Xs1100

[konaunit1]

Ok guys need opinions. I have a line on a 1980 yamaha XS1100 for 600 bucks. Thinking about hacking it out. Would this be a decent canadite for a sidecar or should I look for somthing else? It runs well shaft drive plenty of power and has the full frame. Anything else I should be looking for?

Thanks

[Sidecarjohn]

Whilst the XS1100 is of advanced years, so overall condition and history is almost essential, the bike has a good reputation for sidecar work.
Not had the pleasure of owning one, but a friend noted for travelling many parts of the globe, really knocked up the miles, several times around the clock, with more than one with sidecars attached.

[larryboy]

I had an XS1100 Special with a Friendship 1 on it, plenty of engine, pretty good brakes.

Go for it!!


Edit; Had 330,000 miles on the bike when I got rid of it...ran, but smoked really bad.

[JTNWEvo]

I thought about dong it to my 79 XS11 but plans changed. Good news is that Jay at DMC has mounts available. Hit him up!

[jaydmc]

We did one two years ago, It worked out great, we mounted one of our Kenna sidecars on it and build a leading link front end for the bike with stronger brakes. For us one of the neat things about this bike was that the owner had found it brand new in a dealers wearhouse. It arrived with 12 miles on it.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793

[konaunit1]

Thanks everybody going to go it tonight if everything goes right! I would love to find a used sidecar to cutdown on costs. I will post pictures up if it happens!

[tripodtiger]

+1 for an XS11
Mine had 2 on it at different times. Mine is on the blue one with the first body. The second body was similar to the one on the right.


Engine had no dramas dragging 2 adults and 1 small child, plus gear. Lots of XSs have done that plus trailers.
Clutch hooked up fine. Gearing was good. I recall sitting on 130km/h on the freeway, no drama. Generally it got 100km/h, as it just worked properly, without me struggling. I found early on that if I tried to go too fast, it just got too hard.

Lots of XS11s have a 2nd gear issue. Mainly, I suspect, because riders flogged them through 1st and then tried to slam into 2nd. And the bike didn't want to comply. Not learning from the objection the thing expressed on the first occasion, they continued to do it. Failures were always because of poor design.
The starter sprag (?) on mine has always been an issue, even after I paid to have it fixed.


IMHO, you will need a sub-frame to support the bikes frame & tie the left and right side of the engine together towards the rear, maybe under the engine and also between the rear shocks.
The white bike did lots of miles before the chassis broke at the cross member below the exhausts.

I suppose that all depends on how hard & fast you intend to use it.

You can use the oil cooler mounts for the top front - basically a flat plate extended for the sidecar mount.

The rear suspension is too soft. It may cause the rear wheel to lay over, twist the swing arm. Nearly every XS I was aware of over here had that same problem. I don't know that it ever caused any failures, mine wasn't obviously affected.

Good thing. What does $600 get you?


Mine is now living in semi (solo) retirement. It even got a new paint job a few months ago - just the paint alone cost $300. New badges, seat, bit of re-chroming, replace the head gasket. Who needs a $25k bike?

[3legs]

+1 on what Tripodtiger said. I had an xs1100 years ago as well and second gear had gone. It's a common problem and you will need to tear the engine down to fix it. From memory the selector fork wore out as well but someone will correct me if I'm wrong but for $600 if all that's wrong is 2nd gear then get it and have fun. I seem to remember an xs1100 here in Adelaide back in the early 80's that had 2 shocks on the right hand side (lhs for the states bikes) to help with handling and swingarm twist.

3legs

[konaunit1]

Thanks everybody. I really appreciate it. I bought the bike list night I will pick it up on friday and post pics. Then I will go though the bike make sure it is fit and ready to go then hopefully locate a suitable used sidecar to mount on it.

[claude]

Personally I have had two XS1100s with sidecars and loved them both. They do very well with a sidecar. Various models had different front end designs and you can reduce trial by swapping parts around.

[jaydmc]

I just found the photo's we took of the XS1100 we did not long ago which included a leading link front end we built in house. If you email me dirrect I will send you some photo's of the mounting system.
We did not tool up to be able to reproduce these mounts as demand is very limited.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793
2328 Roosevelt ave
Enumclaw WA
98022

[claude]

Note that the xs11 bikes should still have a subframe to add strength and provide good triagulation of mounts. The picture posted below was not one of our mounts but it does show what can happen without a subframe on almost any bike.Look close and you will see that both front frame tubes broke. The engine was practically laying on the ground....not good.

[konaunit1]

Wow! yea I don't need that. Thanks for the info again i can bet I will be back for advice.

Jay from DMC what is your direct e-mail I would love to see pics of the mount system.

Thanks again
Rich

[jaydmc]

My dirrect email is jay@dmcsidecars.com
Also the XS1100 we did is a local bike and shows up at a lot of events in that the person we built it for is also the ROK STRAP distributor for the USA.
Jay G
DMC sidecars
www.dmcsidecars.com
866-638-1793

[konaunit1]

What $600 dollars bought me