Who's got a Virago 1100/1000?

SLIM

SLIM

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Hey all! Long time no see.

I'm thinking of buying a Virago 1000/1100. Not sure yet. I'm far enough with my online research, but now feel the need for snooping one of these in person.

I'm trying to find anyone with a Virago 1000/1100 "in the area" that wouldn't mind giving me a "tour" of their bike, maybe even let me ride it. I'm looking to gain some familiarity with these before I go looking. I find in this circumstance it's best to speak with owners, not sellers.

Anyone?
 
I had an 1100 for a few years. They are known to have starter/electrical issues and so did mine. It got pretty frustrating that it had so many electrical issues, so I sold it. In the few years I owned it, I replaced the stator, the reg/rectifier, the battery a few times and the starter twice. The connections along the wiring harness would also melt sometimes, which was a real pain to diagnose. I think I only put about 15,000km on it, so in all the bikes I have owned, it gave me the most problems per km - only electrical problems. I was fortunate that I owned a few other bikes at the same time, otherwise it would have been a much more frustrating ownership.

That said, I did like riding it when it worked. It has great predictable power and was very easy to handle. It was shaft drive and the brakes were more than adequate. I had a corbin seat on it and so it was very comfortable for longer rides. While I did dislike the bend of the handlebars and my longer knees getting in the way, that could be easily changed with aftermarket bars. I think you are a bit taller than me, so you might find it a bit cramped when doing slow speed turns. If I had mine I would let you ride it, but it's long gone.

Question - why are you thinking about a Virago?
 
shanekingsley said:
Question - why are you thinking about a Virago?
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It's partially one of those "I don't even know myself" kinda things. Really, it's about the only cruiser I care to give the time of day to. Don't really care much for it's follower, the V-Star. I'm sure they're a great bike and all, but it's ergos appear even less appealing. I view them as having a shorter, height-wise, front end, so i'd be hunched over more than on a Virago ... I have sport bikes for that already, thanks. lol And I see WAY too many manufacturers making bikes like that nowadays and a tall guy like me on those ... really, it feels like i'm straddling a short sport bike. I like the numbers, too, from a "performance" standpoint - power-to-weight-ratio looks good with the engine being a stressed member, the reduced weight is a huge plus for a slim guy like me. At least I could pick it up if I dropped it. Many other cruisers ... don't think so.

Did you see the Movie 21 Days Under the Sky? Those old modded Harleys with the springer front ends and backrests? I'd be real comfy on that. It even looks "fall asleep comfy" comfy. But i'm not about to spend a ton of time and money modding something like that. I figure a Virago is a reasonably close start to something like those bikes.


I don't see my 919 going anywhere anytime soon. It fills a niche for my riding too well, but I want to add to my stable. A cruiser would be nice, but it's not a necessity. I'm also considering an FZ1, but that's something to fill a completely different desire. I can understand your potential frustrating ownership problem comment - i'd probably burn the thing to the ground and make s'mores while it's going if that was the case.
 
I found the vstar 1100 to be more comfortable than the virago 1100, but the virago definitely has better handling. My passenger much preferred the vstar if that matters to you.

Sent from my Le Pan TC802A using Tapatalk
 
Iceman said:
I found the vstar 1100 to be more comfortable than the virago 1100, but the virago definitely has better handling. My passenger much preferred the vstar if that matters to you.

Sent from my Le Pan TC802A using Tapatalk
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Actually, no, I never considered a passenger. But I thank you kindly for the input regardless. Very good point to be made. Maybe Ms Right will be hitch hiking up around Huntsville when i'm there. lol

I learned the lesson with static sitting on a bike - it doesn't work like that. When you're riding you're not just sitting on a bike. I really need to ride stuff. My buddy offered his 2007 VTX1300C so that'll get a test ride, for sure.

We'll see. *shrug*
 
If you're a tall guy you won't be happy on a Virago. It has a decidedly Sportster like seating position. I bought one the first year the new "improved" model came out (1984) and by all accounts it was a real lemon. Like Shane says, the electronics are problematic. On mine I went through three ignition boxes (made by Mitsubishi) at very high price. Yamaha refused to cover the box under warranty after my dealer went bankrupt. The front wheel bearings had to be replaced in the first 5000km. The kickstand switch broke so the bike wouldn't start. The cheap handlebar controls broke. Then there's the starter that was like the starter on a 1938 Dodge - very hit and miss. Initial quality of the bike was good, but the components were flimsy and quickly deteriorated. Yamaha I discovered had the WORST parts supply system in the business. You could sit out most of the season waiting for a part. I don't know if things have changed, but you really want to investigate before buying.

I bought the bike new because I believed all the hype about how much better Jap bikes were than Triumphs and Harleys. I sold the Virago at 7000kms, I had enough. A 650 Seca I had later was less problematic but still required valve and cam chain maintenance.

