Another project (not an XS)

[rude]

I can't find another XS (right now, always looking) but have a line on a very original 44000klm old 1982 XV 750 "MIDNIGHT SPECIAL" for the right price. It is a shed find, been sitting for 5 years, needs carby overhaul and diaphrams, looks super original and straight.
Can I draw on this knowledge base, any comments, any issues with them and most importantly any inspirational builds you have seen?
cheers

 

[rpgoerlich]

I owned an XV700 for about a year, which was a nice runner. Just not what I was looking for.
Early 80's models had alot of problems with the starter/gear. Carbs were a PIA to R&R & setup.
You can find alot more info Here: http://viragotechforum.com/portal.php
Some good people over there as well.

 

[rude]

I owned an XV700 for about a year, which was a nice runner. Just not what I was looking for.
Early 80's models had alot of problems with the starter/gear. Carbs were a PIA to R&R & setup.
You can find alot more info Here: http://viragotechforum.com/portal.php
Some good people over there as well.

Thanks for the link rpgoerlich, I'll do a bit of trolling for info over there. This one has a "new" starter but has carbs that require a rebuild which confirms your advice.
cheers

 

[Travis]

What weird timing... I just saw some really cool Virago builds and was going to start a thread about them. Now I'll just attach them here.

http://www.bikeexif.com/yamaha-xv750#more-13029


http://www.bikeexif.com/1982-yamaha-virago


http://johnryland.posterous.com/1982-yamaha-virago-xv750


I kind of want to pick one up before they catch on...

 

[rude]

Shhhhhhhh don't tell anyone Travis they are kinda interesting, and the old XS is very hard to find nowadays at a reasonable price for a nonprofessional customizer such as yours truly

I'm thinking in my head about a minimalist "bobber" type look, they have a bolt on subframe for the seat and rear fender which could be modified and still get around our registration laws.
Those cafe's look the goods though!

I'm not overly keen on the swirly mags and not an easy fix to get spokes with the shaft drive, looking at the XV535 wheels? 16" but are the drive the same?
Just one of the questions going through my head

What I saw when I went for a look was a Trailer glued in front of a garage door that hadn't moved for years, once we got it moved the door creaked open,there it was just a shape under an old sheet shroud.
Do you know that feeling of trepidation and excitement? I was ready for a fall, the gold plated over the phone bike that turns into a shit box by the time you get to see it!
anyway, she was released from the darkness and what a sleeping beauty, nice black paint, good pipes, 44000klm's (what's that 25000miles about?) original toolkit.
Negotiation followed and an agreement was reached, I'm picking it up next week!

Now I'm debating a restoration versus a customize, head says resto, heart says custom

first things first, get it into the shed, do the necessaries and get it running properly, then confuse everyone and pull it apart, can't wait

Have a look at this (skip the ad) gives a good overview of how they go together

I'll post a pick of it when I get it home (if interested) I did post this initial thread in the lounge as I didn't want to disturb the sanctity of the XS GARAGE forum, but if this is cool, then cool
cheers

 

[Salty Dog]

What weird timing... I just saw some really cool Virago builds and was going to start a thread about them. Now I'll just attach them here.

http://www.bikeexif.com/yamaha-xv750#more-13029
View attachment 12631

http://www.bikeexif.com/1982-yamaha-virago
View attachment 12632

http://johnryland.posterous.com/1982-yamaha-virago-xv750
View attachment 12633

I kind of want to pick one up before they catch on...

I saw that orange virago on cafe racer and was totally intrigued. I started looking for one right away. I will be building one for sure. Looks and sounds awesome

 

[Cornish Pixie]

Yep, they are kind of cool and are going to catch on with ever increasing momentum. They certainly lend themselves to the Cafe treatment and the engine is a big old lump that becomes much better looking when the bike is stripped back to the essentials.

They aren't too common here in the UK as they weren't very popular, we also got a version called the TR1 which was a euro styled roadster.

 

[Brother]

I love this one...

But those stock wheels are hideous!

 

[Beau]

My buddy just sold a 500 for $200. They are pretty cool bikes. I was just thinking yesterday that these are going to be the next bike to chop/bob/cafe. Cheap and plentiful.

 

[rude]

My buddy just sold a 500 for $200. They are pretty cool bikes. I was just thinking yesterday that these are going to be the next bike to chop/bob/cafe. Cheap and plentiful.

mmmmmmmmmmmm how good is that?

here's one I like (good colour eh?)

