someone should jump on this

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/3580979431.html
(not me)

 

Thats in really nice shape

 

Thats in really nice shape

 

Why all the 650 Maxims, Polock? Is that your preferred xj? I think they look kind of awkward myself. I like the lines (and side covers, bigger tank, engine, etc)of the 750 and 1100 max a little better. And the 550 Seca like Fitz's black one.

 

very nice

 

I like the 650's but maybe I'm just biased (and a little sad)... That being said the buckhorn bars make the bike feel a bit smaller, sep for taller dudes; you're almost riding with your hands on your lap. That is one nice looking 81 Silver though, whoever gets it better wind up here!

 

Didn't care for the buckhorn look or feel. I put '81 handlebars on mine and rolled them up. I'm 6'...slight bend at elbows..no wrist damage...perfect.

Gary

 

Oh, well, let's not get into bars, I have the two-piece square adjustable bars. They're comfortable and all, but nobody will EVER say, "hey, how do I put 82 Maxim 750 bars on my bike?"

 

what about this one? not mine either, but curious about what ya'll had to say about it

http://limaohio.craigslist.org/mcy/3552250058.html

Are there other things obviously missing from what's shown in the picture? I've never wrenched on a Virago but it looks like the front half of engine wants to fall out. no engine mounts from the front. also they only require one exhaust pipe? anyone have a lot of experience working with the Viragos?

Also, what's that big black bulk of wires going from forks to seat? the wiring harness maybe?

 

the engine on those is part of the frame i think it's called "stressed member frame" some early viragos had problems with the starter gears, i'm not sure of the years or sizes

 

Yes. That would be one of them. 80-82 750 were in the list.

The virago engine is suspended by a mount at the top of the cylinder heads. Then at the rear of the trans similar to the XJ's.

Ghost

 

whoa! That's no project V, that's a PO disaster! or a project for the adventurous. That one is more like jump away than on.

Polock you're right about the frame. Not sure about the name but they do incorporate the engine as the forward member for the frame. If he hasn't had time to get to it then why is it so apart? Where are the carbs. The tank isn't sitting right. Throttle tube is missing and the levers look either mispositioned or tweaked. Busted blinker, missing starter, missing battery (expensive on both counts), bad paint job, rear brake lever is not looking right, The wiring harness is wrong, wrong, it should run right under the Trip T and snake under the tank-That is scary!

Moellear if you look at the front cylinder you can see the frame mount which bolts to the engine (looks like a black cap on top of the head). Virago's are better off with the Yamaha crash bars mounted because they create a secondary front frame support.

I picked up two Virago's last year one running, one not but both intact for $525 with a ton of parts including XS carbs, XS and Virago tanks, XS spoked wheels, and much more. The running one is undergoing carb cleaning, and the non running one is undergoing a head rebuild on the back cylinder. I've already sold some of the extra parts and so now I have two V's for $265. I wouldn't pay more than $200 for that one. Just to get it going (as in running and not R worthy) is a minimum of $400 maybe $500.

The starters were a flawed design so they sound like !@#$ when operating. The newer V's starters were redesigned and fixed that problem, but only the 920's can take advantage of the new starter because they have the hole in the case to mount the new starter. You can put a 'fix' on the 750's basically a shim to improve gear meshing but it's more like a band-aid. It will make it better but not solve it completely. Of course if you don't mind your V sounding broken every-time you go to start it, and don't mind rebuilding the gears every 10,000mi it's no big deal

 

Other thinga about the viragos - they are SLOW. a buddy has a 750 viago and the thing cant hold a candle to my my maxim

 

I had a few viragos. The only thing that is easy to work on is setting the valves and changing the plugs that's it. Pre 88 hitachi carbs on them are trash. Cant get to the low speed jet to clean. To pull the carbs off you have to pull the intake rubbers a major P.I.T.A. Nothing worse then spending a few hrs if you do not know the tricks to removing the carbs . Cleaning them and all that trouble putting them back on just to find out the jet was not cleaned No thanks i want my jets removable or ad least where i can see them. 86 and later starter problems were much better. Easy way to tell if you have one with the old style starter. The stater cover is 2 pieces on the newer ones there is a cover that unbolts with 2 screws at the end where the starter goes thru it.
The bikes were not made for speed if your trying to compare them to a 4 cyl you are off your rockers. All tho top gear roll on from 1500 rpm to 3500 or so no xj would touch them. That is where they shine instant low rpm throttle response. The 1000s and 1100s you have a fuel pump with 2 fuel tanks. That is a major pain to deal with for a extra gal of gas. No petcock 2nd tank is under the carbs. so if your top tank has rust plan on pulling the bottom guaranteed it will be worse. .

 

sounds like i'm going to pass on this one. I appreciate all the insight and tips. he tells me in a text message he paid $300 so he wants that much but I know better than that. It looks to be roughed up with no exhaust pipes either, of which he didn't even know what that was.

my buddy's grandfather drives one around town, but I haven't talked to him much about it since we have bikes of difference. glad to know it seems and will take more work than the XJ's. plus as a 25 year old two motorcycles is enough for right now

 

Yep, that's a project sitting there....

Carbs are missing
engine is not mounted
sparkplug wires missing
clutch cable missing
starter is missing
the whole exhaust is missing
tank emblem is missing

Now, he says he has all the parts other than the starter. HOpefully that's true and they're in good condition.

There's only 16k on the odo, that's good......but the starter issue can show up in less than 5,000mi .....more often around 8,ooo mi.

You'll only know whether the starter issue is present once you buy a starter (gonna be about $100 for a GOOD starter to begin with. Then you'll have the usual 'get an old bike safe and running and reliable" stuff to do and all the associated costs.

The exhaust is going to be tough.......they are often rusted out in the bottom. It would have originally looked like 6590 maxim mufflers under there, but the collector box is very different.

If anyone DOES pick this up, I can supply pics from my on 81 XV with only around 16k on it, too. OH, and yup.....i'm in the middle of a starter 'fix'.

Last, the engine is a 'stressed member', meaning that it becomes part of the frame once it is bolted in place. A neat thing though.....the engines are interchangeable from frame to frame through the years and sizes as long as you use the mounts that are for the particular engine size, and also use the correct tci and correct carbs.