Yamaha XS1100 - Better late than never

The Yamaha XS1100 was a late-comer to the superbike era in the Seventies. Bikes like the Suzuki GS1000, Honda CBX and Kawasaki Z1 had already made a name for themselves and Yamaha knew they needed something special to join the party.
The media expected a 1,000cc engine, so Yamaha turned up the knob to 11. And introduced the 1,101cc XS1100 in 1978.
It became the King of the quarter mile, with several magazines consistently posting sub 12-second times.
It may not have been around for long, with production ending in 1981. But its big hearted powerplant and sublime cruising ability ensured it made a huge impression on the motorcycle scene.
Shot with Paul Brace at Proper Bikes: properbikes.co.uk
A Brightside Media production: brightside-medi...
Music by Stone Ocean: / ratedmusicofficial

[@geraldscott4302]

I used to own a 1980 XS100 Special. One of the best bikes I ever owned. I mad a big mistake selling it, as I did with many other wonderful bikes. I had no idea that bikes would become nothing more than computers on wheels back then. Oh what I would give to have some of those wonderful carbureted air cooled bikes with real brakes back. I do have a few normal non computer bikes, but they are not as good as the bikes they made 40 years ago.

[@rickguyevans]

I went into a Yamaha dealership back in '78 to buy 4 sparkplugs for my '77 GS 550...30 minutes later, I bought a new XS11! The best bike I've ever had: smooth, powerful and fast...great for chewing up the miles...loved the colour: "macho maroon"!

[@STOPsignforRT]

I bought one too and still have my maroon 1978 XS11. Still thinking about restoring it and riding it again. Big , heavy, smooth and powerful as you said. At least by 1978 standards.

[@raymoen9309]

I just got a 78 macho maroon 16000 miles great shape, had several as a young man an now have another, XS1100 E

[@rockintigger]

Loved the midnight special 👍

[@ThreenaddiesRexMegistus]

That’s how you should buy a bike! An idle visit to my local bike shop on another resulted in me riding away an a CB1300 Bol D’or that had just been traded. Still got it and it runs like new. I think I need another UJM!

[@nathanlambshead4778]

I had the maroon one also. 1981.

[@Brad2meetU]

If any bike could tow a caravan, the Excessive Yamaha XS1100 is surely the number one (from the era of air cooled monsters. The torque from low revs was incredible back then & playing with the throttle & shaft drive reaction was pure fun.... even though lethal when cranked over of the vertical. A pleasure to have owned & ridden for tens of thousands of miles, no mechanical failures & I customised my two, I even still have a slightly broken "Martini style" fairing & a very special 15" rear wheel. Smiling as I'm writing & remembering.

[@BEERTAD]

I had one in 1980. it was my favourite of all 46 bikes i have had. i custom painted it and added z1000 bars, marzochi shocks, marshal 4 into 1. loved it.

[@Krezo200]

TAD BEER 46.. uff

[@robertreasor7522]

It was 1978 and I was working as a salesman at y first motorcycle dealership. We were a Honda, Yamaha, Husky and Triumph dealer.Anyway my buddy was the service manager and I told him I was going to buy a new CBX. He talked me out of it and onto this really sharp looking blue with gold pinstriped new 1979 XS1100 Yamaha.What a great bike! It had power and torque like nothing I had ever ridden much less owned, especially compared to my little RD400.That was the most trouble free motorcycle i have ever owned and I've owned a lot! I would like to find a clean one somewhere to add to my collection. Like an idiot I ended up selling mine to an acquaintance and unbelievably he still has it. 40 years and he's still riding the same bike!

[@jamesnickel4748]

Wow, what a bike! Just show's you're never too late to join the party!

[@VinayWebstar]

I'm a Yamaha bikeboy and fanboy too, it's very nice and really cool to see this coming back, hope they launch this in India too

[@Billfish57]

I had the very first one sold in Miami, in Dec. of 77. 78 XS Eleven, I road it every day because it was my only ride and I loved going to work because I got to ride that thing every morning. Nothing could catch me, not one speeding ticket ever if you know what I mean, went to the Keys and all over the state a hundred times or more and up to Michigan twice, Daytona bike weeks, you name it, and for the first year or so, no one had ever seen one, where ever I went, it was a star to show off. So smooth, fast and never once broke down, like many other bikes back then did. I put on the full windshield (only for long trips) with stereo, radar detector and I had a party around that bike at every stop, at age 21, I was the perfect age to own that ride. With a 4 into 1 header, it's sound was amazing, bikes today just don't have that sound anymore. $2,889.00. Not a bad price for all that fun. Always ware a helmet, I would have been a goner twice, 40 years ago without one. A Honda 550 and 750 both totaled at over 60 but limped away from both because of great helmets. This went on too long, but it got my juices going just think about those days. Cheers to all the other XS- Eleven riders.

