Sorry ,no actual dogs in this thread.
As some may recall me complaining in the recent past, there have been some life changes forced upon me.
So I figure I can cry about it or grab life with both hands and tear me a fresh piece !

i have never even riden a street bike before...ever, until friday afternoon .
i had my son test ride it and I bought it, brought it home and soon as it was unloaded I had her running and wobbling down my sidewalk like a 3 yr old on training wheels haha. It took me the whole cul-de-sac to turn it around at first putting my feet down and almost dropping it, it felt like. I spent a good part of the day today honing my technical skills ie turning corners and shifting gears haha I've got it into 4th but thats too fast for me just yet ...maybe by tomorrow ill try 5th ...does it have a 5th ? lol I dunno
It's a 1979 Yamaha XS1100 that has been worked over a bit
It seems fast to me but i don't have anything to compare it to except my old 440 horse 4spd Camaro and the bike would whip the cars butt
Don't hassle me about the dead grass it's my buddy's house

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the rules? there are no rules

Very nice!! Bring it by, I'll help on a few shakedown rides lol.

Yeah, it'd be shook down by the time I got to Colorado I guess:0

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the rules? there are no rules

Nice scoot. I'd like to take that for a spin.
It sounds like you have not ridden much so please be careful. It will go faster than you need to go.

Nice looking "Bobber". Those big Yamaha bikes are plenty fast. People with quick cars just don't realize just how quick a big bore motorcycle can be. Enjoy it, just remember to ride like every one is out to hit you, because they are...

Larry

About half of them don't even see you...and that was before cell phones.

I was too embarrassed to say that is one heck of a "starter" bike. But she is a beauty--just please be careful. Sounds like your son is experienced and I bet he can advise and help. But I suspect you will be Evil Kenevil in no time!

Awesome Bobber, Kam! Keep the shiny side up!

Nice bike!! love the simple café racer look. Hope everything else is falling in place for you. Keep smiling.


Jim in Iowa

OHOOOOOOO YEAHHHHH-I remember those-zooooom!!!!!!

Thanks guys it feels pretty cool !
I really dig how the guy built it, ill leave it largely as is , but I plan to make a few changes like different mirror, brake light and handles and a friend is going to lend a little airbrush talent to it,loose plans for a s&w emblem on the tank sides. good to have a hotrod again, even if it is a whole new deal for me on two wheels

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the rules? there are no rules

Nicce XS11 bobber. I'll echo the sentiments of the guys who said to be careful with it. Not only does the big Yamaha make a lot of power, it had a reputation in its day as a bit of an evil-handling beast. Chassis development in those days was way behind the engine tech. Treat it with respect and you will have a lot of fun with it.

Take the MSF Beginning Riders' Course before you do anything else.

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Not in jail.

I second the MSF riding coarse. It is time well spent.

Wingmaster

Gave up golf for a few years in my 60's and rode Harley's (soft tail and ultra classic). No retreats but as most who do so, some very close/ugly incidences. My wife now says I'm too old and no longer strong to continue. Think she may be right even though that statement kinda hurt my feelings.

Learn to ride properly. There is much more to riding than just sitting on it and operating the controls. Learn to countersteer, you'll be amazed how much easier it is to make the bike go where you want to. Learn to use the brakes, this is imperative. That front brake will save your life, if you know how and when to use it. If you really want to ride on the street, a handlebar with just a little rise, like a GP bend, will feel so much better. If you go out on a wet street, you will soon find out what fenders are for.
Here'a a pic of my 1980 GS1100, that's somewhat similar.

Attached Images

IMGP0158.JPG (64.9 KB, 56 views)

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

And I third the MSF course. Please don't neglect this, it can save your life.
Ride as if you are invisible. Do 70% or more of your stopping with the front brake. The back will only lock up and skid you sideways.

Notice the former owner replaced the airbox with those carb pods. They are somewhat hard to dial in, so if you have any flat spots in acceleration, that would be the first place to look.

Have fun, bikes are a blast!

When the XS1100 debuted, the bike magazines dubbed it the Excess 1100; those motors motored! Please take the beginners riding course, practice the skills learned often and, after a few thousand miles, take the advanced riders course. The information gained can quite literally save your life. (This summer marks my 36th year riding street bikes, mostly Harleys.)

