Way Beyond Thunderdome

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4eight0wagons

Well-known member
Joined
May 3, 2012
Messages
83
Location
Indian Lake, Ohio
I want to share my bikes and build ideas with you guys. They are a pair of 1980 Yamaha XS1100 Midnight Specials. I'll just give some background info. My father-in-law was having a scraper come look at his bike, and I talked him out of it. He bought it brand new in 1980 and it had sat in his barn since 1987. He parked it running. Not much rust and workable. I have heard that these bikes are rare, (two built by Yamaha for every dealership in the U.S.). Not crazy rare but not an abundance of them running around. I figure parts would be impossible and I wasn't entirely wrong. So, I decided to sell some of my extra's and was contacted by someone wanting to get rid of one. He said he didn't want it anymore and it was ridden just a year or two ago. He dropped the bomb on me that he only wanted $250 for it. So, I now have two "RARE" bikes in my garage for a mere $250 bucks. Now, I don't know if one will run, but with two complete bikes here I think I can make one out of two. I know a lot of people want them brought back to originality, but I didn't like how they looked originally so I will include my Photoshopped idea. I haven't done much more than just tinkered on bikes so it is going to be a learning process, but what do I have to loose. Any and all advice is welcome. Enjoy!!

Oh yeah the name of this project is called Beyond Thunderdome because the bikes remind me of Mad Max.[ddd
 

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Ironic

Just checked the vin #'s and the last four of the one i had is .....1792 built in 12/1979, the one i just bought is ....1800 built in 12/1979...so they were only eight apart on the line...thought that was pretty cool, they could have been on the same truck long ago..
 
There's a guy in Indian Lake that sets his old Motorcycle out in his front yard every Sat. Sun. just for people to see it's a completely restored Triumph or BSA I forget which.

I used to live on Indian Lake over next to the old Blue Goose and Moose club in a camp ground. Used to perform on Indian Lake at a few places.

"Indian Lake is the place to raise your family" The Cowsills
 
There's a guy in Indian Lake that sets his old Motorcycle out in his front yard every Sat. Sun. just for people to see it's a completely restored Triumph or BSA I forget which.

I used to live on Indian Lake over next to the old Blue Goose and Moose club in a camp ground. Used to perform on Indian Lake at a few places.

"Indian Lake is the place to raise your family" The Cowsills

I'll have to look for that!! That's cool you used to live here, the Blue Goose was torn down years ago, and now has houses built there. The Cowsills, or their children rather, were here to preform last year at the beach. I didn't attend, but I heard good things about it.
 
I graduated back in 1986 back then these along with Kaw900's were top contender street bikes.

Looks like there's alot of them over at your place... I aint got none over here at my place if you dropped them off they'd be even more rare over here.
 
I graduated back in 1986 back then these along with Kaw900's were top contender street bikes.

Looks like there's alot of them over at your place... I aint got none over here at my place if you dropped them off they'd be even more rare over here.

Haha Yeah I am not real concerned with the rarity issue. Although, I did get nearly chastised for posting pics of my bikes and ideas on XS11 forum. Apparently saying that these bikes were ugly from the factory was a terrible choice of words. Oh well, they are mine and I am saving them from a likely death.

Did some work today and I got one of them to crank by hand, so thats good to know that at least one motor isn't seized up. The only problems I really have are, 1.) I only have one title as of right now. 2) One head has broken off spark plugs that are going to need machined out. So, basically I am going to try and put one motor together on the frame I have a title for. Hopefully the PO can find the title for the other one soon. If not I don't really know what to do with the other frame.
 
Looks like it will be a fun project!! Good luck with it. I was out at Indian lake a couple years ago. Was a nice area! I used live around Bucyrus OH. My girlfriend and I at the time used to cruise out there.
 
Looks like it will be a fun project!! Good luck with it. I was out at Indian lake a couple years ago. Was a nice area! I used live around Bucyrus OH. My girlfriend and I at the time used to cruise out there.

Yeah I love it here. Its always a vacation. My mom's side of the family is from Upper Sandusky and I have family living in Bucyrus. Small world. I orginially grew up in Marion, but we moved here when I was in high school. Still have a bunch of family in Marion also. Glad you got the chance to expierence the lake!
 
New Parts

Did some work today. Switched the cracked triple tree from the donor bike. Also did some clean up on the tank. Will post pics of it soon. Turned out good, too bad I am not leaving it shiny. Put the center stand on bike, makes it much easier to work on. Trying to decide between a 4-1 header or using the 2-1 factory exhaust. Kinda like the idea of dual exhausts, but the 4-1 is better for preformance. I have both already. Got both motors to crank by hand so knowing that they aren't siezed up is a victory! Ordered a set of Drag Bars today. Will post pics when they come in. [ddd
 
I dont know how good your fab skills are[;), but they make a hard tail conversion for H/D sportsters that are not hard to put on. It would give it the "Old school" look. Those are not as rare as hen's teeth, but you sure dont see them much anymore [P
 
Progress

So, I got some work done. Pulled the motor off the frame I am going to use. Damn those motors are heavy!!! Planning on just switching out the motors. One has 20k less miles. I ordered and got my handlebars. Thinking about putting in a newer fuse panel. This bike has a ridiculous amount of wiring. Here is how it sits! [ddd
 

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Put the bars on, going to have to relocate the front brake master cylinder. Will look cleaner anyway.
Also, I am considering leaving the wheels gold and keep the frame black and painting the tank white. Make it look fake patina. Any opinions on this?

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Project looking good. I have oned question. That seat in the last pictures you posted. Is that the seat your going with? If so keep in mind were that rear mount tab is on the tank and were an important part of your body is.

I would rather slid up the tank then to catch that tab.
 
Project looking good. I have oned question. That seat in the last pictures you posted. Is that the seat your going with? If so keep in mind were that rear mount tab is on the tank and were an important part of your body is.

I would rather slid up the tank then to catch that tab.

Haha, no that seat is actually off my bicycle. I just put it on there to get a look of a seat on the bike. My seat is going to be much larger and protective. I guess I could have said that. That tank screw is very intimidating when you sit on that seat if you know what I mean.[ddd
 
Lookin good, have you considered dropping the seat area to more of an angle?

I haven't really thought about that. Its hard to get ride height ideas when the motor is out cause it sits a lot higher than it should. I looked for shorter shocks for the back thinking that I may lower the back at least, but I haven't really decided. I know that I can get it running and going then worry about the ride height and stuff. Changing the shocks and lowering the front won't be to hard with it completely together. Thanks for the idea though.:D
 
Making some progress!! Got the wiring harness off today and the fuse panel. Also, figured out a way to make the master cylinder fit next to the forks. I think it will work for now anyway. The frame is nearly completely clean. I think I am just going to maybe touch up some paint spots on the frame to keep it from rusting further, but other than that its going to stay black for sure. Enjoy...

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