[@alhassanait1749]

Wow at the age of 21 you were too young for such a heavy powerful bike ! I i am glad you did it without any accident !

[@ABCDEFGHIJKELA...]

Get another one ;)

[@stephenchristian5739]

THAT WAS FUN TO READ

[@John-yg2rt]

Cheers on that story

[@garthlundquist8316]

They were in a league of their own. My buddy with his new CBX 6 cylinder Honda was afraid to race me, the Yamaha was so easy to launch. Very smooth motor, mountains of torque, bulletproof drivetrain. Top speed was very near 140. Very stable at speed. A major drawback for high speed ripping was the shaft drive. On acceleration the rear end squatted down for superb traction, but come into a corner too hot, chop the throttle, and the rear tire would unweight.. scared me silly a few times. I jumped mine two up across all the intersections on Queen Anne Avenue in Seattle, landing half way up the next block on that steep hill. Then turned around and jumped them downhill.. that was really stupid but landed it each time, nothing broke, but that girl wouldn’t ride with me again for some reason.

[@kerrymaloney8785]

Would you believe that an XS1100 won the 1978 Castrol 6 Hour production race in Australia. Beat off bikes such as the CBX1000, Ducati 900SS and Z1B Kawasaki. The Castrol 6 Hour was the preeminent production bike race in the world, no mods allowed, standard street tyres and the whale won it running away. Amazing bike and very underrated.

[@professorpatpending8731]

Kerry Maloney. Greg Pretty R.I.P. raced one with the shaft system converted chain drive. Team Pitmans Yamaha.

[@rickylarch]

It won several other races too. In In the lead up to the Six-Hour, the XS1100 had swept the Adelaide Three-Hour, the Perth Four-Hour and the Surfers Three-Hour.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

Some brave men to herd that beast around a road course at those speeds.

[@MickH60]

@@professorpatpending8731 My Friend did the very first Chain conversion on the XS1100, he had a Yamaha dealership in North QLD , his chain conversion was on his dirt track sidecar, Pitman, also Yamaha, copied my friends design and claimed it as his own. I know exactly which parts were used in the original conversion, I have seen it and talked about it in detail. There are now conversion kits for the XS1100....

[@pizzamonster975]

Excellent narration in the the video. Classic ride. Excellent video

[@BrightsideMedia]

Thank you so much 😊 really glad you liked the film!

[@Erik-rp1hi]

I had a 1978 XS750 triple. It did what I heard it does.....Using it as a racer reving it out and fanning the clutch while the shifter is loaded (speed shifting) I spun the center rod journal bearing. Taking it apart found one bearing shell on top of the other. Crank was bent so bought a new one. Sold it after I fixed it. Maybe it was the ARCO graphite oil that just hit the market but was also told that bearing did not get a good supply of oil.

[@gonerydin4225]

I bought a new XS ELEVEN (in the US) in 1978. Rode the snot out of it for 3 years. Great touring bike. Prone to tank slappers and very thirsty. I ran it completely out of fuel in 56 miles during a late night WFO session on I80. : ) Also had an appetite for rear tires. Traded it for a 1981 750 SECA when 2nd gear went out. I still have the Yamaha service manual for the ELEVEN.

[@markross4087]

Owed 2 XS1100 Specials. Great bikes and styling.

[@alancummings7107]

Had one back in the day , what a monster , wish I had never sold it .☹️

[@CalvinEdmonson]

A new XS1100, a CBX, and a Suzuki 1000 with a turbo kit (remember those). These three were sitting on the side of the road as I went past at 100+ on my RD400 of course they had to come after me and it wasn't very long until they flew past. lol 1980, the good old days.

