81vx750 virago

[gggGary]

Like a CX500 honda they look good if you put a bunch of hotties around it. Otherwise....




I did a back from the dead drill on a 750 drained the oil out of the starter, new brushes, and the starter clip fix which worked. Yes carbs in out was royal pain. But like all of em once you get the drill figured out. Guy I did it for didn't keep riding, so it's back to "barn fresh" status again.

 

[weaselbeak]

For all practical purposes the problems are overstated. The engine is equal to the 650 and a hell of a lot smoother. One of the best and smoothest clutch actions ever, very little effort required. I play with a pair of 82's same bike as the 81. Yes, you need to learn your way around the starters, it's not that tough to fix and upgrade. Around town it's a tossup, but if I have to ride 500 miles, you take the XS, I'll take the Virago in a heartbeat. Great ride with nice powerband and a decent saddle. The Hitachi carbs are on both mine without issues. If you aren't enough of a tinkerer to play with a Virago, you shouldn't be messing with our 650's either.

 

[5twins]

I feel Yamaha missed the mark with these. If they would have kept on with the XV920R Euro version, they could have had a killer Ducati copy on their hands. In my eyes, that was a fine looking version of this bike.

 

[member3480]

There were a couple Yamahas that could have been better. Repair costs killed them. Virago was a great riding bike didn't really use up a lot of parts BUT I can't count on enough fingers and toes of them coming in for starter problems. Early XS750 with the long cam chain again good runner but that dam chain broke and you had problems. Last the TURBO Seca right idea bad turbo and bike was way week on power. Buddy had one and we switched out turbo and gave it some ass but bottom end was too week. When I owned the Honda dealership I use to get so many guys come in to trade them in for CB750 or CB550 both big sellers that me and my partner had to say no. Just could not move them. When I closed shop in 1985 I had a bunch and when I went back in the early 2000 to help my partner get rid of bikes we had 15 Yamahas that were trades Dirt / street 60's 70's 80's. Shame the older bikes were fun

 

[CDNTX650]

Well...besides the xs650 , 400 and 1100 standard models (and I still wouldn't take one over a gs1100 or a kaw) and Rd 350. For most of the 1980s yamaha bike were super ugly and way to easy rider cruiser focused.

In terms of the 4 cylinder bikes I'll take a kawasaki or suzuki any day. ..hell honda too.

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[kopcicle]

700/750/920(early) the 1100 had its own issues (different starter system) but not like the whirrrrrrrrrrrrbangklankphuckingboxofrocksnoises that the 750 was...

~kop