If you must have a Virago, the good thing about it is the smooth-running 90 degree engine. You get a slight buzz past 110km/h but it's bearable. It has decent low-end torque as you would expect from a V-twin. It also has enclosed shaft drive which at the time was better than a chain, but it has more parasitic power loss. HD aced everyone out with its Kevlar belt system IMO. For an average sized person the Virago can be fun on smooth roads, but its rear suspension is harsh on moderate to rough roads. There really isn't much room for spring travel there.

To be honest I don't recommend anyone but a true fan buying a Virago, or any Yamaha for that matter. I understand Yamaha did well in the recent Consumer Reports survey. I find that very, very hard to believe. I would go with a Honda because of the better product support and an overall more robust motorcycle in my experience.
 
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That reminds me - I used to feel the bumps a lot on that bike too, so i would agree about the rear suspension being a little harsh. I bought the bike by just sitting on it and the seller starting it up - but no test ride. The electrical problems started about a week after I bought it. I also had a VFR 750 at the time which was running perfectly, so it was tough to keep the Virago. It's good you have the other bikes still so it could be a nice project if it spends more time in the garage than on the road.

I do know a co-worker who had a Virago 1100 for many years as well and he did not have the same electrical problems I had on mine. I did like the looks of my old bike though because it had so much aftermarket stuff on it. I had a friend do up a really nice job painting the tank all black with a pearl iridescent maple leaf on the tank which could only be seen in direct sunlight. The previous owner had a tiger air brushed on the tank but I'm not a tiger guy so off it went...

1986%20Yamaha%20Virago%20XV1100s.JPG
 
I did not have a Virago myself, but back when I was in high school a buddy had a Virago 750 and he had a ton of electrical and starter problems, just as Shanekingsley said. Personally I would not give a Virago the time of day, maybe they have gotten better from the early models in the 90's, I would assume they have, but the image is forever in my head. They were the best sounding Japanese cruisers out there for sure.
 
Virago was the first serious attempt by a Japanese company to produce a true factory custom. Most of the other Japanese so-called "cruisers" were just patchovers of other models. The Virago was build from the ground-up, engine and all to be like a Harley. The engine sounded and looked good. The bike looked great on the showroom floor. But... as I and others found out it was a cheap, low quality bike.

Why a Virago? There's so much better out there at great prices. The Shadows, Sportsters, etc. can be had for good prices and will be more fun and easier to maintain.
 
Viragos had good strong motors, but as has been mentioned, the starter motors and other electrics were problematic. The good news is that there are improved parts out there to fix one up if you find one at the right price.
The other concern is the Hitachi carburetors - there are no available spare parts, and they can be a big problem to rebuild. The only cure I know of is to replace them with Mikunis.
Having said all that, if anyone knows of an XV920RH/J for sale (the chain drive sporty version), please let me know. That could make a great long term project bike.
 
SLIM said:
Hey all! Long time no see.

I'm thinking of buying a Virago 1000/1100. Not sure yet. I'm far enough with my online research, but now feel the need for snooping one of these in person.

I'm trying to find anyone with a Virago 1000/1100 "in the area" that wouldn't mind giving me a "tour" of their bike, maybe even let me ride it. I'm looking to gain some familiarity with these before I go looking. I find in this circumstance it's best to speak with owners, not sellers.

Anyone?
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Yamaha sold a lot of these bikes over the years, tons. But now we are starting to see the parts availability dry up. Many carb parts are no longer available through the OEM, among other things. Maintenance-wise there were some interesting choices made which boggle my mind a bit: exhaust and crash guard removal to access the oil filter, original starters and starter clutches made from inadequate materials and a set of carbs that take about 6 hours to remove the first time you do them while the senior tech watches you learn the hard way. I have many customers up near the 100 K km mark with them though and they run really well when everything is set up properly.

TK4 said:
Viragos had good strong motors, but as has been mentioned, the starter motors and other electrics were problematic. The good news is that there are improved parts out there to fix one up if you find one at the right price.
The other concern is the Hitachi carburetors - there are no available spare parts, and they can be a big problem to rebuild. The only cure I know of is to replace them with Mikunis.
Having said all that, if anyone knows of an XV920RH/J for sale (the chain drive sporty version), please let me know. That could make a great long term project bike.
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Yuck, a 920? The last time I saw one of those was close to 10 years ago and we had to have pistons custom made because there were no parts available at all.. As far as rare projects go, that's a doosy. Hopefully you can find one in decent shape that only needs some TLC and updating of maintenance parts.
 
LPakkala said:
Yuck, a 920? The last time I saw one of those was close to 10 years ago and we had to have pistons custom made because there were no parts available at all.. As far as rare projects go, that's a doosy. Hopefully you can find one in decent shape that only needs some TLC and updating of maintenance parts.
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I was thinking more of a 920/1100 hybrid.
The only difference in the crankcases (that I know of) was to accommodate the chain drive, and the monoshock chassis was way ahead of its time.
I'm an old fart with lots of time on my hands...:mad:
 
TK4 said:
I was thinking more of a 920/1100 hybrid.
The only difference in the crankcases (that I know of) was to accommodate the chain drive, and the monoshock chassis was way ahead of its time.
I'm an old fart with lots of time on my hands...:mad:
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The digital dash was a disaster waiting to happen though. I have this vision of you having to make a new one from scratch.. Good luck, I have some odd-ball projects I am still trying to find money and time to get to.
 