[@jgcapers3860]

When I see this I understand what the XSR900 was trying to capture, and am so happy that Yamaha seized the opportunity

[@BrightsideMedia]

That's right

[@kevinpatrick2299]

I have the XJ1100, same driveline, same super smooth buckets of power. If not mistaken, they were the fastest bikes out. Engineering was awesome, they designed the motor to spin opposite of normal and built reliability that was to easily achieve 100k miles. I love my RD350 for the twisties, but climb on the 1100 for longer rides or just brute force power.

[@davidtaysom3592]

What a motorcycle I had one back in the late 90s I've never known a bike with so much lowdown grunt it would pull up a bank in Top Gear at 9 mph to up it was the custom model I really miss this bike even though it was a big old tank

[@delldavis9803]

In 1978 October I went in an purchased a 79 model first week I took it for a ride I left Los Angeles and wound up in Reno that evening it was so smooth it was like riding on a cloud.

[@BrightsideMedia]

That must've been an awesome ride!

[@Genjokoan]

Bought one new. It was my daily for three years of university. I miss it. The acceleration was magnificent.

[@mikedrillz2866]

My mate had one of these new in the day,wow impressed me when riding pillion.My Kawasaki mates nicked name them XS weight.Saw many for sale in later years with blown 2nd gear or jumps out of gear,apparently a common problem.Definitely worthy of praise.

[@timyanke9559]

2nd gear was a weak point, could hold the power.

[@timkis64]

this is crazy.im allmost 60 years old.sitting watching videos of the bikes i scoured my cycle magazines for, between 1977 & 1980 as a kid.the magazines at the time said the throttle on 11's was tricky at parking lot speeds.they compared it to an on/off switch.no happy medium at all.

[@BrightsideMedia]

Maybe you can find another? ;-)

[@zwiastunburzy7188]

Had one back in the 80's, brilliant bike, even took it off road and it didn't have a problem with that at all. Plenty of ground clearance, loved that bike, it was a beast!

[@montyzumazoom1337]

My mate had two of these. The first as a sidecar combination, and the second a few years later as a solo. He missed the first one so much he had to buy one again! Very nice bikes, never rode one myself but did a lot of miles on the pillion and in the chair with him.

[@29madmangaud29]

Very nicely done video, I've an '81 XS1100H model, for just a couple of years now and absolutely LOVE IT!!!!!

[@larryharry7221]

That low end torque, what a beast.

[@barbmelle3136]

From Leo: I loved that bike, I wish I could buy a new one just like it. Today's sport bikes are superior in speed, braking and handling, but the XS1100 is an all around better road/commuter/ cruising/touring bike.

[@philclarke7712]

I'd love one. Keeping half an eye out. I have a mint original '81 XJ750 (Japanese model) that is basically a little version of this. Love it.

[@SLB4523]

I remember I think it was Greg Hansford took one for a test ride with a turbo kit fitted. Got off it and said something to the effect of “ take it apart and dont put it together again. “ The frame was flexing wildly and he reckons the speed blur gave him about a 20 degree field of view.

[@vintageequipment3768]

I love my daily driver '79 Special!

[@idonteven2220]

Still riding my ‘76 almost daily too!

[@glynr1859]

Great vid of a good looking bike .you forget how nice some of them bikes looked when chasing the latest tackle

[@paulhall170]

Unkindly re-named the Excessive Elephant, the XS1100 was a fabulous bike. Won a couple of Castrol Six Hour races here in Australia, on a tight, twisty track with some fearless riders!

[@Smaug1]

It's a beauty, and no one seems to still embrace shaft drive like Yamaha does.

[@izom]

i always wanted to have this bike- always fascinatin me- the look- the motor- kardan the whole package- there was a midnight edition i remember !??

[@Team-fabulous]

Had one back in the day. A cracking big barge with bags of character plus brakes that where neigh useless with all that weight.....God I miss her...

[@ericstorm7194]

teamfab , Great summary, I must add the handling was kinda scary. Especially on those skinny rick hard tyres. But the brakes, oh the brakes! I really want the seventies back.

