Leaderboard

Didn't think I was going to make it out this Bank Holiday but managed to get out on Monday. Original plan was a short blast around the Peak District, but midway over Snake Pass I decided I was bored of the place, so swung a left off it towards Strines and off towards Leeds - through that and onto Skipton then swing off up to Grassington and Hawes then Sedburgh and then I don't really know... Found my way home eventually. Over 8 hours of twisty delights and around 300 miles. Whoops... Even managed to take flight on one occasion thanks to the Streets ridiculously unforgiving suspension. Great fun.

WOW, Is this the first forum husband and wife team

FJR was just too good all-round, so decided to get rid and get back to basics with an old school beast. 1981 XS1100 Midnight Special. Bought her from an enthusiast who looked after her very well. I hope to do him justice, but at the same time this bike is going to get RIDDEN.

My bike has passed the Mot

I ran an XS1100 back in the day and enjoyed it greatly. The rubber frame was an 'experience' when battering on...... Great bike, took the wife and I all over Britain and Ireland, including a dash from Galway to Belfast (about 180mls) to catch a ferry with only 3 cylinders going. Diagnosed a cracked coil when back home, and I would love another one

As a kid I lived very near to Brooklands race track, spent a lot of summers days playing on the banked part of the track and avoiding what was then the Vickers Armstong security staff. Thought I would go back as a paying visitor ( too old to dodge security ) and take a look at some of the bikes, there was an old police patrol car there today, the current owner told me that it was based near the Ace cafe and spent most of its time chasing " the ton up boys" as the raced along the north circular, hope it didn't catch too many.

Hi I bought xvs650 off noise on here, I'm busy redoing her to my liking, not massively far as of yet but getting there ( lack of garage and space means I have to work around the wife in the kitchen ) thought I might add some pictures of progress as I know how much I love seeing other people's pictures That's the day after I got her from previous owner, since then I stripped her down to 4 boxes of bits, That is the bike stripped and stored in the kitchen, I then started stripping down the engine to replace the gaskets and repaint in matt satin black I then noticed that it was weeping from the cam chain tensioner housing so I replaced that from the usa for 20£, I then moved on to the wheels and did them in the same black but left the polished lip in chrome ( still busy on rear wheel and hub assembly as we speak) The bike came with a sportster tank so I reinforced the frame at the neck and under the solo seat as I wanted it a thicker grade at 2.5mm, I also welded up the tunnel on the tank to hide the tunnel and attached two plates for flush mounting of tank, I'm waiting for two brass elbows to fit a fuel pipe running outside the tank for retro old school fuel gauge I am going to auto jumble tomorrow to find a better seat and mock it up for mounting, also will be looking for headlight and bars at the jumble so fingers crossed, Sometime this week the frame and all played etc will be going in for blasting and powdercoating Thanks for your time and I will update as I go along Here is what I am hoping it ends up looking: Cheers Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Glad you like it , it rides great on and off road even with 5 gallons of fuel in the tank, even then it should take another 4 gallons. Here are a few more pictures now its done and ready for Hay on Wye XT500 meet next week. I just love it and far better for me than building a cafe racer which was my original plan. TTB

you didn't answer fast enough so moved on. within the hour next time please

You should easily be able to make 120 miles before reserve, even if you ride like a loon at town speeds.

Don't have a problem with it, myself. I do slouch into it a bit, but I don't really crouch over the tank so much. Then again, years of riding a Dragstar above 100mph where you're as much of a wind trap as a kite has probably strengthened everything.

hey Blackie you free friday we could all meet up somewhere in between the two of you (meaning you & Jimmy)

I'll pop in and see you sometime Friday Jim I have your mob I text you when I leave and give you a bell later when I have an idea what eta p.s yes I'm a husband and Bipp is a wife just not each others damm

I usually fill up once I have reached around 100 miles without going onto reserve

Ha ha! Dammit, our cover is blown Tommy...

Belfast to Donegal is roughly 100odd miles, going via Enniskillen, a bit longer and slower going the top road (but you'll know this of course). We tend to head over to Ballyshannon Trad festival every second year and have a great time there

May the fourth be with you Get In

They work alright but they are the wire mesh ones so a bit crooked, but if u got same shape foam they should work perfectly, I'm in the process of getting a 2 to 1 manifold fabricated to take single carb and rid the dual carb set up Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I know you think I'm being silly and wasting money but I want to give the bike a Yamaha FSH. It's just something I have got stuck in my head. With buying the bike new I just want to maintain as much value as possible. The plan is to do all the work myself now (as long as it's basic) then just get it serviced periodically when it just needs oil changing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Why would you need a workshop manual for basic servicing? Oil & filters you can do blindfold (sounds like your dealer does it like that, anyway), same with chain & sprockets, brake pads and so forth. The only things you might need a manual for is checking settings like valve clearances, electrical wiring diagrams for fault finding, that kind of thing. As for the FSH business, most dealers don't give a toss about the stamps in a service book when you trade in, they're more interested in mileage and condition. The only people who care about FSH are those that think it means the machine's been looked after, and they're generally people who don't have a clue about the mechanics of the machine, but believe garages do a proper service every time - I think you know differently. I always like to get a greasy envelope stuffed with receipts for parts and old MOT's, much better than a pretty book with marks in it from somebody's old John Bull printing set.

all part of the fun

No the signs ,, scouser"s nick them for scrap,,,,,,

Looking good, tho it would have been nice to see "the wife" in the bath rather than some old bit of metal!!!

I've always had breakdown as a standalone policy with GEM Motor Assist, it's about £75 for a personal policy which covers me on anything I ride/drive or am a passenger in, even got my caravan recovered using it when the brakes stuck on and caught fire on the M6 But unlike you crusty lot I'm at that tender age where every insurance company tries to bend me over and aim for penetration, so the only way I can get a policy for sensible money is to get the bare minimum policy (usually third party only) My renewal came in recently for my shogun (2.8 diesel, long wheelbase) at £1200, the fireblade was just under £600, I think the FJ was around £300

YAY, I win!!! Yah-boo-sucks to you, Slicey!! This is the one: http://www.cmsnl.com/yamaha-xvs650mmc-2000_model10856/tensioner-assycam-chain_11h1221002/#.VSamGi4vubg Can probably find it cheaper, mind...