LPakkala said:
The digital dash was a disaster waiting to happen though. I have this vision of you having to make a new one from scratch.. Good luck, I have some odd-ball projects I am still trying to find money and time to get to.
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Time, inclination, energy and money - once we have those things in place it all comes together !
 
Great points made by all, thank you all very much for speaking up.

Last week I decided to fire up Kijiji and see what all is available for the $5-10k range in the cruiser section. I actually found one bike I think would do the trick nicely ...

Now researching the Honda Fury.
 
Buy the Honda...Shadow or the VTX, bullet proof reliability. I like wrenching here and there but not every other week man, it can make you sick with frustration.

Bikes are best when they just run for miles with your regular maintenance, and you should have confidence in it that in any given moment you can pull it out of the stable and run a 1000 mile marathon.

I like the look of the Vigaro also, and was considering it as a second bike, but thanks to this thread will never touch one. As for Yamaha I did not think they had the supply chain issues, I thought all Jap bikes were rock solid reliable and parts were plenty and fast. I've only owned Honda on the Jap bikes and a BMW R1200C, which was a beautiful bike but with it's own demons, great if you only ride on sunny days to Timmies.

I went to NYC in a spur of the moment this summer on my VTX 1300, was originally just going to Watertown USA for a tire change and my boy said why not just ride to the big Apple... (both of us were on vacation) so we did, and mostly because my trust in my VTX. On the way back we got hit with the storm that hit NY State in late July. We rode through most of the storm and sudden flash rain in PA and Jersey area, and even with my carb and spike air intake I was fine, just sputtered somewhat during the heavy rain due to my intake being outside, and at and at some points during the storm we would have to wait the storm out due to visibility, wind and the extremely heavy rain fall.

Honda just ROCKS on Reliability.
 
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I can relate to that. Honestly, it's (thankfully ... ?) made me lazy. HAHAHAHA!

I've actually just bought my first non-Honda motorcycle this past weekend (started riding in '07, bought 3 Hondas so far). A Suzuki (?). It's an '02 Bandit 1200S. It's already bitten me! Lil' vugger!

... but I also know it's just me to want to make something perfect and "just like so" and ... i'm tired of it. I just want to ride while I still can man. ;)


So yeah I really need to get my a$z on a Fury! hahaha

And THEN I can see if I can stand riding a cruiser/chopper. :o (last time was for my M2 at Humber lol Virago 250 chain drive at that ... and no it didn't break down hohoho!)
 
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I had a '96 Virago 1100 from '98 (bought new even though 2yrs old) until I gave it to my Wife in 2010. She rode it until 2012 and then sold it to my Dad who rode it for a couple of years. All told, we had that bike for 14 years, put 100,000km on it and it was FLAWLESS! Virago's sorted out the electrical/starter issues in the late 80's. In all the time I had that bike, I replaced the stator somewhere around 70,000km. That's it. The rest was wear and tear items like fork seals and one gasket. Probably one of the best handling cruiser style bikes ever produced thanks to the mid-controls and higher ground clearance vs the stretched out styled ones that came after it. The shaft drive was awesome! It is the one thing I truly miss about that bike. (I hate lubing chains). Lots of bright shinny chrome, descent power (56hp) and lots of torque. The passenger seat is SMALL, so either find a tiny lady friend or convince an average sized lady friend to get her own bike!

You can't go wrong with a Virago. The only other complaint I have about the bike is the insurance. You pay by the cc which means you pay fairly high insurance. My Bandit 600 is in the same insurance class and I pay much lower insurance even though it is much faster and has more hp.
 
LPakkala said:
The digital dash was a disaster waiting to happen though. I have this vision of you having to make a new one from scratch.. Good luck, I have some odd-ball projects I am still trying to find money and time to get to.
Click to expand...

Time, inclination, energy and money - never seem to have all of them at once....:cool:
 
This morning I just parked beside a brand spanking new Honda CB1100, the bike looks totally retro with chrome fenders and all, so you got a vintage looking bike with new tech from Honda. With 1140 cc on something looking so light that's allot of power in this puppy.

The bike looked sweet, if they guy changes the seat to a vintage rustic brown leather and does the mirrors into the handle bar mirrors you got a sweet cafe racer style bike with modern minimum tech.

I would love to have a kick starter on my VTX. In the old bikes I loved kick starting the bikes, the effort and power you put into starting the bike up felt as if you breathed life into this machine and now it has awakened with some part of you transferred into her. Even though it may taken a few kicks sometimes, and if you weren't careful it would slip and kick you back...kinda like a real temperamental horse!
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