[@paulenglish5389]

Had a moto martini special in the 80's rode from middle England to Barcelona when I was 19 the comfiest bike I've ever owned the handling was lethal unless you had a good pillion , I remember thinking it was fast until I took a gpz900r out traded the xs in immediately

[@XS-ry6ig]

I own 2 of them I will sell you 1 of them . The both run and have had a lot of work done to both of them

[@noirceur_]

@@XS-ry6ig hey mate. I'm looking at buying a 79' with 10,000kms on the clock. Mostly original. Is there any thing i need to look for besides the usually motorcycle stuff. Anything specific to the XS11? Also is there anything in the aftermarket I should do to make it better/more reliable?

[@mushroomcloud1]

I had a 1978 version XS1100E... It was stone reliable, smooth and fast. I miss the big beastie.

[@geoffnelson64]

I have the opportunity to buy one. Mint for $1900. But not the original paint. Is this a good price?

[@bigalturk1]

I bought two new 1979 XS1100SF, (First year for the "Special"). I totaled the first one in Newfoundland, thanks to the crappy factory Bridgestone tires (In the rain). The only problem I remember (Mechanically) was that the Ignition/vacuum advance unit would pull-on the ignition's backing plate and cause the wires to separate within their insulation, causing the MC to hesitate or stall upon acceleration (I had to splice & solder those wires for my repair customers). I sold that MC with 95,000 miles!

[@125saito]

My '79 Special had a frightening tendency to shimmy or wobble whatever you might call it at around 100-110 mph. Scared hell outta me. Man I loved that bike.

[@tigerbeforyou181]

Bought mine in January of 78. First stock bike to break 12 second 1/4 mile out of the box! Nothing would touch it in the day.

[@bernieswonger4780]

Im pretty sure the suzuki gs 1000 was the quickest, fastest production motorcycle in1978.

[@sirrick59]

Back in 1978 when I was 18 years of age, I worked in a Yamaha Shop over here in New Zealand. I actually rode the very first XS1100 in the country when it was straight out of the crate and assembled ready to go. Riding around the town, I gave her a wee handfull after rounding a corner, immediately getting to 80kph (50kph area) and a copper was watching. Pulled me over, but was too excited seeing this magnificent beast, he forgot all about any ticket. XS1100 were raced 1978 and 1979 in the "Castrol 6-Hour Production bike" races here and in Australia. XS1100 won the race in 1978, and came 2nd and 3rd in 1979. There is a video on youtube of the 1978 race, and possibly also the 1979 race.

[@bhggoilable]

Was that on north island or south island thanks

[@saywhat2014]

I bought mine when they first came out. I also looked at the CBX but was turned off by the complexity of the six. Probably the best and most reliable bike I ever owned and I owned a lot ! The standard model with the square headlight and gauges are much harder ti find then the special. After many years I have been looking for a 78 or 79 standard model and still cannot find a nice one, (In California) lot's and lot's of specials but no standards..

[@davidmacgregor5193]

I remember that Yamaha released a special edition XS1100 called the Martini 1.1, it was in Martini's racing colours with a full racing fairing. Being a limited edition, they'll be worth a fortune now.

[@williamnichols429]

I worked at a Yamaha dealer back then. The XS-11 was a good bike in general except for one flaw. Having a vacuum advance the ignition pickup plate rotated with engine vacuum. Eventually the braided wires coming from the pickups would break resulting in the bike rapidly going from 4 to 2 cylinders and back. Say Bucking Bronco!

[@just-another-guy]

Thanks for the link for this Brightside. I have a 78E. Only had it a year and am going to start the restoration process next year. I just want to have some fun on it this summer. I have lusted after one of these for more than 20 years. They're so thin on the ground over here in the UK now. Mine is mostly original but not in great shape. Still runs and rides but I want to bring it back to original.

[@BrightsideMedia]

Sure thing Cris. They're not very common in the UK, that's for sure. Keep yours! And keep it going! Also, please feel free to subscribe if you like 😊

[@just-another-guy]

@@BrightsideMedia subscribed now. I thought I had already lol. I do love this channel. You guys do an amazing job at keeping classics alive.

[@BrightsideMedia]

Thank you! We really appreciate it😊

[@just-another-guy]

@@BrightsideMedia no worries guys. I'm glad I have now lol. Cheers and keep it shiny side up.

[@BrightsideMedia]

You too!

