In the madness of a pack of fast ridden Japanese fours strange things can happen. The XS had the speed of any of them, at least in a straight line. It would very occasionally let loose with some very heavy shaking of the bars. Not as bad as a Z900, one of which was a few yards in front. I was watching the back wheel weave about six inches each way. It had the kind of skinny back tyre that would be out of place on a plastic 125. But these were real bikes with real men at the controls.
That's what I told myself as I frantically hauled on the twin discs. The forks had such heavy duty springs that brake dive was minimal. The Z900 pilot up ahead, too close for comfort, was wrestling with his bars: I could almost smell the odour of excrement streaming off him. I'd seen one chap thrown right off a bucking old four. Somehow, the owner got his Z900 straightened out. We all motored on, 20mph slower than previously.
There were other factors that limited our forward progress in comparison to the plastic fantastic crowd. Although we all had flat bars and rearsets as a matter of course, much above 90mph made it pain in the neck time. The XS was also prone to secondary vibes above 7500rpm, something it had in common with the other fours (especially when mileage was high and bits worn, as they inevitably were). More than 100 miles of fast touring led to dead fingers and tingling feet, which was kind of OK as we liked to take a break after that kind of mileage.
Even weirder stuff happened in the corners off the motorway. The big Kawasakis ran wide until they started to wobble, then they'd go any way you'd care to shake a stick at. I preferred to use the grunt of the XS to stay ahead of them, although it was as well not to allow their proximity to my number plate to force me to hurl the XS into the bend at too great a speed. A whole list of minor chassis mods meant that the XS would hold a line better than most big fours. The only worrying aspect of throwing the Yam through bends, apart from the sheer weight of it, was that big bumps would sometimes show up the age of the frame by making it flex. There was the possibility that the wobble would turn wild, causing the whole instrument to turn into an imitator of the Z900's earlier horrors.
It didn't happen when the tyres weren't worn too badly, so I tended to ride according to their state. I've owned the XS for four years and I have to admit that it took about six months before I got the hang of riding it fast. It helped to ride in a pack, watching other owners wrestling their similar fours through wobbles and weaves, watching the sparks fly as they ground away stand prongs and footrests (not to mention knees when things went seriously wrong), gave me the courage to emulate them.
All I can say now, is that I rarely notice the near 600lbs of mass, even in town. The clutch and throttle were also relatively heavy in the beginning but they too have faded away into insignificance. The heavenly grunt of the DOHC engine more than makes up for its mass. Had not there been a bit of transmission lash at lower revs in taller gears, then I'm sure I could've growled off in fifth gear from 1000rpm. It's that intense.
Perhaps because there's no point, just an excess of vibes, in revving the motor hard, in the past 40,000 miles (67000 on the clock now) engine reliability has been rock solid. No problems, just loads of reliable running. I do have to service the brute every 1000 miles but electronic ignition, a set of vacuum gauges and easy access to the valves means it's no great hardship. I always feel very virtuous after doing a service, and the bike has responded well to such loving care.
Finish is a bit of a mixed bag. The engine alloy and wheels have needed minimal attention but two years ago I had to do a full respray on the chassis. British Racing Green and black give the big brute a classic appearance. I've kept to a stock exhaust system, despite their cost, because a mate had no end of trouble when he fitted a 4-1 to his XS1.1S. Paid a fortune in getting the carbs tuned properly only to hole a piston while in the South of France. The exhaust system lasts for about three years before giving in to the rust.
The only other major expense I've had was from whacking into the side of a car. Yes, the same old story of some half blind moron shooting out of his driveway liked he owned the whole world. The front wheel left such a dent in his flimsy door that most of the shock went straight into his side. It didn't help the front wheel or the forks, they were bent, cracked beyond sensible redemption. I'd caught my wedding tackle on the bars so had little compassion for the cager who, trapped in the car, was screaming in agony.
According to the insurance company, the XS was written off. After some coming and going they handed over £800 and the bike. I'd already found a decent front end, which, apart from anything else, had some new calipers the ones on my bike were prone to seizing up a couple of times during the winter. I thought it was quite a good deal, and contemplated seeking out another auto to hit, until I went to renew my insurance...
I'm now down to third party, which even at 32 is still extortionate. The massive weight of the Yamaha has the major benefit that no-one will try to lift it into the back of a van, about the only way they will overcome my two shackle locks and secret switches. Anyone who tries to use the main ignition switch will find the horn blaring away. What I really need is some way to send a high voltage shock through the machine into anyone who tries to nick it.
The last fast ride was in the company of a couple of CBR600 hoodlums. They are fast buggers and I had to really work at it to keep them in sight. It was OK on the straights, if only because their licences were already in danger of being confiscated, but on the A-road bends they would stream ahead however much muscle I put in. I took the bike over so far in one corner I had the back tyre hopping as the XS tried to pivot on the stand prong. Brown underwear time. It sort of showed the age of the bike up, but I felt happy enough with the XS.
Coming home the pace was much milder as the night was dark and a smattering of rain made the road treacherous. The XS chuffed away to itself as we rumbled along; I'd just stuck the bike in fifth, relaxed by the need to merely open and close the throttle to set my speed. The Honda riders were forced to play frantically on their gearboxes and brakes to keep the pace up. After a long day of hard riding I was sure I knew which one I preferred.
If you're a seven stone weakling I can see that the XS1100 will not be much use. But if you can adapt to the amount of muscle needed you'll be rewarded with a friendly bike that's amazingly reliable and easy to use. Prices vary greatly, from £500 to about £2500 but around £1500 will purchase a jolly nice 'un that'll keep its value.
Donald Coulston