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I used to be disgusted..

In case nobody has mentioned it so far, take the MSF course. My wife has taken it, and rides very well. My son took it before I would let him out on a street bike. My wife gave it to my step-daughter for her 21st birthday. The young lady was miffed at first, thinking Mom was pushing her into something she didn't want to do. She had a ball taking the course, felt a sense of pride at having accomplished it, and thanked her mother for opening her eyes to the hazards that face cyclists every day. She doesn't ride, but the course changed the way she drives.

With 17 years of riding and a little bit of racing under my belt, I took the course with my first wife, and learned a lot. Since then I have taken a couple of Experienced Rider courses, and probably ought to do it every few years. I used to teach quite a few people to ride, but I won't teach anybody to ride on the street any more; I just refer them to the MSF course.

Forgive me for going on at length about this, but if you are going to ride, it's that important, even if you have some experience.

Incidentally, in many states, it is the best route to your motorcycle endorsement. Pass the course, notify the state, and you get your endorsement. Otherwise, you may have to wait for an opening to take the state-administered test.

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Not in jail.

Go back and read wbraswell's post about three more times. Learn to countersteer and learn to use the front brake. Failure to do either will seriously reduce your life expectancy.

thank you all for the kind words and sincere advice.
I think I will take the course, as not only all you guys, but the guys at the gun club said the same thing. Mostly you guys are right about most things so...
830 bucks ! yikes! well I guess I'm worth it , my son said hell take the course with me so that's pretty cool, and I guess he's worth another $830
I was trying to counter steer today but it was so weird I couldn't quite pull it off haha I will keep trying of course, after dinner I'll try it again.
I really enjoy the feeling, and i cant wait to tap the power in this thing I can feel it getting impatient with me lol
I accidentally gave it way to much gas as i shifted into 3rd and it felt like it was going to shoot out from under me.Scared the cockiness out of me...But just for a minute
I'm so new to this I can still count the number of times ive ridden a bike lol Can't wait for this summer, this summer is going to be about me picking up where I left off 25 years ago I'll just be more weathered than your average punk, but with considerably more spending power

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the rules? there are no rules

Thanks for the advice.
So , I should use handlebars like in your icon pic or is the gp bend different ? I like the look of the lower cafe inspired bars .
I have a front fender for the bike but its chrome and doesn't match so..Nah. previous owner said it's only 4 bolts put it on if you're riding to the coast or you think it's gonna rain

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the rules? there are no rules

That is the GP bend on my bikes. If you end up on a wet street with that shorty rear fender, you might find a muddy stripe up your back.
Confidence in your ability to control your machine is key to safety and fun. Cockiness is key to road rash and broken bones.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Cool bike,

Please learn to ride it with reckless abandon and get an organ donor card.

Seriously, Be safe and enjoy.

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Dum vivo cano

Ok, I'm hoping/wondering if anybody here can give me a hint or some tips to try to learn the counter steer technique?

I thought i was doing it but my son said "No dad you can't be riding like that! you'll be hurt" he looked at me like I wasnt minding him.
Haha what a role reversal all of a sudden ,he was stern with me when i made an error Haha my son has turned out to be a good man.I digress.

last night ,when he showed me a counter steer in the driveway it kinda blew my mind I can lean over pretty good and sort of corner but you have to push the handle bars ,lean left push left ??? i tried to try but my brain wouldn't trust me haha
do i lean first then push? or vice versa or simultaneously?
I know ill have this pretty quick but I'm kinda afraid I'm going to scratch up the bike doing it haha.
how do i do it the first time?
Just try I guess I have a little extra paint

any feedback and suggestions will be appreciated and put to immediate use.
I'm going riding after I clean up from work here in a few
should have done this years ago. wheee lol

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the rules? there are no rules

Very nice looking bike. Take the class, take it slow, motorcycles can be dangerous (other traffic is more dangerous) but they can be a lot of fun.