[@paullangford8179]

I did Sydney to Adelaide on an XS1100RH a friend loaned me. Smooth run, and of course, no chain whip. The classic GTHO (Gas Tyres Headlamp Oil) maintenance.

[@fixitmyself]

This is a great video but I was certain Cycle magazine had a Kawasaki Z1R on one of its covers either in '77 or '78 stating the kawi to be the 1st 11sec production bike they had tested. I had that magazine but it's a long time ago. I also remember the XS1100 coming out. 2 locals bought one each and would wheelie through the gears on them. I always liked the look of the bike and still feel bikes of this generation to be the best "all rounders".

[@TheWeifung]

Classic looks. Never goes out of style. Wish i have one hehe

[@АлександрГоловань-ь6ю]

Вот что-то есть в классических мотоциклах, что-то притягательное, надёжное, одно слово, ВЕЩЬ.

[@yamrz500]

Yamaha have always built Quality bikes, The Shaft drive is used in my Super Tenere 1200 today another awesome machine! :)

[@SkibbidyYibbidy]

I love the styling of these bikes.

[@jodeskid]

my old man had a 1.1 Martini, loved going on the back of it

[@BrightsideMedia]

That must've been a good laugh :-)

[@GASMan-57]

I had a '79 XS1100 Std. It was a pretty cool bike, but indeed, it was better versed as a "straight-line" bike. I imagine if I had bought it new, I might have thought a bit better of it, but it didn't follow you, you had to follow it and steer it more by handle bar pressure than balance. But that said, it was still a kick in the pants. Wind open that throttle and I felt like I was in a small version of the Millennium Falcon about to hit warp speed. I even found my hand slipping off the handle grip a time or two from the pull. I just wish I'd had the money to get a Midnight Special version of one "back in the day". If I had managed that, I expect I'd possibly still own it today. Instead I now drive a HD Fat Boy which actually has a lower center of gravity, but it's low-end torque saves me from wanting to "express" the potential of higher revs and speed like that XS11 did. But I'm proud to have owned/ridden one.

[@1063ghost]

Sweet Memory 😁

[@mpop4eva]

In South Africa, one was converted to chain drive (the shaft sapped LOTS of power) and, in the capable hands of Rodney Gray, immediately broke the lap records at every track in the country. I had one, 1980 model, I think. Great bike.

[@shamrock3639]

Good old times.

[@mid-thumbautomotive7643]

Nice video! Bought one in February 1978 when they first came out. Yamaha required the dealer to take it. He was afraid he wouldn't be able to sell it (rural area), so I got a smokin' good deal. Never had any reason to replace it. Still runs great. As I remember it the "XS Eleven" was released before the Honda CBX, which clocked a couple tenths faster in the 1/4 than the 1100.

[@adotintheshark4848]

Still, the XS was the first bike to crack the quarter below 12 seconds. I've owned three of them..a '79 Standard and two 1980 Specials.

[@fractaleM]

oh! good condition. I have a XS1100s of europian model too. its color 's brown. his owner was Yamaha motor's engineer. Mine is called the best condition in japan.

[@nommadd5758]

Still no mention of the XS Eleven Special. I have two (one, '79 sf, I've been riding for thirty years)!

[@BrightsideMedia]

Great bike

[@ronaldtartaglia4459]

Pure motorcycling

[@jackgreen9062]

I'm building one up now as 2018 is the 40th anniversary of the XS1100 and as an homage to the Castrol 6 Hour race. See the original tv video of the 1978 Castrol 6 Hour race on youtube, the half distance wheel change on the winning bike is just brilliant (I was there watching it at the time) and caught almost everyone by surprise. The Honda team panicked a bit and stuffed theirs up when the very hot rear axel wouldn't fit into the new cold rear wheel and the seconds ticked by...exciting stuff. You have to see how the likes of Wayne Gardner, Ron Haslem, Helmut Dahn, the brilliant Steve Gall ( full time mx racer with only a few hours practice on the XS11), even Mike Hailwood threw these big bikes around with stock pipes, foot pegs and road tyres to believe it. These monsters won production races in Oz Nad NZ up until 1982, raced by guys that went on soon after to win GP world championships and Suzuka 8hour races. The XS1100 appears to be the best survivor of them all.

[@STOPsignforRT]

After reading about all of you building / restoring this bike, I think I might just pull the covers off my Maroon 1978 XS11 Standard and seeing what it would take to getting it rideable again. Especially since it is 40 years old.

