timing totally wrong as i don't want to work on a bike for a year or two, but the price was perfect. i even have proof the dropped sonoma gets used as a real truck
so the thing has sat a while. it turned over fine. i poured a little gas in the empty tank and it came right out a bad hose. the PO fixed the starter issue while he was riding it. he had a garage full of harleys and told me he got caught up in the hype and likes the yamahas better....
it is a 1982 XV920 virago and overall looks ok. it was advertised as an 1100 but it says 920 right on it. the guy had enough bikes and went back through a history of others that i'm sure he was just mixed up. he was a nice guy though and even let me wake him up in the morning after he worked the night shift to pick it up. price was $200.
question #1 - why is there a wire with a resistor in it coming off the middle of the battery? i'm not sure if it was hooked to anything, but after i pulled the battery and put it back in, the starter would not crank. the battery is crap and i was checking stuff out with a jump pack.
i'll have to get the clymer manual or whatever the modern equivalent is, i know it was a must when i was working on my old 3 wheeler.
Great deal! It's hard to land any bike in the spring time for that cheap.
any thoughts on battery? i could take a picture of the extra wire if necessary.
front tire is flat spotted so bad i can't get the bead to seat to just hold air to make it easy to roll, so i dumped it on myself trying to get it in the garage.
it is a tad heavier than my rt180 dirtbike.
A picture might help, I can't think of what it would be.
Quick google says it is a sensor for the electrolyte level in the battery and displays it on the dashboard.
If you find another one, please call me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4T47Wp4e54&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev8tZRV2QgY&feature=related
ok so i need a new battery and my multimeter to find out why it won't turn over now. it does if i jump the solenoid.
first things first i will be pulling the tank and cleaning it out and changing all fuel hoses before i try to do anything to start it.
Cool bike! About it not starting: the Nanny State decreed that a bike should not start if the kickstand was down. XS650's had a switch that was activated by the sidestand and if it goes bad the bike won't start. I don't know if Viragos had them (probably did) so it's worth checking. Again I am not positive, but it may have to be in neutral as well.
It also may need the clutch pulled in to start.
You can bypass the kickstand or clutch switch by connecting the wires and see if it starts.
That's right, forgot about the clutch switch.
Can you bump start a bike with a clutch safety?
Yes, it just won't spin the starter if the switch is bad or clutch isn't pulled in.
i did have it turning over with the start switch on the big under the bike stand. it won't stay up on the kick stand right now because the front shocks seem to need rebuild and the front tire is flat. the only change that happened from having it turn over to having the button do nothing is i disconnected the battery and hooked it back up.
i may rewire some of that stuff anyway as there seems to be as big a harness on this bike as i run on my belair. i could always add a temporary starter switch. not ready to try and start it yet anyway.
so is it bad if i think i might want to go full on cruiser and use the bike for road trips that don't require taking wife or kid with me? like hard saddle bags, trunk, some non flat ugly chrome fenders, and a headlight and turn signals that don't look so 1982. i really feel comfortable sitting on the bike in stock form and don't have any fear of fabricating anything. the fenders, headlight, sissy bar, taillight, signals, and exhaust are just downright fugly to me. and if the carbs are buggered up from sitting for 10-12 years, it makes more sense to install a new single from what i have read on the virago tech site about better low end (duh - you're fabbing an actual intake with runners and not clamping the carb right to the head - bike guys mustn't understand the whole long runner/short runner thing like us car guys do) and better mpg, and not having to sync carbs and run 2x everything.
just a thought. i have plenty of time to think, but i have a feeling that a cafe/streetfighter type bike is just going to be painful for me. i never was comfortable sitting on a crotch rocket and that's kinda what the above bike ends up being by the time you raise the back of the tank, raise the seat, and put on drag bars.
i'm sure just like my cars, i will end up with multiple bikes in the end so if one goes one way there will be others to go in completely opposite directions.
it's alive! 
well, i have officially run it on starting fluid. the mufflers are blowing chunks of rust and dust out of them big time. it runs very smooth and nice. throttle cable is shot. and i still need to find the bad fuel hose that pukes as soon as i pour gas in the tank. that means i will be replacing all the hoses.
the solenoid was stuck, once i whacked it a couple times it started turning over again with the start button. i pulled the intake boots, shot some starting fluid in, cracked the throttle, and it fired right up. so now i get to do the tedium. checking out carbs and see if they are wasted from being put away wet for 12 years, fixing some hokey wiring splices, draining and refilling all fluids with fresh, rebuilding or at least resealing the front forks, rebuild the front brake system, etc...
and eliminate that god awful rectangle high mount headlight and goofy trim under it and put on a proper round headlight assembly and some non "oh the DOT required huge ugly turn signals in 1982" lights front and rear for some LED bright but small stuff.
i think i know which way i want to go with things. i believe i'm too sore after work to ride hunched over all cafe style even though those bikes are so badass. a virago cafe like pictured above is sex on 2 wheels. but i have plenty of sex on 4 wheels in the stable.
"checking out carbs and see if they are wasted from being put away wet for 12 years,"
12 years ago gas wasn't half as bad as it it today they should be salvageable. Pine-sol soak and then remove all the jets and soak some more before washing with water then carb cleaner and air.
Just remember no cleaners on the diaphragms!
44Dwarf wrote:
"checking out carbs and see if they are wasted from being put away wet for 12 years,"
12 years ago gas wasn't half as bad as it it today they should be salvageable. Pine-sol soak and then remove all the jets and soak some more before washing with water then carb cleaner and air.
Just remember no cleaners on the diaphragms!
modern high ethanol fuels are a conspiracy between the gov't, big oil, and the car makers. they put a corrosive ingredient in, and it destroys crap and makes people buy new cars every 80-100k miles.
patgizz wrote:
modern high ethanol fuels are a conspiracy between the gov't, big oil, and the car makers. they put a corrosive ingredient in, and it destroys crap and makes people buy new cars every 80-100k miles.
True and you forgot the 30% more taxes we pay out.
Due to less BTU's in the alky fuel you have to buy more fuel to go same distance that extra fuel has added taxes.
Hum.... cost more to make...gives less work per volume....subsidize corporate farming....make thing not last...goverment collects more $$ from the people.
Ya sounds fair....
Good news on the bike, but this thread just took a turn for the crazy.
patgizz wrote:
.... it was advertised as an 1100 but it says 920 right on it.
Great buy! I don't know much about them and I have a question: Would you have preferred an 1100? or is a 920 a better bike to seek out?
In reply to dculberson:
The local ancient troll might find this thread and start telling us his views on corny gas.
You do know, BTW, that if enough people hit '!' his posts can be collapsed just like anybody else's.....
@Rotard: Good point, let's do the anti-flounder dance so we can keep it fun. Where's my rubber chicken?