Push first,it will drop you into the curve all by itself.Congrats on the new toy :-)

Practice on some gentle sweeping turns. Say the road curves to your right. You of course lean to the right, & actually just the fact that you're leaning initiates the counter steer. Push gently away from you on the right handlebar while pulling the left handlebar, but easy. You could practice in a large empty parking lot till you feel confident enough to try it on the road. How hard you push/pull the handlebars depends on the camber of the curve. Hopefully Rojodiablo will be along soon because I know he can explain it better than I can. Stay safe!

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

thanks guys I'm just warming it up now figured I check in and see if anyone had replied haha I should have known,3 replies already .thanks guys I'm gonna do it!

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the rules? there are no rules

With countersteering, you're not trying to actually turn the bar, just apply pressure. With those wide flat bars, it shouldn't be hard to do.
Another tip: when you come up behind a car at an intersection, leave yourself an escape route. If you hear brakes locked up behind you, don't look around, MOVE. Remember every car out there is trying to flatten you. When you see a car pull up to the intersection ahead of you, assume he will pull out in front of you.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

See if you can find a front fender at a salvage yard.Road grit at 60 stings a bit!

That's a beast of a bike. I wish you had time on a smaller bike to learn but you bought it, So.....

Please take it slow.

When you uncork it, you're gonna learn about torque steer.

Surprise!

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Dum vivo cano

Definitely! That's one thing about a shaft driven bike I never liked.

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

Beautiful bobber! I had an XS1100 years back, it was a monster in a straight line, corners not so much. With the shaft drive it has a tendency to stand up if you roll on the throttle in a curve. The biggest challenge I had was trying to wipe the grin off my face during full throttle acceleration!

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Even older, even crankier....

I just got back from about an hours ride awesome! so cool!
I tried the counter steer technique I just pushed the handle bars with out leaning much and the bike turned! i push a bit with left hand and bike turns left I tried leaning and pushing but not hard at all and i could carve a corner in 2nd gear (subdivision intersection) and sometimes 3rd
Sometimes i give it too much gas and it scares me...but in a way I like.

I like this as much as I like cowboy action shooting just plain FUN and exhilarating

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the rules? there are no rules

Arjay, I have a front fender but it doesnt match, and I'm a fashion whore. LOL.
If i go on a road trip or plan to drive it in the rain I'll put it on but it looks so cool without it. I have my son's spare full face helmet so road bullets cant get me...not in the face anyway

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the rules? there are no rules

More questions? Is there a point where the front tire will be pushed past centre during a counter steer effort? i mean at higher speeds?
I'm still not 100% sure I'm doing it right
I pushed just slightly as I leaned harder and the bike turned sharper than before, just not sure yet...

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the rules? there are no rules

I don't know what kind of tires you have, but modern sport bike tire technology is pretty dang good. My tires have saved my bacon numerous times in the past. The trade off for the excellent grip though is a tire that wears out fast. On my old crotch rocket I would get around 3k on the rear tire & 5 or even 6k out of the front. With excellent tires you can get into a corner too hot & still save it, as long as you don't panic & stand the bike up in the middle of the corner, & then you're in trouble for sure. If you ever watch Moto GP, you can see the riders regularly push the front. Its amazing the control they have over their machines.

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

My advice is to park that beast before it bights you.

If you want to learn to ride get a normal old 400-500cc bike that you have a way easier time and funner time learning how to properly and proficiently ride a street bike.

Wear good boots and heavy clothes, gloves are a plus, serious business here.

Something like what I learned on, a Honda 90 would be perfect.

You asked for opinions so here goes; forget the countersteer
nonsense. I'm not an expert rider, no racing experience, but
I've been riding motorcycles since 1965 and had scooters
before that and I've been down zero times on the street so
far. I've heard the countersteer theory and one guy I know
just about pestered me to death with it and I'm not buying.
You're right to be scared. It's your life. Being at speed on a
heavy bike and thinking about this countersteer BS scared
the he** out of me, just thinking about it. Motorcycles are
ridden intuitively I think. You just get on and go, you don't
think. You don't decide how you ride a motorcyle, one way
one day, another way a different day. In a sense you don't
ride it, it is ridden, if that makes any sense. The countersteer
theorists are adament, find another coach before you get
killed. And I agree with some of the other posters, you should
have started out on a much smaller bike.

