[Phisher0420]

Hey guys very new to this I aquired a 1980 Yamaha 1100 XS I believe, from my deceased father. I had started working on this bike with him a couple years ago when he was trying to teach me how to become handy with a wrench and it's just kind of been in a shop since so that's why it was left to me. Everything's there I have all the parts My issue right now I cannot get the bike to move it's been sitting for about 2 years but I know it was moved quite often he'd push it around the shop just to keep things rolling so it didn't lock up but I cannot get this bike into neutral at all is there anything I can do? The bike doesn't have flat spots from sitting I can rock it but it just will not pop into gears or maybe I'm just not doing this right The thing is is the bike is completely broke down it's a frame, motor, wheels, but clutch is disengaged and brakes are disengaged everything's just kind of hanging off the tree please help with anything you guys can tell me thank you and I'd really like to get this going so I can continue to bother it out and get myself going on a little cafe racer.

 

[Stablefull]

Hmmmm. I have only had this issue once. The gear shifter was loose and wasn't catching.

 

[Phisher0420]

Yeah I've tried everything I've even taken the shifter off and tried hand turning the spline it's weird it just will not go into position and when we park the bike the bike ran just fine like I said we left it parked in the garage cuz I was eventually going to bother it I don't know what to do and I'm getting really sick of picking it up Thanks for getting back though

 

[Stablefull]

Yeah I've tried everything I've even taken the shifter off and tried hand turning the spline it's weird it just will not go into position and when we park the bike the bike ran just fine like I said we left it parked in the garage cuz I was eventually going to bother it I don't know what to do and I'm getting really sick of picking it up Thanks for getting back though

Does it have oil in it?

 

[Motogrady]

Put the seat on it.
Put the clutch lever, cable and whatever it takes to disengage the clutch by pulling the lever in.
Sit on the bike.Pull the clutch in.
Gently push down on the shifter with the ball of your foot.
Gently rock the bike forward, and backward, keeping light downward pressure on the shifter.
If nothing happens, it just stays locked up, try putting the front of your foot under the shifter, gently lifting as you rock the bike back and forth.

If you can get it to where you feel a click, you will want to start pushing down on the shifter, as you gently rock it back and forth.
You want to keep feeling clicks, each gear is a click.
1st, all the way at the bottom, will not click anymore.
Then, gently lift up on the shifter as you rock back and forth.
There will be a very faint click, which will be neutral, and the another, more pronounced click as you hit 2nd gear. All on the same upstroke of the shifter.
Neutral is between 1st and 2nd.
Neutral can be hard to find sometimes, especially if you have that thing all jammed up.

Be gentle, be patient. Good luck guy, that's a nice bike.

 

[Porky]

The Disk brake pads may be stuck to the rotors because the calipers cylinders are frozen up and won't retract.

If it's in neutral, it will roll normally. the final drive may be severely damaged and locked up????

I had a brand new 1981 XS1100 and it was a fantastic bike!

Welcome to the Forum.

Sam

 

[Motogrady]

Porky is correct. Maybe jack or somehow lift a wheel and see if it spins freely.

 

[Phisher0420]

#UPDATE!!
THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING I GOT THE BIKE MOVING NOW ON TO THE BUILD. I do have one last question I have the key for my bike but the gas tank is from another bike how can I get that open I cannot find the key to that one

 

[Motogrady]

Call a locksmith.

 

[Phisher0420]

Call a locksmith.

I already have They wanted $120 just to unlock the tank and make a key isn't there some way I can take that out and put in my own lock

 

[Motogrady]

Not that I know of. I got a key made up for a van of mine, made up off records the Dodge dealer had.
But, I had to show ownership and all that. Vin numbers, title, was a hassle.

Maybe call around to a few locksmiths, tell them you can drop it off, they can do it when they have extra time.
Ive heard of guys just drilling the cap lock out to get it off. But then m you need to get a cap that fits with a key. eBay.

Or find xx

 

[Unkle Krusty]

Wot did you do to get it to move? I need to know. UK

 

[Max Johnson]

Hey guys very new to this I aquired a 1980 Yamaha 1100 XS I believe, from my deceased father. I had started working on this bike with him a couple years ago when he was trying to teach me how to become handy with a wrench and it's just kind of been in a shop since so that's why it was left to me. Everything's there I have all the parts My issue right now I cannot get the bike to move it's been sitting for about 2 years but I know it was moved quite often he'd push it around the shop just to keep things rolling so it didn't lock up but I cannot get this bike into neutral at all is there anything I can do? The bike doesn't have flat spots from sitting I can rock it but it just will not pop into gears or maybe I'm just not doing this right The thing is is the bike is completely broke down it's a frame, motor, wheels, but clutch is disengaged and brakes are disengaged everything's just kind of hanging off the tree please help with anything you guys can tell me thank you and I'd really like to get this going so I can continue to bother it out and get myself going on a little cafe racer.

Well I would suggest you taking the whole transmission apart and do a little exploring on what happened.
I had the same problem in my Yamaha TZR 50 but i managed to fix it by just taking it apart and taking a look for me it was that 2 gears some how got stuck with each other and trust me I'm still puzzled on how that happened