Got a new project bike

[bagobones]

The sickness continues. Bought a 1981 Yamaha Virago 750 for $400. She runs, but needs carb work of course. This purchase makes me also the proud owner of what HAS to be the worlds UGLIEST motorcycle seat. UGH!!! I actually test rode this bike in a snow storm which makes it the first bike I have ever owned where I was actually able to ride it before I bought it. It was delivered to my house on a flatbed however, so THAT streak is still INTACT!!!!

Some Ebay activity has netted some good deals on missing bits and pieces and I already have a new seat. Mr. Bones sent me some groovy drag bars with risers. Carbs kits and a cheap ass set of turn signals or also on the way.

I am well aware of the starter issues with this series of Viragos. Does anybody have any other advice (other than "get your head examined" or experience with these bikes?

Also: I now have a beautiful King/Queen seat for an '81 Virago for sale. Actually, I'll give YOU money to take it off my hands!

[mrbones]

Hmmmmm.....you might want to keep that seat. It has some wicked sharp 70's lines to it. Keep seat, add 3 foot sissy bar to match = big smile on face while riding.

[mrbones]

Here's a bobbed '82. If those are stock wheels, you missed the good ones by one year.

[bagobones]

Those wheels start showing up in 1984 and later bikes. I don't know exactly when. Older bikes show up on the net with these wheels but they are retrofitted. They have dual discs which would be nice. That's a costly upgrade I would put way back on the back burner. For now, I'm going to use a GL1100 master cylinder with the single brake. That should be interesting.

[dt]

Oh yeah! Awesome find! 

That bobber is cool, but there are probably a lot of things you can do with that.

[bagobones]

Came up with a paint scheme. It's flat rustoleum colonial red over rustoleum bedliner. The other black parts will be flat black rustoleum texture paint. I hit the exhaust with rustoleum 2000 degree engine paint. That has to be the flattest black I have ever seen. I couldn't find colored bedliner, so i just used the same brand of paint and went right over the top while it was still drying.

I was inspired by the new Indian bikes I saw with flat paint jobs.

You can see the bike is in quite a state of disrepair at the moment. I hope i can remember how to put her back together!

[mrbones]

Looks good, but where's the C__H__R__O__M__E_?_!

[bagobones]

As a moderately wise man once said to me.... "FUCK YOU, CHROME!"

[mrbones]

If I didn't have small kids that would be written on my gas tank.

[dt]

                 

...like the red, too...

[mrbones]

Here's a few pics of Bags progress. He can fill us in on the details later.

[bagobones]

UPDATE:

The project gets moved out of the garage for a looksee. I can't believe how light this bike is. I had forgotten what a brute my GL1100 really is.

An Ebayer actually bought that original king/queen seat for over $100. One man's junk....

The goal now is to make it look a little ratty, but have it be as solid mechanically as possible. New wheel bearings, neck bearings, fork seals, carb rebuild, brake linings, master cylinder - that kind of thing.

Witness what may be the only NOS Yamaha custom accessory seat / sissy bar combo in the world. These two items were bought on Ebay and were listed by different sellers within hours of each other. I paid about $175 total including the sissy setup, the seat and matching backrest. This isn't cheap I guess, but man, the seat has ZERO miles on it. I may not use that backrest, since no passengers are allowed on this ride. It is awfully groovy though..

I had toyed with using some ammo cans as saddlebags, but don't like the look. Wrong for this bike. I DID find a guy who makes saddlebag supports for any bike, including this one. This may be the only place that sells those for this series of Virago. He also does powder coating . Check it out:
 
http://xvfinishes.com/parts/saddle_bag_saddlebag_guard_suppo2.htm

The handlebars are courtesy of Mr. Bones. Next up: carb rebuild. UGH!

[bagobones]

F U chrome. Meet Mr. 220 grit sandpaper.

[mrbones]

Aaahhhh....that's better. Those wheels are even starting to look cool.

[dt]

Pheeew. The seat looks a lot better.

Oh hey. The sissy bar has a medallion mount. Wonder what's going to wind up there? 

[Drod13]

Hey at least your seat don't look like this one....lol

[mrbones]

Ha HAAA!!

[dt]

Holy smokes! That backrest is awful. The screen isn’t much better. Looks like one of those Memphis handle mount deals that flaps in the wind.

[mrbones]

Check out the size of that rack.    Looks like a BBQ grille.

[bagobones]

AWWWWW   YYEEEEEAAAAHHHHH !!!!

I don't remember exactly when I started rebuilding the carbs on this bike. About two months ago I got pretty frustrated with them. I used up all the parts in the rebuild kit, and had spent hours meticulously cleaning everything out only to have them fail to run the bike. They aren't easy to wedge in between the heads either, making removal and installation slow and painful. Why they didn't make this bike with ONE carb and a dual-manifold that sits in the middle, I don't know.

Turns out I had the pilot needles screwed in way too far. There's a guy who posted XV750 carbs rebuild videos on youtube and I used his measurements to get them right. Here they are for anyone interested. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj8XfETYEu0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj8XfETYEu0</a>

Once I twisted the wires together for the no-longer-there kickstand safety switch , I hit the starter switch and SHAZAM! She started right up. The carbs were really mucked up when I test rode the bike back in the snow of Feb., and the previous owner had to crank up the idle screw just to keep her running because everything was plugged up. I had to turn down the idle a good four complete turns. Now she's purring like a kitten. Actually roaring like a pissed off lion, since the baffles are gone in the pipes. It sounds a bit like Mr. Bones old CX650-actually quiter at idle, but louder when I really gunned it.

I have some electrical work to do and bleeding of the front brakes and she will be ready for her first real ride. Maybe Sunday?

[mrbones]

It LIVES! Kick ass. Take some video of the thing running. Lets hear it!!

[dt]

Take some video of the thing running. Lets hear it!!

Photos too...

[Drod13]

Any progress on this one?

[bagobones]

Damn thing needs a battery and its a strange size. It runs well when I get her fired up. Brakes need bleeding in the front. I'll post a pic or two soon and maybe a vid of it running.....

[dt]

BatteryMart and BatteryStuff usually have cheap, but good, batteries. ($44 and $58 range). Bikebandit and Dennis Kirk have one for it, but egad on those prices.

Did you know that Yamaha lists the 81 Virago 750 as one of its “Epic” models on its website? It was the first Yamaha with a V-Twin. Here's the Full Listing of Epic Yamaha Models for all to peruse. I found this list a long time ago when I was restoring my 72DT2MX.