[@alexbrown1995]

Amazing to think that you HAD to have an XS1100 if you wanted to win a proddy race back then. I was a marshal at a few 6 hour races - they were great races....

[@pauldavis4508]

Would love to video photo process of your build, nice to someone keeping the beast alive Castrol 6 hour link below 👍

[@pauldavis4508]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3nSYXefpr10r9U

[@motoguzzi750s3]

Remember it was on prime time tv live! Some teams used to get up to all sorts of tricks to get an edge. Putting in the largest legal oversize pistons, putting fuel tanks in the freezer and fitting them back on just before start the idea being they could squeeze in a bit more fuel, a bit of 'creative ' porting and carby tweaking even one team got busted for welding up the mounting holes on the camshaft sprockets and drilling new ones to alter the timing.

[@ninadganore]

It's almost beautiful

[@rumo201]

The engine is nearly the FJ 1100 or 1200 or the cool XJR 1300. Bullet proof.... 👍👍👍

[@pachma405]

I had both XS1100 and FJ1100 and I thought they were completely different. The XS relied on it's massive torque. Just as well, the gearbox was horrible. The FJ relied on it's slick gearbox, because it lacked torque.

[@gregorytimmons4777]

@@pachma405 You are right there on the gearbox. A real challenge to try and ride smoothly. I've only had mine less than a month and I'd been told to watch for it popping out of second during my test ride. It doesn't but it's taken some miles to get used to the gearbox. Mainly downshifting which requires blipping the throttle. If you don't you can get down a gear or two and then it's like the lower radio's have run away and hidden. It's as though they are simply not there. I've gotten better with it and can't complain for the money I spent to get her. Good thing too because looks like it spent every night of it's life out in the weather. Runs good though, kinda geared low except first which is on the high side. Then several close ratio's in a row and on to 5th which could stand to be higher but is adequate for legal or near legal highway use. I like that it's air cooled and that it has a drive shaft. One of the things I like about my Moto Guzzi as well. I'm not an aggressive enough rider to really need to have chain final drive. Good bike this Yamaha seems to be. Heavy slow steering brute but I am gaining confidence and carrying a bit more speed thru the corners. Really feeling like I got more than my money's worth when I picked up this 1980 XS. Now if I can just resist pouring the purchase price back into it trying to transform my Midnight Special into a Cafe Racer.

[@edwardwaters3476]

I owned two in there day first a 1.1 I used as a tourer ,great bike and second a XS1100 I used as a sidecar hack, another great bike over 100000 ks pulling a side car with out one problem

[@kamalakrsna]

TV : heavy foggy w/guy on tha bike approaches from out of fog - announced: Yamaha ... u may not know what it is ... but @ least ... its NOT another question. radio advert: "when yu r on a Yamaha ... u don't move ... no no ... tha GROOOUND moves under you"

[@mrrududu]

Good article and dead on about the engine. Mine was a relentlessly fast touring experience, neck ache, arm ache etc. Despite the fork brace and experements with an adjustable steering damper and handle bar weights (none of which were convincing), it went around corners slightly better than a block of flats. I loved that bike and it still hurts me that it was stolen.

[@Agislife1960]

At that time everybody else had entered the 1000cc market, and Yamaha was determined to do everybody one better.

[@nervotica7991]

Real bikes for real men in a real world, where we could even smoke on aeroplanes...

[@mikeporro3311]

We still have 2. One I am looking at right now indigo blue with custom mini faring. It was crashed but salvagable. 2nd runs and is ridable but has brake problems. Excessive Eleven! Riding a gl 1800 for my daily driver.

[@barrylevitt1170]

I had the full dress model. The longest road trip I took was from Denver through Wyoming, Montana into Canada; across Canada to highway 101 in California to the tip of Baja and back to Denver. The VS1100 was the best road bike I ever owned.

[@sassyblondel]

Intercontinental ballistic motorcycle. Use to go 500 miles in 6 hours up and down I-5.