My son told me if I got a little bike Id outgrow it right away.
He also seemed to think the 1100 was too big maybe but figured with my hotrod experience i could understand the power and the trouble i can get into with it on sloppy gear changes etc
i will take the advice on proper attire but I like my new hotrod I ain't parkin' it

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the rules? there are no rules

This is dangerous misinformation. Not only does countersteering work, you are already doing it intuitively whenever you ride a motorcycle. Even riding no-handed, where you use knee or foot pressure to steer the bike, the bike will naturally and subtly countersteer.

What they train you to do is to countersteer cconsciously. Need to change lanes in a hurry, or swerve to avoid an obstacle? Deliberate countersteering is the only way to make the bike react quickly.

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Not in jail.

The problem with not using counter steering is that some day there's going to be something hazardous appear unexpectedly in the road. Invariably those who ride "instinctively" steer right into it. I have had lengthy discussions with a number of people who did just that. None of the survivors recommended the experience!

By the way, the driveway is not a great place to learn countersteering. You have to have enough speed to stabilize the bike for it to work properly.

Ed

alwslate only got 2 things right. It is better to start out on a smaller bike, and he's no expert rider. Sounds like old biker BS, like "That front brake will get you in trouble." coming from a fool riding a hardtail with no front brake. Simple test, staddle the bike, with front tire straight, no weight on it. Push the handle bar on the left, and what happens. The bike falls to the left. If the bike, at speed leans to the left, it goes left. If you don't countersteer, you really aren't knowlegable enough to have a MC license. Of course, states I know, don't care. If you can make a couple of blocks without breaking the law, or falling over, you can get a license.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

kamloops, the best thing you will be doing is taking a motorcycle course. They will give you the straight poop, and riding during the course will give you the confidence to go where you want, when you want, as safely as you want.

My experience comes from about 40 years on bikes, large, small, fast, faster, and 'Holy ****!"(this one was a 750 Kawasaki Cafe bike, it was real hard to keep the front wheel on the ground). Don't take chances. Everyone out there is on the road with the express intent of killing you. Ride like you are invisible. If you are going to go fast, do it on a track (many have play days that will let you get good coaching and experience at speed). Look into some of the local riders groups too, it can be a bunch of fun getting out with a crowd. Get yourself as good a set of leathers as you can afford, they can save a lot of pain.

You definitely need to understand and use the counter steer technique, and you are well on your way. Dirt track riders use a full blown counter steer that hangs the rear tire out, DON'T GO THERE! Chances are you'll lay your bike down, and that hurts both literally and in the pocket book! Oh, and be prepared to spend a LOT of time cleaning your engine case since you're not using the front fender.....

Enjoy your toy!

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Even older, even crankier....

we dropped the son's bike off at the shop, we are sharing mine he demonstrated counter steer in a stationary position then sent me out to do it we have a corner lot and we can see each other turn right in front of the house

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the rules? there are no rules

A lot of Harley riders around here don't counter steer.They get up in the canyons,take a curve a bit fast,cross the centerline and become a statistic...

Here is an extreme photo that illustrates how counter-steering works. The guy is turning hard right by turning the front end *slightly* to his left.

As usual the internet is full of good info and terrible info. Take the MRF course and forget the internet training. I have read this entire thread and I see many good posts and ones that will get you hurt or killed.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Take a real close look at this picture.....he's a racer and hopefully has a pretty good idea what he is doing. Note that he is focused on where he is going, not on the position the bike is currently in. Note also that he is wearing full leathers (mighty shiney, with brand new knee pucks, but whose to say he didn't just get them?). He's leaning into the curve (actually hanging off the bike a bit, DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!), and seems to be holding a good line through the corner.

Watch some motorcycle racing sometime, and watch closely what the folks are doing through the corners. I'd suggest against putting a knee down though, without the proper gear you'll really get hurt, and even with the proper gear the first time you get the puck on the track it'll scare you! Pay attention to how they are holding their line, how they set up to enter a curve, and how they exit. These folks push their bikes and themselves to the limit and have an almost symbiotic relationship with the bike and the track...Fun stuff!

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Even older, even crankier....