konies, and the standard front forks have been stiffened by inserting 25mm of preload tubing. The result is stunning. Here is an XS that is predictable, firm, and handles like a bike half its weight.....and age.
Then......the transformation. In about four hours I swap the front end for a home made leading-link setup, home made wheels (135SR14 -front tyre, 155SR14 rear), and attach a English made Watsonian sidecar, which I have modified from a fully enclosed to an open sports model. Again......the handling is superb, achieved with the leading link front suspension, car tyres all round and lower centre of gravity. Steering is dampered by a volkswagen damper which is so effective, I can take my hands off the handle bars at over 170 kilometers per hour with zero vibration or directional change.
The bike handles so well in either setup, it is difficult to know which is best. As a solo bike it is superb and commands respect for its age, condition and performance, yet as a sidecar outfit it attracts huge interest and quite frankly, is a lot of fun when the real rear wheel lets loose, as it often does. I like to think I have the best of both worlds.
I am about to start a work from home business as a wedding videographer, but see motorcycling projects as my future goals. I intend to be active within the motorcycling fraternity and eventually produce DVDs and broadcast quality recordings regularly.

[gijoe1313]

Yowsa! sounds like you got the passion for two wheels alright! Piccies of your ride puhleeze! :yes: Anyhows, welcome to the site and hope you have a great time wading through the threads! Looking forward to reading your future posts! :scooter:

[Edbear]

Now, Looky here! You know it's cruel to tease without pictures!!!!:angry:

I personally like the old "excessive elephant", too!:sunny:


Ps. welcome to the madness that is KB!

[Ixion]

Oh, wow. Hey Mr Motu, looky. Kindred!

And very many welcomes. And much respect.

[Motu]

Well to me XS means 650....but we'll let that pass,the 11 is so indestructable it's worthy of the label.Maybe the best sidecar bike ever made....no need to change the gearing! I want to see pictures of this outfit too,leading link forks and car tyres sounds like a superb set up.

[xsryder]

Hi guys,
Sorry it has taken so long, but I've been without internet connection for ages. Now that I'm connected....check this out....
129008

129009

You can find heaps more images at my space xsryder.spaces.live.com , including some bitmap images that took me months to create, but I'm sure you'll enjoy them.

[Subike]

hey bud
yeap the exsessive sure is a transformer that can do things other bike fear to try.
check out my profile on my own XS1100.
have had many riders give me a smile at the end of a group ride when my ole girl keeps up with them with little problem.
My only complaint?
She is a heavy drinker.
I have seen the side car conversion kit done to a few of these bikes, and they sure do handle it well.
For the sake of a few spare dollar, I would have a side car for mine, black of course.

[cs363]

Hi guys,
Sorry it has taken so long, but I've been without internet connection for ages. Now that I'm connected....check this out....


Nice to see an old '11 in pretty good nick, not too many tidy original'ish ones left out there.
Not a big fan of sidecars but I like the quick change conversion and that's a nice tidy set up :2thumbsup

[pete376403]

Wayne, do you have any registration / warrant of fitness issues with the home made leading link front end? Has it been engineer certified?

I have a Suzi GS1100G that I'd like to do the sidecar thing with. The GS and XS seem to me to be very similar in concept - air cooled, 8 valve, shaft drive, full steel frame, twin shock rear end, weigh a ton...;), etc

[ducatilover]

Welcome to kb!
That brings back memories of me daddies old black xs11 :rockon: She was a sweet beast.

[xsryder]

Subike,
I checked out your XS, and wow...what can I say... I have a spare frame and engine and have dabbled the idea of building something similar. How does it handle?

Pete376403,
My XS is registered as a "motorcycle", and I've taken it through the local vehicle testing station in both set-ups (solo and sidecar), and it's never been queried. The mechanics tend to spend more time reminiscing than anything else.
My brother used to have a GS1100G and we rode tens of thousands of Ks together (XS vs GS), and both were very similar in every respect, except fuel consumption, which could be put down to me having fun :)
If you like, I can get some better shots of the leading link setup.
The funny thing with my rig is that an earlier owner is very well known in MC circles, and often people mention him while they are admiring my outfit, and are completely surprised when I say...this is his old outfit. Although, it is fairly unrecognisable because the chair was originally fully enclosed with a vinyl roof, it had a dodgy front gaurd setup, the whels weren't chrome plated, and the bike needed loads of TLC and a coat of paint. The great thing is...on one day I can cruise around with 5 year old son in the chair...and the next day, riding it at break-neck speeds as a solo bike....yeh, the best of both worlds.

