First build: '79 XS11 Standard Cafe'

[ramblinman]

I thought I'd throw up a few pics of my cafe' project. It's a '79 Yamaha XS1100 Standard that I picked up last year and have been working on since. The bike had a few mods, like 4-1 exhaust and rear-sets but needed some love after sitting for years. I completely blew it apart and started modifying the frame, welding seams, cleaned up the factory welds. I shaved the handle bar mounts on the triple tree, added an 8" inch headlight, clip-ons, an HD pipe. Motor is getting a black, wrinkle finish with stainless hardwear and kickstart pedal. I cut the seat pan 5" and kicked-up the tail about 40 degrees and had it upholstered with heat bonded vinyl.
Not too much left to do, taillight mount and wiring harness needs install, battery, sourcing a decent looking spun-aluminum velocity stack set and few other bits. Should be hitting the road in a month or so. Sunshine today put a fire under me to get' er done.

 

[DesertLab]

Headlight looks sweet!

 

[Fix]

Looking great! Love a nice XS11.

 

[50gary]

I like that "locomotive" headlight a lot. I always keep an eye out for them. Is it off a Suzuki? Make sure you buy or make some aluminum engine mounts to replace the rubber ones, it does wonders to tighten up the handling of the bike. I had them and give two thumbs up. I also had a low mounted rear disc that weighed much less (the XS is well named as in excess weight) I love the power delivery on the 1100, lot's of fun.
Cheers, 50gary

 

[ramblinman]

Thanks 50gary. Yeah, the headlight is a Yamaha piece I found on a Virago in a salvage yard. Funny you should say 'locomotive' That's how I describe it.

Thanks for the tip on the engine mounts. I was thinking polyurethane but aluminum i can do. I know a guy with a turret lathe. They're great for replicating small parts like that.

 

[50gary]

Yeah, the aluminum is great and easy to turn. I ebayed a second set of foot peg brackets to cut and re-weld them so as to allow an up swept exhaust pipe. I just raised the passenger peg holes 1.5" I also put together an XS stem and R1 triple clamps to mount USD forks/wheel/brakes. I'll be watching your progress.
Cheers, 50gary

 

[gk45011]

Looks great, I miss my XS11. Following along.

Gary

 

[ramblinman]

Yeah, the aluminum is great and easy to turn. I ebayed a second set of foot peg brackets to cut and re-weld them so as to allow an up swept exhaust pipe. I just raised the passenger peg holes 1.5" I also put together an XS stem and R1 triple clamps to mount USD forks/wheel/brakes. I'll be watching your progress.
Cheers, 50gary

I think for the next build I may go the route you're taking. R1 and so forth. Still new to the scene, so still in research mode. I always appreciate technical input.

 

[ramblinman]

It has been awhile, but I thought I should post some current pics of my bike. The CNC pieces are custom by me and can be reproduced if interested.

 

[Floegstad]

Love the looks of this Yam, but i am not sure about your tail light,its hard to see from the pics. ???

 

[ramblinman]

Better taillight pic. DOT marker light from a Blue Bird school bus. And yeeah...smacked the tail where you see primer. New paint in the new year.

Ok, it's alot of pics for a taillight but I'm kinda partial to it :

 

[50gary]

I like your taillight, really. It's neat that it came from a non-motorcycle application. I use an SV650 taillight it's pretty cool too. The XS11 is a mighty bike, I had a 1979 that was fun and fast. CNC? Did you also turn up those ultra sweet velocity stacks?
Cheers, 50gary

 

[Floegstad]

Looked great

 

[gijoe13844]

Nice job. I'm working on a excess too. Going a little overboard with a buell front end and a chain conversion. You make the velocity stacks? I may interested in buying some or even just the specs. I am a cnc programmer so should be able to build them off correct specs. Thought about just laser scanning the stock air box stacks too.

 

[ramblinman]

Sure like to see yer build, sounds killer. I designed the stacks and had a friend at work spin them in the CNC. I'm looking to sell but if you're a programmer, I'll see about getting the specs and I could pass them on. I still have them on file somewhere. If interested, I get sets of 6061-T6 engine mounts spun too.

 

[kayak24seven]

How much are you asking for a set of stacks and engine mounts?