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XJ1100 number 2

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by Timbox, May 31, 2025.

  1. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    This is what happens when I am waiting on parts and looking over marketplace.
    [​IMG]OgmrVdOp by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    [​IMG]uGeYKIrp by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    Really nice older guy, he was 86 and still doing very well. He and his wife put the 41K of the 51K on this bike together. He loved talking about the bike when I was loading it up. He was a very nice man and I had a lot of respect for the love he has for this bike. I made sure to tell him it was being put back on the road and not parted out.

    Did I mention he was the original buyer of the bike, from the shop...oh ya!
    [​IMG]lhYxwShm by Tim Brown, on Flickr

    Looking over the bike it is in really good shape. As I was removing all the stuff to get the carbs out and take a look at the tank. Yes tank had fuel in it, more brown stuff and wow what a great smell. We will have that with these older bikes. Owner said it has been sitting for 15 yr and last tag update was 2014, so there is a little time gap there.
    The octo in its natural unholy state.
    [​IMG]_w_jw9oT by Tim Brown, on Flickr

    The bike was lowered for the owner as well. Right side could be put back to OEM but the left side looks like they did a little more work to get it to the correct height for him. Not sure I can correct it.
    [​IMG]d0wUTQfe by Tim Brown, on Flickr

    Carbs are not too bad. Even the enrichment ckt was not too plugged up. I will have to go through the rest in a day or so. The floats are not moving at all, really stuck in place.
    [​IMG]trLMKcEZ by Tim Brown, on Flickr


    The fuse box already has some custom mods to it, that will be taken care of now that I have spark.
    [​IMG]CAdzcL0C by Tim Brown, on Flickr

    Long enough for an opening post. I was just so happy to be getting into another project bike and the same as I had two bikes ago. Fresh info in the old memory logs makes fast work.
     
  2. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Those carbs were much worse than they looked. The pins that held the floats were almost welded in. Took hrs to get them lose and out. I guess this would have been a good time to use the big sonic cleaner and have it to all the work. Will be getting the old girl fired up in the next few days to make sure it is worth all the other work that needs to be done.
     
  3. Roast644

    Roast644 Well-Known Member

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    Nice. Never a bad time to pick up more bikes...more, more, MORE! What windscreen is on that thing? Curious to see how you like it when you get it on the road.
     
  4. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Worked on knocking all the stuff out of the tank. Removed the fuel level sending unit and hit that with a lot of B12 chem tool. Float still not moving but I put it into the tank anyway. Had to keep the evapo rust from coming out. Putting chains into the tank to knock all the bits out of the works well. Don't have to count each nut or washer to make sure they all come out. Just stick a magnet down the fill hole and shake the tank. Magnet grabs the chains and pull them out.

    Just sent an email to Len for some parts, need to replace some gaskets and float jets just to be sure.
     
  5. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Put the carbs back in and through some gas in the old gal. Just a few turns of the motor and she was running. Time to work on all the safety stuff, brake fluids, and overall safety of the bike before the shakedown run.
     
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  6. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Here is the pic for the shield, sorry it took so long, other things going on.
    [​IMG]ZiMB5296 by Tim Brown, on Flickr
    Now I have to find a way to attach it again. All the plastic or rubber that was there is done, cracked or gone. Have to do some searching or rig something up.
     
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  7. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Got some parts in the mail, hope to get this old gal down the road for a shake down. Going to try to keep the original petcocks and then do some interesint hose work to make it all work. With the way the airbox is on these bikes it is hard to get a normal petcock to work right.

    On a side note, got a 1997 Sportser in my stable now. Really good price and took about a half a day to get it running and road ready. Have to do the paper work on it as there is no title, so another "Bonded title" will have to do.
     
  8. Franz

    Franz Well-Known Member

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    I have never owned a Harley, what size of motor does your bike have?
     
  9. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    It was a good bike to buy for a flip.
     
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2025
    Franz likes this.
  10. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Forgot how much fun it was to put some air box to carb boots on. Now, as far as taking the carbs off this bike, not so bad. Getting them boots back on, well. It is a warm one today here in Wisconsin, real feel of 107 with enough humidity you can cut it. Better than winter any day.

    Had to remove the fuse box I put in, it was too tall, and the right side cover would not fit. If anyone has a good source for a low profile mini fuse box for 4 ckt that would be great to have on hand. Tanks is back on, two fuel filters installed and the bike is ready for a shakedown run. Installed a "moto batt" in the bike, pricey, but they are great batteries.
     
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  11. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Shakedown ride completed, now only a few miles, but it does the trick. Brakes, even though I cleaned and have new fluid in them, they sure need some updating. They work, just not like any other bike that I have right now. I know, older bike and what to expect, well to stop when I need to. lol

    The gas in the tank I am sure is not as pure as it should be. Running a gal of gas for the shakedown, it was popping. Not bad but there are some dirt of varnish still getting to the carbs. I have two filters, one on each line and new petcocks with screens on them, but I am sure there are impurities in the gas getting to and through the carbs.

    Time to wash her, do another trip up and down the rd and then flush the oil again. All the dust and dirt that didn't come out with compressed air, brushing it and handwashing it needs to go. Lots of burn off smoke when it came back from the run. That is normal with all the older bikes on the first run.

    Boy them brakes, not too sure what I will do about them. Can always go with SS lines or convert both front cals to the front MC and see if that helps. These bikes only had the one brake disk up front working with the front MC, the other one was working with the rear brake.

    As for the engine and the ride, so nice. These bikes would make a great first bike for someone. They handle well, feel comfortable and are forgiving. I would recommend one of these to someone for sure.
     
  12. Timbox

    Timbox Well-Known Member

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    Still having some issues with the tank and junk. Going to have to seal it after all. Better to spend the $45 to seal it than keep chasing dirty fuel issues.
     
  13. Roast644

    Roast644 Well-Known Member

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    Notwithstanding the goofy front/rear setup, the stock brakes on the 1100 feel pretty solid to me. Do you get a firm rear brake pedal? A stainless upgrade certainly would help, but still might be some fixable issue with what you have. The rear master is more susceptible to debris in the lines...maybe still some rust goop plugging a line? Between the fuel octopus and the brake system, there must have been a designer involved that thought "the more hoses, the better!"
     

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