[@_Briegel]

Oh God, I loved them soooo much. Simply one of the best motorcycles I've ever owned. There have been a few small changes over the years. Firstly, a slightly wider handlebar, which significantly improved control in fast corners and also made the handling itself much easier. Spreading the little finger was enough to initiate the curve (ok, that was an exaggeration, the supermoto handlebars really improved the handling extremely). The indicators moved upwards, right next to the seat. This also allowed me to dispense with the extremely wide chrome strut above the rear light, which gave the rear end a much narrower look. Wide as a Great Dane at the front, narrow as a... well, nice and narrow ;-). After around 150,000 km (!!!), the original exhaust went. I then changed to a 4 in 1 (I'm no longer sure which manufacturer, Akrapovic would be possible, the company came up around the middle/end of the 1980s). I then rode the bike until the early 2000s and sold it to a very good friend with almost exactly 386,000 km (!!!).... with a heavy heart, but my health no longer allowed me to ride a motorcycle. Unfortunately, he threw it into a ditch almost a year later and destroyed it so badly that it could not be rebuilt, or only at extremely high cost. Unfortunately, this is a common fate for the XS 1100... :-(

[@sebastianodeangelis3344]

Bellissima.

[@donalddday7741]

Friend had a Seca 650, I had a rd 350,we switched bikes for a day I really liked the Seca handled really nice and fast

[@Grasshoppa65]

Thanks for uploading this. This bike is from the era that I started riding in.

[@davidj4662]

Still have a 79 Special. Pretty awesome bike, still runs fine.

[@tsasso6199]

Any hesitatuon around 2500rpm?

[@geoffnelson64]

I have an opportunity to pick up a mint 79 with 10k miles for $1900.. but its not the original paint. Beautiful paint but not original. Is this a fair price?

[@robertcook1922]

Dang! I really miss my xs! Such a fun bike!!

[@saschaesken5524]

Yesterday I say that guy again in our town in germany driving one of his three Münch 1200 bikes. He must be my age and I was thinking to me that I need to restore my XS 1.1 sitting since 2000 untouched.😢

[@tomservo5347]

I bought a '79 Special 7 years ago. Fixed the 2nd gear dog slip and the middle case oil seal. Other than that she fires up no matter what and is still uber reliable. I like how Yamaha upped the ante over it's competitors with all disc brakes and a shaft drive. My only complaint is the smallish tank on my Special and the small frame doesn't make it ideal for carrying a passenger long distance. It's the best $700 dollars I've ever spent and has made me a Yamaha convert because they build good, tough stuff.

[@skywatch4639]

I know exactly where that piece of road is, could drive there without navigation right now, I live near Newcastle, nowhere near...

[@dougmartin8664]

Back in the day I had a 1980 standard version of the XS11 with a header and carb work. It was impossibly fast, especially in a straight line. One of my favorite bikes ever.

[@राष्ट्रवादीकट्टरभारतीय]

Great story👍👍

[@andrewfurniss8944]

Yeah, This is Spinal Tap came out in 84. XS 1100 discontinued in 81. Only 3 years out fella.

[@BrightsideMedia]

Nigel is ageless ;-)

[@buongiorno1918]

Bellissimo 🏍💨✊

[@江田島平八-w2j]

当時はこれがスーパーバイクだったんですよね。

[@PeterPrism]

Beauty

[@crankybear1236]

Yamaha has to bring this bike back. With EFI of course.

[@garyg1254]

I never owned a new car but I owned four new bikes. This one, the XS1100 Special was the most awesome piece of machinery that was ever made. Nothing could touch it. Opened it up to 125 mph and there was still a lot left in reserve. Weight to horse power, it was like having a 1200 hp car.

[@aadilsiddiqui89]

Damn. This legit sounds like a jet engine. !!

[@omaliveatlast4688]

But handling was sadly very lacking , took mine around isle of man on mad Sunday and nothing came past me ! Mostly because of it weaving and requiring all the road lol :)

[@pachma405]

Mine was very 'entertaining' on white lines, wearing Avon Roadrunners.

[@TrailRipper69]

Maybe learn to ride?!

[@rickylarch]

Have you tried fixing the handling? Modern rear shocks with stiffer springs and rebound damping eliminate the shaft drive effects and emulators and HD springs in the front forks transform the handling. Mine is a dream now and I haven't even put decent tires on yet.

[@n4120p]

Very nice video of the retro superbikes ,, calm secure excessive power of the eleven , you don't need anymore ,, it feels nice,, makes you want one ,,, yess ,, I got one .