 

[Travis]

.....
I'm not overly keen on the swirly mags and not an easy fix to get spokes with the shaft drive, looking at the XV535 wheels? 16" but are the drive the same?
Just one of the questions going through my head

I think those are wheels from a different year virago. I've seem them with spokes, but then the swing arms are different. So I think they're later year wheels on an earlier bike.

.....
I'll post a pick of it when I get it home (if interested) I did post this initial thread in the lounge as I didn't want to disturb the sanctity of the XS GARAGE forum, but if this is cool, then cool
cheers

Please post pics! And there is only one distinction between threads that go in The Garage and threads that go in The Lounge. If it's about motorcycles or anything related to motorcycles, it goes in The Garage. If it's about a bike like a Virago, just tag the thread 'non-xs650'. The Lounge is for threads that have no business on a motorcycle website, but sometimes those are fun, so that's why we have The Lounge.

I love this one...

But those stock wheels are hideous!

I love the wheels! I don't think they're exactly stock. They had to have come from a later year virago. I think. I want that exact bike.

 

[rude]

Travis, I found this on the viragotech forum, as linked in rpg...'s post (thanks) its from the guy that built it, not just a simple swap
here's the link
viragotech http://viragotechforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=29605&p=264605&hilit=spoked+wheels#p264605

docschops wrote:
Ok I'll share my laced rear wheel conversion experience. Plan A, the first bike, one in the show has a 535 hub. The hub has to be machined so the drive can bolt flat, but the holes line up. Then the bearings and axle are different size. I changed bearings and inner spacer, had to use a tophat bushing in the left bearing because the correct ID/OD is not available. You will need to set the left bearing depth first then figure the right side bearing depth and machine the center spacer to the proper length. The brake plate axle hole has to be machined to 17mm as well. Then once the hub is figured out the rim will be offset too far to the right. I trued the rim as far to the left as possible with the spokes but still was a little off center from the backbone.

Plan B, I thought using a 700 hub would be easier, it was, a little. the bearing/drive problem is solved but you still have to machine the axle boss some. The rim is set way too far to the right. I ordered a 16x3.5 rim and spokes from buchanans. I've laced over 200 wheels and this was the worst one. All the outer right spokes have to be hand bent so you can offset the rim to the left. I am still about a 1/2 inch off center to the right, its as far as the spokes will allow.

Either way it was not an easy task at all. The 700 hubs are almost impossible to find, 535 hubs are easier to find but require more work and only have 2 bearings, 700s have 3. With both to install the wheel you have to put the wheel on the final drive and slide them into the swingarm together, it's not wide enough to install the wheel normally. I've done 2 conversions, time consuming and can be expensive. I've had quite a few requests to build a bike like this with laced wheels, not sure if I will, lots of time effort and hrs in just the laced conversion and people don't understand why it costs so much. If it were cheap and easy, everyone would do it.

 

[Travis]

Oh shit.. haha. that's way too complicated! I was way off. He hit the nail on the head with his last sentence. I guess there are chain drive conversions for these? Or maybe that one is customs too. Maybe that would be the way to go?

 

[Travis]

I was wrong again. I guess there was one virago that was chain drive, the XV920R. Shows how little I know about these things.

 

[Brother]

I love the wheels! I don't think they're exactly stock. They had to have come from a later year virago. I think. I want that exact bike.

Sorry, I wasn't very clear. I was referring to the stock swirly mags being hideous, love everything about that bike I quoted a pic of... and I don't even really like cafe bikes

 

[Travis]

Well I'm glad we're in agreement on that

I've been looking since I last posted and those chain drive Virago are next to impossible to find. Ugh. No wonder no one is doing anything with these.. too much work to swap wheels or find a rare chain drive version.

 

[Travis]

I found a few in the US for sale for about 2,000. I found one in Rhode Island for $800

 

[rude]

From investigation appears the XV1000 mag wheel will swap straight in (using the XV 1000 brake drum)
plenty on fleebay

 

[rude]

here it is, just off the back of the ute
needs fuel tank flush and carby overhaul, and a battery,

why did they get rid of the kickstarter?

 

[bbillington]

nice! looks well preserved under that bit of dust. I'd be curious to see what it looks like with the tank and seat off. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.