1980 XS 1100 Special - It's a beast!

I took my 1980 Yamaha XS100 Special out for a quick ride before I check the carburetor synchronization. I rebuilt the carbs and tuned them by ear a few years ago and believe they're pretty close to where they should be but I'm going to put the CarbTune on it and see if I can make any improvements.

[@BrhatLee]

Hello from your neighbor to the north near Ogilvie MN. Very nice XS1100, thanks for the tour and ride along. -Brhatweed from the xjbikes forum. SECA 750

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks for watching and commenting! I'm glad you liked the ride-along! I've been through Ogilvie many times on highway 23.

[@BigHeinen]

I truly miss my 1980 XS1100SGM Midnight Special. The finest bike I've ever owned...

[@gpx433racer]

I agree! The Midnight Specials are really good looking bikes.

[@chbnorth]

I enjoyed the video. I picked up an XS 1100 from a friend. Much of it came in buckets 🙂 . Winter project.

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks, and Nice! You'll enjoy getting it running. These really are excellent bikes. Yamaha really knows how to make things that are easy to work on.

[@mikereed174]

Wow, she is a beauty and a life long keeper.

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks for commenting! I'm really on the fence (every year!) about whether to keep it or sell it. Pretty sure it'll be for sale in the spring though. I'm still going to create a couple more videos on it (carb syncing and cam chain tensioner rebuild and install).

[@RollingRigTraction]

I want an XS1100 eventually, it will mate up nicely with my '82 XJ1100's

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks for watching and commenting! The XS11s are awesome bikes.

[@boppyj]

Still have my 1979 XS1100F that I bought brand new. Still runs strong and smooth.

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Much appreciated! My XS1000SG is the smoothest, fastest bike I own, by a long shot!

[@davehooper5115]

I freakin love it

[@gpx433racer]

One of the best bikes ever made, in my opinion!

[@davehooper5115]

@@gpx433racer Agree, although I never had that one, I had 2 Suzuki GS 550 specials, and then the XV 750 Virago, the original one

[@fingerlakesdiet560]

Great video. Audio is awesome on the mufflers.. Your bike is purring like a kitten.. Just changed the oil on mine..

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks for watching and commenting! I'm glad you like it and yes, it runs great! I just did a rebuild of the cam chain tensioner mechanism over the weekend and will be posting a video (with part numbers) of that soon.

[@tomfisher47]

Nice bike

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks ✌️

[@jaycounts4717]

You sir know how to start a bike, start it and let it warm up first before you twist the throttle...revving a cold bike is an absolute no no...those XS bikes are screamers, I had a friend that had a 750 and he had no problem keeping up with my KZ 1000 ltd...ride safe.

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks for your comments! Yes, I do value the warmup time on these, especially on the Yamahas. I learned to warm stuff up back in about 1976. I had a 440 Ski-Doo Olympic that ran fantastic once it was warm but sounded like a box of bolts were in it for the first few minutes. I've seen way too many metal shavings over the years from people who are "just a little" to impatient to let things warm up for a few minutes. There's no place I need to be that can't wait 5 minutes! :)

[@k.i.i.3699]

Mine has the same leak from the cam chain tensioner. Do you need to replace the entire assembly or can you get away with just replacing the black rubber circular cap in the center? Also, do you need to change the oil to do this?

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks for watching the video and sending me a comment! I haven't replaced mine yet. Turns out I had the wrong part. I've read on the XS11 forum that it's possible to replace the black plug but I believe you need to take the cam chain tensioner out completely to do so. I'm planning on doing a rebuild on mine sometime in the next few months but I need to finish a few other projects first. Stay tuned! I expect the process to be fairly simple but we'll find out together when I get after it. I'm going to buy new Yamaha parts but will also try to cross reference the O-ring and other parts to those more readily available.

[@k.i.i.3699]

@@gpx433racer sounds good

[@wsbill14224]

And if I could have any Yamaha Special I'd take a Maxim. They were the best. 550, 650, or 750 take your pick.

[@gpx433racer]

I've never had a Maxim but I do like the looks of them. They look more modern and I know a few people who swear by them mechanically as well.

[@johnfryer6190]

Add a 1980 before I liked love it I have a 79 access 1100 S now it loves gas

[@gpx433racer]

I know there were some carburetor changes made to this model between 1979 and approximately 1981. Have you checked your jetting? I haven't checked the MPG on this one lately but I remember it being pretty good.

[@celiaketley5496]

Lovely quiet engine. Cant hear the usual cam chain rattle.

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes, this one is really a nice running bike. Every year I swear I'm going to sell it but then I take it for a ride and realize I'll never find another one as nice. At the moment, I'm thinking I'll list it for sale this spring. We'll see ;)

[@jwawiali8858]

I have one 1983 in marroco

[@gpx433racer]

Excellent! I hope you like it as much as I like mine!

[@bradphillips6081]

I have a 1980 midnight special 1100

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks for watching and commenting! I've always liked the Midnight Specials. Loved the blacked out motor back in the day.

[@jasonfisher4860]

Hi... pls vlog replacing of cam chain plug oil drip. *I hav same issue on my 80XS11S, thx.

[@gpx433racer]

Thanks for the comment! I’ll be getting to that in the next couple of weeks and will post the video shortly after.

[@jasonfisher4860]

TY😊. I hav the replacement part but hav not had time to try it yet. The drip is not so bad (yet?). My buckhorn bars we're changed out prior to my purchase, only 7k on clock but has stock pipe staining (worst feature on mine).

[@wsbill14224]

It's called the XS Eleven Special, not XS1100.

[@gpx433racer]

Yup, the advertising called it the XS Eleven Special. My 1980 is an XS1100SG model so I guess I've been inaccurately calling it an XS1100 for a couple of years now. I think I've owned it since maybe 2016 or so.

[@wsbill14224]

@@gpx433racer On the other hand, since your bike has an XS1100 engine, calling it that isn't wrong.