Newbie questions and storage

[don007]

I was looking through a service manual for my Yamaha XS1100 1979 and on the maintenance portion, I couldn't find locating the clutch reservoir. I considered changing the clutch fluid/trans fluid eventually. (is clutch and trans fluid the same thing?)

 

And as far as storage goes I know winter isn't until a few months depending on where you live. I'm currently living in Michigan.

I plan on doing this in order.

- Run it out of gas with petcocks on, to drain the carbs

- Fill gas tank up all the way up and add fuel stabilizer

- Drain the engine oil and put new oil.

- Rear and front brakes not sure if it's necessary to drain? Should I drain the antifreeze?  And replace with new fluids?

- Leave it on center stand.

Please advise me on if what I have in mind is wrong or something I left out. I appreciate your time and responses. 

 

 

[slice]

Ok Don pretty good ideas there, reasonably sure tho that you bike does NOT have a hydraulic clutch, is there a cable from the lever on the left of the bars to the engine? if so then it's a cable clutch.

As I'm in the UK what do you mean by "Trans" fluid? Here that would mean transmission and that on your bike is engine oil..! not clutch/brake fluid. You do however have hydraulic brakes so that fluid you can change if you want to. As to filling the tank, you can do that but make sure you use the highest octane fuel you can get ie less ethanol is a good thing. otherwise just drain it and leave it empty, then run the engine till it uses whatever fuel is in the lines and splutters to a stop. Just wondering tho do you actually have a radiator? ie water cooling on the XS1100 just to be sure is this the same as your bike?  this one does NOT have a radiator.

[jimmy]

I had a 79 xs1100.

Certainly the UK models did NOT have a hydraulic clutch and was  air cooled so no radiator.

If you are going to drain the tank you'll need to put the tap on 'prime' as they are vacuumed taps, but I see no reason to drain the tank if it is only for a few months. I would clamp the fuel hose and run the engine until the carbs empty.

No need to drain the brake lines

No need to drain the engine oil or the shaft trans fluids, but a good idea to replace these once you put it back on the road (if this has not been done recently)

Finally I would remove the battery and stick it on an Optimate or other type of maintainer

I haven't run a bike over the winter for a number of years and have never felt the need to drain the tank....even with this ethanol shit fuel, and when I go to fire my bike up in the summer the fuel in the tank fills the carbs and the bike fires easily once the carbs are filled

[don007]

Hello, Slice I believe mine is a special it has the round headlight, the user manuals state the square headlights are "expect special" so I'm assuming I own a special because the round headlight and I certainly know it's not a standard model. I don't have any emblems that say special. It just says XS Eleven.

So basically my engine oil is my transmission oil, I have no separate unit to fill for the clutch, it's simply just the engine?

Thanks as well Jimmy, I know mine doesn't have a radiator the previous owner may have told me it was removed I don't exactly remember if he stated there was one originally. I'll take a few pictures front and each side.

And to be honest looking back at my questions "antifreeze"...... LOL this thing is air cooled!