[@robertjones-eb4xo]

Had the Martini enclosed one, all fine in a strait line but tried to buck me off a few times on bridge , too heavy for thin front forks . Still ,happy days !

[@leealtmansr.3811]

I just found this. Thank you, it brings back some great memories. I had a full dress version and dam it was fun to ride!

[@BrightsideMedia]

Glad it brought back some good memories and you enjoyed the film. Feel free to subscribe if you like 😊

[@tanktankerson1042]

Now this is when Japanese bikes had Character and a Soul. Today they still build great bikes but you acquired a special attachment to these machines back in the day. I guess that's why I had to buy a first gen Vmax, something to keep me connected to the past...I'll never forget my very first bike, a brand new, 1982 Yamaha Maxxim 550 inline four.

[@skywatch4639]

Always liked the xs1100, but it's successor the FJ1100 was an incredible transformation, both have the dodgy 2nd gear though..

[@tsasso6199]

Explaine dodgy 2nd gear? Im curious on that

[@spottydog4477]

UTTER NOSTALGIC JUNK! The XS 1100 was an bland, asthetically tired, overweight and underpowered (for what you'd expect from a 1.1) slug. It rode like youmums sofa, skipped on gear changes on corner and mushed in corners Not every bike was a winner and sales of the xs1100 proved it to be just that

[@uh1c-chiefna996]

Yeah, and we used to call it the "Excess 1100" because of the weight of the thing. North of 600 pounds it was, and had to move over to let better bikes get by in the twisties. Nostalgia is always through rose colored lenses.

[@FarrFromPerfect]

But it didn't have that lovely triple sound...... (I'm also a Yammy 4cyl fan but there is something special about the XS7/850 sound).

[@dougmartin8664]

I had both a 750 triple and an XS 11. I liked the 750 but loved the 11. The reason was the massive power and torque of the 11. However, in the short twisties of our mountains here in California, the XS750 was amazing and its handling was excellent. I don't ride now, but this certainly brings back memories.

[@n4120p]

Yes , the best throaty sound ever , the radial engine sound of motorcycles

[@SLB4523]

2 of my mates had 750’s- awesome bike. Those triples were like turbines, just kept coming on. I had a 750 Honda 4 at the time and Rob’s 750 just wound up past me in first and kept going til I hit 3rd. When I got back into bikes inthe 90’s those were the 2 I was hunting for- a 750 or a 1000, ended up at the other endof the spectrum- a YamSR 500 single that I hotted the shit out of, and loved.

[@busdrivermike13]

Great video, brought back some great memories, my favorite one was the nickname it had in my riding circles, the flexi flyer, due to its shaft jack when twisting off or down especially in a curve 🤪

[@fernandogomez1248]

My next” beast “

[@BrightsideMedia]

Get one! They're amazing bikes and great companions :-)

[@bradnevins5448]

Just picked one of these up yesterday! needs some work, but i'm excited!

[@rregan6494]

Brad Nevins Hey dude OfferUp here in Arlington Texas $ 500 bucks project bike but looks good . Look it up .

[@geoffnelson64]

I have an opportunity to pick up a mint 79 with 10k miles for $1900.. but its not the original paint. Beautiful paint but not original. Is this a fair price?

[@saaamaak]

They should get back these bikes as retro, for those who love understated monsters

[@川嶋健次]

YAMAHA1100😊👍

[@chrismaiden9252]

I own one now with only 16k miles. Its so fun to ride nice and smooth and powerful. Handles very well. Mine is 1981 xs1100 soecial

[@BrightsideMedia]

Very nice!

[@daithilacha1]

I still have the original Motorcyclist magazine issue on this bike where they rode it from LA to NYC in three days. Ken Vreeke on the cover with the big red beast. Anyone remember that ?? I never owned an XS1100 myself, though an acquaintance had the first one here in Ireland, in silver, and it was very impressive. Always have been a Yamaha guy first and foremost, and owned three FJ1200`s ( All at the same time !! ) while living in Boston. I also owned five XJ Seca 750`s, one which I only recently sold, along with my original FJ1200 from 1986 which I shipped home from the USA in 2011 when I retired. I still own a hopped up 2008 R1.