'80 Yam XS1100 Special?

[Toledo Jim]

Okay, I thought I would ask here since there is a wide range of experiance in many areas available. (A large portion of which I have actually come to respect a great deal.)

An aquaintance of mine says he needs money. He is asking $1000.00 for a '80 Yamaha XS 1100 Special w/ locking hard saddlebaggs and trunk, fairing with 2 storage compartments (1 locks), and am/fm radio - cd player. Bike has approx 45000 miles on it.

He has been riding this bike most of this summer and bike looks good and seems to run quite well as far as I know.

Since I have had my GS since April of '05 and it is the only bike I have ever ridden, (11,000 miles so far) I have no idea about his and wondered if anyone here has any helpful thoughts about this "deal".

Jim

[makenzie71]

For $1k it needs to be in super spiffy clean condition.  You need to be able to eat off the tank, seat, and tires.  You can expect grime build up in the engine area, but it needs to run smooth.  You should be able to pull her all the way to 10k really quickly and smoothly.

The bike makes about 98hp and 71lb/tq at the crank and weighs about 575lbs.  It's no slouch...the one I had really like cruising at 85~90mph and would do it for days.  It's confortable...the bike was made back when seats were 6X8 chunks of dense foam...you sink right into them and they're big.  I don't really like the shaft drive...it's complicated and ugly, but it does the trick.  Almost no maintanance.  You'll almost need to update the forks.  They'll need new seals and fluid...and I wouldn't hesitate to pick up a newer fork assembly if I could...gen1 R1's and R6's make good donors, as do the V-Max and Roadstar lines.  Virago and Maxim forks will bolt right up but what's the point.

Also be weary of rust in the tank.

All in all, I wish I still had mine...and it was a piece of shaZam!...if that tells you anything.

[CirclesCenter]

The bike makes about 98hp and 71lb/tq at the crank....

BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY

Powa!!!!!

(Btw I'ma power junkies.)