[Subike]

Subike,
I checked out your XS, and wow...what can I say... I have a spare frame and engine and have dabbled the idea of building something similar. How does it handle?
.

It handles almost the same as it did before I started the custom job. The only change to the suspension was to lengthen the rear shocks by 15 mm, and raised the forks by 10mm, giving it better turn in in the corners, with the pluss that you can lean her over a few more degrees before the pegs touch down.
Look around for an XS750 or XS850 diff. it is a straight conversion to fit these, almost a bolt in job. This will increase you fuel ecconomy by up to 8 mpg as the ratio being taller brings the reves down to 3200 at 65mph rather than 4000rpm. Another change I have made was to fit high performance coils from www.MikesXS.com. these being 35 ohm instead of the factory 12 ohm, giving a fatter spark.
The exhaust is a Jardine from USA, built for the XS, It is well within the NZ sound restrictions, only costing NZ$460 including frieight.
A bartlet 9 plate clutch pack with heavy duty springs cured the top end clutch slip the XS can get without increasing the preasure on the clutch lever.
The rear mud gaurd is a harley , seat is the factory unit cut down, clocks are off the american 160mph units off a midnight special, the lights and bullet signal lamps were locally soursed for less than $300.
New switch blocks were sourced from www.MikesXS.com , as were new wheel bearings for the front, brake kits, pads and a new gear lever rubber.
Most of the look is cosmetic changes, leaving the bike more or less std.
The red pin stripes on the wheels were painted on, before the wheels were painted black, lol, it was not easy to get them right.
I copied the "look" from another XS I found at www.xs11.com, a site that you should and will visit for heaps of ideas and tec data, conversions up grades and a very active bunch of XS11 owners.
I am looking at fitting floating dics and SS brakes lines next year as money becomes available. The floating discs come again from www.MikesXS.com but can only be used on the 78-79 std, as the offset of the specials front axle is different.
Im always ready to talk about my ride.
Great to see yours looking so good.
( mine keeps the modern 600s honest :devil2:)

[naphazoline]

Welcome onboard xsryder.:sunny:

[Motu]

What make is the chair....looks like a JB to me.

[pete376403]

Pete376403,
My XS is registered as a "motorcycle", and I've taken it through the local vehicle testing station in both set-ups (solo and sidecar), and it's never been queried. The mechanics tend to spend more time reminiscing than anything else.
My brother used to have a GS1100G and we rode tens of thousands of Ks together (XS vs GS), and both were very similar in every respect, except fuel consumption, which could be put down to me having fun :)
If you like, I can get some better shots of the leading link setup..

Yes I would appreciate that, please.

[xsryder]

Naphazoline,
The sidecar is an English made Watsonian. Originally it was a Palma model with a fully enclosed 360 degree screen and vinyl roof, but I made a new screen from scratch and had a two piece rain cover made, the reasons being that the passenger and rider can communicate and, while I'm riding alone, I can reach into the chair and adjust the radio/cassette, which I couldn't do before I fitted the new screen.
The mudgaurd is mystery...I haven't found any pictures of other Watsonian chairs with the same gaurd, which is good because some of the gaurds on other chairs look pretty corny.
Originally the four attachment struts had right-hand threads on both ends (which I thought was strange), so I had an engineer remake one end on each of them with a left hand thread, making fine adjustments much easier. I also had the mounts made stronger (one broke years ago and I had to cut some no. 8 wire off a farm fence to hold it together until I got home).
I've been searching for a four-stud 12 inch rim with the same offset as that on the chair, so it looks a bit more like the chrome-plated wheels on the bike...bit of mission really. I'm also considering converting the sidecar lights to an led set-up, and I've got a 12-240volt ac converter which I'm keen to wire in. Haven't got the close-up photos of the leading link setup yet...soon.

[Motu]

The guard is one reason I thought it was a JB.This was the first one they made,and has a Jawa wheel by customer request (not me,I was the 2nd owner) They normally had an Austin 1100 wheel.

[pete376403]

Hillman Imps had 12" 4 stud wheels. No idea about the offset, though.

[Motu]

The wheel on the chair looks like a Morris/Austin 1100.