The Yamaha XS Eleven motorcycle, also called XS11 and XS1100, is a the largest, most powerful Japanese motorcycle produced from 1978 to 1981, powered by an air-cooled 1,101 cc(67.2 cu in) 4-stroke, DOHC inline four-cylinder engine mounted transversely in a duplex cradle frame with swingarm rear suspension, 95-hp shaft drive, and telescopic forks.
The XS Eleven made its debut in 1978 as the largest capacity then in production. It featured dual front disc brakes, a rear disc brake, shaft drive, and cast wheels.
In 1979, Yamaha followed the growing trend of offering a “factory custom” version of the bike, called a “Special” by Yamaha. Pullback handlebars, a stepped seat, a smaller, fatter rear wheel, a smaller capacity tear-drop gas tank, fully adjustable suspension, and altered frame created a factory custom, the forerunner of the modern cruiser. The XS Eleven Special sold well despite complaints about the
poor ergonomics.
“…The XS is a Rolls Royce with a blown Chrysler Hemi motor…” – Cycle Magazine
In 1978 The bike was ran a quarter mile time of 11.78 s 1/4 mile @114.21 mph (183.8 km/h) (test by Cycle World). — not bad for Yamaha’s first four-cylinder, four-stroke motorcycle.
Darryl Flack of Motor Sports Retro wrote: “While the new CBX1000 and Suzuki were out and out sports bikes, the shaft-drive XS1100, affectionately called the “Xcessive’, was more of a muscle bike come tourer. Heavier than and not as fast as its rivals, the XS1100 did have one particular ability – winning races.”
The bike doesn’t have the same legendary reputation as rivals like the Kawasaki’s biggest Z and Honda CBX bikes, which means it’s available for a budget price.
Well-known British motorcycle-journalist Roland Brown, says in his book “Superbikes of the Seventies“
: “The Yamaha’s lack of reputation gives it one advantage these days, though, in that a clean XS such as this one costs less than its more successful contemporary rivals – whose performance advantage, so crucial then, is far less important now. Two decades and more after its launch, maybe the XS1100’s time has finally come.“
About Builder:
Shawn Coffill of Campbell River, British Columbia, who brought the full potential out of a mighty XS, building a muscular, even brutal XS1100 cafe racer. While working in a CNC shop, Shawn manufactured many pieces of the bike, including a top triple, motor mounts, headlights, and even velocity stacks. Below, Shawn gives us the whole story of the build.
XS11 Cafe Racer: In the Builder’s Words (Shawn Coffill)
The bike was mildly modified, low mileage has done when bought, then the project started by stripping down to bare metal. I used the factory seat pan, shortening it by 4 inches, then turned up the tailpiece to create a bum-stop. A custom aluminum pan under the seat was made to house the electrics and a Full Spectrum Power P3 lithium battery under the seat.
The forks were rebuilt, tunes machined 2 inches shorter and a 3-inch lowering kit machined to lower internally. Progressive springs were installed as well. I worked as a fabricator in a CNC shop, so I designed and had made a number of parts customs. The top triple, solid motor mounts, velocity stacks, and headlight mounts are custom.
Custom-fabbed velocity stacks. The headlight is an 8-inch part from a Yamaha Seca and the rear wheel is from a Special that was machined to fit. Tires are Firestone Deluxe Champion…
An electronic 2.5-inch gauge from Acewell to keep tabs on things and a DOT marker light from a Bluebird school bus for a taillight. Fork braced, clip-on-ed, custom rear sets, a chrome baloney pipe from a Sportster. Built over three years.
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